“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
What this quote means
This Stoic quote transforms our relationship with obstacles. What seems to block us can actually become a springboard for our growth. Difficulties force us to be creative, to develop new skills, and to strengthen our determination. By shifting perspective, the obstacle is no longer an enemy but a guide showing us the way. It is a powerful philosophy for facing challenges with courage and optimism.
How to apply it daily
Facing a current obstacle, ask yourself: 'How can this difficulty help me grow?' Identify one action you can take because of this obstacle.
Reading guide
Which book should you read to discover Marcus Aurelius?
Our starting point
Discovering Stoicism through short reflections
Meditations
The most direct way to encounter the themes behind the quotes: attention, duty, and control over what depends on us.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Reading time
- 4–6 hours, best read slowly
- Formats to compare
- Print · Ebook · Audio
Merchant links help compare editions. Recommendations are editorially independent.
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More quotes by Marcus Aurelius
“Our life is what our thoughts make it. Do the best that you can, where you are, with what you have.”Create visual
“I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinions of himself than on the opinions of others.”Create visual
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”Create visual
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