The regular person in us is frustrated by all this. But the Stoic in us knows that this is leading us, teaching us, shaping us. Seneca said that misfortune toughens us up, forges us the way that fire tests gold. Epictetus said that life pairs us with these sparring partners for a reason—to turn us into Olympic-class material. And the Book of Romans says that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”
The hope is really our sense of our capacity. It’s the confidence that comes from being tested and passing that test. It’s knowing that we really can wrestle with the toughest stuff that life can throw at us. Pandemics, the whiplash of the market, extreme weather events, political unrest, personal disasters, tragedy, heartbreak. We’ve been through it. We’re still here. We’ve suffered and that suffering has produced character, character that gives us hope, gives us faith, gives us strength.
The obstacles have been the way. They have produced something good. Something we can count on. Something we can believe in…our own capacity.
P.S. “The impediment to action advances action,” Marcus Aurelius writes. “What stands in the way becomes the way.” In a world that is constantly testing us, we need to carry that timeless, life-changing lesson with us more than ever. That’s why we created the Obstacle is the Way medallion with Marcus’s words on the back so you can always remember that no matter the challenges life throws our way, we can always grow stronger and better. Grab one today or snag the leather-bound edition of The Obstacle is The Way and receive the Obstacle medallion for free!
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We all need a little motivation from time to time. A swift kick when we’re feeling a bit uninspired. The struggle to find motivation isn’t new. Woven throughout the most famous Stoic texts are wisely chosen words designed to motivate one’s self. They knew then, as we know now, that the right words, at the right time, can inspire action. So today, as you’re looking for a little extra motivation to get after the task at hand, listen to these clips inspired by the time tested wisdom of the ancient Stoics.
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