In Ryan Holiday's "The Obstacle Is the Way," he emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between expressing emotions related to a problem and actually addressing it. He warns against the tendency to confuse feeling upset about a situation with taking actionable steps toward solving it, suggesting that these two responses are fundamentally different.

Holiday illustrates that merely emoting about problems does not lead to resolutions. Instead, he advocates for a proactive mindset that involves facing challenges head-on, akin to the difference between sleeping and waking—highlighting that awareness and action are crucial for overcoming adversity.