The Obstacle Is the Way
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The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph Hardcover – May 1, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Follow these precepts and you will revolutionize your life. Read this book!”
—Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art and Gates of Fire
“A book for the bedside of every future—and current—leader in the world.”
—Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power and Mastery
“An absolute must-read.”
—Jimmy Soni, managing editor of Huffington Post, author of Rome’s Last Citizen
“First came Marcus Aurelius, then Frederick the Great . . . and now there’s you. This surprising book shows you how to craft a life of wonder by embracing obstacles and challenges.”
—Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup
“In this tight, engaging book, Ryan Holiday shines a bright, powerful light on the path to living and leading well. Read it, learn from it, and get cracking!”
—Nancy F. Koehn, historian and leadership expert, Harvard Business School
“My life has been beset with obstacles. It takes practice (and pain) to surmount them and achieve success. Ryan’s book is a how-to guide for just that.”
—James Altucher, investor and author of Choose Yourself
“Ryan Holiday has written a brilliant and engaging book, well beyond his years. . . . It is invaluable.”
—Honorable Frederic Block, Judge, U.S. District Court
—Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art and Gates of Fire
“A book for the bedside of every future—and current—leader in the world.”
—Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power and Mastery
“An absolute must-read.”
—Jimmy Soni, managing editor of Huffington Post, author of Rome’s Last Citizen
“First came Marcus Aurelius, then Frederick the Great . . . and now there’s you. This surprising book shows you how to craft a life of wonder by embracing obstacles and challenges.”
—Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup
“In this tight, engaging book, Ryan Holiday shines a bright, powerful light on the path to living and leading well. Read it, learn from it, and get cracking!”
—Nancy F. Koehn, historian and leadership expert, Harvard Business School
“My life has been beset with obstacles. It takes practice (and pain) to surmount them and achieve success. Ryan’s book is a how-to guide for just that.”
—James Altucher, investor and author of Choose Yourself
“Ryan Holiday has written a brilliant and engaging book, well beyond his years. . . . It is invaluable.”
—Honorable Frederic Block, Judge, U.S. District Court
About the Author
RYAN HOLIDAY Ryan Holiday is a media strategist and prominent writer on strategy and business. After dropping out of college at nineteen to apprentice under Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, he went on to advise many bestselling authors and multiplatinum musicians. He served as director of marketing at American Apparel for many years, where his campaigns have been used as case studies by Twitter, YouTube, and Google and written about in AdAge, the New York Times, and Fast Company.
His first book, Trust Me I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator—which the Financial Times called an “astonishing, disturbing book”—was a debut bestseller and is now taught in colleges around the world. He currently lives in Austin, Texas, and writes at RyanHoliday.net and Thought Catalog and for the New York Observer.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
67 of 73 people found the following review helpful
By
David Heasman
on May 8, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Comment
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There are two groups of people who this book will be helpful for:
Those who have never heard of Stoicism and have an intractable problem in their lives they're trying to deal with (who the hell doesn't have that?).
And those who've head of / practice stoicism in their lives.
To the former this book is quick, punchy and doesn't fluff around. Ryan Holiday jabs you with advice inspired by Stoicism in particular two of Marcus Aurelius' aphorisms:
"The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the becomes the way." (Book V:20)
And
"Objective judgement, now, at this very moment.
Unselfish action, now, at this very moment.
Willing acceptance - now, at this very moment - of all external events.
That's all you need." (Book IX: 6)
If you're familiar with Pierre Hadot, then you'll be familiar with the argument that ancient philosophy wasn't so much an exploration of metaphysics, but more an exploration on how to live the good life. A study on how to live. People studied Philosophy so that they could handle life.
Ryan Holiday explores this and offers anecdotes and short simple advice on how to deal with an obstacle in life. In summary:
Alter your perception
Take action
Discipline your will
You can tell at the back that the bibliography from whence Ryan got his anecdotes is vast (it covers more than 3 pages), yet he summarises the stories succinctly in each of his chapters. Lesser writers would have made this book 3 times it's size.
Also Ryan's writing style is simple and actionable.Read more ›
Those who have never heard of Stoicism and have an intractable problem in their lives they're trying to deal with (who the hell doesn't have that?).
And those who've head of / practice stoicism in their lives.
To the former this book is quick, punchy and doesn't fluff around. Ryan Holiday jabs you with advice inspired by Stoicism in particular two of Marcus Aurelius' aphorisms:
"The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the becomes the way." (Book V:20)
And
"Objective judgement, now, at this very moment.
Unselfish action, now, at this very moment.
Willing acceptance - now, at this very moment - of all external events.
That's all you need." (Book IX: 6)
If you're familiar with Pierre Hadot, then you'll be familiar with the argument that ancient philosophy wasn't so much an exploration of metaphysics, but more an exploration on how to live the good life. A study on how to live. People studied Philosophy so that they could handle life.
Ryan Holiday explores this and offers anecdotes and short simple advice on how to deal with an obstacle in life. In summary:
Alter your perception
Take action
Discipline your will
You can tell at the back that the bibliography from whence Ryan got his anecdotes is vast (it covers more than 3 pages), yet he summarises the stories succinctly in each of his chapters. Lesser writers would have made this book 3 times it's size.
Also Ryan's writing style is simple and actionable.Read more ›
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145 of 164 people found the following review helpful
By
Bradley Bevers
TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on April 24, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Vine Customer Review of Free Product
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I love to read books, but after awhile any genre can get stagnant -- for me this is especially true of the business, self-help books. Most of them repeat the same things over and over, and nothing is offered that's new or inspiring. Books that are exceptions to this are ones that are outside of the box or that serve as starting points for reading even more books.
One of the reasons I like this book so much is that its obvious how much Ryan reads. The book has plenty of depth, but the breadth that he covers is impressive. I usually average a couple of books a week, and I've already put a few more on my wish list after reading The Obstacle Is The Way.
Books like this are the best kind of book for me because they lead to other books. This book is organized into very short chapters focused around one core idea and usually one example. After only a few pages, the author makes his point effectively and moves to the next point. It really reads like a timeless book, but is also very clean and modern.
Ryan was/is the researcher for Robert Greene's books as well, which are great but are almost too dense to recommend to many people. This strikes the right balance between actionable advice, intelligence and readability -- will definitely be buying extra copies to give away.
If you love reading, have any interest in stoicism, or just love a book that will actually motivate you -- get this one. Highly Recommended.
One of the reasons I like this book so much is that its obvious how much Ryan reads. The book has plenty of depth, but the breadth that he covers is impressive. I usually average a couple of books a week, and I've already put a few more on my wish list after reading The Obstacle Is The Way.
Books like this are the best kind of book for me because they lead to other books. This book is organized into very short chapters focused around one core idea and usually one example. After only a few pages, the author makes his point effectively and moves to the next point. It really reads like a timeless book, but is also very clean and modern.
Ryan was/is the researcher for Robert Greene's books as well, which are great but are almost too dense to recommend to many people. This strikes the right balance between actionable advice, intelligence and readability -- will definitely be buying extra copies to give away.
If you love reading, have any interest in stoicism, or just love a book that will actually motivate you -- get this one. Highly Recommended.
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63 of 72 people found the following review helpful
By
Matthew T. Aaron
on May 7, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
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Before starting it, I was a bit concerned. Having read many of the works Ryan leaned on to write the book, thanks to being on his reading list for a few years now, perhaps there would be repetition of concepts I have already covered?
It turned out to be a fresh perspective. It centers on actionable lessons and tactics from stoicism.
"It’s simple: a method and a framework for understanding, appreciating, and acting upon the obstacles life throws at us. "
Telling someone to "keep your cool" and "control your emotions" isn't bad advice. Yet, without context, it is hard to act upon. Ryan elaborates on the concept, providing examples of success stories throughout history.
He also points out that, when faced with a slight/setback, getting mad and taking the "why me" mindset is counterproductive.
The idea, no matter how unjust or tragic the situation, is to calm down and to push your way through it. Examples from history, including Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison, show that our 21st century problems are usually minuscule in comparison:
"... s*** that’s a lot worse than whatever we’re dealing with. I’m talking physical disabilities, racial discrimination, battles against overwhelmingly superior armies. But those people didn’t quit. They didn’t feel sorry for themselves. They didn’t delude themselves with fantasies about easy solutions. They focused on the one thing that mattered: applying themselves with gusto and creativity"
When it comes to battle, most of us believe confrontations to be direct and head-on, yet this almost always isn't the case:
"a study of some 30 conflicts comprising more than 280 campaigns from ancient to modern history, the brilliant strategist and historian B. H.Read more ›
It turned out to be a fresh perspective. It centers on actionable lessons and tactics from stoicism.
"It’s simple: a method and a framework for understanding, appreciating, and acting upon the obstacles life throws at us. "
Telling someone to "keep your cool" and "control your emotions" isn't bad advice. Yet, without context, it is hard to act upon. Ryan elaborates on the concept, providing examples of success stories throughout history.
He also points out that, when faced with a slight/setback, getting mad and taking the "why me" mindset is counterproductive.
The idea, no matter how unjust or tragic the situation, is to calm down and to push your way through it. Examples from history, including Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison, show that our 21st century problems are usually minuscule in comparison:
"... s*** that’s a lot worse than whatever we’re dealing with. I’m talking physical disabilities, racial discrimination, battles against overwhelmingly superior armies. But those people didn’t quit. They didn’t feel sorry for themselves. They didn’t delude themselves with fantasies about easy solutions. They focused on the one thing that mattered: applying themselves with gusto and creativity"
When it comes to battle, most of us believe confrontations to be direct and head-on, yet this almost always isn't the case:
"a study of some 30 conflicts comprising more than 280 campaigns from ancient to modern history, the brilliant strategist and historian B. H.Read more ›
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476 of 579 people found the following review helpful
By
Kevin L. Nenstiel
TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on March 27, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Vine Customer Review of Free Product
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I wanted to like media innovator Ryan Holiday's brief introduction to Stoic philosophy. He eschews Philosophy 101 jargon, focusing instead on lived experiences by people who embody Stoic principles. By apprenticing ourselves to life's rolling hardships, Holiday promises, we overcome momentary setbacks and make apparent obstacles into lasting triumphs. And Holiday promises to distinguish true capital-S Stoicism from pop images of stone-faced impassivity.
Then I got past the introduction and read the chapters. Holy schnikes.
Historian James Loewen writes that the process he calls "heroification" turns "flesh-and-blood individuals into pious, perfect creatures without conflicts, pain, credibility, or human interest." Holiday uses object lessons from people who willfully or coincidentally lived Stoic lives. But he engages in rank heroification, not only contrasting our tumultuous lives to immobile hagiographies, but turning his exemplars' lives into the exact opposite of what their actions really accomplished.
Yes, John D. Rockefeller pulled fortunes from extreme economic turmoil. He also dumped so much industrial filth, including gasoline, into the Cuyahoga River that the water itself caught fire. Holiday praises Rockefeller's refusal to crack for federal prosecutors. But Rockefeller got prosecuted because he ignored laws, using his monopoly to manipulate markets. Adjusted for inflation, Rockefeller was probably the richest man ever; but he was also a criminal and profiteer.
Yes, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter emerged from prison triumphant.Read more ›
Then I got past the introduction and read the chapters. Holy schnikes.
Historian James Loewen writes that the process he calls "heroification" turns "flesh-and-blood individuals into pious, perfect creatures without conflicts, pain, credibility, or human interest." Holiday uses object lessons from people who willfully or coincidentally lived Stoic lives. But he engages in rank heroification, not only contrasting our tumultuous lives to immobile hagiographies, but turning his exemplars' lives into the exact opposite of what their actions really accomplished.
Yes, John D. Rockefeller pulled fortunes from extreme economic turmoil. He also dumped so much industrial filth, including gasoline, into the Cuyahoga River that the water itself caught fire. Holiday praises Rockefeller's refusal to crack for federal prosecutors. But Rockefeller got prosecuted because he ignored laws, using his monopoly to manipulate markets. Adjusted for inflation, Rockefeller was probably the richest man ever; but he was also a criminal and profiteer.
Yes, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter emerged from prison triumphant.Read more ›
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