How Strongly I Recommend It: 9/10
How Likely I Will Gift It: 8/10
The Review & Summary
It’s a book that has gained a permanent place on my table. I’ll be coming back to this book regularly to remind myself of the principles of stoicism when I feel down or stressed.
It’s a good book because it’s short, actionable, and focused on dealing with problems that are in front of you.
The book’s structure builds from a foundational understanding of Stoic principles to application. While reading, you don’t feel lost or missing any information. Chapters build on top of each other.
Also, chapters are readable alone. That’s the main reason I place it on my permanent bookshelf.
I also like the writing style: direct without fluff. The style is probably not for everyone, but it speaks to me.
I tried to write a short summary of the book and of what Ryan Holiday explains. Yet, the book itself is already short. So, there is no point in sharing a detailed summary.
I will be giving this book as a gift to many people.
Reading Notes (Chapter Notes)
- Our brains are wired to interpret the environment and act as fast as possible. This evolution was needed to survive and compensate for our weak bodies. The brain and its shortcuts have saved humans from extinction. Now, they cause detriment. We have enough power to eliminate most threats and don’t need quick reactions to survive most of the time. This behavior remains part of us and complicates decision-making and judgment.
- Gaining perspective is an exercise. It’s the work you must put in. Spending that mental energy and capacity will bring you clarity. The more perception you try to gain, the more you see things as they are instead of how you feel about them. You gain control over the events and situations. The more you exercise, the easier it will get.
- The inner critic plays a big role in how we perceive the obstacles we face. Focusing on how we played a role in the existence of the obstacle makes the obstacle bigger than it seems. Now we have to learn to deal with our impact on the obstacle, rather than focusing solely on overcoming it.
- There are things within our control (our emotions, our determination, our attitude, perspective, decisions, desires, creativity), and most of the rest is beyond our control or influence. What we can do is accept what we can’t influence as what it is and focus exclusively on what’s within our power.
- In leadership (and in life), we add more meaning to the moments we have — shifting our focus from what things are to why they happen. We complicate the circumstances unnecessarily. Focusing on understanding situations as they are eliminates all the fluff, additional meanings and harmful perceptions that bring no benefit.
“Remember that this moment is not your life, it’s just a moment in your life.”
- We focus on why things happen and give them meaning, rather than accepting them as they are. It’s easier to deal with what they are than to widen our scope to extra meanings. Choose the simpler approach, although it is difficult. Live in the present and focus on what’s in front of you. Discard additional meanings or reasons that the thing happened.
- (Adversarial growth) Instead of accepting the obstacle as a fact, we need to change our perspective, focus on what we can control, think differently and see it as an opportunity to grow and beat. The struggle against an obstacle is what makes the person stronger. The moment we can see through and understand how we can flip the script is what we seek.
- Prepare for none of it to work. “The world could use fewer martyrs.” Sometimes you do the best you can and put in all the work. You roll the dice, and the result is not what you expect. You gotta accept defeat and move on to the next. You gotta accept the verdict and move on.
- The true will is not loud. It’s the silent one that pushes forward in the path. The path is never straightforward. The truth bends and silently stands up all the problems on the path. It doesn’t shout at the obstacle because it knows it won’t change anything. Instead, it silently seeks to understand what it is and never gives up until it cracks its heart.
- You need to prepare your inner strength for an upcoming challenge. A hardship will come. Nobody knows how or when. But it will. You must be physically and mentally ready to defeat it. That readiness is only built in times of peace and in times of hardship. Work on your inner castle, always.
- Constraints are always good. Without them, there is no creativity; without them, there is no growth; without them, there is no guidance on the journey.
- On the way to success (however you define it), there are always tragedies, setbacks, and problems. You can’t walk between flowers to achieve great things (again, however you define it). Accept and learn how to find joy in all of these. Once you do, they won’t look as difficult as they seemed at first.
