No. I'm creative and I have a lot of ego. I find ego helps with belief in myself so that I can take risks. When things don't work out, I can use my self belief

No. I'm creative and I have a lot of ego. I find ego helps with belief in myself so that I can take risks. When things don't work out, I can use my self belief to spin it in a way that works for me. Elon Musk does the same thing. Ask his wife. I disagree with your notion. I think that having an ego is necessary to deal with the slings and arrows of failing when from taking outrageous risks. Take risks. But take calculated risks. If you don't believe in yourself, and trust your own vision, someone might talk you out of it. Or your metric of safe will include acquiescing to or acting with the advice of others. There's not really a way to rationalize courage in my opinion. And it's not a case of you have it or don't I've found. At some point in my life I feel brave, other times no. What makes courage in my experience is just saying, 1,2,3 do it, and making yourself do it. If there wasn't fear it wouldn't be courage. You have the vision or desire, you're afraid to take the step, then you take it. That took courage. Ego helps me believing enough in myself to dream up outrageous ideas. I find that if I'm low confidence or not freed from cares and worries plaguing doubters, my mind isn't free enough to dream up, and my heart isn't free or strong enough to take risks. So have ego and believe in yourself (for me, they are the same thing). Having ego lets me enjoy myself, and makes me happy. And enjoying and being happy helps my creative process. Have ego. But be rational and strategic about your ego and keep it in check. Use it in a way that works for you, not against you. Is my advice. YMMV.