The Obstacle is The Way

Underwhelming. A collection of motivational catchphrases with examples of historical figures (from Roosevelt to Marcus Aurelius) and how, in difficult situations, they found courage and faced the moment. Very much a marketer’s book. Dull. Shallow. Examples feel cherry-picked. Advice is basic. Still, for a bit of self-confidence, it might offer a few prompts. One and a half stars. Maybe philosophy is not for me.

Notes

• Perception (how we see the problem, our attitude), Action (we turn it into an opportunity), and the Will (cultivating and maintaining our attitude) -> the book’s 3 main parts
• Various episodes of generals and historical figures who faced problems and solved them
• We are never completely powerless; you can always do something (the stoic point)
• We cannot control what happens outside us (like the weather, other people’s opinions, or luck).
• We can, however, control how we react: our thoughts, our actions, and our choices.
• So stoicism says: “Do not worry about what you cannot change. Do your best with what depends on you.”
• You need to train yourself to stay calm: fears and strong emotions are caused by unfamiliarity. When you have seen it before, you are ready
• Life is like that. Obstacles make us emotional, but the only way to get through is to keep those emotions in check. From the Greek apatheia. A calm that comes from the absence of irrational thoughts.
• Take your situation and imagine it did not happen to you. Be an outside observer. What thoughts would you draw from it?
• Understand what is in your control and what is not. A client walks away? Not in your control. But can you perfect the pitch? Yes, in your control. Do not waste time on things outside your control.
• Aim high. Jobs set impossible deadlines. He knew you need to aim high.
• Problems are rarely as bad as we imagine. The worst thing is not the event, but the event plus losing your head. Then you have two problems.
• We often complain that we are tired, stressed, stuck. And what do we do? We go out. We treat ourselves to something. Better than ignoring it, but it does not solve the problem.
• People who become great at things act. They start, one way or another. They do not overthink. It also means going all in, or you will never get meaningful results
• Do not skip steps. Do you remember an equation the first time? Impossible. But step by step you learn the basics, you decipher it, you solve it.
• Example of going straight to the point: dispute between two landowners over who owns the land. Big corp wastes time with lawyers; a startup arrives and buys both
• Do not expect Plato’s Republic. There will always be chaos. So do your best with what you have.
• Maybe you are stuck in bed? Fine, you can write. Maybe you lost your job? OK, at least you can try something else. Always take an opportunistic approach!
• (Nice) Death does not make life meaningless, but instead gives it a reason. You have limited time. Use it.