I recently reread Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday—a book that has profoundly influenced some of the biggest decisions I’ve made in my life. It’s a short, impactful read, and returning to it after a few years reminded me how essential it is to continuously re-evaluate ourselves and our egos.
Find the book here on Amazon: Ego Is the Enemy
The last time I read it was before I enlisted, a pivotal moment in my life. This time, I picked it up again after returning from an extended work trip, during which I faced some tough personal challenges at home. Reading it again reinforced how awareness of ego can shape the way we handle both opportunities and setbacks.
Ego Maintenance
One of the most powerful lessons from Holiday’s book is the idea that managing ego is like sweeping the floor: you can’t do it just once and expect it to stay clean forever. Dust accumulates, life happens, and you must regularly come back to clear it away. Ego maintenance, in other words, is a constant, lifelong process.
Phases of Ego
Holiday breaks the book into three stages where ego often rears its head: aspiration, success, and failure. Each of these phases presents different challenges that require humility and self-awareness. While I’m not diving into the details of the book here, I want to emphasize the importance of regularly revisiting these ideas. Even as a 25-year-old with limited life experience, I’ve found that reflecting on these concepts at least once a year has helped me stay grounded, humble, and conscious of the role ego plays in my decisions.
Lifetime Repetition Matters
Reading and re-reading books like this, along with exploring Stoic philosophy more broadly, has been instrumental in helping me stay calm when it mattered most—especially after returning home to difficult circumstances. Keeping these lessons top of mind has allowed me to act more deliberately and thoughtfully when facing challenges.
I share these reflections not just as personal notes, but also in the hope that they might spark discussions and encourage others to think about how ego affects their own lives. I believe engaging with these ideas can be incredibly valuable, no matter where you are on your journey.
