Psychology is not a definitive science. Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung are giants. Alfred Adler, a student of Freud, is the “anti-Freud.” Freud says your past defines you; Adler says your goals define you.

The Courage to Be Disliked is a distillation of Adler’s ideas to experience a meaningful life (who doesn’t?).

Welcoming ideas is not comfortable, so imagine ideas that completely contradict our life philosophy… You can’t expect a reader to appreciate them with the vulnerability required to admit he may be wrong. A better approach is needed.

The authors reuse the same trick that Plato did to capture the philosophy of Socrates. Plato took down his dialogues in written form while keeping the language simple to understand to not clutter the message. Conveying Adler’s teachings using a narrative dialogue between a philosopher and a young man is such a great idea.

A dialogue makes plenty of room for questions. The young fictive protagonist mimics the reader in his understanding and ensures questions are raised and answered before introducing the next idea. Questions are opportunities to pause and reflect, and even if the dialogues feel sometimes unnatural, they are always instructive.

I understand easily why this book is so popular. The ideas are truly life-changing. The book is a call for action urging us to stop finding excuses and start embracing opportunities to grow and experience the freedom to be ourselves. One of my favorite books for sure.