Ego Is the Enemy Hardcover – 14 Jun. 2016

Worth a read if you can make itVery eye opening in many ways not always about oneself. Enjoy the read

This book is about getting over your ego and in doing so achieving your true potentialEveryone should understand the core idea of the book and will be entertained by the numerous historical references, stories and quotes. After reading this book you are guaranteed to work a lot harder and be less arrogant! Reading this book is an opportunity to understand your mind and change your ways for the better.I have a few criticisms though:The book feels repetitious in several places. I would also argue that the numerous historical references from ancient history could be interpreted differently. How can the author possibly have such confidence in the thoughts of individuals from the Roman Empire? That would be a thing called, er, ego?Since I read this book I can’t help noticing that there a lot of egotistical but successful people around me. Perhaps ego is the enemy but only to some people, some of the time? The book doesn’t entertain the concept that ego can be a good thing in some instances.By his own admission, the author has displayed egotism during his very successful career but never draws a link between the two.Here’s a list of some of the things I will take away from this book:Aspire• Ego, an over-inflated belief in ourselves, holds us back from our true potential• There are two types of people: those born with self belief (ego) and those who require achievement before believing in themselves• Understanding your own ability is important and this skill should be cultivated through a detached mindset• Be focussed on education (e.g. reading and doing) and action. Success will then take care of itself• Many of us respond to a challenging project by talking about it. Talk is cheap and anyone can do it. The hard task is confidently sitting in silence working on the hard tasks at hand• Define your values and purpose and choose these over titles and appearances.• Getting feedback is crucial but many people like to assume they are perfect. Try having three people in your life better, lesser and equal like MMA champion Frank Shamrock• Beware of passion in yourself and others. Passion is emotional and lacking in control and function.• You’re not as good and important as you think you are. You have no right to lord it over other people.• The path to greatness comes from hard work performed with a positive attitude.• Be present• Don’t boast• You need to work harder and longer than you thinkOn Success• The discipline required to reign in your ego only becomes harder as you become more and more successful• As you gain success in life you must keep learning because you will naturally find yourself encountering new situations and problems that you won’t understand• Don’t make up stories about your past events or believe them about other people . They are often dangerous and untrue.• Figure out what’s important to you (your values and purpose) and be very disciplined from chasing more, it will likely create a great unhappiness in you.• As your success grows your role changes and this requires you to be very self-aware of your abilities at the new skills required.• Throughout your life you must temper your ego with selflessness• Avoid the undisciplined pursuit of more. Figure out where you’re heading and in what mannerFailure• When failure arrives - and it will – ego will only make matters worse. Having the drive and patience to come through the other side is what we need.• Work hard, do the work and do it well. The rest is out of your hands so don’t let rejection and failure bother you• When we fail, make the smart choices and make it a success next time• Honestly appraise your own efforts regardless of success or failure• Turn the other cheek

I got this book after it was recommended as a great read by a number of people. Ryan Holiday's 'Ego is the Enemy' is an eye-opening journey into the perils of ego and the path to genuine success. Drawing from captivating historical anecdotes and contemporary examples, Holiday masterfully illustrates how ego can derail our progress and stifle personal growth. His message of humility, resilience, and the importance of focusing on the work rather than our image resonates powerfully. In my opinion, 'Ego is the Enemy' is a compelling guide for anyone seeking personal development and a fulfilling life. If you're looking for practical wisdom to conquer your ego's pitfalls, this book is a game-changer. Highly recommended!

I love this book, if you are looking for something that will deal with you. Believe this will.

It is fascinating and concise book about ego and how to deal with it when you succeed or fail in journey of life. obviously you need everyday have reflections on your thoughts and actions to keep ego in check and understand when the ego tries to makes decision on your behalf .

Thoughtful words and ideas, although I felt it was too wordy and repetitive in places. Some great examples from business, politics and life in general. Helps give life perspective

its a great book although soooo anecdotal...its almost a Biography of stories

In these days of ego inflating social media, where we are encouraged to present carefully curated versions of ourselves to boost our Ego with longed for 'likes,' and for a society obsessed with the surface celebrity of (some) social media Influencers, this could not be more of a timely read. I can certainly relate to a lot of its thought and lessons.Drawing from his own life, and that of successful and unsuccessful military, business and creative people, the writer applies ancient Stoic wisdom to very modern problems. They are also timeless problems that have bedevilled the human psyche since creation.Although shaped by classical Stoic thought, the writer does not quote directly from ancient thinkers as much as you might think, focussing instead on applying their teaching to the problems we face as sentient creatures.The Ego is there and we have to manage it or it has the potential to ruin and destroy us. It works at all stages of our lives and careers, as we grown and learn and try to achieve, as we succeed, and as we fail. It's using these three stages that Ryan Holiday structures his book, with a closing summary with the same heading, "at every stage Ego is the Enemy."So he draws on figures as diverse as Genghis Khan to Bill Clinton, from Napoleon to Howard Hughes, to describe how they mastered their Ego or let it master them, with the attendant results. So we learn to do work for the sake of it, to steep ourselves in 'alive time' rather than 'dead time' and keep learning, to work les for our own advancement and more for the success of the team and collective, to eschew passion for purpose, advancement for real achievement, and more.It works better as an introduction and primer rather than the last word, and should act as a start of a journey applying Stoical thought or as an addition to it. To this end the writer gives a helpful reading list and an invitation at the end of the book to subscribe to an email list for an even more extensive reading list.Whoever you are, wherever you are in your journey, this is well worth your time.