This post was updated on November 22, 2021.
Put simply, Ryan Holiday is a genius. He is obviously well-read and keeps you captivated by beginning each chapter with a story of how both contemporary and ancient extraordinary human beings were able to “turn trials into triumph” in his book, The Obstacle is the Way.
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What is this book about?
In a word, this book is about Stoicism. Stoicism is a philosophy that I will be delving into deeper, thanks to this book; I’m sure I’ll have some more book reviews then.
The book is broken into three sections- perception, action, and will. Each chapter gives you examples of how people used adversity (think: “obstacles”) to their advantage instead of to their detriment. Lincoln tried to kill himself multiple times but is remembered as a great president. Steve Jobs demanded more out of his workers to produce under impossible deadlines. Edison looked in awe as his factory burnt down, admiring the fire and then starting over the next day, soon producing and turning profits again. We can take lessons from these examples in our personal lives and perform when things don’t always go our way, as we all face adversity.
My Biggest Takeway
Just like The Four Agreements, recognizing that bad things will happen in our life, and if we accept what we can and cannot control, and don’t take anything personally, we can use adversity to our advantage, and thrive instead of wither. Oh, and I gotta get into more stoicism, which I already said. Stoicism, amirite? 😉
In all serious, another point that people don’t like to think about is “memento mori“- we are all going to die someday. When we are present and aware of our own mortality, we see the world in a new perspective.
How Many Stars?
3.5 😐
This wasn’t his best book, though it is well written and inspired me.
BOOK DETAILS ONE MORE TIME
Title: The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
Author: Ryan Holiday
Publish Date: May 1, 2014
ISBN: 1591846358 | ISBN-13: 978-1591846352
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