Ryan Holiday – Ego Is The Enemy

Ryan Holiday is an American author, marketer, and entrepreneur. Ryan is an ultra-savvy media strategist, the former Director of Marketing for American Apparel and a media columnist and editor-at-large for the New York Observer.

00:00 Trailer.
01:27 Brian’s thoughts on the episode.
04:42 Brian’s Introduction.
05:50 Anyone with ambition needs to be wary of ego and manage that.
07:55 Emulating in his life the greatest fighters as the most humble and stoic people.
09:39 Ryan’s journey from 18 to 26.
11:31 The ego struggles with the conundrum of principle or stubbornness.
13:56 Has writing about ego and stoicism set him up for future scrunity?
14:52 Ryan’s definition of ego.
16:13 What Ryan considered before risking a move to New Orleans to write a book.
18:40 How Ryan sets about writing a book.
21:29 Too young to write a book on stoicism?
23:59 Conscious decisions on different cover styles for ‘Trust Me I’m Lying’ and ‘Obstacle’.
25:00 How Ryan uses his own book launches to advise many other authors.
26:07 Biggest mistake authors make when creating and marketing a book.
28:54 Publication ‘Obstacle’ unexpectedly being taken up by the sports community.
31:23 Decision to return to American Apparel at a time of company change and what it taught him.
34:49 Entrepreneurs have to understand that they may be incapable of running what they’ve created.
35.39 Ego can be a positive, but its negatives can jeopardise that.
36:43 How Ryan realised that he was not getting what he wanted out of life.
37:34 Ryan’s work ethic.
38:48 Adrenalising.
40:06 When we are in the throes of ego we say yes to everything.
41:36 Effects of Fatherhood on the ego and work ethic.
45:38 What his tattoos remind him of.
50:39 Illustrations of non-ego from the past.
52:30 Against the trend advice to not follow your passion.
54:20 Truly successful people compete with themselves.
57:34 Actions speak louder than words.
59:99 In an age of modern technology, why is the book still relevant?
1:01:59 Does Ryan prefer people to read his books or listen to an audio version?
1:03:40 Ryan loves books and has a lot. Reading is an essential human activity.
1:05:15 Ryan’s Texas lifestyle and daily routine.
1:08:51 Strategy to avoid panic attacks and adrenalising.
1:09:53 What is a Fight Club Moment?
1:10:45.Ryan’s concept of rock bottom.
1:12:25 Explanation of chapters in his book headed ‘Maintain sobriety. Entitlement, Control and Paranoia.’
1:14:36 Why finish the book with ‘Always love’?
1:16:28 What Ryan would like people to take away from reading ‘Ego is the Enemy’
1:18:26 Ryan can trace back to his worst moments resulting from his ego.
1:20:29 The art of listening requires taking a step back from your own ego.
1:21:36 Taking Ayauasca not an ego trip.
1:24:16 The next book.
1:24:51 Does stoicism play a part in today’s world?
1:26:31 Why did Marcus Aurelias write a book on stoicism?
1:27:25 Ryan’s take on current politics in the USA.
1:30:09 What does the popularity of Trump in America say about the collective ego of Americans?
1:32:00 Which chapters should Trump read in ‘Ego is the Enemy’?
1:32:42 Success secrets.
1:33:40 Phone call to the 20 year old Ryan Holiday.
1:35:13 Best advice he has ever received.
1:37:04 Advice to the 20 year old who would like to be like him.
1:38:25 How to foster a relationship with a mentor.
1:41:39 Brian’s summing up.

Ryan Holiday links:
Ryan Holiday on Wikipedia
Ryan Holiday on Twitter
Ryan Holiday website
Ryan Holiday on Instagram
Ryan Holiday on Facebook
Ryan Holiday Ted Talk
Ryan Holiday on Lifehacker
Ryan Holiday’s previous appearance on London Real
Ryan Holiday Fight Club moments

Ryan Holiday Books:
Ego is the Enemy
The Obstacle is the Way
Trust Me, I’m Lying
Growth Hacker Marketing
Books by Ryan Holiday

Topics discussed:
The 48 Laws of Power
American Apparel
New York Observer
The Fighters Mind: Inside the Mental Game
A Fighter’s Heart
Ego is the Enemy introduction on Youtube
Meditations
New England Patriots
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Sun Also Rises
Ralph Waldo Emerson quotation
Lindy Effect
Illiad
Odyssey
Fight Club
The Art of the Deal

People mentioned in this episode:
Tucker Max
Robert Greene
Tim Ferriss
James Altucher
Sam Sheridan
Ken Shamrock
Jocko Willink
Ernest Hemingway
Bertrand Russell
Michael Douglas
Abraham Lincoln
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Genghis Khan
Kevin Kelly
Dorian Yates
Jerry Seinfeld
Warren Buffett
Tom Brady
Joe Montana
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Tai Lopez
Benjamin Graham
Rich Roll
William Blake
Cyril Connolly
Marcus Aurelius
Donald Robertson
Barack Obama
Sheryl Sandberg
Chase Jarvis