“The ego refuses to be distressed by the provocations of reality, to let itself be compelled to suffer.”

Simplified Meaning:

The quote means that our ego tries to protect us from feeling pain or discomfort when faced with difficult truths or situations. It's like having a friend who always says you did a great job, even when you made mistakes, just so you don't feel bad. Imagine you didn't get the job you wanted. Your ego might tell you things like, “They don’t know your real value” or “It’s their loss.” It does this to stop you from feeling sad or rejected. While this makes you feel better in the short term, it might prevent you from understanding why you didn't get the job and what you can improve. In life, we can apply this idea by being more open to facing uncomfortable truths. For example, if someone gives you constructive criticism, instead of getting upset or ignoring it, you can listen and learn from it. This way, you grow and become better at what you do.