In his book Ego Is The Enemy, Ryan Holiday delves into why and how ego can be both our greatest asset and biggest liability. As an asset, ego drives us to succeed in a competitive world. Alternatively, it can at the same time become the undercurrent that drags us down and becomes our eventual undoing.
“At least she didn’t ask me to pick up any beer,” I thought to myself as I grabbed the car keys and drove the 1.5 pine wooded miles to the store. Five minutes later, I shifted the car into park and headed in. I was a man on a mission.
While I didn’t grasp it at the time, it turned out that bingeing had infiltrated nearly every aspect of my life. I had become downright gluttonous in most things – eating, drinking, streaming shows, you name it. Of course, I didn’t see it that way. You see, I was under the illusion that I was in control and exercising my own free will as I needlessly frittered my life away.
I mean, I have plenty of whiskey, vodka, tequila, gin, and other fine spirit on hand. Bottles and bottles and bottles of it. And there’s almost always an open bottle of Pinot Noir or Cabernet on the kitchen counter. But these lures hold no temptation for me.
Last night I had a strange and somewhat disturbing experience. While applying rubbing alcohol to a pimple on the back of my neck, for a fleeting instant, I actually considered tasting it. Immediately, my rational mind rode to the rescue and prevented me from going through with it. I mean, shit, I’m not Kitty Dukakis for crying out loud!