Ego Is the Enemy

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.”

• The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
• The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
• The Obstacle is the Way: The Ancient Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage
• The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on the Art of Living
• Meditations: A New Translation
• Handling Difficult People: Easy Instructions for Managing the Difficult People in Your Life
• Letters from a Stoic (Penguin Classics)
• Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts
• A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy
• Discourses and Selected Writings (Penguin Classics)