The Daily Stoic10 Juni 2019

How To Think About Obstacles

We can think of hardship many ways: As failure. As unfairness. As the end of the conversation. Clearly, this was not meant to be, we can say. They don’t want me to succeed, so what’s the point of trying?

Or, we can choose—we can train ourselves—to see it a better way: As grist for the mill. As a chance to learn about endurance, patience, resilience, struggle. As an opportunity to prove our mettle. As a way of learning about people or situations or actions or things.

Marcus Aurelius believed in the latter approach. As he wrote:

“Our inward power, when it obeys nature, reacts to events by accommodating itself to what it faces—to what is possible. It needs no specific material. It pursues its own aims as circumstances allow; it turns obstacles into fuel. As a fire overwhelms what would have quenched a lamp. What’s thrown on top of the conflagration is absorbed, consumed by it—and makes it burn still higher.”

It’s not about accepting hardship then, or resigning ourselves to it. Rather, it’s a matter of agreeing to work with it. To decide to make the most of it. To see hardship as an opportunity, not an obstacle. In this way, we can turn what happens to us into fuel.

We can be made better and brighter by everything that happens.

P.S. The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday is $1.99 on Amazon right now for a very limited time! If you want to check it out, or give it as a gift, it’ll never be cheaper than that.

You can also check out our brand new The Obstacle Is The Way pendant, as well as The Obstacle is the Way medallion which is inspired by the same insights from Marcus Aurelius and is awesome for carrying with you everywhere you go.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(3059)

The Wealthiest Person is a Pauper | Practice Gentleness Instead of Anger

The Stoics understood that the wealthiest person can still be a pauper—poor in peace, poor in contentment, poor in perspective.📚 The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on The Art...

20 Juli 7min

6 Stoic Rules To Beat Ego

You don’t need to be an egotistical asshole to be successful. History is filled with powerful people whose pride ultimately destroyed them, from Caligula and Nero to Xerxes and Mussolini. The Stoics b...

19 Juli 31min

The Fall Of The Roman Republic Was A Warning | Barry Strauss

What destroyed the Roman Republic was not one man or one moment, but a slow collapse of trust, duty, and shared values. In this episode, Ryan and ancient historian Barry Strauss discuss the broken civ...

18 Juli 1h 4min

This Will Define Your Legacy | Forgive Them Because They Don't Know

Discipline, as a virtue, is related to the other virtues. By controlling our urges or wants or lifestyle, we’re actually in a better position to be courageous or just.📚 Discipline is Destiny by Ryan ...

17 Juli 8min

You Will Need This to Push Through | Is AI Making Us Stupid?

Discipline, in this way, isn’t just about action; it’s about control. Control over our impulses, our desires, and even our most deeply ingrained habits.👉 The Daily Stoic Habits for Success, Habits fo...

16 Juli 20min

This is Why We Have Limits

Marcus Aurelius was checked by philosophy, but if he hadn’t been, he could have easily been a Nero or a Caligula. The American Founders knew this well. 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to...

15 Juli 1min

12 Stoic Lessons from The Odyssey

With Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey hitting theaters this week, now is the perfect time to hear the Stoic lessons hidden within this ancient story. In this episode, Ryan travels through Greece and It...

15 Juli 27min

Decide What to Be and Go Be It | How Would The Stoics Handle Social Media Envy?

“First, say to yourself what you would be,” Epictetus says, “and then do what you have to do.”👉 The Daily Stoic Habits for Success, Habits for Happiness course is a six-week challenge designed to cha...

14 Juli 19min