The instant Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and international bestseller“While the history books are filled with tales of obsessive visionary geniuses who remade the world in their image with sheer, almost irrational force, I’ve found that history is also made by individuals who fought their egos at every turn, who eschewed the spotlight, and who put their higher goals above their desire for … above their desire for recognition.” —from the prologue
Many of us insist the main impediment to a full, successful life is the outside world. In fact, the most common enemy lies within: our ego. Early in our careers, it impedes learning and the cultivation of talent. With success, it can blind us to our faults and sow future problems. In failure, it magnifies each blow and makes recovery more difficult. At every stage, ego holds us back.
Ego Is the Enemy draws on a vast array of stories and examples, from literature to philosophy to history. We meet fascinating figures such as George Marshall, Jackie Robinson, Katharine Graham, Bill Belichick, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who all reached the highest levels of power and success by conquering their own egos. Their strategies and tactics can be ours as well.
In an era that glorifies social media, reality TV, and other forms of shameless self-promotion, the battle against ego must be fought on many fronts. Armed with the lessons in this book, as Holiday writes, “you will be less invested in the story you tell about your own specialness, and as a result, you will be liberated to accomplish the world-changing work you’ve set out to achieve.”
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In his new book Ryan Holiday attacks the greatest obstacle to mastery and true success in life — our insatiable ego. In an inspiring yet practical way, he teaches us how to manage and tame this beast within us so that we can focus on what really matters — producing the best work possible.
Ego Is the Enemy This book came to me at a time in my life when I really needed it. I continue to come back to it as a reset to my set point when I find myself wandering back down the dreaded path of ego-driven tendencies. This is a must-have personal development book for anyone who has ever struggled with failure, rejection, and even the pitfalls of elation when it comes to the success. It’s revealing and timeless.
We’re often told that to achieve success, we need confidence. With refreshing candor, Ryan Holiday challenges that assumption, highlighting how we can earn confidence by pursuing something bigger than our own success.
Excellent book. I Already read it twice, and plan to read many more times. There is so much cautionary advice here. Well worth the read.
In a bipolar reality such as our own, the game of life can be played in two macro modalities, with intermediate nuances linked to our internal growth path. We choose how to play and take responsibility for the consequences:
EGO MODE = I live for myself.
SPIRIT MODE = I live for us and the “whole”.
Inspiring book!
Nothing new but everything different, in the perspective of how the Ego is perceived and influence us all in our lives, many times preventing us from being happier and more impactful. Excellent book
If any book is going to help you keep the right perspective and give you guidance on how to stay grounded in the presence of success and accolades, it’s this book! I have highlighted and saved quotes from so much of this book that I want to keep in my repertoire to draw from on a daily basis. Holiday gives it to us straight and doesn’t hold back when it comes to how we view the man in the mirror every morning.
This is what the world needs to help it get over its powerful ego.
I could recommend this book to just about everyone I know starting with myself. Many of us may have the art to be great and can raise high but not everyone has the ability to remain humble. Humility is a characteristic that many people lack in this world and this book is a friendly reminder that even though we can go higher it is always better to stay humble and not let our ego get in our heads because it can bring us down to rock bottom.
An interesting compilation of exemplary people and their approach to challenging situations.
I plan on reading every year. If you want some perspective on life and don’t mind looking into your soul, knowing there are things to change then it’s a great read.
If you don’t want to learn about yourself, or don’t like to change then don’t read it.
Forget yourself and focus on the work. Be humble and persistent. Value discipline and results, not passion and confidence. Be lesser, do more. This message is crucial, but the opposite of almost every other book. I wish everyone would read this. I need to re-read it each year. It’s that important.
I desperately needed this book and, frankly, you probably do too.
It is a powerful exposition of visible and hidden flaws of hearts, minds and character with strategic interventions for self repair.
I highly recommend it for those desire to lead, leaders and those who think they are leading!
Not his best book
I found it to be a one-dimensional review of a very interesting topic. A lot of potential with less outcome
It is a common sense idea explained in a lot of pages.
couldn’t finish it.
Ryan Holiday is one of his generation’s finest thinkers, and this book is his best yet.
The comedian Bill Hicks said the world was tainted with fevered egos. In Ego Is The Enemy, Ryan Holiday writes us all a prescription: humility. This book is packed with stories and quotes that will help you get out of your own way. Whether you’re starting out or starting over, you’ll find something to steal here.