The gift hidden inside your worst moment


A few weeks ago, I couldn't walk more than a few steps.

I'd fall to the floor, curl up in fetal position, feeling like I was still falling.

For 21 days, I was bedridden with extreme vertigo in both ears, unable to work, unable to concentrate for more than a few seconds, unable to do the simplest things I'd always taken for granted.

It was one of the most challenging periods of my life.

But something unexpected happened as I began to recover.

This obstacle that completely derailed my life started to feel like a gift.

Those 21 days of forced stillness made me rethink everything.

My priorities, my gratitude for basic abilities, my entire approach to life's challenges.

I realized I needed to adapt my life to this new reality, but more importantly, I discovered I could continue to enjoy life while living with this obstacle.

It was perfect timing when Tom Ruwitch announced Ryan Holiday's "The Obstacle Is The Way" was our August book for the Mastermind Book Club.

The book felt like it was written specifically for this moment in my life.

Holiday explores how we can transform adversity into advantage through ancient Stoic philosophy, structured around three powerful disciplines:

  • Perception (seeing obstacles as opportunities rather than barriers)
  • Action (persistently moving forward despite challenges)
  • Will (developing inner strength that external circumstances cannot break).

Holiday draws on examples from history, Marcus Aurelius facing plague, Lincoln navigating civil war, Roosevelt overcoming polio to demonstrate how successful people have consistently turned obstacles into stepping stones.

His concept of "amor fati" (love of fate) particularly resonated with me.

It's not just accepting what happens but embracing it as the path forward.

My vertigo had already taught me this lesson viscerally before I even read the words.

The book's central message is that obstacles aren't problems to be solved but opportunities to develop character and find unexpected paths to our goals.

My experience proved this truth in ways I never could have imagined.

Join our discussion as we explore how Holiday modernizes Stoic wisdom into practical strategies for our own challenges.

Whether you're facing health issues, career setbacks, or personal struggles, this conversation promises to be transformative.

Looking forward to sharing this journey with you.

When: Thursday August 28th at 11:30 AM Pacific/2:30 PM Eastern

>>> Join the Discussion

Don't worry if you don't have time to read the book.

Tom and I will read it for you and fill you in on the call.

Ted

Ted Prodromou

Join 60,000+ seasoned professionals who are done with the corporate world. Epic Encore is an almost daily newsletter with inspirational stories from leading experts. Your Epic Encore is about turning your lifetime experiences into the cornerstone of the rest of your life. It represents your audacious leap into entrepreneurship, fueled by the wisdom and tenacity you've garnered in your successful career. This isn't about playing catch-up in business and building a 7-figure business. It's about forging a unique path, using your distinct perspective, seasoned judgment, and invaluable insights that can only come from years of life experience.

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