"L'ego n'est rien d'autre que le foyer de l'attention consciente."
— Alan Watts
Simplified Meaning:
This quote means that our ego, or sense of self-importance, is created by what we pay attention to in our minds. Imagine you are watching a play on stage. The spotlight shines on the main actor, making them the center of attention. In your mind, your ego is like that main actor. Whatever you think about yourself and focus on, becomes very important to you. For instance, if you always think about being successful, your ego will be all about being a success. In real life, if you keep focusing on being kind and helping others, your ego will shape itself around these positive traits. On the other hand, if you only think about getting more power or admiration, your ego will become all about those desires. So by choosing carefully where we direct our attention, we can shape our ego and, in turn, our behavior and character.
