Ego Is the Enemy
A Stoic argument that ego — not talent, not luck — is what kills most careers before they start.
Holiday structures the book around three phases: aspiration, success, and failure. In each, ego shows up differently and does different damage. The historical examples are well-chosen and the writing is tight. I return to the chapters on "staying a student" and "the canvas strategy" most often. The core idea — that confidence without humility is a liability — is simple but most people don't internalize it until it's too late.