What Stands in the Way Becomes the Way (Practice 3 )
T.me/quote_mania“The impediment to action advances actions. What stands in the way becomes the way. ” - Marcus Aurelius
“Undoubtedly one of history’s most effective formulas for overcoming every negative situation.” That’s what Ryan Holiday says about Marcus Aurelius’ formula you just read above. He continues, “A formula for thriving not just in spite of whatever happens but because of it”
Ryan Holiday based a whole book on this formula—The Obstacle Is the Way. The main idea is that difficulties and challenges in life are only obstacles if we make them so. It depends on how we look at those challenges—we can either see obstacles and get blocked, or we can see opportunities and make progress
In every challenge lies an opportunity for growth. If we’re aware of that, we can make sure that what impedes us—setbacks and struggles—will actually empower us. We expect struggles beforehand (remember the reserve clause?) and know they’ll present a blank block of marble to hone our skills.
In Stoicism, that’s always a chance to practice some virtue: courage, humility, reason, justice, patience, self-discipline, and forgiveness. Nothing can prevent us from doing this. Virtue is always within our control, it’s always possible to respond with virtue to any given situation. What stands in the way becomes the way. Just another chance to practice being the best you can be.
No matter what life throws at us, we have a choice: Will we be blocked by challenges, or will we fight through them? Either we shrink or we grow. The adversity presents a stepping stool to reach a higher level as a person. Without this opportunity, we can’t grow and remain where we are.
Imagine a fire. Every obstacle gets consumed and used as fuel. If there’s nothing standing in the way, the fire dies. You are that fire. Nothing really is an obstacle because they only feed you and make you stronger. Marcus Aurelius calls this ability to use obstacles for fuel “turning the obstacle upside down.”
Whenever something gets in the way, use that obstacle to practice your most important goal—to live with arete, to express the highest version of yourself. Nothing can prevent you from doing this. You will continue to make progress, and there will always be new obstacles, ahem, opportunities presenting themselves. It’s within your control to use them as fuel and practice your skills.
This all comes down to your perception. The same situation can either be perceived as a lead ball chained to your feet or as wings growing out of your shoulder blades. How you interpret the challenge is crucial to your success in overcoming it. Ultimately, it’s never the challenges that matter, but how you perceive them
“If you are pained by any external tiling, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it. And it is in your power to wipe out this judgment now/ Marcus Aurelius says that your judgment makes an event into an obstacle or an opportunity. It’s up to you.
You can find an opportunity for growth in everything. You can always try to turn obstacles upside down and find a way to respond with virtue.
And hey, this isn't about wearing rose-tinted glasses. Terrible things happen, that’s for sure. This is just showing that you always have a choice. Either you bury your head in the sand when things seem to turn against you, or you keep your head up and look for ail opportunity to grow.
You’ll get better over time and will you reach a point with immense inner tranquility where nothing can shake you—you’ll be ready to deal effectively with whatever life throws at you.