Excerpt from Coming Face to Face with Yourself by Kenny Florian

Growth isn’t just about skill—it’s about confronting the hardest opponent of all: yourself. In the pursuit of mastery, the ego sneaks in, clouding our vision and convincing us to protect an illusion rather than embrace the reality of endless improvement. It resists change, rationalizes mistakes, and shields us from the discomfort of self-reflection. But the truth is, we are built to adapt, to evolve, and to push past limitations—if we’re willing to silence the ego and embrace the lessons that failure brings. The path forward isn’t about preserving an image, but about becoming the best version of ourselves, no matter how uncomfortable that process may be.