"It's too painful," Mike Tyson on his ego and ambition

Mike Tyson recently opened up about his life trajectory in a conversation with comedian Kevin Hart. Speaking with Hart on Hart to Heart, Tyson detailed how his ego guided him throughout his boxing career.

'Iron Mike' was known for his fiery public speeches and intimidating personality. His fierce aura, inside and outside the ring, was the talk of the town in the 1980s. Tyson addressed how he was a completely different person back then, driven by his ego.

You can watch the full episode of Hart to Heart below:

During the conversation with Hart, Tyson referred to his ego as an entirely separate person from him, saying:

“My ego says everybody is full of s***. It’s all about me and you. I had to follow that guy till he broke me and I’m back on my knees. That’s where you’ll be if you hang out with him for too long. He’s good for a duration of time and he gets you to the destination you need to go to, but it’s too painful."

Tyson had a rough childhood, having grown up in a poor and crime-infested neighborhood. His struggles on the street, coupled with the influence of the inimitable Cus D'Amato [Tyson's trainer and mentor] led to the emergence of 'Kid Dynamite.'

Mike Tyson shares how his ego led him through the ranks

Mike Tyson is renowned for his post-fight speeches. Nonetheless, despite being decades removed from being the person that was the world champion, Tyson addressed that it was all his ego. Tyson detailed:

“It’s my ego that wants me to conquer the world. If I am playing chess he’s going to say that you can conquer the world of chess. I had to be the best the sun ever saw. Isn’t that sick?”

A marked difference from his younger self can now be seen in Tyson's disposition. Watch the video of a young Tyson below:

Mike admits that he has moved past the desire and ambition that he possessed when he was young. But he still believes his ego is not going anywhere and that he'd have to co-exist with it. Now, Tyson is trying to keep his ambition in check and be a family man.