We have called it the 'ego ideal'... heir to the original narcissism in which the childish ego enjoyed self-sufficiency." Freud reiterated how "in many forms of love-choice ... the object serves as a substitute for some unattained ego ideal of our own," and further suggested that in group formation "the group ideal ... governs the ego in the place of the ego ideal."
Freud described the "ego ideal" as an idealized version of oneself, often stemming from childhood desires for self-sufficiency. He also suggested that in love choices, we may seek out someone who fulfills this ideal, and that in group formation, the group's shared values can act as a substitute for our individual ego ideals.