Week 31st 2020
Ego Is The Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent
Customer Reviews:
4.5 out of 5 stars
"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 recognition." ― from the prologue
Many of us insist on 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.
But why should we bother fighting ego in an era that glorifies social media, reality TV, and other forms of shameless self-promotion?
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.”
“The first product of self-knowledge is humility.” ― Ryan Holiday
“If you can’t swallow your pride, you can’t lead.” ― Ryan Holiday
“Ego leads to envy and it rots the bones of people big and small.” ― Ryan Holiday
“As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance.” ― Ryan Holiday
“People learn from their failures. Seldom do they learn anything from success.” ― Ryan Holiday
“I was trapped so terribly inside my own head that I was a prisoner to my own thoughts.” ― Ryan Holiday
“The pretence of knowledge is our most dangerous vice, because it prevents us from getting any better.” ― Ryan Holiday
“Those who have subdued their ego understand that it doesn’t degrade you when others treat you poorly; it degrades them.” ― Ryan Holiday
“All of us waste precious life doing things we don’t like, to prove ourselves to people we don’t respect, and to get things we don’t want.” ― Ryan Holiday
“Greatness comes from humble beginnings; it comes from grunt work. It means you’re the least important person in the room—until you change that with results.” ― Ryan Holiday
“Find canvases for other people to paint on. Be an anteambulo. Clear the path for the people above you and you will eventually create a path for yourself.” ― Ryan Holiday
“Almost universally, the kind of performance we give on social media is positive. It’s more “Let me tell you how well things are going. Look how great I am.” It’s rarely the truth: “I’m scared. I’m struggling. I don’t know.” ― Ryan Holiday
“When we remove ego, we’re left with what is real. What replaces ego is humility, yes—but rock-hard humility and confidence. Whereas ego is artificial, this type of confidence can hold weight. Ego is stolen. Confidence is earned. Ego is self-anointed, its swagger is artifice. One is girding yourself, the other gaslighting. It’s the difference between potent and poisonous.” ― Ryan Holiday
About Ryan Holiday?
Ryan Holiday is one of the world's foremost thinkers and writers on ancient philosophy and its place in everyday life. He is a sought-after speaker, strategist, and the author of many bestselling books including The Obstacle Is the Way; Ego Is the Enemy; The Daily Stoic; and the #1 New York Times bestseller Stillness Is the Key. His books have been translated into over 30 languages and read by over two million people worldwide.
Ryan Holiday is a media strategist for notorious clients like Tucker Max and Dov Charney. After dropping out of college at 19 to apprentice under the strategist Robert Greene, he went on to advise many bestselling authors and multi-platinum musicians. He is the Director of Marketing at American Apparel, where his work in advertising was internationally known. His strategies are used as case studies by Twitter, YouTube, and Google, and have been written about in AdAge, the New York Times, Gawker, and Fast Company. He is the author is “Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator.” He currently lives in New Orleans, with his rebellious puppy, Hanno.