Ego is your sense of who you are and how you see yourself. It's the part of your mind that thinks about yourself: your abilities, your importance, and your place in the world.

Everyone has an ego. It helps you understand yourself and make decisions. When you feel proud after solving a difficult problem, that's your ego recognizing your accomplishment. When you introduce yourself to someone new, your ego is at work, helping you present who you are.

But ego becomes tricky when it grows too large. Someone with a big ego thinks too highly of themselves and may believe they're more important or talented than they really are. A basketball player with an inflated ego might hog the ball and refuse to pass, convinced only they can score. A student with a massive ego might not listen to feedback because they think they already know everything.

The opposite problem exists too: someone with low self-esteem might have an ego that's too fragile, making them doubt themselves even when they're capable.

The healthiest approach is balance. You want an ego that's confident but realistic, one that celebrates genuine achievements without exaggerating them. When someone says “check your ego,” they're suggesting you stay humble and remember that other people matter, too.