The New York Times bestselling TikTok sensation with more than 13 million copies sold worldwide, The Courage to Be Disliked is a transformative and practical guide to personal happiness and self-fulfillment.
What if true happiness begins the moment you stop seeking approval?
In The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi, co-written with Fumitake Koga, a powerful conversation unfolds between a philosopher and a questioning student—challenging everything we think we know about happiness, relationships, and self-worth.
Drawing from the principles of Adlerian Psychology, the book presents a radically simple yet profound idea: your life is yours to choose. You are not bound by past trauma, social expectations, or the need for validation from others.
But embracing this freedom isn’t easy. Letting go of the desire to be liked can feel uncomfortable—even frightening. It means taking responsibility for your choices, facing interpersonal challenges head-on, and redefining how you see yourself and others.
As the dialogue deepens, long-held beliefs are dismantled, opening the door to a new way of living—one rooted in courage, purpose, and genuine happiness.
Clear, thought-provoking, and deeply transformative, this book offers more than advice—it offers a new perspective.
Because sometimes, the key to a better life is the courage to be misunderstood.
Review
“Marie Kondo, but for your brain.” ―
Hello Giggles
“Adlerian psychology meets Stoic philosophy in Socratic dialogue. Compelling from front to back. Highly recommend.” — Marc Andreessen, venture capitalist and founder of Andreessen Horowitz
“A nuanced discussion of a complex theory, with moments of real philosophical insight…. [It’s] refreshing and useful to read a philosophy that goes against many contemporary orthodoxies. More than a century since Adler founded his school of psychology, there’s still insight and novelty in his theories.” ― Quartzy
“[The Courage to be Disliked guides] readers toward achieving happiness and lasting change… For those seeking a discourse that helps explain who they are in the world, Kishimi and Koga provide an illuminating conversation.” ― Library Journal
About the Author
Ichiro Kishimi was born in Kyoto, where he currently resides. He writes and lectures on Adlerian psychology and provides counseling for youths in psychiatric clinics as a certified counselor and consultant for the Japanese Society of Adlerian Psychology. He is the translator, into Japanese, of selected writings by Alfred Adler—
The Science of Living and
Problems of Neurosis—and he is the author of
Introduction to Adlerian Psychology, in addition to numerous other books.
Fumitake Koga is an award-winning professional writer and author. He has released numerous bestselling works of business-related and general non-fiction. He encountered Adlerian psychology in his late twenties and was deeply affected by its conventional wisdom–defying ideas. Thereafter, Koga made numerous visits to Ichiro Kishimi in Kyoto, gleaned from him the essence of Adlerian psychology, and took down the notes for the classical “dialogue format” method of Greek philosophy that is used in this book.
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