Inspired by Michael Bugary’s episode — “When Life Throws You a Curveball: The Distance Between Ego and Love”

When I was writing this episode and listening back to Michael’s story — his journey through ego, collapse, and rebuilding — I found myself reflecting on what a difficult thing it is to even see our ego, let alone learn how to let it go.

Ego isn’t always the villain we make it out to be. In my own spiritual practice, I’ve learned that ego has a job — it’s there to protect us. It’s what tells us not to touch the hot stove, or to step back from something that might harm us. It gives us boundaries and self-preservation. The problem comes when ego stops serving us… and we start serving it.

For people like Michael, ego can look like drive, confidence, or the relentless pursuit of perfection. That’s how he made it as far as he did in baseball. But over time, that same ego — the one that helped him rise — became the thing that kept him stuck.
He was trapped in the version of himself that the world expected him to be. And when that version fell apart, he was left alone with the question: Who am I without the game?

The truth is, ego thrives in isolation. It convinces us that no one will understand, that we have to do it all ourselves, that vulnerability equals weakness. And yet, every time we let go of a little bit of that pride — when we ask for help, when we tell the truth, when we stop performing — that’s when the healing begins.

Michael’s story reminded me that letting go of ego isn’t about losing strength — it’s about redefining it.
Strength isn’t pretending you’re fine when you’re not.
It’s having the courage to be seen in your brokenness, and still believe you’re worthy of love.

For Michael, that moment came through a rescue dog named Lingo — a companion who didn’t care about stats, fame, or failure. Lingo loved the man, not the mask. And sometimes that’s all it takes — one being, human or not — to remind us who we really are beneath it all.

Ego is a tricky thing. It whispers that it’s keeping us safe when it’s really just keeping us small. But when we finally put it down — even for a moment — the world opens up. Love steps in. Connection becomes possible.

So here’s my reflection behind the plate:
Maybe the real win in life isn’t about being the best. Maybe it’s about being real, and honest