Holiday’s Hubris: Why Ryan Holiday Gets It Wrong

Ryan Holiday’s Ego Is the Enemy has earned significant praise for its insights on personal growth and humility, drawing heavily from Stoic philosophy. But as I reflect on the core premise of the book, I find myself questioning whether Holiday’s definition of “ego” truly captures the problem he’s addressing.

In fact, I believe Holiday isn’t critiquing ego at all—he’s critiquing hubris. And that distinction matters.

Ego Is Not the Enemy

Ego, as traditionally understood, is not inherently bad. In psychology, Freud’s ego is the rational mediator between our instincts and moral ideals. In everyday life, ego is what gives us confidence, drives us to achieve, and allows us to produce work we’re proud of. It is the belief in ourselves and our abilities—the very force that propels great athletes, artists, and innovators to success.

Holiday, however, paints ego as a villainous force, conflating it with arrogance, entitlement, and vanity. But these traits aren’t examples of ego—they’re examples of hubris.

Hubris Is the Real Enemy

The term hubris refers to excessive pride or arrogance that leads to a downfall. It’s the overconfidence that blinds us to risks, makes us dismiss feedback, and causes us to overreach. Hubris is the Achilles’ heel of many a leader, artist, or athlete, and its dangers are well-documented throughout history and literature.

Think of Icarus flying too close to the sun, Napoleon’s disastrous invasion of Russia, or Elizabeth Holmes disastrous leadership at Theranos. These aren’t stories of ego—they’re tales of hubris. If Holiday had framed his critique as "hubris is the enemy," he would be addressing a concept that no one would disagree with.

The Productive Side of Ego

By attacking ego itself, Holiday risks undermining one of the most powerful forces for personal and professional growth. Consider the following examples:

1. Creative Excellence: Ego is what drives an artist to refuse mediocrity and aim for greatness. It’s the belief that their work can make a meaningful impact.
2. Athletic Achievement: Ego fuels athletes like Michael Jordan, who famously harnessed his immense self-belief to achieve unprecedented success. Jordan didn’t let his ego get in the way—he let it propel him forward.
3. Professional Success: Ego, when healthy, inspires us to take risks, persevere through setbacks, and strive for mastery. It’s the internal voice that says, “You can do this,” even when the odds are against you.

Far from being an enemy, ego is often the ally we need to reach our full potential. It’s only when ego tips into hubris that it becomes destructive.

Holiday’s Hubris

Ironically, Holiday’s book demonstrates the very flaw it critiques. In his eagerness to condemn ego, he exhibits a kind of intellectual hubris by redefining a term in a way that distorts its meaning. While still adding value to the discussion, by framing ego as the problem, he oversimplifies the nuanced relationship between confidence, humility, and self-awareness.

Had Holiday instead focused on hubris, his argument would have been more precise and universally applicable. Hubris is the real enemy—not ego. And by conflating the two, Holiday risks discouraging readers from embracing the healthy, productive aspects of ego that drive ambition and achievement.

The Good Will Hunting Problem

Holiday, who began his career in his late teens and authored this book in his late twenties, wrote the book in response to watching some of his mentors implode, engaging in self-reflection, and delving into stoic philosophy, which is a fine approach. However, while reading the book I kept being reminded of the scene from Good Will Hunting, where Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) confronts Will (Matt Damon) about the difference between theoretical knowledge and lived experience. Sean says:

“If I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written... But I bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.”

The essence of Sean’s message is that intellectual understanding is incomplete without experience. Similarly, Holiday’s analysis of ego feels detached from the lived realities of ambition and self-belief. Without the depth of decades spent confronting the challenges of life, the wisdom in Ego Is the Enemy feels, at times, theoretical—a critique from someone who hasn’t yet stood in the “Sistine Chapel” of experience.

It is not that he is giving bad advice, it is simply that it is incomplete.

Ego in Freudian terms:

According to Freud, a healthy ego has three components:

• The id is impulsive, self-serving, and focused on instant gratification of desires. It is constantly in search of that next dopamine hit. It is the one that craves "likes" on your most recent post .
• The ego, in Freud's model, mediates between the id’s impulses and the constraints of reality. It is the rational and conscious part of the psyche. It operates according to the reality principle, meaning it seeks to satisfy the id's desires in realistic and socially appropriate ways.
• The super-ego is the part of the psyche that holds moral standards and ideals acquired from parents, caregivers, and society. It acts as the conscience, guiding behavior by imposing guilt or pride depending on whether actions align with its moral code.

We need and use all three and normally that isn't a problem. However, it is only when they get out of balance that hubris rears its ugly head

Hubris Is Id-Driven

Our ego turns into hubris when we let our id take control through one of three mechanisms:

1. Id-Driven Hubris: Hubris stems from the id—impulsive, self-serving desires unchecked by rationality or morality.
2. Dysfunctional Ego: The ego, which should mediate between the id and reality, becomes impaired, allowing id impulses to dominate.
3. Blocked Super-Ego: The super-ego, responsible for moral judgment and self-regulation, is either underdeveloped or ignored, resulting in a lack of ethical oversight.

Hubris is id-driven. It stems from impulsive, self-serving desires unchecked by the ego’s rationality or the super-ego’s moral guidance. A healthy ego acts as a mediator, channeling the id’s ambitions in constructive ways while integrating the super-ego’s ethical oversight. Hubris, by contrast, emerges when this balance breaks down. The id takes over, and the ego’s regulatory function collapses, allowing desires to run unchecked.

Holiday’s conflation of ego with hubris oversimplifies this dynamic. Ego is not inherently the enemy—it is an essential tool for managing the psyche’s competing forces. Without it, the id’s impulses dominate, and the super-ego’s moral compass is silenced. The result? The destructive instability of hubris.

Holiday’s argument overlooks these nuances, reducing the complexities of the psyche to a simplistic battle against ego. A deeper understanding of hubris reveals that it is not ego itself, but the failure of ego to regulate the id and integrate the super-ego, that truly undermines success.

Where Holiday Gets Led Astray

Holiday offers up the story of Katharine Graham, the woman who ended up owning the Washington Post. In doing so, Holiday presents Katharine Graham as someone who supposedly "lacked ego," but her drive to restore her family’s legacy clearly reflects a strong ego:

• Ego as Identity: Graham's mission to rebuild her family’s legacy wasn’t about personal vanity or self-indulgence. It was about preserving a larger identity—her family’s history, values, and contributions to journalism.
• Ego as Purpose: Far from being a destructive force, her ego gave her the strength to take on a monumental challenge, leading to significant societal impact (e.g., publishing the Pentagon Papers, overseeing investigative journalism like Watergate).

Graham’s story isn’t about a lack of ego—it’s about the constructive use of ego to achieve something meaningful and enduring.

Holiday’s narrative overlooks the positive role ego played in Graham’s success. By painting all ego as negative, he overlooks how ego can be a source of strength, resilience, and positive action.

In his zeal to paint ego as the enemy, Holiday ends up missing some crucial remedies and while his primary remedy "learn from failure" is important it reactive rather than proactive.

Believing Your Own Hype: The Root of Hubris

Holiday warns that hubris (over inflated ego) often arises when we start to believe our own "hype." On this, we agree. Whether it’s a musician convinced they’re untouchable, a leader dismissing criticism, or an entrepreneur chasing recognition, losing touch with reality is a surefire path to hubris. But there are two paths critical paths to avoiding hubris: grounding and putting in the reps.

The Rolling Stones and Avoiding Hype by Grounding

The Rolling Stones’ drummer, Charlie Watts, is a great example of someone who avoided hubris by not buying into the hype. His approach offers practical lessons:

• Stay Detached: Watts viewed the band as his job rather than his identity, which helped him remain grounded.
• Focus on Craft: By prioritizing the music over fame, he avoided the distractions of ego-driven pursuits.
• Surround Yourself with Grounded People: His humility likely had a stabilizing effect on the rest of the band, contributing to their longevity.

Michael Jordan and Putting in the Reps

Michael Jordan famously harnessed his immense self-belief to achieve unprecedented success. But Jordan didn’t let his ego get in the way—he let it propel him forward. Athletes like Michael Jordan show how ego can be harnessed constructively by focusing on:

• Relentless Work Ethic: Jordan’s ego drove him to work harder than anyone else, ensuring his performance matched his confidence.
• Focus on Mastery: His ego wasn’t just about hype—it was about pushing himself to constantly improve and prove his worth.
• Feedback as Fuel: Jordan didn’t shy away from criticism or challenges; he used them to fuel his growth.

Jordan’s story illustrates the antidote to believing your own hype: grounding ego in consistent, disciplined effort, and using external validation as a motivator for improvement, not as a substitute for substance. Jordan was someone that definitely put in the reps.

Elizabeth Holmes: Believing the Hype Without the Work/Grounding

Elizabeth Holmes provides a compelling example of someone who believed her own hype but lacked the necessary grounding influences or the commitment to "put in the reps" to live up to it.

• The Hype: Holmes created a grandiose vision of Theranos and herself as the next Steve Jobs, convincing investors and the public of her genius.
• No Grounding Feedback: Surrounding herself with "yes-men", Holmes insulated herself from critical voices that might have warned her of the risks or flaws in her plans.
• Lack of Reps: Unlike Jordan or other high achievers, Holmes didn’t put in the hard work to truly master the science and technology behind her vision. Instead, she tried to "fake it till you make it," and she relied on her substantial charisma to mask the lack of substance. (Note: I will admit to being taken in by her charm myself.)

David Marquet: and Strengthening the Super-Ego

David Marquet, a former nuclear U.S. Navy submarine captain, provides a compelling example of how strengthening the super-ego—both in himself and his crew—led to transformative leadership and long-term success.

The Problem: Hubris in Traditional Leadership

When Marquet was assigned to command the nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe, it was one of the worst-performing ships in the fleet. The traditional leadership model relied heavily on top-down authority, where leaders were expected to have all the answers and give explicit orders. This approach often led to overconfidence, micromanagement, and a stifling environment—essentially, a breeding ground for hubris. Marquet made a commitment to do things differently and became a voracious reader of leadership and management books.

The Shift: Empowering Others Through Ethical Leadership

Marquet realized that his hubristic reliance on his own authority as a leader would fail in an environment where he didn’t have all the technical expertise needed to run the submarine. Instead of pretending to know it all or issuing arbitrary commands, he shifted to a leader-leader model that focused on:

• Decentralizing Authority: Empowering his crew to take ownership of decisions and think critically about their roles.
• Encouraging Ethical Decision-Making: Training his crew to focus on "intent" rather than simply following orders. For example, rather than saying, "Do this," the crew would say, "I intend to do this," encouraging accountability and thoughtful action.
• Continuous Learning: Marquet modeled humility by learning from his crew, encouraging them to study leadership principles, and cultivating an environment where feedback and improvement were valued.

The Result: A Strengthened Super-Ego

Through these practices, Marquet and his crew enhanced the super-ego of their organization, creating a culture of shared responsibility, ethical decision-making, and leadership at every level. The USS Santa Fe went on to become one of the Navy’s highest-performing submarines, with many of its crew members later achieving leadership roles themselves.

Strengthening the Super-Ego: The Critical Antidote to Hubris

Marquet’s story shows how deliberately strengthening the super-ego can counteract the hubris that often comes with traditional notions of leadership:

• Studying Leadership: Marquet didn’t rely on his instincts alone. He studied and reflected on leadership principles and transformed his understanding of what it means to lead effectively.
• Encouraging Ethical DecisioIn fact, I believe Holiday isn’t critiquing ego at all—he’s critiquing hubris. And that distinction matters.

Ego Is Not the Enemy

Ego, as traditionally understood, is not inherently bad. In psychology, Freud’s ego is the rational mediator between our instincts and moral ideals. In everyday life, ego is what gives us confidence, drives us to achieve, and allows us to produce work we’re proud of. It is the belief in ourselves and our abilities—the very force that propels great athletes, artists, and innovators to success.

Holiday, however, paints ego as a villainous force, conflating it with arrogance, entitlement, and vanity. But these traits aren’t examples of ego—they’re examples of hubris.

Hubris Is the Real Enemy

The term hubris refers to excessive pride or arrogance that leads to a downfall. It’s the overconfidence that blinds us to risks, makes us dismiss feedback, and causes us to overreach. Hubris is the Achilles’ heel of many a leader, artist, or athlete, and its dangers are well-documented throughout history and literature.

Think of Icarus flying too close to the sun, Napoleon’s disastrous invasion of Russia, or, as highlight here, Elizabeth Holmes disastrous leadership at Theranos. These aren’t stories of ego—they’re tales of hubris. If Holiday had framed his critique as "hubris is the enemy," he would be addressing a concept that no one would disagree with.

The Productive Side of Ego

By attacking ego itself, Holiday risks undermining one of the most powerful forces for personal and professional growth. Consider the following examples:

1. Creative Excellence: Ego is what drives an artist to refuse mediocrity and aim for greatness. It’s the belief that their work can make a meaningful impact.
2. Athletic Achievement: Ego fuels athletes like Michael Jordan, who famously harnessed his immense self-belief to achieve unprecedented success. Jordan didn’t let his ego get in the way—he let it propel him forward.
3. Professional Success: Ego, when healthy, inspires us to take risks, persevere through setbacks, and strive for mastery. It’s the internal voice that says, “You can do this,” even when the odds are against you.

Far from being an enemy, ego is often the ally we need to reach our full potential. It’s only when ego tips into hubris that it becomes destructive.

Holiday’s Hubris

Ironically, Holiday’s book demonstrates the very flaw it critiques. In his eagerness to condemn ego, he exhibits a kind of intellectual hubris by redefining a term in a way that distorts its meaning. By framing ego as the problem, he oversimplifies the nuanced relationship between confidence, humility, and self-awareness.

Had Holiday instead focused on hubris, his argument would have been more precise and universally applicable. Hubris is the real enemy—not ego. And by conflating the two, Holiday risks discouraging readers from embracing the healthy, productive aspects of ego that drive ambition and achievement.

The Good Will Hunting Problem

Holiday, who began his career in his late teens and authored this book in his late twenties, wrote the book in response to watching some of his mentors implode, engaging in self reflection, and delving into stoic philosophy, which is a fine approach. However, while reading the book I kept being reminded of the scene from Good Will Hunting, where Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) confronts Will (Matt Damon) about the difference between theoretical knowledge and lived experience. Sean says:

“If I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written... But I bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.”

The essence of Sean’s message is that intellectual understanding is incomplete without experience. Similarly, Holiday’s analysis of ego feels detached from the lived realities of ambition and self-belief. Without the depth of decades spent confronting the challenges of life, the wisdom in Ego Is the Enemy feels, at times, theoretical—a critique from someone who hasn’t yet stood in the “Sistine Chapel” of experience.

It is not that he is giving bad advice, it is simply that it is incomplete.

Ego in Freudian terms:

According to Freud, a healthy ego has three components:

• The id is impulsive, self-serving, and focused on instant gratification of desires. It is constantly in search of that next dopamine hit. It is the one that craves "likes" on your most recent post .
• The ego, in Freud's model, mediates between the id’s impulses and the constraints of reality. It is the rational and conscious part of the psyche. It operates according to the reality principle, meaning it seeks to satisfy the id's desires in realistic and socially appropriate ways.
• The super-ego is the part of the psyche that holds moral standards and ideals acquired from parents, caregivers, and society. It acts as the conscience, guiding behavior by imposing guilt or pride depending on whether actions align with its moral code.

We need and use all three and normally that isn't a problem.

Hubris Is Id-Driven

Our ego turns into hubris when we let our id take control through one of three mechanisms:

1. Id-Driven Hubris: Hubris stems from the id—impulsive, self-serving desires unchecked by rationality or morality.
2. Dysfunctional Ego: The ego, which should mediate between the id and reality, becomes impaired, allowing id impulses to dominate.
3. Blocked Super-Ego: The super-ego, responsible for moral judgment and self-regulation, is either underdeveloped or ignored, resulting in a lack of ethical oversight.

Hubris is id-driven. It stems from impulsive, self-serving desires unchecked by the ego’s rationality or the super-ego’s moral guidance. A healthy ego acts as a mediator, channeling the id’s ambitions in constructive ways while integrating the super-ego’s ethical oversight. Hubris, by contrast, emerges when this balance breaks down. The id takes over, and the ego’s regulatory function collapses, allowing desires to run unchecked.

Holiday’s conflation of ego with hubris oversimplifies this dynamic. Ego is not inherently the enemy—it is an essential tool for managing the psyche’s competing forces. Without it, the id’s impulses dominate, and the super-ego’s moral compass is silenced. The result? The destructive instability of hubris.

Holiday’s argument overlooks these nuances, reducing the complexities of the psyche to a simplistic battle against ego. A deeper understanding of hubris reveals that it is not ego itself, but the failure of ego to regulate the id and integrate the super-ego, that truly undermines success.

Where Holiday Gets Lead Astray

Holiday offers up the story of Katharine Graham, the woman who ended up owning the Washington Post. In doing so, Holiday presents Katharine Graham as someone who supposedly "lacked ego," but her drive to restore her family’s legacy clearly reflects a strong ego:

• Ego as Identity: Graham's mission to rebuild her family’s legacy wasn’t about personal vanity or self-indulgence. It was about preserving a larger identity—her family’s history, values, and contributions to journalism.
• Ego as Purpose: Far from being a destructive force, her ego gave her the strength to take on a monumental challenge, leading to significant societal impact (e.g., publishing the Pentagon Papers, overseeing investigative journalism like Watergate).

Graham’s story isn’t about a lack of ego—it’s about the constructive use of ego to achieve something meaningful and enduring.

Holiday’s narrative overlooks the positive role ego played in Graham’s success. By painting all ego as negative, he overlooks how ego can be a source of strength, resilience, and positive action.

In his zeal to paint ego as the enemy, Holiday ends up missing some crucial remedies and while his primary remedy "learn from failure" is important it reactive rather than proactive.

Believing Your Own Hype: The Root of Hubris

Holiday warns that hubris (over inflated ego) often arises when we start to believe our own "hype." On this, we agree. Whether it’s a musician convinced they’re untouchable, a leader dismissing criticism, or an entrepreneur chasing recognition, losing touch with reality is a surefire path to hubris. But there are two paths critical paths to avoiding hubris: grounding and putting in the reps.

The Rolling Stones and Avoiding Hype by Grounding

The Rolling Stones’ drummer, Charlie Watts, is a great example of someone who avoided hubris by not buying into the hype. His approach offers practical lessons:

• Stay Detached: Watts viewed the band as his job rather than his identity, which helped him remain grounded.
• Focus on Craft: By prioritizing the music over fame, he avoided the distractions of ego-driven pursuits.
• Surround Yourself with Grounded People: His humility likely had a stabilizing effect on the rest of the band, contributing to their longevity.

Michael Jordan and Putting in the Reps

Michael Jordan famously harnessed his immense self-belief to achieve unprecedented success. But Jordan didn’t let his ego get in the way—he let it propel him forward. Athletes like Michael Jordan show how ego can be harnessed constructively by focusing on:

• Relentless Work Ethic: Jordan’s ego drove him to work harder than anyone else, ensuring his performance matched his confidence.
• Focus on Mastery: His ego wasn’t just about hype—it was about pushing himself to constantly improve and prove his worth.
• Feedback as Fuel: Jordan didn’t shy away from criticism or challenges; he used them to fuel his growth.

Jordan’s story illustrates the antidote to believing your own hype: grounding ego in consistent, disciplined effort, and using external validation as a motivator for improvement, not as a substitute for substance. Jordan was someone that definitely put in the reps.

Elizabeth Holmes: Believing the Hype Without the Work/Grounding

Elizabeth Holmes provides a compelling example of someone who believed her own hype but lacked the necessary grounding influences or the commitment to "put in the reps" to live up to it.

• The Hype: Holmes created a grandiose vision of Theranos and herself as the next Steve Jobs, convincing investors and the public of her genius.
• No Grounding Feedback: Surrounding herself with "yes-men", Holmes insulated herself from critical voices that might have warned her of the risks or flaws in her plans.
• Lack of Reps: Unlike Jordan or other high achievers, Holmes didn’t put in the hard work to truly master the science and technology behind her vision. Instead, she tried to "fake it till you make it," and she relied on very substantial charisma to mask the lack of substance. (Note: I will admit to being taken in by her charm myself.)

David Marquet: and Strengthening the Super-Ego

David Marquet, a former nuclear U.S. Navy submarine captain, provides a compelling example of how strengthening the super-ego—both in himself and his crew—led to transformative leadership and long-term success.

The Problem: Hubris in Traditional Leadership

When Marquet was assigned to command the nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe, it was one of the worst-performing ships in the fleet. The traditional leadership model relied heavily on top-down authority, where leaders were expected to have all the answers and give explicit orders. This approach often led to overconfidence, micromanagement, and a stifling environment—essentially, a breeding ground for hubris. Marquet made a commitment to do things differently and became a voracious reader of leadership and management books.

The Shift: Empowering Others Through Ethical Leadership

Marquet realized that his hubristic reliance on his own authority as a leader would fail in an environment where he didn’t have all the technical expertise needed to run the submarine. Instead of pretending to know it all or issuing arbitrary commands, he shifted to a leader-leader model that focused on:

• Decentralizing Authority: Empowering his crew to take ownership of decisions and think critically about their roles.
• Encouraging Ethical Decision-Making: Training his crew to focus on "intent" rather than simply following orders. For example, rather than saying, "Do this," the crew would say, "I intend to do this," encouraging accountability and thoughtful action.
• Continuous Learning: Marquet modeled humility by learning from his crew, encouraging them to study leadership principles, and cultivating an environment where feedback and improvement were valued.

The Result: A Strengthened Super-Ego

Through these practices, Marquet and his crew enhanced the super-ego of their organization, creating a culture of shared responsibility, ethical decision-making, and leadership at every level. The USS Santa Fe went on to become one of the Navy’s highest-performing submarines, with many of its crew members later achieving leadership roles themselves.

Strengthening the Super-Ego: The Critical Antidote to Hubris

Marquet’s story shows how deliberately strengthening the super-ego can counteract the hubris that often comes with traditional notions of leadership:

• Studying Leadership: Marquet didn’t rely on his instincts alone. He studied and reflected on leadership principles and transformed his understanding of what it means to lead effectively.
• Encouraging Ethical Decision-Making: By fostering a culture of intent and accountability, Marquet ensured that decisions were grounded in thoughtful consideration rather than impulsive action.
• Practicing Humility and Learning: Marquet’s humility in admitting what he didn’t know allowed him to strengthen his own super-ego while inspiring his crew to do the same.

Marquet’s story demonstrates that the antidote to hubris isn’t the suppression of ego, but the cultivation of ethical leadership, self-awareness, and humility. These practices strengthen the super-ego, creating a framework for ambition that is balanced, grounded, and sustainable.n-Making: By fostering a culture of intent and accountability, Marquet ensured that decisions were grounded in thoughtful consideration rather than impulsive action.

• Practicing Humility and Learning: Marquet’s humility in admitting what he didn’t know allowed him to strengthen his own super-ego while inspiring his crew to do the same.

Marquet’s story demonstrates that the antidote to hubris isn’t the suppression of ego, but the cultivation of ethical leadership, self-awareness, and humility. These practices strengthen the super-ego, creating a framework for ambition that is balanced, grounded, and sustainable.

Conclusion: Beyond Ego—Cultivating Leadership and Self-Awareness

In Ego Is the Enemy, Ryan Holiday warns of the dangers of unchecked ego, but his conflation of ego with hubris undermines a deeper understanding of the forces at play. Ego—when harnessed constructively—propels individuals toward greatness, enabling them to persevere, innovate, and lead. It’s only when ego becomes untethered, descending into hubris, that it transforms into a destructive force.

To avoid the pitfalls of hubris, we must proactively strengthen both the ego and the super-ego. This involves:

• Grounding ourselves: Like Charlie Watts, staying humble and focused on the craft rather than external validation.
• Putting in the reps: As Michael Jordan demonstrated, effort and mastery keep ego aligned with reality.
• Strengthening the super-ego: As David Marquet’s story illustrates, ethical leadership, humility, and a commitment to continuous learning ensure that ambition is balanced by integrity.

Holiday’s reliance on failure as the primary antidote to hubris is valuable but reactive. True resilience and success require a proactive approach: cultivating self-awareness, embracing feedback, and learning from the wisdom of those who came before us.

Ego is not the enemy—it is a powerful ally when tempered by humility, discipline, and ethical purpose. By reframing our understanding of ego and hubris, we can unlock the full potential of ambition and lead lives of greater impact and meaning.

Let’s not fear ego. Let’s guide it!

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