Ego Is the Enemy
by Ryan Holiday
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4:33
Author explains key concepts of book in Texas Hill Country setting
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Nov, 2021
Spoiler:
The author explains that ego is the enemy because it prevents us from learning, holds us back, and causes us to overreach. How do we control that inner force that has destroyed great empires, companies, and talented individuals? Ego is different at different phases of our lives. On the way up, it prevents us from learning. It’s even worse when we’re successful because it makes us entitled and complacent. He says the answer is confidence, because confidence is the middle ground between self-doubt and arrogance.
46:56
Author presents live + slides and Q&A in Talks at Google format
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Jul, 2016
Spoiler:
Presenting in San Francisco, Holiday tells the story of how Bill Walsh took the 49ers from worst to first in three years, superbly managing his own ego along the way. He says one key to controlling ego is to not look back at our successes but instead to examine our mistakes. He gives the example that the Patriots keep a photo in their team office of the mediocre player they drafted in the fifth round, (ahead of their 6th-round pick Tom Brady) to remind themselves of how differently it all could have turned out.
8:29
Book review and summary of main points in animated format
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Spoiler:
Ego can sabotage us when we start to think we’re good enough at something and that we don’t have to practice, learn, or strive anymore. When that happens, our abilities slip and our ego prevents us from taking an honest look at ourselves. When learning a new skill, we should avoid the goal of getting to a certain level just so we can show off. We must constantly check ourselves and learn to spot the difference between doing actual work and just talking about our work on social media.
1:48
Author gives tips, in talking-head format, for controlling ego
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Jul, 2019
Spoiler:
In this short video the author shares a few simple methods for getting our egos under control. One is to stay off ego-inflating social media. Another is to spend time in nature; he says it’s difficult to feel egocentric while looking up at the stars or out at the ocean. Another is to spend time with people who are smarter than us and to read difficult books. And a final tip is simply to stop thinking so much about ourselves.
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Other books by Ryan Holiday
Publications
Business Insider: Why you should think twice before aiming to 'change the world'
Forbes: Ryan Holiday: How Ego Makes Business Leaders Less Successful
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