015: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities: Counterintuitive Advice from Author Ryan Holiday [Podcast]
You know the feeling. You’ve just created something special, and you’re afraid to launch it out into the world.
What if no one cares? What if no one reads my blog post? What if no one buys my book?
Photo credit: John Lodder via cc
Ryan Holiday has been there.
Ryan always wanted to be a writer. But early on, he realized it wasn’t enough to just write well about a great idea. He knew he needed to understand how to present that message first to a publisher and then to an audience.
In this episode of the podcast, Ryan shares how he used what he didn’t know as an opportunity to grow.
Click to listen
To listen to the show, click the player below (if viewing this in email click here).
You can also download it at iTunes or on Stitcher.
The lost art of apprenticeship
Most of us think that to be a writer, we need to study writing. We imagine (or dread) going back to school to get an advanced degree in literature or storytelling. But Ryan Holiday chose another path.
He realized that he could learn a lot more about writing and marketing books by studying at the feet of the people doing exactly what he wanted to learn.
So Ryan packed up his pride and started reaching out. He met an author working on a book, and he saw an opportunity. Ryan loved to research, so he offered his help for free. He agreed to do whatever the author needed in return for the opportunity to learn.
He created an apprenticeship for himself.
Lessons learned
As Ryan worked with more and more successful people, including Tim Ferriss and Robert Greene, he began to study their approach to obstacles. Rarely did they get tripped up by impediments in their path. Instead, they invariably turned those barriers into opportunities.
We can do this, too. Every day, each of us faces the difference between how we want things to be and how they really are. What makes us succeed or fail is how we respond to those differences. (Tweet that)
After years of learning, Ryan offers the following advice:
Worried that no one will care about what you’re writing? Know your audience. Write the book that they want to read and they will buy it.
Afraid that your work isn’t worth what you’re charging? Be generous. Bundle content and offer great bonuses.
Scared that your message will get lost in the crowded Internet? Experiment with new things. Do what no one else is doing yet.
Are you struggling?
If you’re one of those people who struggles to reach your goals — if you feel like no one will read your blog or buy your book or fund your startup — then you might find some ideas to try. The suggestions might be counterintuitive, and they might take some effort, but I encourage you to pick up Ryan’s book The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph and try something different. You can get it here from Amazon, or get it free when you sign up for Audible, the audiobook resource I use (note: those are affiliate links).
As for me, I’m still finding ways to grow and learn, too. Ryan suggests that we go where there’s the least competition and be a pioneer.
That’s what I’m trying to do with this podcast. If you’re enjoying it, I’d love for you to leave an honest review, tweet about it, or share it with your friends on Facebook.
You can also subscribe by copying and pasting this URL into the podcast player of your choice: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThePortfo...
What is standing in the way of your success? How could you turn that into an opportunity? Share in the comments below.
