The ego loves numbers and time, which it uses to measure how well it is doing in reaching its goals, as if these numbers can actually measure or predict success, which is an undefined concept anyway. Take, for example, the money in your bank account. We commonly use this as a measure for how well we are doing and whether we are reaching or will reach our goals. The trouble with this is that how much money we have or how much of anything we have (e.g., popularity or any other form of rating ourselves or our success) isn't a measure or a predictor of anything. The ego pretends these numbers are meaningful—it gives meaning to the numbers by assuming something and telling a story of some kind. But such numbers are meaningless.

The truth is, you are not solely responsible for creating the amount of money in your bank account, the amount of popularity you have, or the amount of anything you have. You are one small player in the scheme of things, and at any moment, that money, popularity, or whatever could disappear, and you wouldn't be solely responsible for that either.

The ego likes numbers because it gives it a false sense of security and control. It believes that the numbers are under its control. When life proves otherwise, which it often does, the ego is very upset, not only because it doesn't like low numbers (except when it comes to our weight!), but also because life just demonstrated a basic truth that the ego doesn't want to see: We are not in control of what comes and goes in our life. We have a small influence, not a large influence on what happens to us.

Call it destiny, fate, the stars, the bigger plan, or whatever you will, but it will have its way with us, and our greatest power and responsibility is in how we respond to life. If we are convinced that we create it all, then when life doesn't go our way, we are going to be very upset, and that isn't a particularly functional response to life. On the other hand, when we accept the truth—that we are a small player in the unfolding of life—then we don't take what happens to us so personally, and that attitude allows us to respond to whatever is happening in a much more functional way.

Our beliefs do matter. When we believe we should be able to get what we want and that we are entirely responsible for our reality, that is a mistaken belief. And when we believe something that isn't true, we suffer, and we also don't function very well. On the other hand, when our beliefs match reality, and we see and accept the truth about life and allow life to carry us forward (without kicking and screaming), we won't suffer, and we will be able to respond in a much more functional way. Being deluded about life keeps us suffering and also interferes with our ability to respond wisely to whatever we are experiencing. Our mistaken beliefs about life interfere with our potential for going with the flow and being happy with life as it is presenting itself.

The ego's numbers game keeps us tied to the ego and its misperceptions about life. As attractive as we may find the numbers game, it is good to be aware of the price you pay if you believe you can measure your worth and success by numbers. Numbers also don't tell you anything about what will happen next. You never know what might show up next in this wonderful mystery. Getting involved with numbers keeps you involved with the ego, and then you just might miss what is most meaningful about life—being here now, fully, and enjoying this mysterious ride.