It's much easier to write when you're sad. But you can end up isolated and depressed because you almost need to put yourself in that situation to have that angst to write from.
To have ego means to believe in your own strength. And to also be open to other people's views. It is to be open not closed. So yes my ego is big but it's also very small in some areas. My ego is responsible for my doing what I do - bad or good.