PART ONE
The Obstacle is the Way: How to Turn Adversity Into a WIN
Just a couple of months ago, you could open any blog post or article and find news like this:
“Covid-19 is spreading around the globe, countries are on lock-down, and provinces and territories are implementing social-distancing orders and essential workers only rules.”
Flash forward to today, and we’re slowly starting to see progress – here in Canada and in many other countries around the world. Strict lockdowns are beginning to lift ever so slightly, we’re discovering who likes us best (LOL) with the introduction of the “bubble system,” and we’re starting to track the weeks by “which reopen phase are we in now?”
But there’s no question we have miles and miles to go before we reach what will become the new normal. And for many entrepreneurs, it’s been a massive challenge keeping our heads afloat, and resisting the crushing feeling that all is somehow lost.
It’s so easy to get dragged into negativity. We are all bombarded with news feeds telling us of impending doom. A little secret – doomsday reporting sells – it gets advertising. There’s a reason for that old cliché, “If it bleeds, it leads.”
That said, no one’s playing down this pandemic and the impact it’s having globally. These are still terribly uncertain times, over which we have no control. Sometimes, that “lack of control” is what can send us into a tailspin.
And that’s why I’m obsessed by the book “The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Act of Turning Trials into Triumph,” by Ryan Holiday – and why you should be too!
In this two part article, I’m going to explore Holiday’s concept and hopefully help inspire and motivate you to see that the only way to opportunity is by overcoming the obstacles.
When Control and Predictability Goes Out the Window
Step back for a second and consider the world/personal environments we’ve become accustomed to living in over the past 20 years or so. That world has become, for the most part, more predictable and easily controlled than ever before in modern history. Think about it! Technology allows us to control everything from how we eat to when we exercise to what temperature our house is (even when we’re miles from home!).
The weather is predicted for you daily (how accurately is another story!), you can open an app and have almost anything your heart desires easily and quickly ordered and delivered to your home, and you can video chat with whoever you want, whenever you want, location be damned. We have come to see this control and predictability as a normal, day to day part of everyday life.
Until it isn’t.
But here’s the thing: you CAN control how you view an obstacle in your path (in this case, Covid-19 and economic chaos).
And you can control whether you curl up under a blanket with Netflix (hey, we’ve all done that - right?), or whether you are going to stand up, and grab this particular bull by the horns.
The Obstacle is the Way: How to Turn Diversity Into a WIN
The title of the book I mentioned above comes from a quote from a series of personal writings by Roman emperor (and Stoic philosopher) Marcus Aurelius:
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
As entrepreneurs, we’ve ALL faced major obstacles in our paths. Perhaps you boot-strapped your way into the Self-Made Nation, toggling between jumping over hurdles and major backslides. Perhaps you watched your parents grow the family business over years and years and watched them recover from unexpected crises or economic upheaval.
Either way – if you’re here – you’ve faced those hurdles, obstacles and uncertainties and STILL SUCCEEDED.
And more likely than not, you’re able to look back now on those periods of upheaval and can see where you tweaked or pivoted or changed direction in some way in order to reach that success.
That’s exactly what we mean when we say that ultimately the obstacle becomes the way forward. And the impediment to action forces action.
The Stoic Philosopher
The dictionary defines one who is “stoic” as: “a person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining.”
While in no way am I suggesting that showing feelings or complaining (to a point) is a bad thing. We’re all human. But, the key with the philosophy of stoicism is to differentiate between what you can and cannot control – and then hone in on the “control” part – which inevitably ends up being ourselves, our reactions, feelings and the stories we tell ourselves about a particular event.
As the book's author Ryan Holiday succinctly summed it up, “From Theodore Roosevelt whose work in overcoming his asthma produced this almost superhuman energy and power. From Demosthenes who was born with a speech impediment and became the voice of Athens. How John D Rockefeller profited from financial crisis after financial crisis. How Amelia Earhart and Laura Ingalls Wilder had this unique attitude that made it possible for them to endure—and enjoy—seemingly unendurable situations. How Lincoln’s battle with depression produced his compassion and wisdom. For these people, they didn’t question what happened to them or why in particular it happened to them. Because we don’t control that. We only control our reactions and our responses. That’s where they focused their energy. And that’s why they were able to turn misfortune into fortune and success.”
Stay tuned for PART TWO of The Obstacle is the Way: How to Turn Adversity into a WIN where I’m going to talk about three steps to turn chaos into control.
On another note. This exact topic is what my next Elevated Conversations with Colleen O’Connell Campbell is focused on.
The virtual event brings together smart investors, entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners in a roundtable discussion moderated by yours truly.
I’m accepting applications. Space is limited. Check out the details here.