The word EGO triggers people very quickly. (Only if Freud were alive today!)
You tell someone they have an ego issue, a further ego battle ensues about how egoistical they are actually not. Such a counterproductive discussion does not tend to benefit anybody. But, having an ego can have a lifetime repercussion on your relationships, professional life, and personal too.
The book Ego Is The Enemy by Ryan Holiday is obviously about ego and the damage it does. But, it also gives you an opportunity to reflect on your own behaviour as well.
See if this resonates this with you-
1- Your boss’s son got the promotion that you were in the queue for. Your thoughts now surround nepotism and vacillate between either a job change or playing the victim card.
2- Someone simply corrected a mistake you made. But Oh My God! You are never wrong. Also, you know everything. How can you make a mistake?
3- A stranger flipped a bird at you at a traffic signal. You wanted to act out all the action scenes of “The Boys” on him. (The show seriously needs to chill out now).
If this seems relatable, read the book “Ego Is The Enemy” to figure out some uncomfortable truths about your behavior and how to rectify them. This book has small, easy to digest chapters that give examples of successful historical figures, athletes, and businessmen with massive egos and how it led to their downfall.
Also, it discusses people who did not have an ego and enjoyed a lifetime of wealth, happiness, and success where you then would truly believe that ego is the enemy, for sure!
The standout topic of the book was about people who had it all and did not enjoy their life because their ego was more important to them than their relationships.
An excellent example is presented with the reference of an athlete who was destroyed emotionally and physically. He survived racism with utmost poise and ended up being successful by managing his ego.
Such examples and many more, are bound to leave a long-lasting impression and will make you rethink whether you react from a mature point of view (Think of grandmaster Oogway from Kung fu Panda) or ego (Think of like, all the like, the Kardashians!)
Egoists are all around us as well. This book delves into some real-life scenarios of how people have managed other people with egos. The key lies in forgiveness. But, if you find it easier said than done, then the book Ego Is The Enemy is a must-read. It reaches out to you in a way where you will feel you have a solution to this issue.
Hope my groovy readers find this book helpful to battle out this deadly sin.