The Obstacle Is The Way

A Book Review with Rebecca Mitchard

It’s fair to say that the World is facing one giant obstacle right now in 2020. This has caused multiple, comparably less significant obstacles for everyone in the UK on a daily basis. For example, how will I find toilet roll? What will I do if my broadband goes down? How am I going to keep the kids (and myself) from climbing the walls?

The Obstacle is the Way is an optimistic read and inspires us to reconsider problems as opportunities. Relevant to both personal and professional lives, Rebecca Mitchard reviews this thought-provoking book. 

About the book

Although this book may be based on the ancient philosophy of Stoicism, The Obstacle is the Way is more relevant now than ever before. Written in fairly short chapters, the book is an accumulation of stories throughout time about various leaders in their own fields. The author shares the problems that the leaders have experienced, what was done to overcome obstacles and then how that has led them to become President, for instance. 

“You can’t control what has happened, but you can control your response.”

There are plenty of examples from a variety of professions, such as Presidents, Politicians, Explorers, leaders in business and more. With a diverse collection of scenarios, it is easy to find a role model or situation that interests you. It doesn’t spell out how to look at an obstacle or provide steps towards a resolution. Instead, the book showcases how other people have overcome obstacles and encourages you think more deeply about how the anecdote can be applied to your own life.

About the author

Ryan Holiday is a best-selling author who has also written books such as Ego is the Enemy and Stillness is the Key. If you’re trying to deal with a world of chaos but don’t have the time to read a book, I would recommend subscribing to a bitesize (500-words) email called The Daily Stoic. It’s easy to digest and shares topical thinking that is relevant at the moment for Covid-19.

Relatable to current obstacles

I have applied The Obstacle is the Way to my own life every day. You can’t control what has happened, but you can control how you respond. I’ve been thinking about what my reaction to the pandemic would have been if I hadn’t already read this book. Now I can better control my reaction to lockdown measures – I can’t do anything about it, but I can make the most of this time.

Normally, I would be commuting to London, cramped on a train and feeling nauseous every time I tried to peek at a page. Why not make the most of my time at home? 

I can read more books and focus on improving myself. I can use this new release of energy to determine what could be made better in the future. When this obstacle is out of the way, I can share my self-improvements to benefit myself, my employer and the wider community. 

Avoid thinking that ‘carrying on as normal’ will squash this obstacle. It will not work. The message behind this book is that the obstacle becomes the path. For example, many businesses have been forced to adapt quickly as part of tackling Covid-19. Pubs, restaurants and shops have been ordered to close their physical premise, but many have evolved to offer online deliveries. This may become a more permanent arrangement long term.

“I started reading this book a month before Covid-19 hit the UK, probably one of the biggest obstacles our generation will experience.”

Continuous improvement

The book applies greatly to Ad Esse’s principle of continuous improvement. The concept is not to ‘never have an obstacle’ – it is about how you overcome those obstacles and improve. Organisations with social purposes often face various obstacles, such as poor customer satisfaction, high service demand, hostile culture, low income collection, reduced funding, disengaged staff, deflated performance, struggles to sustain improvements and much more. The obstacle in the way is going to lead you to make an improvement.