You Are Not What You Think By David Richo

You and your ego: how to develop a healthy sense of self without becoming an egotist—and how to see through that sense of self for the happiness of yourself and others.

How can you build the healthy ego necessary to be effective in life—yet avoid the kind of egotism that makes people dislike you? Don’t worry; Dave Richo has the answers. His new book shows you how to navigate the tricky waters between egotism and selflessness in a way that avoids both extremes and makes you much more effective and loving. The key is to acknowledge your ego and to be kind to it, before you ultimately learn to let it go.

As with all Dave’s books, this one is full of examples from myth and religion, with plenty of exercises and practical advice.

“This well-written, easy-to-read book will give a wealth of practical advice on how to unhook and disentangle yourself from the myriad unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, self-judgments, and self-concepts that we often refer to as ‘ego.’ If you want a healthier, happier, more compassionate relationship with yourself, this book is for you.”—Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living

“David Richo uses concepts from neuroscience, psychology, and Buddhism to show us how to make a friend of our ego, that oddly obstreperous, often tyrannical — but ultimately useful — chimera.” –Norman Fischer, author of Experience: on Thinking, Writing, Language and Religion, and What is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner’s Mind