Ego Is the Enemy is Ryan Holiday’s attack on the role that ego can play in the lives of most people. Holiday does not use the term “ego” in the traditional Freudian sense but rather as a synonym for excessive self-regard, or egotism. Thanks to the Internet and social media, having an inflated ego is now more encouraged in Western society than ever before. Nevertheless, learning how to cultivate an authentic sense of oneself and one’s abilities is vital for living gracefully and achieving one’s goals.
Although history is populated by famous and even notorious egomaniacs, the most influential and successful people were more often those who focused on their life’s work with humility and dedication. Compare, for example, the outsized ego of Napoleon, whose grandiose imperial ambitions ended in shame and exile, with the character of American general William Tecumseh Sherman. After retiring from the military, he refused to run for president, and he never allowed his past victories to swell his self-importance. Ultimately, Napoleon accomplished little in terms of creating an enduring European empire and was the cause of tremendous loss of life. Sherman, on the other hand, was instrumental to the Union’s victory in the US Civil War.
Anyone can learn to manage their inflated self-worth and develop a realistic self-image. One of the most successful strategies for doing so is to become a student either by dedicating oneself to self-guided study or by seeking a teacher or mentor. Ego-driven people shun learning opportunities: They prefer instead to rely on their own views and opinions and refuse to acknowledge room for personal growth or improvement. Devoting oneself to lifelong learning and realizing that true mastery is never complete is one path to a more realistic self-assessment.
Ego is universally dangerous, no matter whether a person is just starting an ambitious career ascent or has already conquered their industry. In fact, the more success a person has achieved, the more potential damage an inflated ego can inflict. Managing this flaw by regaining humility can be essential to building and maintaining personal and professional successes with grace and fortitude.