42 pages • 1 hour read
Ryan HolidayThe Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
Ryan HolidayNonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Index of Terms
Minimum Viable Product
A Minimum Viable Product, or MVP, is the basic version of tech start-ups’ new products, which they release to the public in order to gauge interest. Many MVPs fail, which gives their inventors an opportunity to consider what did and didn’t work about their product. Holiday uses this to show how successful creatives embrace failure as a learning opportunity, suggesting that the reader do the same.
Pre-Mortem
A “Pre-mortem” is a business practice in which people anticipate and plan for failure or setbacks, even if their project has barely begun. Holiday compares this method to a Stoic practice called the “premeditation of evils,” which encourages people to be aware of how their lives could be disrupted so they are not distressed when things do not go to plan (140).
Amor Fati
Amor fati is Latin for “a love of fate” (140). Holiday suggests that learning to love one’s fate, whether it includes positive or negative events, is key to accepting and acting on reality, rather than focusing on why life is not perfect.
Art of Acquiescence
The Art of Acquiescence is a Stoic practice in which people acknowledge when an obstacle is outside of their control, and accept it. Holiday maintains that by accepting things we cannot change, people are better able to direct their mental and emotional energy toward things that they are able to influence.
Flank Attack
This battle term refers to attacking an army on their flanks, or sides, rather than directly confronting the enemy head-on. Holiday contends that flank attacks have better success rates than conventional, head-on conflict. He uses this concept as a metaphor for how people can confront obstacles in everyday life. It is easy to assume that direct conflict is the only way forward, he says, but people should think creatively and strategically to see if there are other viable options.
“The Power of Perspective”
One can shift their way of looking at things during a challenging situation. This helps to overcome fear, which isn’t helpful. According to Holiday, perspective consists of context, or the big picture around a situation, and framing, or a person’s own way of interpreting a situation. Both are important aspects of one’s perception.
“Seize the Offensive”
One can use a difficult situation for good. For example, if readers have lost their relationship or job, they might embrace the chance to travel, move, or find a new profession. In doing so, they would be “transcending the challenge and reframing it, triumphing as a result of it” (121).
“Inner Citadel”
Holiday argues that people can use adversity to develop an “inner citadel,” or fortress of mental strength (136). He claims that the “path of least resistance” is a “terrible teacher” since it does not challenge people (137).
Unlock all 42 pages of this Study GuidePlus, gain access to 9,150+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
Related Titles
By Ryan Holiday
