
The Obstacle Is the Way
The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
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Narrated by:
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Ryan Holiday
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By:
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Ryan Holiday
About this listen
#1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller
The Obstacle is the Way has become a cult classic, beloved by men and women around the world who apply its wisdom to become more successful at whatever they do.
Its many fans include a former governor and movie star (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a hip hop icon (LL Cool J), an Irish tennis pro (James McGee), an NBC sportscaster (Michele Tafoya), and the coaches and players of winning teams like the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Cubs, and University of Texas men’s basketball team.
The book draws its inspiration from stoicism, the ancient Greek philosophy of enduring pain or adversity with perseverance and resilience. Stoics focus on the things they can control, let go of everything else, and turn every new obstacle into an opportunity to get better, stronger, tougher. As Marcus Aurelius put it nearly 2000 years ago: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
Ryan Holiday shows us how some of the most successful people in history—from John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart to Ulysses S. Grant to Steve Jobs—have applied stoicism to overcome difficult or even impossible situations. Their embrace of these principles ultimately mattered more than their natural intelligence, talents, or luck.
If you’re feeling frustrated, demoralized, or stuck in a rut, this book can help you turn your problems into your biggest advantages. And along the way it will inspire you with dozens of true stories of the greats from every age and era.
©2023 Ryan Holiday (P)2023 Penguin AudioCritic reviews
“The book on stoicism that’s taking the NFL by storm.”–Sports Illustrated
"The best one I've read. Ryan Holiday is brilliant. If I had read The Obstacle Is the Way sooner, a few things might have been different."–Rory McIlroy, 2x PGA Champion
“Follow these precepts and you will revolutionize your life. Read this book!”—Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art and Gates of Fire
Featured Article: The 22 Best Motivational Audiobooks for Jump-Starting Your Life
For most of us, motivation tends to ebb and flow; sometimes, even the act of staying motivated feels like something we need to inspire ourselves to do. When you hit a rut, there’s no shame in calling in reinforcements, and luckily, our catalog has a vast selection of them to help you reach for bigger and better in all areas of your life. We’ve compiled this list of the best motivational audiobooks for all the times when you need a boost to get going.
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Of all the stoic virtues—courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom—wisdom is the most elusive. This is especially apparent in an age where reaction and idle chatter are rewarded, and restraint and thoughtfulness are unfashionable. The great statesman and philosophers of the past would not be fooled, as we are, by headlines or appearances or the primal pull of tribalism. They knew too much of history, of their own flaws, of the need for collaboration to do any of that. That's wisdom—and we need it more than ever.
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All great leaders, thinkers, artists, athletes, and visionaries share one indelible quality. It enables them to conquer their tempers. To avoid distraction and discover great insights. To achieve happiness and do the right thing. Ryan Holiday calls it stillness - to be steady while the world spins around you. In this book, he outlines a path for achieving this ancient, but urgently necessary way of living.
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Needs to be read by a professional voice talent
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Ego Is the Enemy
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Disappointing. Thin, weak reading.
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- By: Ryan Holiday
- Narrated by: Ryan Holiday
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Echoes left wing narratives
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Of all the stoic virtues—courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom—wisdom is the most elusive. This is especially apparent in an age where reaction and idle chatter are rewarded, and restraint and thoughtfulness are unfashionable. The great statesman and philosophers of the past would not be fooled, as we are, by headlines or appearances or the primal pull of tribalism. They knew too much of history, of their own flaws, of the need for collaboration to do any of that. That's wisdom—and we need it more than ever.
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Summary of The Obstacle is the Way: by Ryan Holiday
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The Obstacle is the Way is an excellent self-help audiobook that showcases numerous instances of great people who created history. It is inspiring and motivational, to say the least. Primarily, this audiobook offers advice to turn any obstacle into an advantage. Holiday stresses on the fact that we invite problems mostly because of our perceptions. In this audiobook he deftly shows the listener how to solve almost any issue by altering your perspective.
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Terrible cliche filled poor performance
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The Daily Dad
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I love the stories …..but it’s full of ESG BS
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A Guide to the Good Life
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Returned - Not "Unabridged"
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Biography/ sales pitch.
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Meditations
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Performance
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One of the most significant books ever written by a head of state, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions - a cornerstone of Western thought.
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Excelent reading of an excellent classic
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By: Marcus Aurelius, and others
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The War of Art
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Think of The War of Art as tough love...for yourself. Since 2002, The War of Art has inspired people around the world to defeat "resistance"; to recognize and knock down dream-blocking barriers and to silence the naysayers within us. Resistance kicks everyone's butt, and the desire to defeat it is equally as universal. The War of Art identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success.
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War Against Common Sense?
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Mastery
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Overall
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Performance
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In Mastery, Robert Greene's fifth book, he mines the biographies of great historical figures for clues about gaining control over our own lives and destinies. Picking up where The 48 Laws of Power left off, Greene culls years of research and original interviews to blend historical anecdote and psychological insight, distilling the universal ingredients of the world's masters.
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Focus on passion=Less stress and more success
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Highly recommended to all who seek
Excellent
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Highly recommend
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Loved all of it
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Loved this book
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Solid
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—Simple & Direct Approach.
—Powerful Application Potential.
—New Value Gained each time read.
Highly Recommend for those passionate about expanding their toolbox of Perspectives.
Ryan takes an eloquent approach to simplifying some of the greatest philosophical teachings of the ages.
There are certain Books/Teachings that deem themselves worthy of making my “Rotation of Motivation”. These are books I revisit frequently, which carry an unlimited amount of learning potential that cannot be captured in one read.
This is One of Them!
A few Examples Include:
-The Book of 5 Rings (Miyamoto Musashi)
-Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable (Tim S. Grover)
Powerful Perspective
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Incredible
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the comparisons
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The bestowal of the title philosopher at the end.
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Inspires one to be a better person
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