The Obstacle Is the Way
by Ryan Holiday
★ Top 25 book of 2014 · #20 on Best Books of 2014
Drawing on Stoic philosophy, this book argues that every obstacle can become an opportunity to grow stronger. Using true stories of famous achievers, it shows how focusing on what you control turns problems into advantages.
Best for: People feeling frustrated, demoralized or stuck who want a resilient mindset
The Obstacle Is the Way is #20 on BookWard's Best Books of 2014, out of 66 2014 books that cleared our data bar.
What The Obstacle Is the Way is about
Ryan Holiday builds this book on one idea from the Stoics: you cannot always choose what happens to you, but you can choose how you respond, and that response is what defines you. The title comes from a line in Marcus Aurelius's Meditations: what stands in the way becomes the way.
Holiday lays out a practical framework of three disciplines, perception, action and will, for turning obstacles into opportunities. Each section is backed by historical anecdotes drawn from politics, business, sports and history, with figures such as John D. Rockefeller, Amelia Earhart, Ulysses S. Grant and Steve Jobs. The tone is direct and motivational. It will suit anyone facing a setback at work, in training or in life who wants a clear way to focus on what they can control and let the rest go.
The Obstacle Is the Way on the Best Books of 2014
The Obstacle Is the Way came out in 2014. Of the 66 books first published in 2014 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #20 on our Best Books of 2014 list.
Why it made the list: 759 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.9 out of 5 (32 ratings); 42 are reading it right now. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 2014 list
- Archer's Voice Mia Sheridan, #18
- The Crossover Kwame Alexander, #19
- Everblaze Shannon Messenger, #21
- The Girl on the Train Paula Hawkins, #22
See all Best Books of 2014 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 2013 Best Books of 2015.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 667 want to read it, 42 are reading it now and 50 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 3.9 out of 5 from 32 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 79 | 55% |
| Reader love | 21 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 80 | 20% |
Questions about The Obstacle Is the Way
When was The Obstacle Is the Way published?
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday was first published in 2014.
Was The Obstacle Is the Way one of the best books of 2014?
The Obstacle Is the Way is #20 on BookWard's Best Books of 2014, out of 66 2014 books that cleared our data bar. 759 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.9 out of 5 (32 ratings); 42 are reading it right now.
Why is The Obstacle Is the Way on the Best Books of 2014 list?
759 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.9 out of 5 (32 ratings); 42 are reading it right now.
More of the best books of 2014
- To All the Boys I've Loved Before Jenny Han, #1
- The Long Haul Jeff Kinney, #2
- Surrounded by Idiots Thomas Erikson, #3
- Zero to One Peter A. Thiel, #4
- After (After Series, Book 1) Anna Todd, #5
- All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr, #6
See the full Best Books of 2014, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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