THE OBSTACLE IS THE WAY by Ryan Holiday
THE OBSTACLE IS THE WAY: THE TIMELESS ART OF TURNING TRIALS INTO TRIUMPH
By Ryan Holiday
Pages 201
Thank you so much to Takia for getting me this book for our Philadelphia Runner Christmas Party!! Takia (https://www.instagram.com/takiamcclendon/) knows me so well and always gets me the best books. I’m either on a roll with books and get to read a bunch in a couple of months or it takes a couple of months to finish a book. I started this earlier this year, stopped reading it and then started reading it again in the beginning of April. There was one particular quote that basically describes my current running situation “the irish ship captain located all the rocks in the harbor - by using the bottom of his boat.” In my previous blog posts, I talk about how I’ve rarely been injured and seems in the past 2 years, I’ve found all the “rocks” by using the bottom of my boat. I’ve hit rock bottom with my running, I’m slowly struggling to get back into shape and I needed some good motivation. There are a decent amount of chapters in this book, but each chapter is a life lesson with a quote and a Stoicism story. What is Stoic? According to Daily Stoic, Stoic is, “It’s a philosophy designed to make us more resilient, happier, more virtuous and more wise–and as a result, better people, better parents and better professionals. It is a common thread through some of the world's greatest leaders.
PART I: PERCEPTION
Each part of the book focuses on different parts of mentality, which I loved. The first part was perception, for me, it’s so hard to put things into perspective in terms of running. I always compare myself to others, oh she is so much faster than me and I never look at just my trajectory. Part I encouraged me to find my power, find my strengths and use it to control my nerves and my emotions.
Throughout the book, there are many different Stoic stories about different leaders and businessmen about finding their power in low times finding their ways through the obstacles. Each part, the first chapter is about discipline, there is a great emphasis on discipline and how these things take patience and practice, it is not going to happen overnight and every chapter has a quote to start you off.
The second part is action one of my favorite chapters was “Use Obstacles Against Themselves.” When I read this chapter I thought about learning from my mistakes and using it to my advantage. “So instead of fighting obstacles, find a means of making them defeat themselves” that part just made something click in my head, doesn’t mean my negative thoughts while racing will go away, yes I can learn from them but I can concur them and use them to my power, to motivate myself.
The last part is Will “What is will? Will is our internal power, which can never be affected by the outside world.” I never really thought of Will as something can never be affected by the outside world. I always think of the quote, “where there is a will, there is a way.” Will is the way, but it is your ability to accept whatever happens to learn with it. This last part summarizes everything together even though it was a little all over the place. Now that I’ve been meditating for almost 3 weeks now, meditate on your morality chapter made me think about how during meditating you can think about who you are as a person. I tend to get REALLY impatient, I get more annoyed with people. Mediation helps me calm down, be more patient, and think about how being impatient impacts my morale.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book. I would give it about a 7/10, I definitely will go back and reference chapters before workouts, or races or when I’m having a hard time mentality. It’s a great motivational book, I learned about Stoicism and about different leaders and the rough upbringings they went through.
By Ryan Holiday
Pages 201
Thank you so much to Takia for getting me this book for our Philadelphia Runner Christmas Party!! Takia (https://www.instagram.com/takiamcclendon/) knows me so well and always gets me the best books. I’m either on a roll with books and get to read a bunch in a couple of months or it takes a couple of months to finish a book. I started this earlier this year, stopped reading it and then started reading it again in the beginning of April. There was one particular quote that basically describes my current running situation “the irish ship captain located all the rocks in the harbor - by using the bottom of his boat.” In my previous blog posts, I talk about how I’ve rarely been injured and seems in the past 2 years, I’ve found all the “rocks” by using the bottom of my boat. I’ve hit rock bottom with my running, I’m slowly struggling to get back into shape and I needed some good motivation. There are a decent amount of chapters in this book, but each chapter is a life lesson with a quote and a Stoicism story. What is Stoic? According to Daily Stoic, Stoic is, “It’s a philosophy designed to make us more resilient, happier, more virtuous and more wise–and as a result, better people, better parents and better professionals. It is a common thread through some of the world's greatest leaders.
PART I: PERCEPTION
- The Discipline of Perception
- Recognize Your Power
- Steady Your Nerves
- Control Your Emotions
- Practice Objectivity
- Alter Your Perspective
- Is It Up To You?
- Live in the Present Moment
- Think Differently
- Finding the Opportunity
- Prepare to Act
- The Discipline of Action
- Get Moving
- Practice Persistence
- Iterate
- Follow the Process
- Do Your Job, Do it Right
- What’s right is What Works
- In Praise of the Flank Attack
- Use Obstacles Against Themselves
- Channel your Energy
- Seize the Offensive
- Prepare for None of It To Work
- The Discipline of the Will
- Build your Inner Citadel
- Anticipation (Thinking Negatively)
- The Art of Acquiescence
- Love Everything that Happens: Amor Fati
- Perseverance
- Something Bigger Than Yourself
- Meditate on your Morality
- Prepare to Start Again
Each part of the book focuses on different parts of mentality, which I loved. The first part was perception, for me, it’s so hard to put things into perspective in terms of running. I always compare myself to others, oh she is so much faster than me and I never look at just my trajectory. Part I encouraged me to find my power, find my strengths and use it to control my nerves and my emotions.
Throughout the book, there are many different Stoic stories about different leaders and businessmen about finding their power in low times finding their ways through the obstacles. Each part, the first chapter is about discipline, there is a great emphasis on discipline and how these things take patience and practice, it is not going to happen overnight and every chapter has a quote to start you off.
The second part is action one of my favorite chapters was “Use Obstacles Against Themselves.” When I read this chapter I thought about learning from my mistakes and using it to my advantage. “So instead of fighting obstacles, find a means of making them defeat themselves” that part just made something click in my head, doesn’t mean my negative thoughts while racing will go away, yes I can learn from them but I can concur them and use them to my power, to motivate myself.
The last part is Will “What is will? Will is our internal power, which can never be affected by the outside world.” I never really thought of Will as something can never be affected by the outside world. I always think of the quote, “where there is a will, there is a way.” Will is the way, but it is your ability to accept whatever happens to learn with it. This last part summarizes everything together even though it was a little all over the place. Now that I’ve been meditating for almost 3 weeks now, meditate on your morality chapter made me think about how during meditating you can think about who you are as a person. I tend to get REALLY impatient, I get more annoyed with people. Mediation helps me calm down, be more patient, and think about how being impatient impacts my morale.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book. I would give it about a 7/10, I definitely will go back and reference chapters before workouts, or races or when I’m having a hard time mentality. It’s a great motivational book, I learned about Stoicism and about different leaders and the rough upbringings they went through.
Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
By David Goggins
362 pages
Full disclosure: I got this book on Audible just because it had two hours of bonus content in which David Goggins talked about more stories and adventures. Also because I like listening to things rather than reading but ended up buying the book. I heard about David Goggins because of his veganism and his ultra marathons. When I saw this book I knew I had to read it! David Goggins begins the book off with his childhood full of racism, poverty and physical abuse he basically came from nothing and learned to make the most of his life. He was overweight and could barely run a mile. He is the only person that has competed training as a Navy Seal (had to do hell week 3 times), Army Ranger and Air Force Tactical Air Controller. Through all his military endeavors, Goggins had to deal with a lot of hard stuff mentally and physically. Throughout the book he gives challenges to engage you and how to unlock your own mental potential (see the list below)
Challenge #1: What was your bad hand?
Challenge #2: Accountability Mirror
Challenge #3: Get out of your comfort zone
Challenge #4: Beat your opponents with excellence
Challenge #5: Visualize
Challenge #6: Take Inventory of your Cookie Jar.
Challenge #7: Remove the Governor from your mind!
Challenge #8: Schedule It In.
Challenge #9: You always have to find more.
Challenge #10: Learn from your failures.
Throughout the book, I started a journal and wrote down all the challenges (I won’t bore you with the details) and all my thoughts that accompanied them. I challenge you to write whatever comes to mind with the list above. Some people say David is too vulgar (lots of f- bombs) and too intense but I think anyone can learn from him and this book. He talks about how we people have become soft and give up too easily, and I agree. I relate it to my marathons in which I haven’t achieve my goals. I automatically think of them as failures, but I learned to learn from them, and grow from them. When people get choked up and race anxiety your body thinks its life or death, running a race isn’t life or death and you can program yourself to give it more. When David calls it, the 40% rule, that we only tap into 40% of our capabilities. At your highest level of mental fatigue or physical pain you have 60% more to give! Isn’t that crazy?! David Goggins take this above and behind when he was so mentally strong that he literally messed up his body and end up in the hospital with rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which your muscles start to break down and had two heart surgeries. Overall, I would highly recommend this book. I will definitely continue to do the challenges throughout my training and I learned so much from this book!
By David Goggins
362 pages
Full disclosure: I got this book on Audible just because it had two hours of bonus content in which David Goggins talked about more stories and adventures. Also because I like listening to things rather than reading but ended up buying the book. I heard about David Goggins because of his veganism and his ultra marathons. When I saw this book I knew I had to read it! David Goggins begins the book off with his childhood full of racism, poverty and physical abuse he basically came from nothing and learned to make the most of his life. He was overweight and could barely run a mile. He is the only person that has competed training as a Navy Seal (had to do hell week 3 times), Army Ranger and Air Force Tactical Air Controller. Through all his military endeavors, Goggins had to deal with a lot of hard stuff mentally and physically. Throughout the book he gives challenges to engage you and how to unlock your own mental potential (see the list below)
Challenge #1: What was your bad hand?
Challenge #2: Accountability Mirror
Challenge #3: Get out of your comfort zone
Challenge #4: Beat your opponents with excellence
Challenge #5: Visualize
Challenge #6: Take Inventory of your Cookie Jar.
Challenge #7: Remove the Governor from your mind!
Challenge #8: Schedule It In.
Challenge #9: You always have to find more.
Challenge #10: Learn from your failures.
Throughout the book, I started a journal and wrote down all the challenges (I won’t bore you with the details) and all my thoughts that accompanied them. I challenge you to write whatever comes to mind with the list above. Some people say David is too vulgar (lots of f- bombs) and too intense but I think anyone can learn from him and this book. He talks about how we people have become soft and give up too easily, and I agree. I relate it to my marathons in which I haven’t achieve my goals. I automatically think of them as failures, but I learned to learn from them, and grow from them. When people get choked up and race anxiety your body thinks its life or death, running a race isn’t life or death and you can program yourself to give it more. When David calls it, the 40% rule, that we only tap into 40% of our capabilities. At your highest level of mental fatigue or physical pain you have 60% more to give! Isn’t that crazy?! David Goggins take this above and behind when he was so mentally strong that he literally messed up his body and end up in the hospital with rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which your muscles start to break down and had two heart surgeries. Overall, I would highly recommend this book. I will definitely continue to do the challenges throughout my training and I learned so much from this book!
Strong by Kara Goucher
Strong by Kara Goucher
Pages 205.
When I heard Kara was going to be publishing to a book- I immediately pre ordered it. I have love Kara since high school because of her persistence, grit and how she tends to be an emotional runner like me. As much as I love reading books I sometimes stop reading them because I get bored. However I loved this book because it was interactive, it talks about Kara and her experiences but it involves you and your dreams. There are activities throughout the book that encourages you to write down your doubts, fears and dreams. She talks about how she has struggled with confidence and self doubt. Kara has a sports psychologist Dr. Stephen Walker and Adrienne Langelier (BA & LPC) who gives professional science based advice throughout the book. What I loved the most about the book was the confidence journals from Emma Coburn, Molly Huddle, Robin Arzon, Sally Bergesen and Christy Turlington Burns all badass women who are either professional runners, business owners and authors. I always thought professional runners and women who are so accomplished in life had so much confidence however they struggle just as much as I do. Kara gave 8 confidence tips to help you feel stronger, more confident and comfortable with yourself.
At the end of the book there is 25 different writing prompts that I will start using in my believe training journal. “What did i think about during my run today?” “Which mantra did you use today?” I highly encourage this book! I will probably read this multiple times in my training cycle. It is a book that I could read over and over again and still learn something!
Pages 205.
When I heard Kara was going to be publishing to a book- I immediately pre ordered it. I have love Kara since high school because of her persistence, grit and how she tends to be an emotional runner like me. As much as I love reading books I sometimes stop reading them because I get bored. However I loved this book because it was interactive, it talks about Kara and her experiences but it involves you and your dreams. There are activities throughout the book that encourages you to write down your doubts, fears and dreams. She talks about how she has struggled with confidence and self doubt. Kara has a sports psychologist Dr. Stephen Walker and Adrienne Langelier (BA & LPC) who gives professional science based advice throughout the book. What I loved the most about the book was the confidence journals from Emma Coburn, Molly Huddle, Robin Arzon, Sally Bergesen and Christy Turlington Burns all badass women who are either professional runners, business owners and authors. I always thought professional runners and women who are so accomplished in life had so much confidence however they struggle just as much as I do. Kara gave 8 confidence tips to help you feel stronger, more confident and comfortable with yourself.
- Positive self talk: changing negative talk into positive. Oh i dropped a slower mile, that’s okay I have plenty of time to make up for it. “Positive in, positive out.”
- Mantras: Kara calls them “instruments for thinking.” I love mantras. I think of something i would get if I would ever get a tattoo. Short and sweet and to the point. She believed she could so she did has been my mantra for a while, but lately, I have been feeling “I can and I will.”
- Setting Goals: I have been a huge advocate for setting goals. I’ve set big goals that I don’t wanna share with anyone else but I lack small goals to get there. Sometimes it’s scary to put them out there. Kara talks about wanting to win Boston Marathon in 2009. She never regrets sharing her goal even though she got 3rd. Some people can share but you don’t have to. Just at least write it down and small goals along the way.
- Enclothed cognition: this is a new term I haven’t heard before. I know from working at a running store that the right clothes can impact your run. Kara talks about how the clothes you wear can affect your mental and physical performance. Look good, feel good!
- Power pose: when I think of power pose of Greys Anatomy (any fans out there?) when they are about to scrub in, they stand like superheroes, hands on hips, head up. Before I start a race I tend to shake out my legs and arms and try to calm myself down to stand still and talk deep breaths before waiting for the gun to go off.
- Visualization techniques: I always try and picture myself during the hard miles. When it’s hurting and I am struggling. Picture myself crossing that finish line in my goal time. “Picture the day” as Kara says.
- Power words: I love this exercise: set the timer to five minutes and write every word that inspires you. I tried to think of a bunch of words that has inspired me. People, things, goals and mantras that have inspired me throughout my years but the goal was to pick only 5. Resilient, phenomenal, determined, endure, and scratch.
- Social connections: I don’t think I would be the runner I would be without all my running friends. They are the people that keep me going. I am so inspired by all my oiselle teammates, city fit girls, every person that walks in Philly Runner and every person I follow on social media. Kara says, “the support I give comes back to me.” I love this quote. It’s so powerful if you support people, they will support you back by encouraging, inspiring and motivating you.
At the end of the book there is 25 different writing prompts that I will start using in my believe training journal. “What did i think about during my run today?” “Which mantra did you use today?” I highly encourage this book! I will probably read this multiple times in my training cycle. It is a book that I could read over and over again and still learn something!
The Brave Athlete: Calm the F*ck Down
By Simon Marshall, PhD & Lesley Paterson
Pages 327.
I started reading this book before marathon but reading it got away from me. I’m kinda mad I didn’t read it before because the relax, fu*k it lingo made easy for me to read when it comes to a sad and depressing topic in my racing career. This very dense book gives a lot of different situations for any athlete. As a science nerd, when books talk about the science and anatomy of the brain I’m intrigued. For example, this book talked about the brain and how your brain has three different parts: Chimp brain, Professor brain and Computer brain.
My definitions-
chimp brain: the irrational crazy chimp in your brain that is doing all the running and is overly emotional.
professor brain: it’s smart and does the thinking.
computer brain: it’s the thing that controls the joint and is very automatic.
As said before, the book gives many situations for different athletes, like “I wish I was more of an athlete.” “I feel fat.” “I don’t handle pressure well.” and many others. I have felt all of things at one point or another, however I wanted to focus on the building my mental confidence and resisting the urge to quit. This interactive book has many different quizzes, exercises and pictures to keep you engaged. One test that stood out to me was The Pressure Test. Are you really under pressure or you have convinced yourself you are under pressure? Take the test in the picture below and let me know!!
Overall I highly recommend this book, for any kind of mental, physical or emotional challenge you are feeling or experiencing. This book gives you the tools and exercises to help you achieve your best!
Pages 327.
I started reading this book before marathon but reading it got away from me. I’m kinda mad I didn’t read it before because the relax, fu*k it lingo made easy for me to read when it comes to a sad and depressing topic in my racing career. This very dense book gives a lot of different situations for any athlete. As a science nerd, when books talk about the science and anatomy of the brain I’m intrigued. For example, this book talked about the brain and how your brain has three different parts: Chimp brain, Professor brain and Computer brain.
My definitions-
chimp brain: the irrational crazy chimp in your brain that is doing all the running and is overly emotional.
professor brain: it’s smart and does the thinking.
computer brain: it’s the thing that controls the joint and is very automatic.
As said before, the book gives many situations for different athletes, like “I wish I was more of an athlete.” “I feel fat.” “I don’t handle pressure well.” and many others. I have felt all of things at one point or another, however I wanted to focus on the building my mental confidence and resisting the urge to quit. This interactive book has many different quizzes, exercises and pictures to keep you engaged. One test that stood out to me was The Pressure Test. Are you really under pressure or you have convinced yourself you are under pressure? Take the test in the picture below and let me know!!
Overall I highly recommend this book, for any kind of mental, physical or emotional challenge you are feeling or experiencing. This book gives you the tools and exercises to help you achieve your best!
GRIT: the power of passion and perseverance.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
By Angela Duckworth
Pages 291.
After I saw my friend Christina post this book I wanted to see what this “grit” was all about. I started this before marathon training hoping I would be able to get more grit. I thought I would gain some knowledge on grit and how to get it but it came up short. It talked about the science aspect of grit and many different studies that have been done on passion and perseverance. It was amazing all the different stories in which people had grow up with nothing and achieve everything. In the book you can calculate your grit and would you know it I’m in the 30% percentile because of my score - 3.3.(Not surprising to find this out post marathon.) One chapter towards the end titled, “Hope” in which started off with fall 7 rise 8, one of my favorite mantras.This chapter was the most applicable to me, in which the author, Angela Duckworth, PhD talks about a class in undergrad I’m she was probably going to fail after receiving a failing grade on the first test and midterm. She was doomed to fail but changed her mindset from I’m going to fail to, no I’m going to do everything in my power to pass this class. Though most people probably wouldn’t be able to do this, I liked this example of how a negative or positive mindset can change everything. Towards the end I started to lose interest in the book when it talked about parenting and how you can help your children become, “gritty” and started to think of The Flyers Mascot, Gritty. It wasn’t running orientated which made it hard for me to apply it to my running struggles but it was good to apply to my whole life (professionally and athletically).
By Angela Duckworth
Pages 291.
After I saw my friend Christina post this book I wanted to see what this “grit” was all about. I started this before marathon training hoping I would be able to get more grit. I thought I would gain some knowledge on grit and how to get it but it came up short. It talked about the science aspect of grit and many different studies that have been done on passion and perseverance. It was amazing all the different stories in which people had grow up with nothing and achieve everything. In the book you can calculate your grit and would you know it I’m in the 30% percentile because of my score - 3.3.(Not surprising to find this out post marathon.) One chapter towards the end titled, “Hope” in which started off with fall 7 rise 8, one of my favorite mantras.This chapter was the most applicable to me, in which the author, Angela Duckworth, PhD talks about a class in undergrad I’m she was probably going to fail after receiving a failing grade on the first test and midterm. She was doomed to fail but changed her mindset from I’m going to fail to, no I’m going to do everything in my power to pass this class. Though most people probably wouldn’t be able to do this, I liked this example of how a negative or positive mindset can change everything. Towards the end I started to lose interest in the book when it talked about parenting and how you can help your children become, “gritty” and started to think of The Flyers Mascot, Gritty. It wasn’t running orientated which made it hard for me to apply it to my running struggles but it was good to apply to my whole life (professionally and athletically).
What Made Maddy Run
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What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen
By Kate Fagan 305 pages. I first heard of Maddy Holleran’s death through some mutual friends on the UPenn Track Team. I remember seeing articles in the news about a suicide of a UPenn Track student. Once Kate Fagan’s book came out, I was intrigued. Throughout my first two years of college in Keene State College in New Hampshire, I felt everything that a normal college student felt during transition heightened by anxiety and depression. What I was feeling, I knew Maddy had felt, but she acted on it. Kate Fagan did a beautiful job of capturing Maddy’s life by reaching out to her family and friends. In the book, Kate brings into focus of social media in a college student’s life, where Maddy only posted the highlights of her life. Maddy was hidden by social media highlights while struggling on the inside. Maddy had been the beautiful, smart, athletic student who dreamed of going to University of Pennsylvania. Throughout the book, Maddy struggles with going to another school, doing what she loves more, soccer or going to UPenn, an Ivy League school to run cross country and track. Kate follows Maddy throughout her year at UPenn, her parents growing concern over her mental health and her desire to transfer. Maddy puts up a front in which she loves UPenn, and acts like everything is fine however she is struggling on a daily basis to make it to the end of semester and ultimately to her suicide. After reading this book, I was sad, I thought a lot about how people put fronts up on Instagram and how for the longest time in my first two years of college, I acted like everything was okay when it wasn’t. I thought about the pressure society puts on us, women especially to act like everything is perfect. This book does an amazing job of shedding a light on mental illness awareness in young adults and talking about how just because someone posts just the highlights, doesn’t mean they don’t go through rough patches. |
