Business Book Review: Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
Be prepared to bruise your ego, and your future career and life will reap the benefits.
My Rating: ★★★★
Length: 217 pages
Publisher: Profile Trade
Released: 2017
Key Takeaways for Personal Branding
Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday is a cautionary tale against the foremost thing Holiday believes has crumbled companies and people - the ego.
Holiday uses history and Stoic philosophy to urge you to guard your career and life against the opponent he believes could wreck both if left unchecked.
Ego is the Enemy calls for humility and confidence - confidence based on discipline and mastery.
Become a Student
Humility begins with putting yourself below the masters to learn from them:
“Updating your appraisal of your talents in a downward direction is one of the most difficult things to do in life—but it is almost always a component of mastery.”
“The pretense of knowledge is our most dangerous vice, because it prevents us from getting any better. Studious self-assessment is the antidote.”
As Epictetus warned, “It is impossible to learn that which one thinks one already knows.”
By becoming a student, you’re not too self-assured to ask questions and seek answers. Which you won’t do while you’re convinced you’re already the best.
The Danger of Early Pride
Holiday warns against the perils of premature pride. Pride born from any insignificant accomplishment. One puffed up to be a predictor of things to come - and yet is based on no noteworthy results:
"Pride takes a minor accomplishment and makes it feel like a major one. It smiles at our cleverness and genius, as though what we’ve exhibited was merely a hint of what ought to come.”
As C.S. Lewis says:
"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”
Meditate on the Immensity
To humble yourself, meditate on the immensity of your place in a larger world, history and purpose.
“When we lack a connection to anything larger or bigger than us, it’s like a piece of our soul is gone. Like we’ve detached ourselves from the traditions we hail from, whatever that happens to be (a craft, a sport, a brotherhood or sisterhood, a family). Ego blocks us from the beauty and history in the world. It stands in the way.”
Remember that only wisps of all that has gone before you have remained.
Maintain Your Own Scorecard
Sometimes the scorecard won’t always show you the most important metrics. The book highlights the story of Tom Brady - a sixth-round NFL draft pick.
Brady was fourth-string at the beginning of his rookie season. He was only given his break opportunity after a prized teammate was injured. He was a starter by his second season and New England won the Super Bowl that year, with Brady named MVP.
Brady was perhaps the single greatest investment for a draft pick in football history. But, the Patriots weren’t all smiles. They were disappointed in themselves. How could the Scouting reports for Brady’s potential have been so off? They had missed or miscalculated Brady’s intangible attributes. Metrics won’t always capture your will, your discipline and your ability to master your craft.
Favourite Quotes for Your Personal Branding
Detachment is a sort of natural ego antidote.
Appearances are deceiving. Having authority is not the same as being an authority.
Impressing people is utterly different from being truly impressive.
Think about this the next time you face that choice: Do I need this? Or is it really about ego?
Those who have subdued their ego understand that it doesn’t degrade you when others treat you poorly; it degrades them.
Your ego screams for people to acknowledge you. But you must do nothing. Take it. Eat it until you’re sick. Endure it. Quietly brush it off and work harder. Play the game. Ignore the noise; for the love of God, do not let it distract you.
Get ready for your ego to take a beating with Ego is the Enemy. One that just might save or make your career and life.
Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday: Available on Amazon.
