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The Courage to Be Disliked: A Mindset Shift for Creatives in Business
I’ll be honest, just the title of this book made me squirm a little. The Courage to Be Disliked? As someone who creates for a living, runs a business, and shares my work online, the idea of being disliked hits a nerve. Approval, validation, engagement… we build entire strategies around them.
But this book doesn’t care about your likes or follower count. And that’s exactly why it’s so powerful.
The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga is one of those books that quietly disrupts your thinking. It’s written as a dialogue between a philosopher and a curious (and skeptical) student, so it reads less like a textbook and more like a slow, unfolding conversation. And yet, the ideas inside are anything but casual.
This book dives deep into Adlerian psychology, encouraging us to take radical responsibility for our lives, not by controlling everything, but by realizing we don’t have to live by other people’s expectations. It challenges a lot of modern self-help advice and gently dismantles the idea that we need to be understood, liked, or even successful by someone else’s standard to live a meaningful life.
What This Means for Creatives & Entrepreneurs
If you’re a designer, course creator, coach, or creative entrepreneur of any kind, you’ve likely wrestled with comparison, imposter syndrome, and the pressure to be “palatable.” Maybe you've softened your message to avoid offending. Maybe you've stalled launching a project until it felt perfect. Or maybe you've shaped your brand voice around what you think your audience wants, rather than what feels true.
This book invites you to stop. To let go of performing. To detach from applause.
And that doesn’t mean being reckless or rude, it means trusting yourself. It means creating what matters, not what’s most marketable. It means remembering that true service doesn’t require people-pleasing, it requires presence, purpose, and boundaries.
One of the philosopher’s key ideas is: “All problems are interpersonal relationship problems.” And in business, that rings loud. How often do we over-deliver out of fear? Or under-charge because we crave approval? This book encourages you to separate your worth from your work, and that’s a shift that leads to much healthier growth.
A Personal Shift in My Own Work
Reading this changed how I approach everything from design critiques to product launches. I’ve learned to step back and ask: “Is this aligned with my values, or is this just approval-chasing?” And that small pause? It’s given me so much clarity.
I’ve also become more comfortable with the idea that not everyone will get it. Not everyone needs to. My role isn’t to convince, it's to contribute, honestly.
Is It Worth Reading?
Yes, especially if you’ve been feeling stuck, second-guessing yourself, or exhausted by external validation loops. This book is quiet, deep, and grounding. It doesn’t hype you up, it roots you down. You may not agree with every philosophy in it (I didn’t), but it will absolutely challenge and clarify how you show up in your business and your life.
Where to Get It
The Courage to Be Disliked is available in:
Book Club Note
This month on Gillian Sarah, we’re reflecting on The Courage to Be Disliked, a bold mindset book for creatives and entrepreneurs who want to lead their business with more clarity, not consensus.
And over on My Life From Home, the conversation continues with Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, a beautiful, soulful read on creative fear, resistance, and joy. It’s the perfect companion piece if you’re looking to reconnect with your creativity not just professionally, but personally too.
Join the Book Club Newsletter to get reflections and next month’s business + lifestyle picks straight to your inbox.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t just a book about mindset, it’s about freedom. Freedom to grow a brand that aligns with who you are. Freedom to launch without needing everyone’s blessing. Freedom to create without shrinking yourself.
If you’re ready to build with more courage, and a little less fear of being misunderstood, this one’s for you.
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