Ego Is the Enemy
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
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 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.”
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Best-selling author Ryan Holiday uses concrete examples from history, philosophy, and his personal experiences to brilliantly explain how our egos can erode the progress we make in our lives. His insightful self-help guide is broken into three stages—Aspire, Success, and Failure—which explore how leaders from Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman to football coach Bill Belichick reached their goals by successfully keeping their egos at bay, while delusional figures like Howard Hughes and Alexander the Great let their arrogance and overreach destroy their legacies. As usual, Holiday—who wrote The Obstacle Is the Way and Lives of the Stoics—draws on the ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism, which he outlines in clear, fascinating detail. His argument boils down to the simple idea that in every field, doing the work is more important than receiving adulation. Ego Is the Enemy gives you the power to attain success in a way you might never have thought of: by being humble about it.
Customer Reviews
an eye opener
i think a lot of people could benefit from this book. glad i stumbled across it
Eye-opening!
Such a great and informative read. It causes you to be aware of how often your ego influences your decisions. It forced me to evaluate my life on a level I never have before; I am humbled. Definitely recommend giving this a read!