Ryan Holiday
Podcast 2016-06-22

The Ego is the Enemy with Ryan Holiday

with Ryan Holiday

On this episode of The Psychology Podcast, we interview bestselling author Ryan Holiday about the timeless life-advice he gleaned from researching his latest book: Ego Is The Enemy. Ryan shares insights from great individuals that eschewed the spotlight to put their higher goals above their desires for recognition. We talk about the importance of talking less and […]

Episode Details

Show Notes

On this episode of The Psychology Podcast, we interview bestselling author Ryan Holiday about the timeless life-advice he gleaned from researching his latest book: Ego Is The Enemy. Ryan shares insights from great individuals that eschewed the spotlight to put their higher goals above their desires for recognition. We talk about the importance of talking less and doing more. Our conversation covers the human drive to live a meaningful life and the dramatic shifts in worldview that takes place when astronauts view earth from outer space. We discuss the well-being benefits of integrating behavior with personal values and we commiserate over feeling existentially compelled to squeeze every last drop of productivity from each moment. It’s an interesting look at the foibles of egoism; anyone interested in contemplating what it means to live a good life would do well to give this episode a listen. Enjoy the show!

Click to download the episode directly (right click, then click save as)
Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.
Subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher.

“RYAN HOLIDAY is a strategist and writer. He dropped out of college at nineteen to apprentice under Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, and later served as the director of marketing for American Apparel. His company, Brass Check, has advised clients like Google, TASER, and Complex, as well as many prominent bestselling authors. Holiday has written four previous books, most recently The Obstacle Is the Way, which has been translated into seventeen languages and has a cult following among NFL coaches, world-class athletes, TV personalities, political leaders, and others around the world. He lives on a small ranch outside Austin, Texas.” –Blurb taken from http://www.amazon.com

Seven core insights

What 11 years of conversation
revealed

  • 01
    Being over DoingThe richness of presence and inner life over constant productivity.
  • 02
    Creativity over EfficiencyMaking space for imagination and originality in a world that prizes optimization.
  • 03
    Self-Actualization over AchievementBecoming the fullest version of yourself, not just reaching the next milestone.
  • 04
    Deep Fulfillment over HappinessPursuing meaning and depth rather than fleeting positive feelings.
  • 05
    Self-TranscendenceGoing beyond the self to serve something larger — the highest expression of human potential.
  • 06
    Meaning & CompassionThe threads that run through every great conversation — purpose, connection, and care.
  • 07
    Human PossibilityThe unwavering belief that every mind is capable of far more than we’ve been told.

About the guest

Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday

Podcast Guest

Keep exploring

11 years of
human possibility

478 episodes exploring creativity, intelligence, well-being, and what it means to be fully human. The archive is yours to explore.