The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
by Ryan Holiday
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An updated and expanded edition of the book that launched a global phenomenon, The Obstacle Is the Way presents an infinitely elastic formula for turning our toughest trials into our greatest triumphs.Since bestselling author Ryan Holiday introduced Stoicism to the world with The Obstacle Is the Way in 2014, this simple but powerful philosophy for life has taken the world by storm. This brilliant and engaging book is an invaluable source of wisdom for anyone who wants to become more show more successful at what they do, whether you’re a student, a parent, a professional athlete, or a world leader. Now, Ryan Holiday has updated and expanded this modern classic with a new introduction and new content featuring a diverse set of inspiring characters.
Icons of history—from Epictetus and Demosthenes to Amelia Earhart and Richard Wright—followed a simple formula to achieve greatness. They were not exceptionally brilliant, lucky, or gifted. Their success in overcoming extreme obstacles was the result of a timeless set of philosophical principles that the greatest men and women have always pursued.
In The Obstacle Is the Way, Ryan Holiday unpacks those lessons and reframes them for today's world, giving us an indispensable formula for turning our toughest trials into triumphs. This new edition is a chance for old fans to revisit a classic and for a new generation to discover the power of Stoicism. show less
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This is a trite, flippant book that does a great disservice to the deep philosophy of the stoics. Replete with references to tycoons and millionaires, it is largely self-help in perky, upbeat, you-can-do-it, rah-rah language. The essential premise of stoicism--that sometimes the only choice you have when you are faced with a dire situation is the attitude or philosophy of acceptance that you can bring to it--has been warped into "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." Just because Hamlet makes this statement, it doesn't mean that Shakespeare was a moral relativist, or that he was advocating that we should be. The hard things that happen in the world do not occur for our own personal growth and "journeys".
Ryan show more Holiday is apparently known for another popular work (which some have found a bit chilling) Trust Me, I'm Lying. I didn't trust Holiday for a minute here with his Tony Robbins-like exhortations and his superficial glossing over in chipper staccato prose of life's real hardships and injustices. One's attitude and perception do need to be wrestled with in times of great pain and hardship, but such events don't occur to make us better people.
I do not recommend this formulaic piece of self-help schlock. Avoid it! show less
Ryan show more Holiday is apparently known for another popular work (which some have found a bit chilling) Trust Me, I'm Lying. I didn't trust Holiday for a minute here with his Tony Robbins-like exhortations and his superficial glossing over in chipper staccato prose of life's real hardships and injustices. One's attitude and perception do need to be wrestled with in times of great pain and hardship, but such events don't occur to make us better people.
I do not recommend this formulaic piece of self-help schlock. Avoid it! show less
This is the most concise, readable digest about stoicism I've encountered so far. Holiday summarizes the core concepts in universally understandable terms and then shows how great leaders have applied them in a wide variety of circumstances. The overall theme is based on the quote from Marcus Aurelius: "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." The structure is organized around the three disciplines of perception, action and will, which derive from another Aurelius quote. Beyond merely staying positive in the face of obstacles, we should learn to embrace them for the opportunity and potential innovation they present. I appreciated that rather than glossing over the reality of negative emotions, show more the author instead explores the value of learning to put them aside or control them. The book also makes valuable points about using process and continually pressing forward. show less
Truthfully, I’ve liked another of this author’s books better, but this was an interesting read albeit less useful to me. The premise of this book is using any obstacle to improve ourselves rather than allow it to cause more problems. I think this idea might be more helpful to someone who is more amenable to change. I happen to rant about things I don’t like. I realize I am a good target for this book, but I’m probably less amenable to its suggestions because I don’t want to be. However, I will keep them in mind when facing future obstacles. Who knows? Maybe this book was useful to me for more than I am now giving it credit.
Rajani shpalos filozofinë jashtë auditorëve akademikë, duke e përçuar aty ku e ka vendin e vërtetë: në jetën tonë të përditshme. Ai ndihmon çdokënd për të trajtuar problemet me gjakftohtësi dhe kthjelltësi. Duke qenë manual për jetën, do t’i shfletoni faqet e këtij libri herë pas here dhe do të mësoni se si të kapërceni çdo pengesë dhe të zgjidhni çdo konflikt. Leximi i këtij libri është i domosdoshëm.”
"Despair, that's on you." - "Why would you be your own worst enemy?"
I really liked this book, but I'm struggling with how to review it.
The overarching theme seems to be "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Personally, I hate this saying. It feels dismissive, it's telling someone who's sad to "just be happy."
However, I do appreciate the underlying messages about resilience and picking yourself back up after a fall. It's just the way these messages are delivered that I didn't quite connect with.
Overall, I give it 2 stars for its delivery, but I'm keeping it at 4 stars because I found the messages themselves valuable.
I really liked this book, but I'm struggling with how to review it.
The overarching theme seems to be "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Personally, I hate this saying. It feels dismissive, it's telling someone who's sad to "just be happy."
However, I do appreciate the underlying messages about resilience and picking yourself back up after a fall. It's just the way these messages are delivered that I didn't quite connect with.
Overall, I give it 2 stars for its delivery, but I'm keeping it at 4 stars because I found the messages themselves valuable.
This is a very interesting companion to Ryan Holiday's very active and insightful YouTube channel.
He writes as he speaks and this is no bad thing. The many American cultural references have little or no resonance for me, and some of the ones with which I am more familiar seem fairly slight.
However, the core of the book is very strong and I enjoyed this as a fast paced, yet thought provoking read.
He writes as he speaks and this is no bad thing. The many American cultural references have little or no resonance for me, and some of the ones with which I am more familiar seem fairly slight.
However, the core of the book is very strong and I enjoyed this as a fast paced, yet thought provoking read.
This is an extremely readable, accessible book which distills the essence of Stoic philosophy into pragmatic insights and inspiration.
Life is full of challenges, but we can overcome them -- or at least get through them well -- by facing up to them with clear vision and courage, seeking the opportunities and gifts inherent in every problem and taking right action, and then living gracefully with the outcomes, whatever they are.
This may sound simplistic, and an echo of many other self-help books, but Holiday has a gift for acknowledging the challenge of these steps, sharing ideas for actually putting them to work, and illustrating with great examples.
In the end he asserts (rightfully, I believe) that philsophy isn't some abstract show more lah-di-dah practice of sheltered people in ivory towers; it's "an operating system for life."
I feel confident that virtually any individual who reads this book will receive the benefit of an upgrade to their personal operating system. Even teenagers will be able to grasp these concepts and - hopefully - put them to good use. show less
Life is full of challenges, but we can overcome them -- or at least get through them well -- by facing up to them with clear vision and courage, seeking the opportunities and gifts inherent in every problem and taking right action, and then living gracefully with the outcomes, whatever they are.
This may sound simplistic, and an echo of many other self-help books, but Holiday has a gift for acknowledging the challenge of these steps, sharing ideas for actually putting them to work, and illustrating with great examples.
In the end he asserts (rightfully, I believe) that philsophy isn't some abstract show more lah-di-dah practice of sheltered people in ivory towers; it's "an operating system for life."
I feel confident that virtually any individual who reads this book will receive the benefit of an upgrade to their personal operating system. Even teenagers will be able to grasp these concepts and - hopefully - put them to good use. show less
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Ryan Holiday dropped out of college at the age of 19 to apprentice under author Robert Greene. He went on to advise many bestselling authors and multiplatinum musicians, and served as director of marketing at American Apparel. He is the author of several books including Trust Me I'm Lying, Ego Is the Enemy, The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on show more Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living (co-written with Stephan Hanselman), and Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work That Lasts. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Quotations
- If your nerve holds, then nothing really did “happen”—our perception made sure it was nothing of consequence.
Subconsciously,we should be constantly asking ourselves this question:Do I need to freak out about this?
And the answer—like it is for astronauts, for soldiers, for doctors, and for so many other professionals—m... (show all)ust be: No, because I practiced for this situation and I can control myself. Or, No, because I caught myself and I'm able to realize that that doesn't add anything constructive.
Because all we need to do is those three little duties—to try hard, to be honest, and to help others and ourselves. That's all that's been asked of us. No more and no less.
You don't convince people by challenging their longest, and most firmly held opinions. You find common ground and work from there. Or you look for leverage to make them listen. Or you create an alternative with so much suppor... (show all)t from other people that the opposition voluntarily abandons its views and joins your camp.
…it's unlikely that anyone is going to make an armed run at our throne anytime soon.
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