Book Review: My Notes on The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

The Obstacle is the Way: 

If you have ever been stuck or frustrated, this book might help. Using stories and examples from a wide range of people in history (from Ulysses S. Grant to Steve Jobs to Laura Wilder and more), the author helps us see how to use our obstacles as a stepping stone to success.

Most helpfully, the book provides examples, inspiration and approaches to help us understand and apply that premise. And this book can point you in a realistic way towards using those obstacles as a part of your ultimate success.

I found the book to be enlightening, thought provoking, easy to read, and lots of fun

My Reading Notes 

What stands in the way becomes the way: Turning obstacles upside down

Introduction

Too quickly blame external things and are stuck in fear-Great ones turn weakness into strength

Use problem as fuel-Simple but not easy

This is not so bad -> I can make this good

Three components: Perception, action, will

1.How we look at our problems, attitude

2.Energy and creativity to break them down and make opportunities

3.Inner will to handle defeat

Part 1: PERCEPTION

Absence of irrational or extreme emotions-I am in control not my emotions

No panic -What am I choosing to not see right now?

Domestication of emotions, not feeling them

Defeat emotions with questions and logic

Get to root causes - Observing and judging

Practice objectivity - I am not going to die from this

Contemptuous expressions: when someone intimidates u see them in ur mind in awkward position or private moment just like rest of us

Pretend situation happening to someone else; easier to write off

Alter your perspective -Ur angle changes everything-Break fear apart

You are someone with something special to offer; Not about being picked-Is it up to you?

Live in the present moment --Deal with things as they happen

Push others when believe in something

Finding the opportunity- See the opportunity inside the obstacle

Good in everything as long as look for it

Cleaner head makes for steadier hands-See world as it really is

Part 2:ACTION

Start anywhere or anyhow no matter how offensive or imperfect the conditions-Then really put full force into your efforts

Practice persistence 

Work twice as hard

MVP-Failure as a feature-Must learn from it

Follow the process-Focus on what need to do for next drill and task only-Break it down into pieces-All about finishing

Don't be paralyzed by big dreams and unknown full path - - Demosthenes used his disadvantages to train himself

What's right is what works-Focus on results instead of pretty methods

Never attack where it is obvious --Don't challenge enemy where strongest--Find workarounds

Channel your energy --Rename it and claim it - Physically loose and mentally tight

Press forward when others see Disaster-Never let a serious crisis go to waste

Nothing can ever prevent us from trying --Problems are a chance for us to do our best

Part 3: WILL

Internal power unaffected by world- Practice cheerfulness in dark times

Will is completely in us-Fortitude and wisdom

Don't take weaknesses for granted --Can rebuild yourself with exercise

Prepare for hard road BECOME MENTAL ATHLETE

Build inner citadel inside that no external adversity can break down

Anticipation (thinking negatively)

Pre mortem-Think of all ways launch can go wrong --Will suck but will be ok

Accept ur reality and adjust to it and find how to develop own strength

Consider how much worse things could be

Sticking your ass to the seat and not leaving until it's over

Persistence about action, energy

Perseverance about will, endurance

If I can't solve this for myself how can I at least make this better for others

Strategies:

 NEVER FORGET, WITHIN EVERY OBSTACLE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE OUR CONDITION

Alter your prospectice: Control the irrational emotions and edit it your own way

Flip the obstacle. The event we see negative, all contains a positive and exposed benifits that we can recognize and act  (Think about ostacles I had in my project hypervisor and Caller Dashboard)

Keep moving: We must all either wear out or rust out, every one of us. My choice is to wear out."

Defeat of failure is nothing but education. nothing but the first step to somthing better

When Chaos in life - take a breath- do the immediate, composite part in front of you and follow its thread into the next action. Do the little things right now

I do not care if the cat is balck or white, so long as it catched ice

Think progress and not perfection

Sometime the longest way around is the shortest way home

A problem present an opportunity for a solution that we have been waiting for long

Focus on something biggar than yourself

A man job is to make the world a better place to live so far as I am able to

If I can not solve it for myself, how can I least make this better for other people