ryan Holiday: Ego is the enemy
EPISODE 112
In Ego is the Enemy, Ryan Holiday sought to answer questions about what to do when the biggest obstacle is internal.
Holiday explains how finding early successes led him to the realization that ego can cloud ambition and hinder personal and professional growth, particularly when accomplishments are tied to self-worth.
Ego Is the Enemy puts forth the argument that often our biggest problems are not caused by external factors such as other people or circumstances. Instead, our problems stem from our own attitude, selfishness, and self-absorption. In other words, introducing ego into a situation often prevents us from being rational, objective, and clear-headed.
Holiday had the title of his book tattooed on his forearm as a daily reminder of its message.
SHOW OUTLINE
INTRO
Ryan introduces us to the pitfalls of ego
Awareness is the first defence (1m)
MINDSET: START WITH GOOD ASPIRATIONS
Be open to learning along the way
Adopt the beginner’s mindset (52s)
The most important thing you can do to fight your ego is to focus on creating value and focus on the task
Do your job and do it right (2m24)
RESILIENCE: HOW TO REACH FOR SUCCESS
Avoid the pressure to pretend we know more than we do
Keep learning to become unbeatable (1m05)
Start with a direction and purpose - it’s easy to get sidetracked and forget
Focus on the process. Not the outcome (1m56)
LEARNING: HOW TO BENEFIT FROM FAILURE
Learn from the mistakes and notice how to improve
Look back to learn (35s)
Create your own version of success and hold yourself against that
Follow your own scoreboard (28s)
OUTRO
Ryan reconfirms the steps to managing ego
Be ‘at this very moment’ (1m01)
For show notes