// Book comparison
Ego Is the Enemy vs Think Again
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday and Think Again by Adam Grant.
Ego Is the Enemy
by Ryan Holiday
★ 4.9/5
Think Again
by Adam Grant
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| Ego Is the Enemy | Think Again | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 256 | 320 |
| Reading time | ~6.4 h | ~8.0 h |
| Published | 2016 | 2021 |
| Author | Ryan Holiday | Adam Grant |
| Category | Personal Effectiveness | Leadership |
| Publisher | Portfolio | Viking |
Choose Ego Is the Enemy if…
- → You're interested in personal effectiveness.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
- → You prefer a shorter read (~6.4 hours).
Choose Think Again if…
- → You're interested in leadership.
- → You want the more recent perspective (2021).
Key takeaways — Ego Is the Enemy
- ✓ Maintain a Lifelong Student Mindset by intentionally seeking out mentors and peers who challenge your strategic assumptions, preventing the 'stagnation of success'.
- ✓ Prioritize Action over Talk, recognizing that the public narrative of your achievements is often a distraction from the deep work required to sustain your organization’s competitive edge.
- ✓ Utilize the Plus, Minus, Equal framework to ensure your professional development is balanced, allowing you to learn, teach, and compete with humility and clarity.
Key takeaways — Think Again
- ✓ Adopt a Scientist Mindset by treating your business strategies as hypotheses that require constant testing and validation against new market data and feedback.
- ✓ Cultivate Confident Humility, acknowledging the limits of your knowledge to remain open to better ideas and more accurate strategic insights from your workforce.
- ✓ Foster a Rethinking Culture within your team by rewarding the 'courage to be wrong' and encouraging the regular questioning of established organizational best practices.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, shorter read, start with Ego Is the Enemy. If you specifically need leadership, Think Again is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is Ego Is the Enemy or Think Again better? +
Ego Is the Enemy has the higher reader rating (4.9/5 vs 4.9/5), but "better" depends on your goal. Ego Is the Enemy focuses on personal effectiveness, while Think Again focuses on leadership. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, Ego Is the Enemy or Think Again? +
Ego Is the Enemy is shorter (256 pages, ~6.4 hours) compared to Think Again (320 pages, ~8.0 hours).
Should I read Ego Is the Enemy or Think Again first? +
If you want the quicker, higher-rated read, start with Ego Is the Enemy. Otherwise read whichever matches your current goal — both summaries are free on BookHubs.