The Obstacle Is the Way
The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
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The Obstacle Is the Way
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Narrated by:
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Ryan Holiday
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Written 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 AudioYou may also enjoy...
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Since bestselling author Ryan Holiday introduced Stoicism to the world with The Obstacle Is the Way in 2014, this simple but powerful philosophy for life has taken the world by storm. This brilliant and engaging book is an invaluable source of wisdom for anyone who wants to become more successful at what they do, whether you’re a student, a parent, a professional athlete, or a world leader. Now, Ryan Holiday has updated and expanded this modern classic with a new introduction and new content featuring a diverse set of inspiring characters.
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Stillness Is the Key
- Written by: Ryan Holiday
- Narrated by: Ryan Holiday
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 666
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 544
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 535
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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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 252
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Almost every religion, spiritual practice, philosophy and person grapples with fear. The most repeated phrase in the Bible is “Be not afraid.” The ancient Greeks spoke of phobos, panic and terror. It is natural to feel fear, the Stoics believed, but it cannot rule you. Courage, then, is the ability to rise above fear, to do what’s right, to do what’s needed, to do what is true. And so it rests at the heart of the works of Marcus Aurelius, Aristotle, and CS Lewis, alongside temperance, justice, and wisdom.
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Stay in your lane, Ryan.
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Written by: Ryan Holiday
-
Ego Is the Enemy
- Written by: Ryan Holiday
- Narrated by: Ryan Holiday
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 770
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 631
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 624
"While the history books are filled with tales of obsessive visionary geniuses who remade the world in their images with sheer, almost irrational force, I've found that history is also made by individuals who fought their egos at every turn, who eschewed the spotlight, and who put their higher goals above their desire for recognition." (From the prologue)
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
An easy listening that makes some good points
- By Enrique on 2020-02-24
Written by: Ryan Holiday
-
The Obstacle Is the Way Expanded (10th Anniversary Edition)
- The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
- Written by: Ryan Holiday
- Narrated by: Ryan Holiday
- Length: 4 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 3
Since bestselling author Ryan Holiday introduced Stoicism to the world with The Obstacle Is the Way in 2014, this simple but powerful philosophy for life has taken the world by storm. This brilliant and engaging book is an invaluable source of wisdom for anyone who wants to become more successful at what they do, whether you’re a student, a parent, a professional athlete, or a world leader. Now, Ryan Holiday has updated and expanded this modern classic with a new introduction and new content featuring a diverse set of inspiring characters.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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communication
- By M. Rus on 2024-11-07
Written by: Ryan Holiday
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Meditations
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- Written by: Marcus Aurelius, Gregory Hays - translator, Ryan Holiday - foreword
- Narrated by: Roger Davis, Ryan Holiday
- Length: 4 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 5
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Story5 out of 5 stars 5
A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. With bite-size insights and advice on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity and interacting with others, Meditations has become required listening not only for statesmen and philosophers alike, but also for generations of those who responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style.
-
1 out of 5 stars
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I can't listen to the narrator
- By Bones on 2024-05-11
Written by: Marcus Aurelius, and others
-
The Road Less Traveled
- A New Psychology of Love, Values, and Spiritual Growth, 25th Anniversary Edition
- Written by: M. Scott Peck M.D.
- Narrated by: M. Scott Peck M.D.
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 176
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 136
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 134
Perhaps no book in this generation has had a more profound impact on our intellectual and spiritual lives than The Road Less Traveled. With sales of more than 7 million copies in the United States and Canada, and translation into more than 23 languages, it has made publishing history, with more than 10 years on The New York Times best seller list.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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Well Articulated & Refreshing! Highly Recommend
- By Dance2Freedom on 2018-02-08
Written by: M. Scott Peck M.D.
What the critics say
“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
What listeners say about The Obstacle Is the Way
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2023-08-15
Changes the lens through which you see the world
Applying the book's underlying principles will reframe how you evaluate difficulty in your life – big things and small things alike. You won't see things as good or bad anymore, only good and the opportunity for good.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2024-06-01
Good, but too American
My goodness, every example he gives is so American-centric. Steve Jobs this, Steve Jobs that. Rockefeller, Tommy John, Kennedy, etc. etc. I thought that cosmopolitanism was a key tenant of Stoicism. The author should expand his horizons a bit. Maybe this was due to editor pressures, but the author doesn't give the impression that he knows much about the world beyond America.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Nicole
- 2023-10-28
Loved every minute of it!
A must read for everyone, especially those who feel they’ve been dealt a bad hand.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Raphael
- 2024-07-02
Perspective
It’s well narrated & thought out.
I enjoyed it. Listened to it during a difficult time in my life, it helped me understand and put things into perspective.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kaz
- 2023-04-05
Obstacles are the way!
I enjoyed the realness of the book. I found the book to be honest and rewarding. Would highly recommend to those who are going through change. 10/10
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Brett Archibald
- 2023-08-25
Great book
I really found this book a forward pressing look at whatever happens in life.
Would recommend this for anyone.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- RoadRunner39
- 2023-08-20
Opportunity at Every Turn
Life will always present us with opportunities to shy away or to rise to the occasion. At the end of the day we all can rise to the occasion; this book, I believe taps into that way of thinking.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Patricia
- 2023-03-11
Spectacular job Ryan
Out of my 88 books and counting this year this is a favourite. For a young (ish?) author I’m so impressed. Seriously Ryan well done! Good stuff. Looking forward to following and reading your material as the years roll on. Cheers and thanks! Great book. Narrator was awesome, author I assume 👍
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matthew
- 2023-03-09
Impactful
The way Ryan Holiday masterfully presents Stoic Philosophy with real world, historical examples, helps the listener (or reader) learn how to apply Stoic principles and discipline in their lives. If you have ever felt trapped, stuck or confused then this book is for you. The impediment to action advances action, what is in the way becomes the way. This book is essentially a “how to” for turning obstacles into triumphs.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Maria Furlong
- 2023-12-01
Profound
The book is Applicable to absolutely everything. Life changing material. A must read for everyone
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