Written by Avery Melhado. Graphic by Avery Melhado.
It is almost impossible to be an artist and not struggle with the concept of ego. Everyone knows that being overly prideful is bad, that ego can become an obstacle to your work if you let it take too much control. Still, it is essential as an artist to take some pride in yourself and the things you create. We all want to be great, we all want to succeed. Without a sense of self-regard, success can seem impossible. Ego in art relies on a delicate balance, an understanding that pride can be both positive and negative. But how do we find that balance? Where is the line that distinguishes whether ego is necessary or harmful?
Recently, Timothée Chalamet received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Male Actor in a Leading Role, the youngest actor ever to receive the award. This is his first major win, despite years of nominations. His speech at the SAG Awards instantly took over the internet, with divisive opinions on its shamelessness and honesty. He started by saying, “I know the classiest thing would be to downplay the effort that went into this role and how much this means to me,” then continued to explain the intensity and care that he poured into the role.
Chalamet described himself as being “in pursuit of greatness.” In his speech he mentioned names like Daniel Day-Lewis and Viola Davis, along with Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps, declaring, “I wanna be one of the greats.” While many viewed this speech with sincerity and inspiration, others saw it as selfish and ungrateful. The question is asked—is it wrong to strive for greatness? Is ego something to be ashamed of? Can you be an artist without continuously wanting more for yourself?
The idea of earnestness comes to mind. In the case of Chalamet, clearly, he cares about his craft. He is persistent and sincere. He gives his all, wanting more out of a need to do better, to be better. Is this not what it means to be an artist? To want, to try? To be driven and serious about your work? It is important not to confuse this eartnessness for ego. Wanting to be “one of the greats” is not a sign of self-inflation. Really, more than anything, it is a sign of care.
Caring lends itself to vulnerability. You must allow yourself to openly care about your work, to show yourself and your wanting to improve. It is not embarrassing or selfish to want- to want to be successful, or recognized, or even great. Striving to be great is what makes our lives so fulfilling. Passion and wanting, determination and greatness—these are all things that make living and trying and growing worthwhile. Vulnerability and care are indicators of devotion and determination, not an inflated ego.
Ego is not inherently negative, either. Pride is essential to creating art and simply living in the world. To have no pride in your work would be a shame. It is important, though, to practice moderation. You must be grateful and vulnerable while maintaining a sense of self-worth. Through this, you are able to balance pride with wanting, gratitude with determination. You don’t have to downplay your achievements or the intensity of your work to be humble- you just have to understand that there is always room to grow.
At the end of the day, it’s important to truly care about what you’re doing. It’s important to strive to be better, to be great, even. It’s important to take pride in your work, but also maintain a vulnerability around yourself and your passion. You must balance an understanding that you can always try harder or do better with a persistence of effort to strive towards greatness. Only when you find this balance of ego, this sense of earnestness, will greatness ever truly be possible.
