The Obstacle Is the Way

Last updated
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
The Obstacle Is the Way.jpg
First edition (US)
Author Ryan Holiday
Cover artistErin Tyler
Language English
Publisher Portfolio (US)
Profile Books (UK)
Publication date
May 1, 2014
Publication place United States
Pages224 pages
ISBN 1591846358

The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph is the third book by author Ryan Holiday. It was published in 2014. [1] It is a book which offers individuals a framework to flip obstacles into opportunities, an approach crafted by Holiday. It was inspired by the philosophy of stoicism. [2] [3]

Contents

Overview

The title of the book is drawn from a quote from Meditations , a series of personal writings by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” [1] Holiday draws from Meditations, Aurelius, and the philosophy of Stoicism to expand the central theme of the book, which is that how we respond to obstacles is what defines us. [4] Holiday argues that if an individual learns the framework to flip obstacles into success (as many individuals with different types of successes have done), he or she can actually be better for it.

In The Obstacle Is The Way, the framework that Holiday offers is composed of three disciplines: perception, action and will. [5] As he explains this framework, Holiday supplements each section with historical anecdotes and figures from politics, commerce, sports, and history including Theodore Roosevelt, Demosthenes, John D Rockefeller, Amelia Earhart, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Ulysses S. Grant, Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, among others. [1] [6] [7]

Author Holiday explains the purpose for which he wrote the book, writing "If all this book does is make facing and dismantling such stumbling blocks a little easier, it will be enough. But my aim is higher. I want to show you the way to turn every obstacle into an advantage. So this will be a book about ruthless pragmatism and stories from history that illustrate the arts of relentless persistence and indefatigable ingenuity. It teaches you how to get unstuck and unleashed. How to turn the many negative situations we encounter in our lives into positive ones – or at least to snatch whatever benefit we can from them. …" [8]

Preface

In the preface of The Obstacle is the Way, Holiday begins by setting up the scene in the year of 170 in Germania, as the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote down the formula for getting through rough situations. As he sets up the scene, Holiday emphasizes that Aurelius' formula was not a "formula for thriving not just in spite of whatever happens but because of it." [8]

In the preface, Holiday discusses how this book studies how countless individuals took their struggles, flipped them around and eventually used it as a chance to enhance a virtue or skillset. He leaves the preface with a call to action to the reader, asking the reader to join the band of individuals that have challenged themselves to better themselves through the obstacles they've faced. He informs the readers that they can find the mechanism by which to do this within the book.

Introduction

Part 1: Perception

The Discipline of Perception

Recognize Your Power

Steady your Nerves

In this section, Holiday explains how when individuals set out to make a difference or set goals for themselves, the risk of being met by unexpected challenges is always there. Holiday emphasizes two major skills to have during these challenging times: grace and poise. Holiday explains that when stress comes, it triggers the human, primal, senseless reactions. Grace and poise allow individuals to keep a cool head and then encourage the individual to "deploy other skills" which can help solve the problem. He offers the reader a tip, encouraging the reader to "steady their nerves."

Control your Emotions

Practice Objectivity

Alter Your Perspective

  1. Context: how individuals see the specific situation or obstacle amidst the world, their lives and a bigger picture
  2. Framing: how individuals personally evaluate and make sense of the situations they are presented with

Is it up to you?

Live in the Present Moment

Think Differently

Finding the Opportunity

Prepare to Act

Part II

Preface

The Discipline of Action

Get Moving

Practice Persistence

Iterate

Follow the Process

Do Your Job, Do It Right

Reception

The book has sold over 100,000 copies since its release and been translated into 17 languages. [10] After the book's release, the book slowly made its way through the community of professional sports, and are being read by a number of prominent athletes and head coaches including Joe Maddon of the Chicago Cubs, Marquette basketball coach Shaka Smart, tennis pro James McGee, NFL lineman Garrett Gilkey, Olympic gold medalist Chandra Crawford, and others. [10] [11] On the way to their 2014 Super Bowl victory, Michael Lombardi and Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots distributed copies of The Obstacle Is the Way to their staff and players. [10] [12] [13] In the 2015 season, Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider and Pete Carroll passed the book around the team's locker room. [12] [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Problem of Pain</i> 1940 book by C. S. Lewis on the problem of evil and the existence of God

The Problem of Pain is a 1940 book on the problem of evil by C. S. Lewis, in which Lewis argues that human pain, animal pain, and hell are not sufficient reasons to reject belief in a good and powerful God.

The argument from free will, also called the paradox of free will or theological fatalism, contends that omniscience and free will are incompatible and that any conception of God that incorporates both properties is therefore inconceivable. See the various controversies over claims of God's omniscience, in particular the critical notion of foreknowledge. These arguments are deeply concerned with the implications of predestination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Symbolic interactionism</span> Sociological theory focused on cultural symbols exchanged during interpersonal interactions

Symbolic interactionism is a sociological theory that develops from practical considerations and alludes to humans' particular use of shared language to create common symbols and meanings, for use in both intra- and interpersonal communication. According to Macionis, symbolic interactionism is "a framework for building theory that sees society as the product of everyday interactions of individuals". In other words, it is a frame of reference to better understand how individuals interact with one another to create symbolic worlds, and in return, how these worlds shape individual behaviors. It is a framework that helps understand how society is preserved and created through repeated interactions between individuals. The interpretation process that occurs between interactions helps create and recreate meaning. It is the shared understanding and interpretations of meaning that affect the interaction between individuals. Individuals act on the premise of a shared understanding of meaning within their social context. Thus, interaction and behavior is framed through the shared meaning that objects and concepts have attached to them. From this view, people live in both natural and symbolic environments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Direct and indirect realism</span> Debate in the philosophy of mind

In the philosophy of perception and philosophy of mind, direct or naïve realism, as opposed to indirect or representational realism, are differing models that describe the nature of conscious experiences; out of the metaphysical question of whether the world we see around us is the real world itself or merely an internal perceptual copy of that world generated by our conscious experience.

<i>The Art of Happiness</i> 1998 book by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler

The Art of Happiness is a book by the 14th Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler, a psychiatrist who posed questions to the Dalai Lama. Cutler quotes the Dalai Lama at length, providing context and describing some details of the settings in which the interviews took place, as well as adding his own reflections on issues raised.

<i>Anarchy, State, and Utopia</i> 1974 book by Robert Nozick

Anarchy, State, and Utopia is a 1974 book by the American political philosopher Robert Nozick. It won the 1975 US National Book Award in category Philosophy and Religion, has been translated into 11 languages, and was named one of the "100 most influential books since the war" (1945–1995) by the UK Times Literary Supplement.

Movements in cognitive science are considered to be post-cognitivist if they are opposed to or move beyond the cognitivist theories posited by Noam Chomsky, Jerry Fodor, David Marr, and others.

Aristo of Chios, also spelled Ariston, was a Greek Stoic philosopher and colleague of Zeno of Citium. He outlined a system of Stoic philosophy that was, in many ways, closer to earlier Cynic philosophy. He rejected the logical and physical sides of philosophy endorsed by Zeno and emphasized ethics. Although agreeing with Zeno that Virtue was the supreme good, he rejected the idea that morally indifferent things such as health and wealth could be ranked according to whether they are naturally preferred. An important philosopher in his day, his views were eventually marginalized by Zeno's successors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Resentment</span> Emotion consisting of a mixture of disappointment, disgust and anger

Resentment is a complex, multilayered emotion that has been described as a mixture of disappointment, disgust and anger. Other psychologists consider it a mood or as a secondary emotion that can be elicited in the face of insult or injury.

<i>A Treatise of Human Nature</i> Work by David Hume

A Treatise of Human Nature: Being an Attempt to Introduce the Experimental Method of Reasoning into Moral Subjects (1739–40) is a book by Scottish philosopher David Hume, considered by many to be Hume's most important work and one of the most influential works in the history of philosophy. The Treatise is a classic statement of philosophical empiricism, scepticism, and naturalism. In the introduction Hume presents the idea of placing all science and philosophy on a novel foundation: namely, an empirical investigation into human nature. Impressed by Isaac Newton's achievements in the physical sciences, Hume sought to introduce the same experimental method of reasoning into the study of human psychology, with the aim of discovering the "extent and force of human understanding". Against the philosophical rationalists, Hume argues that the passions, rather than reason, cause human behaviour. He introduces the famous problem of induction, arguing that inductive reasoning and our beliefs regarding cause and effect cannot be justified by reason; instead, our faith in induction and causation is caused by mental habit and custom. Hume defends a sentimentalist account of morality, arguing that ethics is based on sentiment and the passions rather than reason, and famously declaring that "reason is, and ought only to be the slave to the passions". Hume also offers a sceptical theory of personal identity and a compatibilist account of free will.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Franklin effect</span> Proposed psychological phenomenon

The Ben Franklin effect is a psychological phenomenon in which people like someone more after doing a favor for them. An explanation for this is cognitive dissonance. People reason that they help others because they like them, even if they do not, because their minds struggle to maintain logical consistency between their actions and perceptions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubert Dreyfus's views on artificial intelligence</span> Overview of Hubert Dreyfuss views on artificial intelligence

Hubert Dreyfus was a critic of artificial intelligence research. In a series of papers and books, including Alchemy and AI(1965), What Computers Can't Do and Mind over Machine(1986), he presented a pessimistic assessment of AI's progress and a critique of the philosophical foundations of the field. Dreyfus' objections are discussed in most introductions to the philosophy of artificial intelligence, including Russell & Norvig (2021), a standard AI textbook, and in Fearn (2007), a survey of contemporary philosophy.

<i>The Paradox of Choice</i> 2004 book by Barry Schwartz

The Paradox of Choice – Why More Is Less is a book written by American psychologist Barry Schwartz and first published in 2004 by Harper Perennial. In the book, Schwartz argues that eliminating consumer choices can greatly reduce anxiety for shoppers. The book analyses the behavior of different types of people. This book argues that the dramatic explosion in choice—from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs—has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution and how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qualia</span> Instances of subjective experience

In philosophy of mind, qualia are defined as instances of subjective, conscious experience. The term qualia derives from the Latin neuter plural form (qualia) of the Latin adjective quālis meaning "of what sort" or "of what kind" in relation to a specific instance, such as "what it is like to taste a specific apple — this particular apple now".

Free will in antiquity is a philosophical and theological concept. Free will in antiquity was not discussed in the same terms as used in the modern free will debates, but historians of the problem have speculated who exactly was first to take positions as determinist, libertarian, and compatibilist in antiquity. There is wide agreement that these views were essentially fully formed over 2000 years ago. Candidates for the first thinkers to form these views, as well as the idea of a non-physical "agent-causal" libertarianism, include Democritus, Aristotle, Epicurus, Chrysippus, and Carneades.

<i>Cognitive Surplus</i> Book by Clay Shirky

Cognitive Surplus: How Technology Makes Consumers into Collaborators is a 2010 non-fiction book by Clay Shirky, originally published in with the subtitle "Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age". The book is an indirect sequel to Shirky's Here Comes Everybody, which covered the impact of social media. Cognitive Surplus focuses on describing the free time that individuals have to engage with collaborative activities within new media. Shirky's text searches to prove that global transformation can come from individuals committing their time to actively engage with technology. Overall response has been mixed with some critics praising Shirky's insights but also decrying some of the shortcomings of his theory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Holiday</span> Stoic philosophy marketer, author, and businessman (born 1987)

Ryan Holiday is an American marketer, author, businessman and podcaster, notable for marketing Stoic philosophy in the form of books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest Mandel</span> Belgian economist and Marxist philosopher

Ernest Ezra Mandel (Dutch:[manˈdɛl]; also known by various pseudonyms such as Ernest Germain, Pierre Gousset, Henri Vallin, Walter, was a Belgian Marxian economist, Trotskyist activist and theorist, and Holocaust survivor. He fought in the underground resistance against the Nazis during the occupation of Belgium.

<i>Ego Is the Enemy</i> 2016 book by Ryan Holiday

Ego Is the Enemy is the fourth book by author Ryan Holiday, published on June 14, 2016. It is about the treacherous nature of ego.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philosophical pessimism</span> Family of philosophical views

Philosophical pessimism is a family of philosophical views that assign a negative value to life or existence. Philosophical pessimists commonly argue that the world contains an empirical prevalence of pains over pleasures, that existence is ontologically or metaphysically adverse to living beings, and that life is fundamentally meaningless or without purpose. Philosophical pessimism is not a single coherent movement, but rather a loosely associated group of thinkers with similar ideas and a resemblance to each other. Their responses to the condition of life are widely varied. Philosophical pessimists usually do not advocate for suicide as a solution to the human predicament; though many favour the adoption of antinatalism, that is, non-procreation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Schawbel, Dan. "Ryan Holiday: How Challenges Become Opportunities For Entrepreneurs". Forbes.
  2. Pavia, Will. "The teachings of Marcus Aurelius rebooted for a chaotic world". The Australian.
  3. The Obstacle Is the Way: The Right Mindset for Finding Success Lifehacker.com
  4. Herrmann, Joshi (12 May 2014). "How to avoid a work crisis with a 'pre-mortem'". London Evening Standard.
  5. Taylor, Ivana (20 April 2014). "'The Obstacle is the Way' Gives Unusual Advice for Success". Small Business Trends.
  6. "The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage". Publishers Weekly.
  7. Willis, Tyler (21 May 2014). "Read Stoicism". BigThink.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Holiday, Ryan (2014). The Obstacle is the Way: The Art of Turning Trials into Triumph. Portfolio. pp. xiii, 1–13. ISBN   978-1591846352.
  9. De Becker, Gavin (1997). The Gift of Fear.
  10. 1 2 3 Bishop, Greg How a book on stoicism became wildly popular at every level of the NFL Sports Illustrated. December 10, 2015
  11. Manthorpe, Rowland Life Lessons from Ancient Greece The Economist. March 24, 2016
  12. 1 2 Pete Carroll, NFL's eternal optimist, is ready to turn heartbreak into triumph Sports Illustrated. December 10, 2015
  13. Smith, Morgan The Patriots 2014 secret weapon may have been a book Patriots Gab. December 10, 2015
  14. Toren, Adam 5 Epic Leaders Who Studied Stoicism – and Why You Should Too Entrepreneur. December 10, 2015