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@11modal11 Hey mate, and thanks again for replying! I still don't completely understand your responses and would really appreciate if you could try and say it another way? I'm very interested to hear.

@ChimpBrain Hey mate, yeah this was kind of my battle, I just over the last couple of years would question my drive in going to the gym. I definetly know the benefits working out has on me mentally and physically, but I'll admit it, the main reason I do it is to stay fit and to look good for female attention, being that I am single and all. Is that intrinsic or extrinsic, I don't know. Is that egotistical, I hope not.

@waking_dreams Hey mate, yes I agree, it is pretty much the way I approach life. For example I go to the gym, and workout, but don't define myself as a bodybuilder as such, I wear many hats, which is for the exact reason you said. We have sports stars all over the world who get depressed because they retired, and identify so strongly with their sport they feel like know one. I was just having trouble over the last couple of years with really trying to suppress myself, and I thought that going to the gym is very narcissistic. My therapist says that I'm too black and white, which is totally true, and I'm obsessive with some thoughts.

@11modal11 Hey mate, thanks for your input. I still don't understand this whole ego thing, like I said I thought ego meant to be egotistical, something that I can't stand. Yeah, suppression is a great word to use, I have been fighting to suppress my feelings, to the point where, like I initially said, want to stop working out because I felt I'm being narcissistic. You lost me on the last couple of sentences i'm afraid.

@Moreira I do know of him, watched one of his videos and judged him as being a meathead narcissist. Yeah I judge people, something that Leo says is not good to do, but I just can't help it, especially as I'm not happy in my own life. For all I know he could be a great guy!? Like you said he has changed now right? I'm not sure what these stage green, yellow etc are all about yet sorry, I've only watch Leo's videos that relate to me, and haven't had much time to watch the newer ones.

@ajasatya I'm not sure of the root cause mate, I have my theories, I believe we as anxious people are genetically pre-dis-positioned to being a worrier or anxious person, but it's on a scale, like autism, you might be one end of the spectrum where anxiety/panic affects you deeply, or the other end where it doesn't affect you at all. Also how you were bought up by your parents, makes a difference, or if something triggered us later in life, like a major stressor. I had my first panic attack after smoking marijuana as a teenager, and from that day my life changed. I think if I wasn't a sensitive person it probably wouldn't have affected me as much as it did. My upbringing was great, maybe there were times that I was sheltered a little, which definitely has its pro's and con's, for example I am very empathetic and respectful to others, but on the other hand I'm probably a little too sensitive with things like emotions etc.. I'm a lot better than what I was, but I'm afraid of things like being on a train, lift and aeroplane - which upsets me because I REALLY want to travel the world.

@Widdle Puppy Hey thanks very much for your response mate, I do like weight training/keeping fit, and have been doing it for almost 17 years. I'm also a personal trainer! Go figure. I'm just going through a phase where I don't want to be part of an industry that can be very narcissistic, but I too am one of those you could argue. My main point/question was mostly regarding Leo's rhetoric of we shouldn't follow our ego, but on the other hand has videos about eating healthy and going to the gym?!

@Outer I'm sorry Outer, I think that you might be too intelligent for me, your wording is going way over my head.

@Outer I still don't know what you mean by 'the term ego is a distraction'? Maybe, if you wouldn't mind could you break down more simply what it means? I understand you second part about pursuing self-inquiry, but I don't see how weightlifting will assist? I'm sure there aren't many, if any, enlightened Buddhist monks in the mountains lifting weights? Thanks again, look forward to your reply.

@Outer Sorry Outer, I don't understand what you are saying. Could you please rephrase your response? Thank you.

@SBB4746 Yeah, I've thought of this and it helps a little, I appreciate your input. Thanks.

Hi, I'm new to this forumn, but have been watching Leo's videos for a while now. One, of a few, question/s that keeps popping up for me is regarding ego, or the ego as I know or thought I knew it meant, IE, ego being one's ego, or being egotistical. I can't wrap my head around the differences in ego often spoke of in Leo's videos. And also Leo speaks of not following the ego, but then suggests going to the gym and working out? Isn't that ego? I have been going to the gym and workout often, and have for many years, but I'm going through a phase of asking myself why I'm doing it? It makes me feel good, makes me feel confident and strong, but I battle with the thought that this type of 'external' confidence is brittle. For example if I injure myself and can't workout for a longtime I get depressed and loose motivation to eat well and my confidence and self esteem takes a beating - so that itself says to me that the external action of going to the gym is like a band-aid for my self confidence and happiness, without it I feel depressed. I'm not having a go at Leo, just trying to understand and hopefully get some advice/answers. Please keep things in laymen terms, I'm not the best with comprehension. Thanks in advance PS, my theory is all my sadness, emptiness and frustration comes down to the fact that I have struggled most of my life with anxiety and panic attacks, which has stopped me from pursuing my dream of world travel.