Stoicism and ancient wisdom · Self-help
The Obstacle is the Way
Ryan Holiday uses Stoic ideas and stories of historical figures to argue that setbacks can be turned into fuel, built around the three disciplines of perception, action and will.
Facts last checked 2026-10-17
- First published
- 2014
- Pace
- Fast
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 229
- Format
- Book 1 of 3 in The Way, The Enemy, and The Key
Read this if you want a punchy, example-filled introduction to practical Stoicism.
Skip this if you want original philosophy or are tired of the repeated-anecdote self-help format.
The feel
Content warnings
None noted yet.
Quick answers about The Obstacle is the Way
- What is The Obstacle is the Way about?
- Ryan Holiday uses Stoic ideas and stories of historical figures to argue that setbacks can be turned into fuel, built around the three disciplines of perception, action and will.
- Who should read The Obstacle is the Way?
- Read it if you want a punchy, example-filled introduction to practical Stoicism. Skip it if you want original philosophy or are tired of the repeated-anecdote self-help format.
- How long and how fast is The Obstacle is the Way?
- It is a fast-paced, short read of about 229 pages, first published in 2014.
- Does The Obstacle is the Way have content warnings?
- We have not noted any content warnings for this book yet.
- Can I borrow The Obstacle is the Way for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Obstacle is the Way; the borrow button above searches it for you.
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|---|---|---|
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