What Stands In The Way Becomes The Way

In the Fall of 2019 I was met with some professional challenges as a teacher and was unsure of how to move forward. My wife, after watching a video on YouTube, suggested I look into the author Ryan Holiday. Little did I know how much this simple video would change the way I thought.

After discovering Holiday I was led to a great book of his in the Spring of 2020, “The Obstacle is the Way.” I can’t recommend this book enough to anyone who is learning or pursuing excellence. You can buy a copy straight from Holiday here: https://bit.ly/ppobstacle.

The quote in the image attached to the post is the main takeaway, but I’ll repeat it here:

“Our actions may be impeded . . . but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions. Because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

What a powerful outlook on the challenges that face us. As I look back and reflect on this quote, I think about the time when I finished it, April 26, 2020. We were in the depths of the panic about the pandemic. Every amazing thing I had accomplished at that time had come crashing down and grinding to a halt. At the time, as a high school band director, I had made a huge turnaround in my program from a year earlier, but all of that success came from being in-person, with others, pursuing excellence through performance. But this was no longer the reality, and for me would not be my reality for almost another year. And then along comes this book and the above quote - “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” This changed my definition of success and has been a mindset for me as I have moved forward.

The entire book is a necessary and quick read for anyone pursuing excellence, whether in academics, art, business, sports - it is applicable to everyone. It deals with our perception of challenges, our drive towards action, and our will to continue. All of these matter to everyone. Let the challenge be the direction you take. Embrace the challenge. Look towards that challenge and let that be your guiding star.

Ready to embrace your challenges and navigate your way? Reach out here and let's start your journey today!

Tom Chapman, TruePath Discovery Coaching