If you feel burned out, it might be time to work on quieting your ego

Fast Company

13-06-2025

Take a quick look around the office or scan the names of your colleagues on Slack. Two-thirds of your coworkers are feeling burned out. Maybe you are, too. In a survey conducted for Moodle, an e-learning tool, 66% of workers are struggling, citing too much work, not enough resources, and a poor economy.
While all these circumstances have a role in burnout, there may be an internal problem also in play, according to Jeffrey Hull and Margaret Moore, coauthors of The Science of Leadership: Nine Ways to Expand Your Impact.
Your ego could be too noisy!
'A noisy ego describes a person who is constantly thinking about themselves,' Moore says. 'They're asking 'Am I OK?' 'Are they insulting me?' 'Am I being positioned correctly?' It's a self-referencing, self-oriented noise.'
A quiet ego is a term coined by Jack Bauer, a professor of psychology at the University of Dayton, and Heidi Wayment, a professor of psychological sciences at Northern Arizona University. It describes a personality type characterized by being mindful, emotionally intelligent, compassionate, and growth-oriented.