The Obstacle is The Way Book Review

So, surely with hardship comes ease. Surely with that hardship comes more ease. Quran 94:5-6

🔬 What is The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday about?

The Obstacle is the way talks about human true power, the ability to think, that can be leveraged to make us be more positive towards any events happened in our life. Every events happened in life is neutral, its not bad nor good. The judgement come from us that perceives an event as good or bad. By stopping for a while, and reason more positively about seemingly bad event (obstacle) we will benefitted with a learning (way) that useful for our next journey in life. Thus, in every obstacle we found in life, there is always a way behind it.

🚀 The Book in 3 Sentences

1. The Discipline of PERCEPTION, entails cultivating an objective and resilient mindset when facing challenges. It encourages individuals to observe an events, not judging good or bad. Think of every events as an opportunities for growth. Emphasizing control over reactions.
2. The Discipline of ACTION, emphasizes the proactive and persistent pursuit of goals in the face of adversity. It encourages individuals to take deliberate, purposeful steps, focusing on what can be done rather than dwelling on obstacles or setbacks.
3. The Discipline of WILL, involves cultivating inner strength and determination to endure hardships and stay committed to one's objectives. It emphasizes the power of resilience, self-discipline, and maintaining a steadfast will to overcome obstacles and achieve long-term success.

🎨 Impressions

An eye opening read for everyone facing any adversities in everyday life. This books give me another way to see events that supposed to be bad, in a more positive way. Rooted from stoic philosphy, the book serves as a valuable guide for shifting one's mindset and finding resilience in the face of obstacles.

👤 Who Should Read It?

Everyone, especially those who often responds any adversities with temper, sadness, any passive response. This book will encourage its reader to be more mindful and control when facing a hardship. It is especially relevant for those striving to replace negative reactions with proactive and constructive responses. Readers interested in Stoic philosophy, personal development, and leveraging challenges for growth will find this book particularly insightful.

☘️ How the Book Changed Me

How my life/behavior/thoughts/ideas have changed as a result of reading the book.

• This book has reminded me to adopt a more controlled approach when facing problems. Previously, I tended to react with anger or sadness to situations I disliked, especially when my kids misbehaved over seemingly simple matters. Instead of raising my voice and adopting a dictatorial tone, I now take a pause, recognizing that they may not fully understand, and respond in a calmer and more fatherly manner.
• The Discipline of Action, synonymous with sticking to your goals, has delivered a profound realization. While riding motorcycle on the road, I used to get irritated by the behavior of other riders who endangered others or disregarded traffic rules. Now, I maintain a calm demeanor and stay focused on my goal of reaching a specific destination at a designated time. This is just one example of how I've applied the Discipline of Action in my life.

✍️ My Top 3 Quotes from The Obstacle is the Way

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.

Our perceptions determine, to an incredibly large degree, what we are and are not capable of. In many ways, they determine reality itself. When we believe in the obstacle more than in the goal, which will inevitably triumph?

To do great things, we need to be able to endure tragedy and setbacks. We've got to love what we do and all that it entails, good and bad. We have to learn to find joy in every single thing that happens.

🌟 My Review on The Obstacle is the Way

I rate it 7/10. I recommend reading it.

📒 The Obstacle is the Way Summary

• "The impediment to action, advances action. What stands in the way, becomes the way." - Marcus Aurelius
• Ryan Holiday introduces readers to Stoic philosophy, which teaches that it's not external events but our perceptions and responses to them that determine our well-being. The book emphasizes the transformative power of shifting one's mindset from seeing obstacles as impediments to viewing them as opportunities for personal and professional development.
• The discipline of perception involves training oneself to perceive events objectively and without immediate emotional reactions. By practicing this discipline, individuals can detach from the initial emotional impact of challenges, allowing for a clearer and more rational assessment of the situation. This mindset shift helps in finding constructive solutions and opportunities within difficulties.
  • Everything happened in our life is a matter of Perception. All things happened has nothing to do with good or bad, its our perception determined what the event meant to us. If we can perceive so called bad thing as a good thing, we can act accordingly.
  • Why what happened keep you from acting with justice, generosity, self-control, sanity, prudence, honesty, humility, straightforwardness? By perceive an event objectively and self control, its possible to response with positive outcome.
  • Our perceptions determine, to an incredibly large degree, what we are and are not capable of. In many ways, they determine reality itself. When we believe in the obstacle more than in the goal, which will win?
• The Discipline of Action encourages proactive behavior in the face of obstacles. Instead of being paralyzed or overwhelmed by challenges, individuals are urged to take deliberate and purposeful steps toward their goals. This discipline underscores the importance of focusing on what one can control and maintaining momentum despite external setbacks.
  • Sometimes we need to be pragmatic to reach our goals. Like the story of two fruit companies, one big one small. They both wanting a land that claimed by two different locals. The big company tackle this problem by sending their best lawyer to research who really have this land. But the smart small company just meet both locals and paid them with same price. "He paid twice, sure, but it was over. The land was his. Forget the rule book, settle the issue."
• The Discipline of Will is about developing inner strength and resilience. It involves enduring hardships with patience, practicing self-discipline, and maintaining a steadfast commitment to one's objectives. By cultivating a strong will, individuals can navigate adversity without being swayed by external circumstances.
  • A key aspect of the Discipline of Will is the ability to learn from setbacks. Rather than viewing failures as insurmountable obstacles, individuals are encouraged to see them as opportunities for growth. The disciplined will involves extracting lessons from challenges and using them to refine one's approach and strategies.
• An obstacles indeed has chance to be unsolvable, we can ignore it and channel our energy to the right place. Joe Louis, for example, knew that racist white boxing fans would not tolerate an emotional black fighter, so he sublimated all displays behind a steely, blank face. Known as the Ring Robot, he greatly intimidated opponents by seeming almost inhuman. He took a disadvantage and turned it into an unexpected asset in the ring.
• Always prepare ourselves for more difficult times. Always accept what we're unable to change. Always manage our expectations. Always persevere. Always learn to love our fate and what happens to us. Always protect our inner self, retreat into ourselves. Always submit to a greater, larger cause. Always remind ourselves of our own mortality.
• We must have safeplace in our mind. Stoics called this The Inner Citadel, that fortress inside of us that no external adversity can ever break down. We can always go back to this place on every events happened to us. An important caveat is that we are not born with such a structure; it must be built and actively reinforced.
• Put our effort on what we can control. Whining or angry is not solving the problem, nor an effective channels of energy. Be calm and stay in control.