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."
