Front: “What stands in the way becomes the way” · Marcus Aurelius, AD 121 to 180
Back: “It is in the struggle that we discover our true potential, for what stays in the way shapes who we become.”
At a glance
- Theme: problems as raw material
- Good for: a setback at work, a failed launch, a hard training season, a problem you can't go around
- Gift for: a manager or founder, readers of Meditations, an athlete coming back from a loss
- Finish: Antique Bronze (brass alloy) with an antique patina, so each one is unique; key ring included
- Size: 39 mm, about 1 oz, die struck in the USA
The meaning
The front quotes Meditations 5.20, a note Marcus Aurelius wrote to himself: what stands in the way becomes the way. It is the source of the popular phrase the obstacle is the way. When something blocks your plan, it shows you what to work on next. The back puts it in one sentence: it is in the struggle that we discover our true potential.
On good days and hard days
- On good days, it reminds you that the problems you solved are what made you stronger.
- On hard days, when a problem blocks your way, it turns it into the next step: what stands in the way becomes the way.
Why a key tag
Problems rarely wait until you sit down at your desk. With this tag on your keys, the reminder to use them rather than resent them goes everywhere with you. It carries the same artwork as The Obstacle Path Coin: Marcus Aurelius in a Roman toga with the quote around the rim on the front, and the second quote framed by fine ornaments and small stars on the back.
Give it
It is a smart gift for a manager, a founder or anyone heading into a hard stretch, and for readers of Meditations. Pair it with the Marcus Aurelius Key Tag or Coin for a Stoic set.
Specs
- Diameter: 1.54 in (39 mm)
- Thickness: 2.7 mm
- Weight: about 1 oz (28 g)
- Material: brass alloy, Antique Bronze finish
- Made: die struck, minted in the USA
- Each key tag is antiqued with a special patina so it looks like it has already been in circulation. The patina never settles the same way twice, so no two key tags look exactly alike. Small variations in color and shading are normal, and they are what make yours one of a kind.
- Key ring included
Questions
Did Marcus Aurelius say “the obstacle is the way”?
Close to it. In Meditations 5.20 he wrote that what stands in the way becomes the way. The shorter phrase is a modern summary of that line.
What is a good gift for a fan of the obstacle is the way?
A key tag with the original Marcus Aurelius line they can carry every day. This is the one.
Is it the same design as The Obstacle Path Coin?
Yes, the artwork is the same on both sides. The key tag simply adds a loop so it can hang from your keys.
Will my key tag look exactly like the photos?
Very close, but never identical. Each key tag is antiqued with a special patina that settles differently every time, so small variations in color and shading from the photos are normal. They are what make yours one of a kind.
Want it in your pocket instead? See The Obstacle Path Coin.
Care: keep it dry and wipe it with a soft cloth. No polishing needed; the aged finish is part of the look.
Original design by EDC Reminder Coins, protected by copyright. We don't take custom orders.