What Obstacles Give Us

​ ​ ​ ​ Ryan's manuscript, The Obstacle is the Way 10th anniversary edition The French-German philosopher and Nobel Prize winner Albert Schweitzer once said, "Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly if they even roll a few more upon it." It's unfortunate but true. In fact, as we talked about recently, dealing with difficult people was what Marcus Aurelius was referring to in his quote that inspired The Obstacle Is the Way (the 10th anniversary edition is out now—grab our last signed, numbered first-editions here): The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way. And though obstacles hide hidden upside to us, obstacles can take their toll over time and break us down. That's why the Stoics viewed obstacles not just as pathways to victory, but also an opportunity for each of us to practice virtue. Because sure, we all want to win at life, but the Stoics understood that the ultimate victory isn't achieved over the world or others—it's gained by overcoming yourself, by choosing virtue when you have every reason not to, by doing, as Marcus Aurelius wrote, only what your nature demands of you. When the publisher asked if we could release a 10th anniversary edition of The Obstacle Is the Way, I knew I wanted to emphasize this piece of wisdom (hey, Ryan here) I'd learned in the intervening years reading, writing, and talking about this philosophy. There's also stories and lessons that I have learned, both from studying this philosophy and talking with guests on the Daily Stoic Podcast, that I thought contributed to this idea as well as those already in the original edition. It isn't an entirely new book, but it's also not a reprinting of what I wrote a decade ago. Rather, it's an evolution, a fresh line of dialogue in the great conversation of Stoicism that stretches back thousands of years. ​For this 10th anniversary edition, I also knew I wanted to do something special for both newcomers to this philosophy and longtime followers alike as a token of my appreciation—signed, numbered first-editions exclusively available at the Daily Stoic Store. These are close to selling out, so make sure to grab one while you still can (once these are gone, that's it!). We also have a bonus bundle where you can get a signed page from my copy of the manuscript. ​Head here to learn more and grab your first-edition copy today!​ Ryan holding The Obstacle Is the Way 10th anniversary signed, numbered first edition   ​Unsubscribe | I only want to receive Saturday Stoic emails | Update your profile​ ​906 Main Street #274, Bastrop, Texas 78602 | info@dailystoic.com is not a monitored email