Audiobooks Like The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph

Ryan Holiday narrates his own book in the same register he writes — clipped, Roman, unimpressed by complaint — and at five hours the listen moves quickly enough that the Stoic examples feel like a succession of useful blows rather than an extended lecture. Nine recommendations run at a similar length and several carry solid ratings, drawing together practical philosophy and business thinking for the listener who wants ideas that can survive a commute.

10 audiobooks for fans of The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph

  1. 1
    The Art Of Living cover

    The Art Of Living

    by Thich Nhat Hanh

    Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, Gabra Zackman

    4.74 ABR Score (18.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.44 Goodreads (11.3K) ★ 4.82 Audible (6.8K)
    5h 1m listening time • Released 2017

    Thich Nhat Hanh's meditations hit differently when spoken aloud—Ballerini and Zackman's dual narration creates an intimate dialogue that mirrors the practice itself, making each reflection feel like a conversation with a wise teacher rather than a lecture.

  2. 2
    The Knowledge of the Holy cover

    The Knowledge of the Holy

    by A.W. Tozer

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.63 ABR Score (30.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.41 Goodreads (29.2K) ★ 4.79 Audible (1.4K)
    5h 2m listening time • Released 2009

    Scott Brick's measured, reverent tone transforms Tozer's meditative prose into something genuinely transcendent—you'll feel the weight of each reflection rather than rush through it.

  3. 3
    Resumo cover

    Resumo

    by ResumoRápido ;)

    Narrated by Ray Porter, Kaleo Griffith, Tim Ferriss, Therese Plummer, Ryan Holiday, Kevin Rose, Jocko Willink, Tim Kreider, Mike Del Ponte

    4.08 ABR Score (4.0K ratings)
    ★ 5 Goodreads (2) ★ 4.69 Audible (4.0K)
    22h 41m listening time • Released 2020

    Multiple voices from Ferriss's actual podcast guests (Jocko, Ryan Holiday, Kevin Rose) narrate their own wisdom, making this feel like direct mentorship rather than secondhand summary.

  4. 4
    The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts cover

    The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts

    The 5 Love Languages

    by Gary Chapman

    Narrated by Gary Chapman

    4.82 ABR Score (527.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (484.4K) ★ 4.8 Audible (43.3K)
    4h 46m listening time • Released 2004
  5. 5
    A book The Gifts of Imperfection cover

    A book The Gifts of Imperfection

    by Brené Brown

    Narrated by Brené Brown

    4.77 ABR Score (235.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.24 Goodreads (224.8K) ★ 4.85 Audible (11.0K)
    4h 31m listening time • Released 2020
  6. 6
    Secrets of the Millionaire Mind cover

    Secrets of the Millionaire Mind

    by T. Harv Eker

    Narrated by Charles Constant

    4.68 ABR Score (87.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.22 Goodreads (75.9K) ★ 4.81 Audible (11.4K)
    5h 10m listening time • Released 2016

    Constant's measured, conversational delivery makes Eker's wealth psychology genuinely stick—he sounds like a mentor explaining your blind spots, not a guru selling solutions.

  7. 7
    Braving the Wilderness cover

    Braving the Wilderness

    by Brené Brown

    Narrated by Brené Brown

    4.58 ABR Score (149.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.12 Goodreads (121.3K) ★ 4.74 Audible (28.2K)
    4h 12m listening time • Released 2017
  8. 8
    The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success cover

    The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success

    by Darren Hardy

    Narrated by Darren Hardy

    4.56 ABR Score (94.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.21 Goodreads (66.9K) ★ 4.69 Audible (27.4K)
    4h 44m listening time • Released 2019
  9. 9
    Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God cover

    Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God

    by Jamie Winship

    Narrated by Adam Verner

    4.55 ABR Score (5.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.44 Goodreads (4.4K) ★ 4.83 Audible (767)
    5h 18m listening time • Released 2022
  10. 10
    The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-Create Your World Your Way cover

    The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-Create Your World Your Way

    by Wayne W. Dyer

    Narrated by Wayne W. Dyer

    4.51 ABR Score (37.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.2 Goodreads (34.1K) ★ 4.75 Audible (3.7K)
    4h 27m listening time • Released 2004

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

Read our full ranking methodology →