Courage To Be Disliked, The: How to free yourself, change your life and achieve real happiness

"The Courage to Be Disliked" by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga is a thought-provoking and transformative book that challenges conventional wisdom about happiness, interpersonal relationships, and personal growth. Drawing on the principles of Alfred Adler, a renowned psychologist, this book presents a refreshing and liberating perspective on life.The authors introduce the Socratic dialogue format, where a young man engages in conversations with a philosopher, challenging his beliefs and assumptions. Through this dialogue, readers are invited to explore their own deeply ingrained beliefs and societal expectations that hinder personal growth and hinder their ability to live a fulfilling life.One of the most significant takeaways from this book is the concept of "separation of tasks." It teaches that individuals have the power to choose their own thoughts, attitudes, and actions independently of the past or the expectations of others. This notion empowers readers to take responsibility for their own happiness and break free from the victim mentality. It encourages personal agency and self-acceptance, emphasizing that it is possible to live authentically, regardless of external circumstances.Another valuable aspect of "The Courage to Be Disliked" is its exploration of interpersonal relationships. The book challenges the common belief that our past experiences and the behavior of others determine our present relationships. Instead, it argues that we have the ability to form new connections and choose how we interact with others, enabling us to foster healthier and more fulfilling relationships. This emphasis on individual responsibility and mutual respect provides a fresh perspective on the dynamics of human interaction.Furthermore, the book delves into the nature of happiness. It suggests that happiness is not dependent on external achievements or validation from others but stems from an internal sense of purpose and contentment. By embracing one's true self and pursuing one's own goals and desires, readers are encouraged to find a profound sense of fulfillment and joy.One of the strengths of this book is its accessibility. The Socratic dialogue format makes complex psychological concepts easily understandable and relatable. The conversations between the young man and the philosopher are engaging, thought-provoking, and provide practical examples that readers can apply to their own lives.However, it is important to note that "The Courage to Be Disliked" is not a quick fix or a step-by-step guide to happiness. It challenges deeply ingrained beliefs and requires introspection and personal reflection. Readers may need to revisit certain passages or concepts to fully grasp their meaning and integrate them into their lives.In comparison to other self-help and personal development books, "The Courage to Be Disliked" stands out due to its unique approach and philosophical foundation. It encourages readers to question societal norms, overcome their fears of social disapproval, and embrace their own uniqueness. While the book may not resonate with everyone, those willing to explore unconventional ideas will find it a transformative and empowering read.In conclusion, "The Courage to Be Disliked" is a remarkable book that challenges readers to rethink their beliefs about happiness, relationships, and personal growth. Its profound insights, presented through engaging dialogues, offer a liberating perspective on life. If you are open to exploring new ideas and are ready to take responsibility for your own happiness, this book can be a catalyst for personal transformation.

A book that challenges how we think about happiness, trauma, and approval. Some ideas hit hard, others felt too simplified or repetitive. Not fully convinced by everything, but it definitely made me reflect. Definitely a worth read in my opinion.

I recommend this book to any one and everyone who is interested in exploring themselves to numb their untamed emotions. One of the powerful points of this book is on the subject of interpersonal relationships and how to effectively manage them ..Good book to calibrate self…

What an amazing piece of brilliant writing. I thoroughly enjoyed this master journey of psychology to philosophy. It happens very rarely that while reading the preface you feel like THIS IS MY STUFF. You already know that you are going to love this. This book is surely one in my top three of all time best writing. Very complicated questions like,"What is the goal of my life?" "What is the real happiness?". "What is the meaning of life?" are answered in such a simple and elegant way that you cant get the Adlerian way of thinking out of your head.Everything, about Adlerian psychology, I loved a lot.This book and the essence of Adlerian psychology is going to stay with me for a long time...... perhaps life long.Thanks a lot to the writers and publishers.Now I am ready to go through "The Courage To Be Happy..." and many more on the same topic.

It is a book to understand life. This book will teach you a lot in life.

Its really amazing.I genuinely find this book as game changer for me 🫶🏻

I bought this book just by looking at the title. The person who has come up with the title deserves commendation. I imagined it to be of the intensity of Ayn Rand or other authors who are about 'individualism' and the courage it takes to stand alone in a crowd. But this book was not about individualism. It is, but in a very mild way. It left me with a feeling that I ordered a fine five course meal and got served hospital soup instead. It was healthy nevertheless. To some extent.The book is based on theories of Alfred Adler, who if we go by this book, makes some very fine pointers to life and life-situations- Example- how all problems are interpersonal relationship problems, what is freedom, what is contribution, how to separate our tasks from other people's tasks, etc. and I have no issues with any of them, even if I disagree to some extent.My problem is with the format of the book- which is that of a dialogue between a youth and a philosopher. I would have liked this book to be in some other form of narrative. The dialogue seems unnatural and contrived. The youth is portrayed as a very angry, egoistic and argumentative person. The philosopher is portrayed as someone who only speaks in Alfred Adler's terms and uses Adler's name to end the discussion or draw a conclusion, none of which seem a healthy way of debating. Things would have been better if Adler wasn't mentioned on every other page.Also, the authors think there is a need to 'explain' what the youth is feeling after each discussion, so they add a post-script note at the end of a topic (The youth was now angry, or perspiring, or wanted to bring the philosopher to his knees, etc. etc.), which makes the dialogue seem very very forced and one-sided. I consider myself a 'youth' and I did not at all relate to the way this youth was asking questions and neither to the way the philosopher was responding.So my suggestion - Read other works of Adler, or other authors. The gist of the book is very common to other self-development books:Know your worth.Let go other people's expectations of you.Set boundaries.Make a contribution.Know what is real freedom.Quit running after fame and recognition.Remain present in the here and now.There are other books which are far better than this and explore similar topics. If at all you decide to read this one, you can fast-read-forward to 100 pages, when the dialogue gets to the heart of the matter.[The paper quality, fonts, layout and binding of the book are excellent. I bought a hardbound copy for Rs.414]