Original artwork, not a still
The mind converts and changes every hindrance to its activity into an aid; and so that which is a hindrance is made a furtherance to an act, and that which is an obstacle on the road helps us on this road.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
This is the Stoic argument behind 'the obstacle is the way'. People can block what you do, but not how you respond, and the response can turn the block into a step forward. It was written by a man ruling an empire, which is why it is quoted far beyond philosophy, in coaching and business books. The smooth wording on quote sites is an English translation, not Marcus's Greek.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for MeditationsShow the scene
This is Meditations, Book 5, section 20, in an English translation on Wikisource. Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD, wrote the twelve books as private notes to himself on Stoic philosophy, and probably never meant them to be published. In this passage he says that other people can get in the way of his actions but never of his inner disposition, which can adapt. The mind turns each obstacle into a means to an end.
Sources (2)
- Wikisource: The Thoughts of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Book VSection 20Reference checked
- Wikipedia: MeditationsIntroduction and CompositionReference checked
Context reviewed
