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Ego Is the Enemy Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Ryan Holiday (Author, Narrator), Tim Ferriss Audio (Publisher)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 19,779 ratings
Goodreads Choice Award nominee
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"While the history books are filled with tales of obsessive visionary geniuses who remade the world in their images 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)

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  1. Listening Length
    6 hours and 56 minutes
  2. Author
    Ryan Holiday
  3. Narrator
    Ryan Holiday
  4. Audible release date
    June 14, 2016
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Tim Ferriss Audio
  7. ASIN
    B01GSIZ9EY
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 6 hours and 56 minutes
Author Ryan Holiday
Narrator Ryan Holiday
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date June 14, 2016
Publisher Tim Ferriss Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B01GSIZ9EY
Best Sellers Rank #722 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#20 in Motivational Management & Leadership
#23 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Audible Books & Originals)
#33 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Books)

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
19,779 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and instructive. They appreciate the thought-provoking content and philosophical anecdotes that can be applied to their own lives. The book provides practical insights into ego and its dangers, with helpful examples and quotes. Readers find the writing straightforward and straightforward, with a step-by-step approach to highlight areas of ego.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityThought provokingUseEgo insightQuotesEase of readingPacingValue for money
715 customers mention "Readability"677 positive38 negative

Customers find the book readable and instructive. They appreciate the concise and quick-to-finish format. The author drives his points home through multiple approaches and diverse references. Readers praise the writing as easy to understand and from a place of growth and self-understanding.

"...In fact, the author drives his points home through multiple approaches and with a diverse array of references to historical figures and events,..." Read more

"...The book itself is great though" Read more

"...It is like a mirror to one's self. An ego meter. It is a great read, and I will definitely recommend it to friends and family." Read more

"...If it is too large, you eventually lose the farm. This superb book by Ryan Holiday, focuses on the more common affliction of the talented, ambitious..." Read more

596 customers mention "Thought provoking"559 positive37 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and intellectually challenging. They appreciate the philosophical anecdotes and stories of famous and not-so-famous people. The book provides many different life studies that can be applied to individual lives. Readers mention it's a life-changing book with quotes and wisdom words from an eclectic array of people. It illustrates how the power of one's ego and how it so easily leads greatness astray.

"...I appreciated most about this book over all the others is it’s candid approach to identifying the effects of ego on individuals, organizations, and..." Read more

"This was a real wake up call, this is great for businessmen or women and anyone looking to get to the next level of their personal development goals." Read more

"I really enjoyed this book. It is like a mirror to one's self. An ego meter...." Read more

"...It’s about learning to deal with destructive emotions, unpredictable circumstances, self-interested people, and yes, ego, without succumbing to them...." Read more

143 customers mention "Use"137 positive6 negative

Customers find the book helpful and instructive, with practical advice for self-improvement. They find it an easy read that makes great points they have never considered. The book is a useful devotional tool for self-reflection and meditation, and is immediately applicable in daily life.

"...I certainly hope we see more offerings of this caliber and practical utility from author Ryan Holiday." Read more

"...What I read was a blend of excellent, but hard to digest, data fllled book shelves. I will let that do the talking: [..." Read more

"...I am finding his books very readable and instructive to me...." Read more

"...impressive." The book talks about staying the student, still working hard, and realizing actions should be motivated through true motives...." Read more

123 customers mention "Ego insight"102 positive21 negative

Customers find the book offers a practical and modern view of ego. They appreciate the personal anecdotes that detail the dangers of ego and highlight the impact it has on purposefully controlling their own ego. The book draws attention to a problem with self-reflection and questioning one's character.

"...Aside from the impact it has had on me of purposefully controlling my own ego, a never-ending task indeed, the book has also launched me into..." Read more

"...After reading it, I can say that I enjoyed reading his insights about EGO, his historical examples, and his reflections...." Read more

"...In Ego Is the Enemy, Ryan offers a more practical view of ego that is more modern and relatable than the traditional scientific views of ego...." Read more

"...of people throughout the ages. It challenges you to think deeply about very personal topics and is full of examples of life’s lessons taught..." Read more

36 customers mention "Quotes"36 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's quotes. They find the phrasings and examples useful and true. The author uses quotes from historical figures to reinforce his message. Readers describe the book as poetically written and a much-needed counterpoint and voice of sanity.

"...I especially liked the many quotes & wisdom words from an eclectic array of people throughout the ages. It challenges you to think deeply..." Read more

"...The author uses quotes and quips from historical figures both ancient and modern to bolster his message that it is only through being aware of our..." Read more

"...Arguably the greatest philosophical author of our time, yet he remains grounded by keeping his ego under control. I will read everything he puts out...." Read more

"...This was one of them. The book is full of tweet-worthy quotes like "Ego is stolen...." Read more

34 customers mention "Ease of reading"31 positive3 negative

Customers find the book straightforward and honest. They appreciate the simple, profound statements to practice and live by. The logical, step-by-step approach highlights areas of ego. The book provides tools and directions to get where you want to go. It's easy for readers to reference back to parts that resonate with them. The setup is authentic and the insights are great. Overall, customers find it a worthwhile read and a great follow-up to The Obstacle is the Way.

"...The setup was great! Very authentic looking. First question: what's your favorite book? Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday...." Read more

"...If you have read Holiday's other books, this book is similar. Short, simple and direct with a clear stoic influence going through the book...." Read more

"...It’s written in a way that’s simple, intriguing, thought provoking, inspiring, and so much more...." Read more

"...The author's approach to writing, with short chapters and simple, concrete lessons in each, make this a very easy book to read and apply to daily..." Read more

42 customers mention "Pacing"20 positive22 negative

Customers have mixed views about the book's pacing. Some find it essential for realistic and stoic individuals, providing a real-life blueprint for success by staying true to oneself. Others feel the narrative is weakly reasoned, blandly worded, and not a lasting work of intellectual stature. The thoughts and ideas are not particularly innovative or deep, according to some readers.

"...This is not a deeply researched book, it's rather a college essay where you plug in the first example's you find to prove your point...." Read more

"...and 2) its lack of fluff and filler...." Read more

"I wanted to like this book, but I feel the author’s core message is fundamentally flawed...." Read more

"...The book flows well and makes for a quick read. The fast pace, no frills, and appropriate examples make this a great book for anyone needing a pep..." Read more

27 customers mention "Value for money"5 positive22 negative

Customers are dissatisfied with the book's value for money. They find the content superficial and uninspiring. The book is repetitive and boring, leaving readers feeling unsatisfied with its advice.

"...And, it's got 20,000 reviews! Well, book is trash. I used to be one of those readers who finished any book they bought. Not anymore...." Read more

"This a good book but not the best book for me." Read more

"...The book felt unfinished to me and ultimately negative rather than life-affirming or inspiring, partly because the last of three sections focused..." Read more

"...This is a quick read, not a re-read and probably not a meaningful gifting book...." Read more

Book is small.
3 out of 5 stars
Book is small.
I ordered the hardcover and im a little dissappointed since the book is smaller than a “normal” sized book… if i had know it was going to be smaller i wouldve just ordered the paperback.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • historyfuzz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, Well-researched and Very Relatable
    Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I have read many books on leadership throughout my graduate studies in organizational leadership and management, and throughout my own career in management. While this is not specifically a book on leadership or management, it has become absolutely clear that success in these fields requires an understanding of how ego affects one’s self, and others in a professional setting. What I appreciated most about this book over all the others is it’s candid approach to identifying the effects of ego on individuals, organizations, and on society as a whole. The author’s straightforward examples will repeatedly provoke the reader to recall their own real-life experiences where someone’s ego has impacted their personal or professional life. Maybe these realizations will involve past events or occurrences where the reader didn’t recognize ego as a factor until the author’s examples made comparisons to such past events so clear. Throughout the book, I found myself saying, “Damn! I did that, and it really was my ego that was running things. I should have thought it through better. It cost me....”
    Quite frankly, I have nothing but praise for this book, which I believe is a “must-read” for managers within any profession. It is neither oversimplified, nor overstated. In fact, the author drives his points home through multiple approaches and with a diverse array of references to historical figures and events, which exemplify both the control of ego and the lack thereof. The book is beyond a mere self-help resource, and is actually quite interesting to read. The author is obviously well-prepared and has done the reader the favor of dissecting individual, organizational and political actions through a specialized lens that ferrets out how ego has led to failure. These examples are not archaic parables, but include modern business figures, both well known and virtually unknown. Yet he does not simply call out failures of renowned egotistical figures, but offers analysis of how successful individuals chose the high ground over receiving personal praise in order to produce favorable outcomes on a much larger scale and for the greater good. Perhaps more importantly, he provides an equal number of examples were a humble individual or approach led to success on many levels. In the end, the reader will hopefully and candidly assess himself/herself, or as was the case for me, become more self-aware and see the glaring comparisons to my own past acts of egotistical actions. If one accepts the author’s many examples that support the assertion that ego holds so many of us back from our potential, then his ensuing suggestions and stoic philosophies become meaningful propositions worthy of our considerations.
    I did not find the book preachy or sanctimonious. I didn’t feel the author was pushing any specific dogma, but he does use the platform of stoicism as the guide here. Nonetheless, subsequent to laying out his case, the author’s pronouncemnts appear less as indictments of people, but rather the specific natural human tendency that is stronger is some of us than it may be in others: unchecked self-indulgent ego and the overemphasis on one’s own importance. The author challenges us to think back to the reason we started a career, chose a profession, accepted an assignment or launched a project. Was the purpose to feed our own egos, or did that proclivity sneak in somewhere along the way. The author aptly discusses the paradox wherein we must either choose to complete the job we originally were tasked to do, or merely to achieve recognition without truly accomplishing as much as we would have without expending the energy and capital seeking personal accolades.
    I found the author’s choice of content and his writing style to be inspiring, while still being very readable and relatable.
    I would propose that those considering this book are somehow aware that they could be affected by their own egos. Perhaps someone suggested it to them, or maybe a review or ad made them curious about how their ego might be at work. The paradox, of course, is that many people with pronounced egos will reject overtures into the examination of their own egos, as self-awareness is not a common trait among egotistical people. Hopefully, they will be motivated by some measure to start reading this book. As for me, the way I came to read the book is unimportant here, but within the first few pages, I found myself intrigued and looked forward to each reading session until I had finished. Aside from the impact it has had on me of purposefully controlling my own ego, a never-ending task indeed, the book has also launched me into seeking a better understanding of stoicism, and practicing it in my daily life. Now, as an instructor of organizational leadership, I’ve incorporated into my presentations quite a bit of the author’s teachings and even quotes from his book (because he seems to capture some points so well that I could find no renowned scholars or historical figures that said it better). I certainly hope we see more offerings of this caliber and practical utility from author Ryan Holiday.
    31 people found this helpful
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  • Chad
    5.0 out of 5 stars wake up call , best book u e read
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This was a real wake up call, this is great for businessmen or women and anyone looking to get to the next level of their personal development goals.
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  • mitzy Lee
    4.0 out of 5 stars Bad packaging
    Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The book's cover was partially bruised and some pages have weird stuff on it, the back of the book was also sticky? The book itself is great though
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  • Izzy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
    Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book. It is like a mirror to one's self. An ego meter. It is a great read, and I will definitely recommend it to friends and family.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Camden Gaspar
    5.0 out of 5 stars A modern work of practical philosophy
    Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    If ego is nothing more than a Freudian concept to you, then you may not have any idea how it’s holding you back right now. But don’t think that author Ryan Holiday aims to bore us with the same stale pop-psychology tropes that most books on the Self-Help shelf use to fill out their pages. What the author has provided us is actually a great work of modern practical philosophy.

    Those familiar with Holiday’s last book, “The Obstacle is the Way,” will know exactly what practical philosophy means. Eschewing the commonly held view that philosophy is the province of academics in classrooms bloviating about abstract concepts, Holiday follows the Stoic tradition that puts philosophy firmly in the realm of everyday life. It’s about learning to deal with destructive emotions, unpredictable circumstances, self-interested people, and yes, ego, without succumbing to them. It’s philosophy as a way of achieving a better life.

    In “Ego is the Enemy,” Holiday moves beyond the clinical definitions of ego and places the concept firmly in the realm of the practical. To be sure, the clinical and the practical in this case have some common ground. Modern psychologists define the ego as a critical part of identity construction, and further, an egotist as someone excessively focused on himself. Holiday defines ego along those lines: “an unhealthy belief in our own importance. Arrogance. Self-centered ambition…It’s when the notion of ourselves and the world grows so inflated that it begins to distort the reality that surrounds us.”

    The idea that becoming untethered from reality is the primary symptom of an ego out of control is the thread that unites all three sections of this book. Holiday expands this idea throughout the three sections that form a continuum - Aspire, Success, and Failure - to show how this form of ego plagues everyone from the ambitious and striving, to the wildly successful and those who have been crushed by personal and professional defeat. In our own lives, we are always somewhere on that circle of aspiration, success and failure.

    To this end, Holiday goes right to the sources of practical wisdom: the primary sources of great practical wisdom – Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Aristotle, and Martial to name a few - and the biographies of those who apply that wisdom to great effect or ignore it at their own peril.

    This is where Holiday’s other key influence, strategist and author Robert Greene, becomes apparent. Like Greene, all of Holiday’s chapters start out with a short, pithy title sets the direction of the advice contained within the chapter. From there, Holiday mines the stories of great men and women who have either applied the advice laid out in the chapter title or ignored it and shows us the consequences of both.

    For example, in the chapter titled, “Restrain Yourself” in the Aspire section of the book, Holiday launches right into the story of Jackie Robinson. As the first black player in the newly integrated MLB, Robinson faced discrimination and outright abuse at the hands of everyone from his own teammates and opponents, to hotel managers and restaurant owners and, of course, the press. At any point, Robinson could have lashed out, fighting back to defend his dignity against the injustices he faced.

    But Robinson knew that if he fought back even once, it would end his MLB career and set the prospect of full integration of the league back for a generation. As Holiday writes, “Jackie’s path called for him to put aside both his ego and in some respects his basic sense of fairness and rights as a human being.”

    Now, it’s likely that few of us will face the kind of treatment Robinson did, but the lesson here is that when we have ambitions and goals, we’re likely to run into the kind of people that Robinson did. The kind who react to your striving with cold indifference. The kind who aim to weaken your will with taunts and jeers. The kind who will go out of their way to sabotage you and undo all your efforts.

    Holiday concludes here that ego tells us to snap back at these people and demand the respect we think we deserve. But that won’t earn it from anyone. We must ignore this impulse, no matter how badly we’re treated, and continue to work on our craft and ourselves. We must forget what we think the world owes us and focus on building our base, developing our skills and continuing to learn.

    The rest of the chapters follow this same model, and plumb the depths of modern and ancient history to show us how those who put their egos aside achieve great things. Think of New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spending years doing unpaid grunt work and film study before finally getting a chance to put his knowledge into practice. Think of the great conqueror Genghis Khan seeking greater knowledge and expertise from those he defeated, rather than forcing them into silent subservience.

    Yet, others turn themselves into cautionary tales. Howard Hughes was a mechanical genius who inherited a successful family business, and then squandered all of it through a lack of focus, entitlement and paranoia. John DeLorean had a great vision for an automobile company, but never built the solid foundation of leadership skills he would need to run a successful company.

    Holiday gives us a healthy dose of both kinds of stories, and that’s what makes the advice in this book stick with us. Ultimately, practical philosophy is meant to be used in our daily lives, away from the safety of our reading chair. Holiday’s aphoristic style of advice, bolstered by memorable stories is what gives us the tools we need to remember this wisdom when our egos start to take control of us.

    Holiday positions the three states of our lives – Aspire, Success and Failure – as being a never ending continuum. We must put our egos aside as we aspire to our goals, aside when we achieve them, and aside again when we flame out and have to start over. At each stage, ego threatens to knock us off the continuum altogether and lock us into an unproductive state of stasis.

    Taming your ego is never easy, but it is essential when we are confronted by failure or bolstered by success, as we all will be in our lives. Ego can easily let both conditions become debilitating: With success, we think we can stop being humble and working hard. In failure, we can become paralyzed, blaming others for our rotten luck and ignoring the fact that it’s on us to right the ship.

    Ego is always encroaching on us, even after we think we’ve beaten it back. As Daniele Bolelli puts it, a floor doesn’t stay clean because you’ve swept it once; you must sweep again and again. With this short, accessible book, Holiday gives us the tools we need to do just that.
    342 people found this helpful
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  • Kevin Stecyk
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Book on Managing Our Ego
    Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Our insatiable ego knows no limits. In his book Ego is the Enemy, Ryan Holiday teaches us how to manage our egos so that we become more successful and, even more importantly, better people. Managing our egos is not a one-time event. Instead, it is an ever ongoing process because our egos are formidable opponents.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Mateus
    5.0 out of 5 stars Muito bom
    Reviewed in Brazil on September 16, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Livro excelente!
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  • Gerardo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente Libro
    Reviewed in Mexico on December 29, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Este libro lo regalé de navidad pero ya había recibido comentarios de que es un gran libro que se tiene que leer para el desarrollo personal y profesional. Si buscas algún tema parecido este es el título a comprar. Gran autor.
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  • Amir
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nice
    Reviewed in Italy on December 1, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Nice
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  • Laurin Dörr
    5.0 out of 5 stars Top Buch
    Reviewed in Germany on November 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Ich war begeistert wie schnell das Buch ankam. Habe es natürlich auch gleich verschlungen und muss wirklich sagen WOW. Ich lese gerne Bücher aus dieser Rubrik und das ist sofort eines meiner liebsten geworden. Für jeden der auf diese Art von büchern steht kann ich es wirklich nur weiterempfehlen, gut geschrieben und inhaltlich auch absolut aversiert.
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  • Ross
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This book takes you down a peg in life and it is exactly what I needed! Highly recommend.
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