Ego Is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent

Identify and explain three reasons why the author believes that egotistical thinking is strategically weak and often leads to failure. Are you convinced by these reasons? Why or why not?

Holiday argues that people should adopt a “student” mind throughout their lives. In your view, what would being an effective lifelong “student” look like? What practical habits and strategies could one adopt?

How does Holiday depict the roles of imagination and passion in Ego Is the Enemy? How do these depictions help to illustrate the text’s key themes and ideas?

Holiday tends to downplay or ignore the socioeconomic factors that can affect one’s life trajectory and/or career success, instead privileging the individual’s own choices and behavior over all else. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this approach?

Choose one of Holiday’s examples of failure and briefly explain why the author uses them as a cautionary tale. Do you agree that their downfall was the result of egotism? What other factors, if any, may have played a role?

Identify a weakness in Holiday’s argument and explain why you disagree with his analysis.

How does Holiday approach issues of validation and criticism? Do you agree or disagree with his analysis? Explain in detail.

What does the author mean when he instructs the reader to “maintain your own scorecard”? What are the implications for one’s ego and sense of self? Do you agree that this is an effective strategy for success? Why or why not?