---
product_id: 85729823
title: "The Obstacle is the Way: The Ancient Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage"
price: "€ 35.45"
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reviews_count: 8
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---

# The Obstacle is the Way: The Ancient Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage

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The Obstacle is the Way: The Ancient Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage [Holiday Ryan] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Obstacle is the Way: The Ancient Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage

Review: A manual for everyday living rooted in the principles of Stoicism. - Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way is a superb primer on the Stoic principles. For one thing, at 224 pages, it is less than half the size of the last book I read on the same theme, Derren Brown’s superb Happy. This is by no means a bad thing, however, for while Brown’s book delves into the history of Stoicism and man’s eternal search for that which will make us happy, Holiday’s is a quicker, lighter read, but one that packs a hell of a punch. The gist of the book is that if one applies the principles of Stoicism carefully and mindfully, then no matter what happens (good, bad, or indifferent) then it becomes possible to deal with the highs, lows, and plateaus of life with equal poise and calmness. Obstacles, Holiday posits, represent opportunity, and should be welcomed rather than feared, for they offer us chances to grow and become more than we currently are. There’s nothing really new here, and I say that without being critical. The tenets around which Holiday builds his case are thousands of years old, being drawn primarily from Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, among others. The great success of the book is its ability to distill these concepts down into usable, everyday ways of thinking which can benefit each and every one of its readers, if they are disciplined enough to apply them to their own lives. It points out (quite correctly) that the problems faced by the average Greek or Roman citizen were, at their core, fundamentally no different than the ones that vex us today, for they are based upon the same old negative emotions: fear, jealousy, anxiety, greed, a desire for celebrity, and so forth. Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome’s five so-called “Good Emperors,” wrestled with all these issues and more on a daily basis, and used Stoicism in order to successfully conquer them…and himself. There are very good reasons why Meditations is still read so widely (and re-read so frequently) today. I have returned to the book regularly ever since I discovered it as a teenager, and will probably do so for as long as I live. These truths are timeless, and invaluable. Holiday refers to the Stoic philosophy as “an operating system for living,” which seems very apt in this digital day and age. If that is indeed the case, then The Obstacle Is the Way serves as an introductory manual for that operating system, a primer that helps one get to grips with how it works. Some of the complexity and nuance may be left out or abstracted, but the thrust of it is covered succinctly, with plenty of easily understandable contemporary examples to clarify things. I highly recommend this book to anybody who could use a little help in dealing with the stresses and strains of everyday living…and at the end of the day, isn’t that all of us?
Review: Awareness of Your Obstacles - Excellent read. This book has been especially helpful during this time in my life. I like the stories, historic references. This manner of approaching obstacles has value with solution. I've listened to Ryan Holiday's podcasts daily and look forward to reading more of his books. He is an excellent speaker and one of my top- favorite writers.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #115,790 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #10,287 in Self-Help (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 24,758 Reviews |

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![The Obstacle is the Way: The Ancient Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71RFL-jdXGL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A manual for everyday living rooted in the principles of Stoicism.
*by R***P on December 14, 2016*

Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way is a superb primer on the Stoic principles. For one thing, at 224 pages, it is less than half the size of the last book I read on the same theme, Derren Brown’s superb Happy. This is by no means a bad thing, however, for while Brown’s book delves into the history of Stoicism and man’s eternal search for that which will make us happy, Holiday’s is a quicker, lighter read, but one that packs a hell of a punch. The gist of the book is that if one applies the principles of Stoicism carefully and mindfully, then no matter what happens (good, bad, or indifferent) then it becomes possible to deal with the highs, lows, and plateaus of life with equal poise and calmness. Obstacles, Holiday posits, represent opportunity, and should be welcomed rather than feared, for they offer us chances to grow and become more than we currently are. There’s nothing really new here, and I say that without being critical. The tenets around which Holiday builds his case are thousands of years old, being drawn primarily from Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, among others. The great success of the book is its ability to distill these concepts down into usable, everyday ways of thinking which can benefit each and every one of its readers, if they are disciplined enough to apply them to their own lives. It points out (quite correctly) that the problems faced by the average Greek or Roman citizen were, at their core, fundamentally no different than the ones that vex us today, for they are based upon the same old negative emotions: fear, jealousy, anxiety, greed, a desire for celebrity, and so forth. Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome’s five so-called “Good Emperors,” wrestled with all these issues and more on a daily basis, and used Stoicism in order to successfully conquer them…and himself. There are very good reasons why Meditations is still read so widely (and re-read so frequently) today. I have returned to the book regularly ever since I discovered it as a teenager, and will probably do so for as long as I live. These truths are timeless, and invaluable. Holiday refers to the Stoic philosophy as “an operating system for living,” which seems very apt in this digital day and age. If that is indeed the case, then The Obstacle Is the Way serves as an introductory manual for that operating system, a primer that helps one get to grips with how it works. Some of the complexity and nuance may be left out or abstracted, but the thrust of it is covered succinctly, with plenty of easily understandable contemporary examples to clarify things. I highly recommend this book to anybody who could use a little help in dealing with the stresses and strains of everyday living…and at the end of the day, isn’t that all of us?

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Awareness of Your Obstacles
*by A***Y on December 14, 2025*

Excellent read. This book has been especially helpful during this time in my life. I like the stories, historic references. This manner of approaching obstacles has value with solution. I've listened to Ryan Holiday's podcasts daily and look forward to reading more of his books. He is an excellent speaker and one of my top- favorite writers.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lean into your fears.
*by C***N on August 30, 2014*

A great pep talk drawing upon the strengths of ancient stoicism. Reminds me of Ayn Rand's objectivism; however, lacking her audacity to hope for idealogical romance and capitalist ingenuity and the market rewards for greedy innovation. In no way is this pep talk book better than any of Ayn Rand's works, but this book does successfully, with great simplicity, invigorate readers like me to lean into the fear. Fear is an illusion. That alone is powerful. But this book is not all powerful. It is just a booster shot. I think Ryan Holiday, from his peppered comments throughout the book, might be an atheist and a far left socialist activist. To me, there is a sense of higher-ness (and hope) missing from this book because of the inherent walls of his ideology. At least Ayn Rand's objectivism gave hope and spoke out about the failures of communism. It's just bizarre how we continue to fight the same battles. I appreciate Ryan Holiday's arguments and I find it interesting to read the philosophical quotes he provides, ones that gets communist activists jazzed up. Honestly, on their own, they are intoxicatingly beautiful. But no communist society, let alone a single community, has stood the test of time. But I digress into matters that already prove themselves. There's no faulting Holiday for peppering the book with progressive leftist teachings. He comes across as completely honest about his position and I give him heaps of credit for that bravery: demonstrating that he practices what he preaches about facing fear and obstacles. I recommend this book as a booster shot to remember that life isn't supposed to be comfortable: it's war. Whether explicitly or implicitly, we're all choosing which side we're on. Regardless of which side one sits or moves on, one should actively go all in and be counted. Judgment day is coming.

## Frequently Bought Together

- THE OBSTACLE IS THE WAY [Hardcover] Holiday, Ryan
- Stillness is the Key: An Ancient Strategy for Modern Life [Hardcover] Holiday, Ryan

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*Last updated: 2026-01-25*