Understanding Your Ego | Ryan Holiday | Talks at Google

Ryan Holiday sits down with Jordan Thibodeau for an interview about his thoughts on philosophy, his latest book *Ego Is The Enemy*, and other topics not covered in his previous talks such as: how we use work to hide from problems, conditional happiness, racism in corporate america, and much more.
ABOUT RYAN
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. Learn more at ryanholiday.net/

[@SHAUNDJFISHBEATSMARTIN]

THE EGO IS LAZINESS BUT CONFIDENCE IS KEY

[@blakechildress944]

This comments section is awful. Ryan isn't that bad. He's human just like the rest of us and he doesn't claim to be an egoless person. He's just bringing to people's attention in a simplified way how the ego can hurt others and devastate your life and relationships over time. Ryan is bringing value to people who want to listen and improve themselves. Pointing out his flaws to smear his integrity is a waste of time.

[@judyh3305]

Cameron Childress wow no one is judging his integrity. If others are finding him offensive then so be it. Are you his public defender?

[@spacewad8745]

“The 48 Hours of Power” Yeah love that book

[@oh1yeah2]

😂

[@raymondtendau2749]

He meant to say Laws of power😁

[@miguelito6838]

Awareness of your ego is essential to be able to make healthy choices. The ego will always be there in our minds, but we can become aware the moment it is talking to us. Ego appears to be self preserving, but in actuality is self destruction. Crazy...

[@Jc-nu5lz]

Give up the Ego. You can moving forward smoothly.

[@suckyso7008]

then u r just AI

[@amylee9]

Love Ryan's books. Have them all and read them over and over

[@jellowmusic6571]

man he articulates things so well. I could talk about this for hours

[@juanlugofitness]

Love Ryan's work!

[@taetjo1]

Great book this is... I bought a couple of copies for my loved ones.

[@davidanthony6408]

I am not as Ego driven as most, but I do feel it wanting to kick in when I get high from walking after the endorphins start having their effect. This is why walking is recommended as an anti-depressant because activity and exertion produce endorphins, very similar to or the same effect that opioids have. So if you ever find yourself bored or in a drone zone, do a few pushups and jumping jacks or just do some walking. This will stimulate your mind to be more intentional and meaningful. It usually takes about 12 to 15 minutes of walking before I start to get that high and feel-good spirit. Especially with fast-paced walking, actually, I prefer medium-slow walking. Just be careful to relax your steps and not be rigid or stiff in your steps because this can cause ankle, knee and hip stress pains. Start slow to allow your blood to circulate well before you speed up your walking. If you agitate an injury or cause a new injury then this will set you back and discourage you from taking walks. That's no fun.

[@kathleenwilkinson1742]

Kathy w i liked what you are speaking about. I learned what my parents said to me.

[@tessaohfashion]

A true ego can take critism and get the job done. A fake ego is fragile and weak. Every word has both negative and positive connotation.

[@farraway-sy8og]

Agreed👍🏾

[@multiversos3202]

I love this interviews.

[@howardaltemus353]

The DIVINE/LOVE part of us is our true ego. it is , however, dormant in most people. false/human ego is always about gaining power and control for itself. religions build ego to create self interested political parties. stoicism, like a scyth helps to cut away the chaff of ego and move closer to the wheat ie. our true ego. vizualize sending love to all creation. this will help to dissolve false ego and awaken our DIVINE SELF. wherein in we create a better reality for everyone and everything. love to all...

[@A-X-25]

The ego is not the enemy. It is just a limited possibility. That's all.

[@kathleenwilkinson1742]

I kathy learned my confidence from my jobs in school.

[@aaronwimberleymbamsf5776]

Great Sunday meditation

[@michaeltrobinson729]

Thank you ryan!!!!!

[@lukasfalk2522]

Love is the answer

[@Matt-oo2gq]

*There is nothing perfect or worse...it's only our perception!*

[@troecurov3]

No it's not. Ego is real, more real that you could possibly think....

[@cicciobellomio50]

Kafka had the same experience as the author of the Confederacy of Dunces. He wanted his writings to be destroyed upon his death. His entire family' denigrated his works during his life. Fortunately, his friend and executor did not carry out Kafka's wishes.

[@bobleglob162]

Let me indulge my ego by correcting you: the author was John Kennedy Toole

[@dalewetzel3029]

I honestly wonder how many of the folks in the audience knew who Jackie Robinson was. A young crowd, probably not baseball fans. Some of the young players in the major leagues don’t know who he was.

[@halleyoey9535]

everyone is an ass hole sometimes to somebody else. so dont take things too seriously in this temporary life.

[@sarhasarhan3558]

best comment ever

[@SHAUNDJFISHBEATSMARTIN]

FUCK OFF

[@cahlendavidson2921]

He's a good guy and I didn't watch the video but I'd be willing to bet everyone would be dead if they drink a beer each time he mentioned Marcus Aurelius

[@alejandrobarquero1347]

Duuuuude I dont mind it but yeah Ryan is a big Marcus Aurelius fan boy, I like how he nerds out talking about his main influence but I understand it might be annoying for some 🤣

[@kenmahoney9160]

mitchell W thickie

[@kwakekamdivasi591]

48 hours of power???

[@Player500-1]

Kwakeka Mdivasi 😂 well we can tell he's never read the 48 laws of power...

[@modelsandnarratives]

Stating that everything 'just is' does not demonstrate that nothing is unfair.

[@soffer]

# 14:14 mission allows to transcend petty concerns. get shit on a lot when you try to do big things

[@raydonovan9623]

16:00

[@sourabhsingh3617]

The interviewer, was he tricked into interviewing or the one who was supposed to do, took a last-minute leave?

[@kenmahoney9160]

evan delisle doh

[@tblightningbolt8902]

Like when you lecture your dad on who to vote for like Ryan ?

[@iloveyou3367]

"48 hours of power"lmao

[@davidanthony6408]

Having more or lots of money amplifies your true self and puts your character or lack of on full display. Generous, ass-clown, ass-hole, greedy, caring, shopaholics, hustler, lazy drifters, humanitarian, materialistic, power freaks, control freak, fashionista, party animal, addicts, enthusiast, gold diggers, ruthlessness, poverty mindset, abundance mindset, traveler, charitable, the investor and many more traits will become more apparent.

[@lilysunshine3447]

Collaboration!

[@understandingwealth6760]

At 29:21 kzbin.info/www/bejne/np2teqKff9iemJo, Holiday says that there is a great line from Socrates about no one doing wrong on purpose. Then he immediately follows it with, obviously there are sociopaths. This completely misses the point of what Socrates was saying. Socrates point was that the sociopaths aren't doing wrong on purpose either. They have the wrong idea of what to do. They think sadism and hurting people are good in some way. It might be really really twisted but they think its the best thing to do. They might even think to themselves "I'm doing evil things" but their misguided interpretation of the world and morality is that evil is what you should do. Big picture: As Socrates says, all evil is due to ignorance. In many cases, that means ignorance of moral knowledge.

[@Luckimee]

I'm in my own music video

[@NAYR-JAUAI]

Are you sure Buddha isn't trying to undermine the knowledge of wisdom or trying to undermine the knowledge if disobedience to paleo moral observation? 🤔

[@colinangusstudio]

But Kanye West is All Ego! he got to were he is today because of His Ego. When he Talks He Say "I'am" The Greatest Rapper Alive" and thats All Ego, His house his Wife his cars his Wealth which all he talks about is Ego. Jesus who KNEW and IS The Great 'I'am" Humbled Himself Down and went to the Cross and His Ego was Nailed to the Cross, Not even he Raised His Ego Up Like Kanye and we are all to follow the Way that Christ nailed Himself to the Cross! as jesus said we are to lay Ourselves (Selves /EGO) Down. Death of Ego is The Gospel Story and the Picture of Jesus death and ressurection.

[@youme1614]

Just can’t with the lisp. It’s too distracting. :(( sad face Great content though! Thanks Google!

[@mikeconnor3602]

I have been following Ryan and he appears to be an intelligent person and I like what he has to say. BUT, as a child I learned to NOT discuss religion and politics in mixed company. To make the statment TRUMPIAN EGO risks alienating half your audience and it was unnecessary. Now I realize GOIGLE is his audience and he is probably playing to his audience. But Trump has been extremely successful in his life and sometimes a brash confident persona is what equates to success, just look at athletes like lebron james, Alex Rodriguez, reggie jackson, Mohammed Ali.

[@wilfred5656]

It's ok making references to others as he usually does but it's not ok making refernce to your idol Trump because it perceived Trump in a bad light? Who's more egotistic than Trump? Trump had his ego before he became republican. His becoming a republican changed nothing.

[@arminius301]

Ryan has a lot of wise things to add to people, however he can't see the universal reality that every politician is a lying, scheming, self-centered, murderous bastard! In time he might come to that wisdom. As of right now his judgment is still clouded with how he has been programmed since he was a child. Most of stoicism has been plagiarized from Christianity (after Christ) or the Old Testament (before Christ). There is no goodness aside from what God bestows upon his sons and daughters! Every flesh is self-serving, destructive and kills in order to preserve itself! When is the last time you consumed a steak? Did the cow not have to die in order for you to eat?

[@mikeconnor3602]

@@wilfred5656 If you must know, I worked with Trump (I won't say in what capacity) and I hated his chest pounding braggadocio attitude. My son was bothered by my feeling on Trump basically saying what have I accomplished. I didn't like Trump until he began campaigning and calling out corrupt politicians, media and china who was eating our lunch, not playing fair, manipulating money, stealing intellectual property and threatening it's neighbors. The pandemic disclosed that china was producing 80% of our pharmaceuticals not a good thing from a country I see as unethical. I thought FINALLY someone who is bucking the status quo. And you know what?, I don't want him to run in 2024 I think he will be a lightning rod for the corrupt media, deep state and polititians who want to sell this country down the river, I want him behind the scenes managing the process, something he is good at. Dislike him all you want but NO ONE has the life and business experiences he has, NO ONE.

[@Dippmip]

trump's ego is just 'out there', he has an in your face type of ego which all the covert ego's hate apparently. I agree it's ridiculous to refer to trump as if he's the only one with a big ego, every politician has it. Some are better at hiding it, which means they are more deceitful. And the other fact is everyone loves to project their own ego onto trump's ego, yet he has done way more ego-less things than most people.

[@alejandrobarquero1347]

Maybe it was a comment about his personality, not politics, I despise some of Trump's view and personality traits but admit he was very succesful on some aspects as president. It is just his ego that backfires on him many times, he totally would have been re-elected if he had known to admit his failures that did not erase his triumphs.

[@kenmahoney9160]

kwwon duh

[@mitchqqqqqq]

does this guy have bighead mode on?

[@whatdoyoulivefor735]

He lost me in the first 10 seconds lol

[@cedhay4323]

Sorry, but as he said ''people are wrong all the time....'' Well, he is on quite a few issues .... racism, self, needs, conflict, etc ... even philosophy !

[@alejandrobarquero1347]

oh yeah, that is the whole point. I like Ryan but I am also aware he tries to keep his image so he does not admit he is wrong many times haha, I have read a few of his books knowing some of his views are bullshit and some are brilliant, that is the whole point, build our own criteria without idolizing anyone

[@waynewhitworth4932]

Ryan should know...he has one of the largest egos ever!

[@frankfeldman6657]

realism is critical for an artist? REALLY??? i'll have to tell kafka and a thousand others. what superficial nonsense.

[@unrealoneill]

Frank Feldman and your accomplishments are what exactly? Hold your tongue because your ego is delusional. Check yourself.

[@frankfeldman6657]

Haha. Good for you. Get your philosophy from a Tony Robbins-type "life coach", i.e., a bullshit artist. Enjoy yourself! I suggest you stick with your firewalking rather than read Kant, Hume, or Schopenhauer. :-)

[@MCGaui]

I quess he means having an realistic outlook, that doesn't mean that you necessary wite realistic works. Picasso has drawn realistic pictures for example and then started to draw abstracts.

[@judyh3305]

The Trump ego.....not funny!!! You have that slick little laugh when you said the trumpian ego. Ryan, I believe you have good content and smarts, however, your reference to Tump was unnecessary and insulting. I believe you could get your point across without pointing/ projecting your ego on the president. You came across as cocky and ignorant. I don’t suppose you thought that Clinton was a good example of ego? No that would not be popular. You have a bit of growing up to do. Stick to point and leave finger pointing out. This utube was an extreme turn off. I find it fascinating that so many speakers assume that their audience are Trump bashers. Bye bye!!!

[@robeltadesse8370]

You are wrong.

[@judyh3305]

Robel Tadesse are you the authority of correctness? 7 months later you decided to tell me I’m wrong. The statue of limitation has run out Mr Robel

[@robeltadesse8370]

@@judyh3305 you're probably a mother. Please don't let Trump add 4 more years of destruction to the future of your children. He is destroying your country. It's not late to save it.

[@judyh3305]

Robel Tadesse I’m not the one who decides that. I think you need to speak to God.

[@mikeconnor3602]

@@robeltadesse8370 OH YEAH....WHAT A JOKE! I SUPPOSE NOW YOU THINK BIDEN ALONG WITH OBAMAS HENCHMEN ARE DOING A BETTER JOB? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH. WE NOW PROJECT WEAKNESS TO THE WORLD. WAKE UP

[@dbart27]

Why use my President as an example of bad ego? You just lost my support... Trump's ego is helping him get lots of great things done. Youre just pandering to the PC crowd and frankly it's turning half the country completely off.

[@bobleglob162]

every president has an outsize ego. that's why they're attracted to that position and will wade through a trench full of shit to get there.

[@judyh3305]

plomaman yes. Thank you. Read my comment stating basically the same.

[@xlilsasuke4x]

Maybe your ego is getting in the way

[@alejandrobarquero1347]

You can support Trump, continue to agree with some of the Ryan's views while disagreeing with him in many aspects. That is the whole point of unity.