Over spring break I read “The Obstacle is the Way”, by Ryan Holiday. You may recall it was on my 2016 reading list that I posted about HERE. The book is small in size and length, and the chapters are too. It was the perfect little book to bring to the pool and still keep an eye out for the boys.
I learned about “The Obstacle is the Way” through podcast interviews with the author, Ryan Holiday. After listening to interviews with Holiday on the Tim Ferris Show and on the James Altucher Show, I knew I wanted to read his newest book. Holiday is young – very young. At only 28 years old he is a media strategist, served as director of marketing for American Apparel and has written several books. At the age of 19, he was introduced to Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations by someone he admired. Meditations is basically the ancient Roman Emperor’s private journal that he kept during the midst of military campaigns. Marcus Aurelius is one of a handful of people credited as the leaders of what is now referred to as Stoic philosophy. If you are anything like I am, the mere mention of the word philosophy makes your eyes glaze over. But this book has changed that. It is absolutely engaging and down-to-earth from page one.
I give Holiday credit for introducing us to the Stoic way of life in such a digestible way. He breaks down the philosophy (and book) into 3 distinct parts: Perception, Action and Will. Within these three areas, he draws from many fascinating figures and examples from history to bring the concepts to life. He then brings it back to the present day by giving advice on how to apply the principles. Let’s take a quick look at each of the three parts:
Part I: Perception
If we want something to change in our lives, the first step is to change our perspective of it. This sounds so simple but can be SO powerful. And true. When events happen to us, we tell ourselves a story about the situation. The fact is, we can change that story at any time!
How we interpret the events in our lives, our perspective, is the framework for our forthcoming response — whether there will even be one or whether we’ll just lie there and take it….Right action follows right perspective.
I loved the chapter about living in the present moment and not getting caught up in what might happen . Holiday starts the chapter by listing off a roster of Fortune 500 companies who STARTED during depressions or economic crises. Hewlett Packard, Disney, Revlon, United Airlines and many more big names. I would never have guessed that.
The point is that most people start from disadvantage (often with no idea they are doing so) and do just fine. It’s not unfair, it’s universal. Those who survive it, survive because they took things day by day – that’s the real secret.
Once you realize that you are in control of how you choose to see each obstacle you encounter, you can choose to look for the opportunity in even your most frustrating situations.
Part II: Action
After you recognize that the first step to overcoming adversity is perspective, then it’s time to do something. It’s time to act. Holiday makes a point to encourage you to move. Don’t get stuck in fear and indecision. Just move in the direction you want to go, even if conditions are not in your favor. He shares the story of Amelia Earhart, who we all know as this amazing female aviator. We learn that her start was anything but glamorous and she was treated poorly every step of the way because she was a woman. But she wanted to fly, so she took opportunities that were not ideal, because she knew they were just stepping stones on her path to her ultimate goal.
Because that’s what people who defy the odds do. That’s how people who become great at things – whether it’s flying or blowing through gender stereotypes – do. They start. Anywhere. Anyhow. They don’t care if the conditions are perfect or if they’re being slighted. Because they know that once they get started, if they can just get some momentum, they can make it work.
Wow. It’s so true. And definitely something I needed to hear. Over and over in this book, there are simple words of wisdom that resonate.
With chapters like “Get Moving”, “Practice Persistence” “Do Your Job, Do It Right”, you can probably get the gist that the Stoic way of thinking is not coddling. It’s frank and it’s blunt. It helps open your eyes to the excuses and blame we lean on with every little thing that happens to us. But not only is the onus on us to act, but also to keep the bar high for ourselves despite how others may choose to act. As one of my favorite lines in the book says:
To whatever we face, our job is to respond with:
- hard work
- honesty
- helping others as best we can.
Part III: Will
The third and final component is will. When I think of will, I think mostly of determination and being hard. Being able to weather anything. But that is not how the Stoic philosophy presents it. It’s more like your internal framework during adversity. It’s what is happening on the inside when even the worst may be happening to you. As Holiday describes it,
True will is quiet humility, resilience and flexibility; the other kind of will is weakness disguised by bluster and ambition.
Your will is preparing yourself for the worst. Preparing for disappointment so you can move forward when it happens. To try your hardest, but then, if it doesn’t work out, letting it go. Always being ready to move forward.
The Stoic message is simple: don’t be afraid of the difficulties in your life. The easy and comfortable life may seem appealing, but has its downfalls. Adversity and tragedies can be seen from a different lens and leverage you to new heights. It’s up to you to decide how you will act in the face of failure and disappointment.
I definitely enjoyed reading “The Obstacle is the Way” and would recommend it highly to anyone looking for a jolt of inspiration. If you are looking for a gift for a college or high school graduate in your life, this is the one. A book full of practical advice and a new (ancient) way of thinking.
