For example, say you recently lost your job. The above quote is a cliche but it’s also true: our attitude is at the heart of progress. Whether you think you can, or think you can’t - you’re right Henry Ford To drive home his points, Holiday presents stories of historical figures, from Gandhi to Steve Jobs, not only overcoming setbacks but succeeding because of them. Holiday says that the art of turning adversity into triumph has three parts: Perception, action, and will to each of which he dedicates a third of the book. And he is an important figure in the sphere of stoicism, a branch of philosophy which says that although we can’t control the things that happen to us, we can control our response. If you’re not familiar with Marcus Aurelius, he was last of the five good emperors of Rome. The impediment to action advances action. But what we don’t know is that every adversity has a lesson, an opportunity within it. Here is Holiday’s thesis: Through the course of our lives, we have and will face a range of challenges and adversities, from finding a job to dealing with a loss.

I recently got suspended from selling on Amazon FBA and I turned to The Obstacle is the Way to deal with the stress and anxiety it had brought along with it.

In particular, I came to agree with him that ‘obstacles are actually opportunities to test ourselves, to try new things, and ultimately, to triumph.’ His work has helped me practise objectivity and see setbacks for what they are. Holiday’s work had a big impact on how I saw setbacks as well as how I tackle them. The Obstacle is the Way by Robert Greene’s former research assistant Ryan Holiday is one of those books. And I kept the ones that resonated with me. Luckily, at that point, I had also started reading heavily, mainly books on mindset and growth.

And partly because, deep down, I was dreading the conventional path of employment. Mainly because I had not a clue what I wanted to do with my life. I mentioned in my review of Mastery by Robert Greene, I went through a rough phase after completing my Master’s degree.

The obstacle is the way book summary