Obstacle Is The Way Flashcards
According to the doctrine of three principles, what’s the value of the principle of perception in overcoming obstacles
The discipline of perception requires absolute objectively of thought. We must try: To be objective. To control emotions and keep an even keel. To choose to see the good in a situation. To steady our nerves. To ignore what disturbs or limits others. To place things in perspective. To revert to the present moment. To focus on what can be controlled”. In short, to see things for what they are.
According to stoic theory of continuation, our individual logos’s (intellective part of our counsciousness) one of the primary functions is to process and assess data we receive from our senses. From every impression we get, we make a mental impression, which could be accurate or an inaccurate representation of the original.
Chief among these are inappropriate value
judgments, such as good and evil. “There is no good or bad without us, there is only perception. There is the event itself and the story we tell ourselves about what it means”.
“Perspective has two definitions. Context: a sense of the larger picture of the world, not just what is immediately in front of us Framing: an individual’s unique way of looking at the world, a way that interprets its events.
Take your situation and pretend it is not happening to you. Pretend it is not important, that it doesn’t matter. How much easier would it be for you to know what to do? How much more quickly and dispassionately could you size up the scenario and its options? You could write it off, greet it calmly. We must exercise control over our perception, with the sim of protecting our mind from error.
According to the doctrine of three principles, what’s the value of the principle of action in overcoming obstacles
The second principle, that of action, relates to our relationship with our people. We must make proper use of logos we have been allotted, and perform as best as we can our functions assigned to use in the master plan, cosmic logos. The does not require passive acquiescence, but active cooperation with the world.
In relation to problem the principle of action is about getting momentum, getting into action. Things never gonna be perfect, do what you can with what you got. First, remember: Action is commonplace, right action is not. As a discipline, it’s not any kind of action that will do, but directed action. Everything must be done in the service of the whole. Step by step, action by action, we can dismantle the obstacles in front of us. With persistence and flexibility, we can act in the best interest of our goals. Action requires courage, not brashness—creative application and not brute force. Our movements and decisions define us: We must be sure to act with deliberation, boldness, and persistence. Those are the attributes of right and effective action. Nothing else—not thinking or evasion or aid from others. Action is the solution and the cure to our predicaments.
What does “Objective judgement, now at this very moment,
Unselfish action, now, at this very moment,
Willing acceptance, at this very moment,
That’s all you need!” Mean?
Conclusion of the book “Obstacle is the way”which refers to all thees rules: perception, action and will. In mastering these three disciplines we have the tools to flip any obstacle upside down.
Like Rockefeller, we can be cool under pressure, immune to insults and abuse. We learn how to see opportunity in the darkest of places. We are able to direct our actions with energy and persistence. Like Demosthenes, we can assume responsibility for ourselves—teaching ourselves, compensating for disadvantages, and pursuing our rightful calling and place in the world. And like Lincoln, we realize that life is a trial. It will not be easy, but we are prepared and can give it everything.
In short, we can:
See things for what they are.
Do what we can.
Endure and bear what we must.
What does Amor Fati mean?
Using everything that happens to you as fuel to become the person you want to be. Acceptance of everything outside of our control, so we can focus what’s inside our control.
Great individuals, like great companies, find a way to transform weakness into strength. It’s a rather amazing and even touching feat. They took what should have held them back—what in fact might be holding you back right this very second—and used it to move forward.”
How can you apply the most important principles of this book to your own life?
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According to Ryan Holiday, how do you overcome obstacles based on three principles described in Meditations and Obstacle is the way?
There is one pattern central to the philosophy of Meditations (as well as to Epictetus), and this is the doctrine of the three “disciplines”: the discipline of perception, of action and of the will. Together, the three disciplines constitute a comprehensive approach to life.
Overcoming obstacles is a discipline of three critical steps. It begins with how we look at our specific problems, our attitude or approach. The discipline of perception requires that we maintain absolute objectivity of thought;
then the second discipline, that of action, relates to our relationship with other people and nature. The discipline governs our approach to things in our control. The energy and creativity with which we actively break them down and turn them into opportunities;
Finally, the discipline of will is a counter part of the action principle. While action focuses on the circle of influence, the discipline of will governs the attitude to things not in our control, those done by others or by nature. The cultivation and maintenance of an inner will that allows us to handle defeat and difficulty.
Quotes of the book
Bad companies are destroyed by crisis. Good companies survive them. Great companies are improved by them.”—Andy Grove
“When you worry, ask yourself, ‘What am I choosing to not see right now?’ What important things are you missing because you chose worry over introspection, alertness or wisdom?”—Gavin de Becker in The Gift of Fear
Does what happened keep you from acting with justice, generosity, self-control, sanity, prudence, honesty, humility, straightforwardness?”—Marcus Aurelius
Seneca: “A good person dyes events with his own color…and turns whatever happens to his own benefit.”
Lincoln was strong and decisive as a leader. But he also embodied the Stoic maxim: sustine et abstine. Bear and forbear. Acknowledge the pain but trod onward in your task.
“It’s supposed to be hard. Your first attempts aren’t going to work. It’s going to take a lot out of you—but energy is an asset we can always find more of. It’s a renewable resource. Stop looking for an epiphany, and start looking for weak points. Stop looking for angels, and start looking for angles.”
According to the doctrine of three principles, what’s the value of the principle of will in overcoming obstacles
The third discipline, the discipline of will, is in a sense the counterpart of the second, discipline of action. The latter governs our approach to things we have in our control, those that we do; the discipline of will governs our attitude to things that our not in our control, those that we have done to us (by others or by nature). We must see things for what they are (perception) and accept them, the art of acquiescence (the reluctant acceptance of something without protest). We should have fate in the all foreseen plan of logos, and accept whatever fate has in store for us.
“Whatever is, is right”
Will is our internal power, which can never be affected by the outside world. It is our final trump card. If action is what we do when we still have some agency over our situation, the will is what we depend on when agency has all but disappeared. Placed in some situation that seems unchangeable and undeniably negative, we can turn it into a learning experience, a humbling experience, a chance to provide comfort to others. That’s will power. But that needs to be cultivated. We must prepare for adversity and turmoil, we must learn the art of acquiescence and practice cheerfulness even in dark times. Too often people think that will is how bad we want something.
In actuality, the will has a lot more to do with surrender than with strength. Try “God willing” over “the will to win” or “willing it into existence,” for even those attributes can be broken. True will is quiet humility, resilience, and flexibility; the other kind of will is weakness disguised by bluster and ambition. See which lasts longer under the hardest of obstacles.
