The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph

by Ryan Holiday

The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.

Whatever we face, we have a choice: Will we be blocked by obstacles, or will we advance through and over them?

Every obstacle is unique to each of us. But the responses they elicit are the same: Fear. Frustration. Confusion. Helplessness. Depression. Anger.

“The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.”

We must try: To be objective To control emotions and keep an even keel To choose to see the good in a situation To steady our nerves To ignore what disturbs or limits others To place things in perspective To revert to the present moment To focus on what can be controlled

There is no good or bad without us, there is only perception. There is the event itself and the story we tell ourselves about what it means.

Does what happened keep you from acting with justice, generosity, self-control, sanity, prudence, honesty, humility, straightforwardness?

Perspective is everything

For it is bursts of energy directed at decisive points that break things wide open. They press and press and press and then, exactly when the situation seems hopeless—or, more likely, hopelessly deadlocked—they press once more.