Obstacle is the way

Nobody likes obstacles. I mean, they get you off the tempo, make you take detours, and sometimes even force you to take a step back. Yikes. Nevertheless, there is something in obstacles that helps you become better. Every obstacle you cross is like an invisible medal that you can put on your name.

When you face an obstacle, you have to start asking questions. Primarily, asking them yourself. Many people start with "how did it happen". Solid choice. Others resort to "who's fault is this?". It's like 3.6 roentgen - not great, not terrible. You can always dive into classic Russian literature vibes and ask, "What Is To Be Done?". Or you can try something better, like this one - "can this obstacle help me in practicing virtues: patience, courage, humility, resourcefulness, reason justice, and creativity?"

Ok, here is the part where you start going through my LinkedIn profile and asking, "who the hell is this guy to teach me how to about ancient wisdom?". Before you do so, I have precious ten seconds of your attention: I am just a bookworm. And let me tell you what I got from a book called "Obstacle is the Way" by Ryan Holiday.

Here is what happens to you when you sleep, sit through a mundane meeting, web-browsing aimlessly, and watch 12-second funny videos on YouTube. First, is that you are getting relaxed - which is kinda cool & good for you. Second is you lose your healthy portion of anger and will. All those things which grind your gears suddenly become more acceptable, and you yourself become more agreeable. Therefore, you lose your desire to solve obstacles around you and advance forward.

That's precisely why sometimes obstacles seem impossible to overcome. Not because you are tired, had too much caffeine, or people around you are extra stupid today. We just happen to find ourselves in a generation that considers grit & persistence as something negative. So, it's only natural that we become more and more agreeable.

There is a perfect word in german - Sitzfleisch - which translates to "plodding". A number one skill forgotten in the 21st century - getting your butt glued to a chair and getting things done. As Angela Duckworth explains in her fantastic book called Grit, the equation for Grit is quite simple:

Talent x Effort = Skills | Skill & Effort = Achievement.

Without grit, there is no effort; there is no action without effort. If there is no action, obstacles will never fall. There is no good or bad without us; there is only perception. The event itself and the story we tell ourselves about what it means. Nothing makes us feel desperate, afraid, and powerless when faced with an obstacle. We choose to give in to such feelings. And Ryan Holiday concludes that we always have a choice, "Will obstacles block us, or will we advance through and over them?" In the end … the obstacle is the way.