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bookph1le's review
5.0
This is the type of book that makes me feel as if I'm decluttering my brain. My own ego has definitely gotten in my way many times throughout my life, and I fully embrace the book's advice to do good work and to keep trying to be the best version of myself possible.
I fear I'm making the book sound like a cheesy self-help book, which it is not. It's grounded in philosophy, much of which matches up with the psychology I've read, in which it becomes obvious how our all-too-human attempts to salvage our wounded sense of self by employing counterproductive methods is possible. Rather than focusing on outward forces we can't control and railing against the unfairness of it all, it is far more productive to focus on what we can control: our own actions and reactions.
Reading this book was sometimes uncomfortable because it made me reflect on the times I've reacted badly and effectively sabotaged my own efforts. Books like this have helped me draw the conclusion that a little pain is a good thing because it forces us to reflect and to challenge ourselves to do better and be better.
I fear I'm making the book sound like a cheesy self-help book, which it is not. It's grounded in philosophy, much of which matches up with the psychology I've read, in which it becomes obvious how our all-too-human attempts to salvage our wounded sense of self by employing counterproductive methods is possible. Rather than focusing on outward forces we can't control and railing against the unfairness of it all, it is far more productive to focus on what we can control: our own actions and reactions.
Reading this book was sometimes uncomfortable because it made me reflect on the times I've reacted badly and effectively sabotaged my own efforts. Books like this have helped me draw the conclusion that a little pain is a good thing because it forces us to reflect and to challenge ourselves to do better and be better.
azureyoshi's review
1.0
Don't read this unless you want a preachy, obnoxious lecturing about a vague concept the author considers "ego". Definitely not for me.
emtclf's review
4.0
Ryan holiday expresses idea and concepts in such an articulate way in this book. Great read
halsefni's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
The book details in mini chapters, tales of amazing individuals from history who lead prideful lives only to let their ego get the better of them. Just as it says in the title ego is indeed the enemy and it can eat you up and take over.
The small chapters give way for a very simple structure that is easy to consume and equally as easy to absorb the major talking points. Even though the intended audience seems to be the young upstart entrepreneur types, this book really is for everyone - as none of us are exempt from ego.
It shows how ego can affect you without realizing, how it can destroy you slowly and how to restrain it from damaging you physically. Some of the best advice given are - 'Always being a student creates an artificial ceiling for your ego', 'Passion is form over function while purpose is function, function and function', 'Not letting ego stop you from seeing the big picture', 'Entitlement, Pride, Control all are marks of an egomaniac'.
The small chapters give way for a very simple structure that is easy to consume and equally as easy to absorb the major talking points. Even though the intended audience seems to be the young upstart entrepreneur types, this book really is for everyone - as none of us are exempt from ego.
It shows how ego can affect you without realizing, how it can destroy you slowly and how to restrain it from damaging you physically. Some of the best advice given are - 'Always being a student creates an artificial ceiling for your ego', 'Passion is form over function while purpose is function, function and function', 'Not letting ego stop you from seeing the big picture', 'Entitlement, Pride, Control all are marks of an egomaniac'.