The Courage to Be Disliked

I didn’t expect a book with a strange title and a Socratic dialogue format to punch me in the chest — but it did.

The Courage to Be Disliked wasn’t just a read. It was a reset.

This book challenged a belief I hadn’t even realized I was carrying: that if I just worked harder, fixed more things, “healed” the right way, then I’d finally be good enough. Then I’d finally belong.

But Adlerian psychology — the foundation of the book — asks something different:

What if you’re not broken?

What if the story you’re telling about your past is just that — a story?

And what if today could be the start of something entirely different?

One of the ideas that hit me hardest was how perfectionism often hides disconnection. We obsess over fixing ourselves, polishing ourselves, improving ourselves — not because we’re ambitious, but because deep down we feel unworthy of being seen as we are.

That cycle is exhausting. And lonely.

The book doesn’t offer “steps” or quick hacks. It offers something harder: responsibility. It dares you to live aligned with your own truth, even when that means letting go of control, approval, or the comfort of old habits.

It dares you to stop performing.

This video is part of a new series I’m building: Books That Built Me. They’re short, meaningful reflections on the books that shaped how I think, work, and live. The ones that didn’t just shift my mindset — they gave me language for things I was already starting to feel.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, disconnected, or like you’ve been performing just to survive — this one’s for you.

— Nic | The Exec Advisor

#booksthatbuiltme #CourageToBeDisliked #perfectionism #lonelynotalone #mentalhealthawareness #selfcompassion #letgo #healingjourney #readmorebooks