15 Mind-Warping Strategies from Ryan Holiday That Will Break Your Understanding of Power and Success
Ryan Holiday went from college dropout to world-renowned strategist by discovering how ancient wisdom creates modern advantages.
Here are his most radical and lesser-known insights.
1. The Strategic Vulnerability Protocol
Holiday’s most shocking discovery: Strategic vulnerability beats strategic strength.
The formula:
Strategic Power = (Perceived Weakness × Opponent Overconfidence) ÷ Ego
Historical proof:
- Sherman’s march to sea (appeared weak)
- Amazon’s early “losses” (appeared unsustainable)
- Jobs’ “failures” (appeared finished)
Modern application: Make your preparation look like weakness.
2. The Obstacle Multiplication Framework
Most counterintuitive finding: Bigger obstacles create bigger opportunities.
The method:
1. List your worst obstacles
2. Multiply each by 10
3. Design solution for 10x problem
4. Apply to original obstacle
5. Watch competitors struggle with basic version