결국, 내가 해내야 하는 일 Obstacles Are Pathways, Not Dead-Ends

[정승남세기영어교육연구회장]

결국, 내가 해내야 하는 일

Obstacles Are Pathways, Not Dead-Ends

Lim Jeong-yeol's journey shows perseverance through hardship transforms barriers into opportunities for growth

고난을 이겨내는 인내를 보여주는 임정열의 여정은 장벽을 성장의 기회로 바꿉니다

[아무튼, 주말]

[아무튼 레터]

김승범 기자 입력 2026.03.07. 00:40 조선일보

삶의 고비마다 우리는 거대한 벽을 마주하곤 합니다. 가난과 나이, 학벌이나 운 같은 조건들이 넘기 힘든 장애물이 돼 우리를 멈춰 세우는 것 같습니다. 사람들은 이 장애물 앞에서 걸음을 멈추고, 좌절한 채 뒤돌아서려고 하는 경우가 많습니다.

At every turning point in life, we often face immense walls. Conditions like poverty, age, academic background, or luck seem to become insurmountable obstacles that halt our progress. Many people stop in their tracks before these obstacles and, feeling defeated, attempt to turn back.

하지만 옛날 현자들은 우리가 ‘장애물’이라고 부르는 것을 다른 시각으로 바라봤습니다. 마르쿠스 아우렐리우스는 명상록에서 “행동을 방해하는 것이 오히려 나아가게 하고 길을 가로막는 것이 길이 된다”고 했습니다. 이는 고난을 단지 피해야 할 고통으로 보지 말고 오히려 그것을 이용해 적극적으로 나아가라는 가르침입니다. 장애물은 ‘막다른 길’이 아니라 이전과는 다른 방식으로 삶을 이어가게 하는 변곡점이자 새로운 경로의 시작이라는 얘기 아닐까요.

However, ancient sages viewed what we call ‘obstacles’ through a different lens. Marcus Aurelius wrote in *Meditations*, “What obstructs action advances it, and what blocks the road becomes the way.” This teaching urges us not to see hardships merely as pain to avoid but to actively use them as a means to move forward. Perhaps obstacles are not ‘dead-ends’ but rather inflection points that allow us to continue life in a different manner and the beginning of a new path.

즉, 우리 앞에 나타난 장애물은 그 자리에서 바로 멈추라는 정지 신호가 아니라는 것입니다. 지금과는 다른 경로를 고민해 보고 한 단계 더 높은 차원으로 나아갈 방법을 찾아보라는 메시지인 거죠.

In other words, the obstacles before us are not stop signs telling us to halt immediately. They are messages urging us to consider different paths and find ways to advance to a higher dimension.

장애물이 없는 인생은 얼핏 평온해 보입니다. 누구나 평탄한 삶을 원합니다. 하지만 역설적으로 그런 삶에는 자신을 뛰어넘게 만드는 동력이 결여돼 있습니다. 장애물을 만났을 때 인간은 자신의 한계를 직시하고, 그 한계를 넘어서기 위해 이전과는 다른 방식의 행동을 고민하게 되니까요. 익숙한 길이 막히면 다른 길을 찾게 되듯이요. 우리가 꿈꾸는 성취의 순간들은 대개 그러한 장애물 너머에 있습니다.

A life without obstacles may seem peaceful at first glance. Everyone desires a smooth path. However, paradoxically, such a life lacks the driving force that propels self-overcoming. When encountering obstacles, humans confront their limits and contemplate different approaches to surpass them. Just as a blocked familiar path leads us to seek alternatives, the moments of achievement we dream of often lie beyond such obstacles.

이번 주 ‘아무튼, 주말’ 커버스토리의 주인공인 임정열 영설계에프엔씨 전무도 지독한 생활고와 늦은 나이라는 거대한 장애물 앞에서 주저앉지 않았습니다. 묵묵히 실력을 쌓으며 끝내 자신의 길을 만들어냈습니다. 그는 “터널의 끝은 반드시 있다”고 했습니다. 그러면서 긴 터널을 빠져나왔을 때 펼쳐질 눈부신 풍경을 맞이하려면 준비가 돼 있어야 한다고 그는 강조합니다. 터널 안에서 포기하지 않고 나아갈 채비를 마친 사람만이 마침내 빛을 보게 되겠죠.

Lim Jeong-yeol, Executive Managing Director of Yeongseolgye FNC, the subject of this week’s *‘Anyway, Weekend’* cover story, did not falter before the immense obstacles of severe financial hardship and his late age. He silently built his skills and ultimately carved out his own path. He said, “The end of the tunnel is always there.” Emphasizing that one must be prepared to welcome the dazzling scenery that awaits after exiting a long tunnel, he notes that only those who, without giving up inside the tunnel, have readied themselves to move forward will finally see the light.

그런데 나를 가로막았던 그 장애물을 허물어 길을 내는 일은 누구도 대신해 줄 수 없는 오직 나만의 몫입니다. 지금 마주한 장애물을 피하지 않고 길을 여는 수단으로 삼을 때, 우리는 비로소 삶의 진정한 주인이 될 수 있습니다. 즐거운 주말 보내십시오.

However, the task of dismantling the obstacles that block our way and forging a path is solely our own responsibility—no one can do it for us. When we face the obstacles before us not by avoiding them but by using them as a means to open new paths, we can finally become the true masters of our lives. Have a pleasant weekend.

김승범 기자Weekend Edition Desk Editor

편집부·사회부·국제부·주간조선·산업부·사회정책부 등 부서를 거쳐 2025년 6월부터 주말뉴스부장을 맡고 있습니다. 독자님들 주말의 동반자인 ‘아무튼, 주말’을 제작하고 있습니다. 저서로는 국내 대표적 장수 브랜드의 롱런 비결을 소개한 ‘한국 최고의 브랜드’가 있습니다.

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Obstacles Are Pathways, Not Dead-Ends

Lim Jeong-yeol's journey shows perseverance through hardship transforms barriers into opportunities for growth

By Kim Seung-bum Published 2026.03.07. 00:40 The Chosun Daily Newspaper / 조선일보
​
At every turning point in life, we often face immense walls. Conditions like poverty, age, academic background, or luck seem to become insurmountable obstacles that halt our progress. Many people stop in their tracks before these obstacles and, feeling defeated, attempt to turn back.
​

Shimizu Tunnel. The 'long tunnel at the border' appearing in the first sentence of Snow Country is this tunnel.
​
However, ancient sages viewed what we call ‘obstacles’ through a different lens. Marcus Aurelius wrote in *Meditations*, “What obstructs action advances it, and what blocks the road becomes the way.” This teaching urges us not to see hardships merely as pain to avoid but to actively use them as a means to move forward. Perhaps obstacles are not ‘dead-ends’ but rather inflection points that allow us to continue life in a different manner and the beginning of a new path.
​
In other words, the obstacles before us are not stop signs telling us to halt immediately. They are messages urging us to consider different paths and find ways to advance to a higher dimension.
​
A life without obstacles may seem peaceful at first glance. Everyone desires a smooth path. However, paradoxically, such a life lacks the driving force that propels self-overcoming. When encountering obstacles, humans confront their limits and contemplate different approaches to surpass them. Just as a blocked familiar path leads us to seek alternatives, the moments of achievement we dream of often lie beyond such obstacles.
​
Lim Jeong-yeol, Executive Managing Director of Yeongseolgye FNC, the subject of this week’s *‘Anyway, Weekend’* cover story, did not falter before the immense obstacles of severe financial hardship and his late age. He silently built his skills and ultimately carved out his own path. He said, “The end of the tunnel is always there.” Emphasizing that one must be prepared to welcome the dazzling scenery that awaits after exiting a long tunnel, he notes that only those who, without giving up inside the tunnel, have readied themselves to move forward will finally see the light.
​
However, the task of dismantling the obstacles that block our way and forging a path is solely our own responsibility—no one can do it for us. When we face the obstacles before us not by avoiding them but by using them as a means to open new paths, we can finally become the true masters of our lives. Have a pleasant weekend.
​
· This article has been translated by Upstage Solar AI.

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