The Daily Stoic

Step Outside, But Not To Brawl | How to Get Out of Bed When Life Feels Heavy

23 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Step outside so that when you come back, you are not carrying the same heat you left with.🪙 Carry The Daily Stoic Pause & Reflect Medallion as ...

You Have To Be Both These Things | The Long Way Around

22 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There will be times we have to bend. There will be times we have to collaborate. There will be times we have to adjust, times we have to meet someone ...

You Need An Ethical Will | Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling

21 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Bruce Springsteen once said we can be an ancestor for our children, or a ghost. Father’s Day is a good time to ask which one we’re becoming. In to...

What Our Fathers Teach Us, For Better Or Worse | Tom Junod

20 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Some fathers show us who to become. Others show us who not to become.In this Father’s Day weekend episode, Ryan looks at two very different examples...

How To Love Your Country Without Lying About It | Ty Seidule

19 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today in the US, we celebrate Juneteenth, the commemoration of the emancipation of slaves in America. It’s wonderful to note the moments of his...

How to Feel Everything Without Losing Control | Dr. Becky Kennedy

18 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Feeling deeply is not a weakness. The challenge is learning how to experience those emotions without letting them take control. In today’s episode, ...

We Are Poor Compared To Them

18 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Getting to a place where you know yourself, where you have controlled your needs, where you understand and live by your values is an incredibly wealth...

BONUS | 3 High School Books You Need To Read Again

17 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We are in the process of filling our banned books library here in Bastrop, Tx and if you want to be part of this project, you can send your books to:P...

It is Not a Fact | 6 Stoic Lessons for Living a Great Life

17 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Instead of mistaking feelings for facts, let’s pause. Let’s get curious.🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab...

This Is Poverty That’s Your Fault | No Shame In Needing Help

16 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There is the form of poverty that is not having enough. But there was another form of poverty that Seneca talked about...🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE...

Recognize These Signs of Weakness | 7 Daily Habits That Will Change Your Life

15 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

To the untrained eye, ego can be mistaken for confidence. In reality, the person doesn’t feel that way inside at all.📚 Ego is the Enemy by R...

A Stoic's Guide To Looksmaxxing

14 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Looksmaxxing promises to make you more attractive, more confident, and more powerful. But at what point does self-improvement become obsession? In tod...

A Stoic Masterclass for Ambitious People | Codie Sanchez

13 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ambition can open doors, but your principles determine where you go from there. In today’s episode, Ryan talks with entrepreneur and investor Codie ...

BONUS | Not Everything Has To Be Productive (with Chris Guillebeau)

12 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Heading into the weekend, here’s a reminder that not everything you do has to be useful, efficient, or productive. In this bonus episode, Ryan and C...

The Terror of Knowing What The World Is About | Try The Other Handle

12 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You will have to face facts. You will have to get uncomfortable. You will have to take up the burden of history. This will not always be fun.🎟️&n...

You Can’t Help But Leave a Piece | Ask Daily Stoic

11 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Every “yes” is a trade. Every obligation takes its cut. Every distraction leaves with something.🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday ...

Choose to See What It Gave You

10 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Stoics remind us that everything has its compensation…if we choose to see it, if we choose to welcome it.👉 Join The Daily Dad Society&nb...

7 Stoic Steps for Breaking an Addiction

10 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone has something they’re trying to quit, whether it’s a habit, compulsion, or addiction. But what if the secret to getting clean and breakin...

It’s No Good Without This | Epicurus’ Secret to the Good Life

09 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Do not trade your soul away. Because once it’s gone, you cannot get it back. 📚 To learn more about Epicurus and his work, check out The...

In The Resolute Urgency of Now | Finding The Right Mentors

08 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We could do it later. We could get serious later. But why? Why not do it while we have the chance?🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is...

Why Struggling Is the Point | David Epstein

07 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The easier life gets, the less prepared we may be for what’s hard. In today’s episode, Ryan talks with David Epstein about “desirable difficulti...

The Stoic Mind Behind D-Day

06 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

82 years ago, thousands of young men crossed the English Channel and stepped into one of the most consequential days in history. In today’s episode,...

We Could Use More People Like This | How Ryan Holiday Is Challenging Himself Creatively

05 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We are in desperate need of good, courageous people. Can you fill that need?📚 Grab signed copies of Austin Kleon's books at The Painted Porch: Don’...

It’s a Team Sport

04 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is harder to be courageous when all you see are examples of cowardice. Well, the Stoics can help us with this. 📚 Grab a copy of Courage is ...

What To Do When the World Feels Like Too Much

04 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The world has always been uncertain, but we have never had this much access to everything that might go wrong. In today’s episode, Ryan talks with t...

They Will Shove This In Your Face

03 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Moral compromise is never a single act. It creates a precedent…and then another, and another.📚 Books Mentioned: Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Co...

You Made That Up | Robert Greene's Favorite Stoic Lessons

02 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

 Stop extrapolating. Stop adding in the lens of anxiety. 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! G...

This Is How It's Meant To Be Done | It Is Well to Be Flexible

01 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

For most of its history, Stoicism was a spoken, conversational philosophy. It was meant to be heard, discussed, and worked through in the back and for...

The Stoic Way To Handle Real Problems

31 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, Ryan answers questions about how to apply Stoicism to the real problems life throws at us. How do you stay Stoic when the obstac...

BONUS | The Novels Every Stoic Should Read

31 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

After recording in studio for The Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan and Maria Semple went next door to The Painted Porch to talk about the Stoic-themed novels...

Senator Mark Kelly on Stoicism, Space, and Staying Calm Under Pressure

30 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There are some situations where panic is not an option. In today’s episode, Ryan talks with Senator Mark Kelly about what his years as a Navy pilot,...

It is a Lonely Thing | Sweat the Small Stuff

29 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A Stoic thinks about what’s right. They don’t ask, “Is this safe?” They say, “That’s wrong.”📚 Mentioned: The Four Virtues Boxed Set: ...

They Are Calling To You | Adam Grant’s 3 Skills for Real Growth

28 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The ancients are there to guide us. We can struggle to live up to their expectations. We can learn from their mistakes📚 Grab a copy of Think Again ...

The Stoic Skill AI Can’t Replace

27 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The more powerful our tools become, the more important our judgment becomes. In today’s episode, Ryan talks with Jeremy Utley and Henrik Werdelin, h...

Skip The Shortcut. Take The Long Way Instead.

27 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Marcus Aurelius, despite being emperor of Rome, still made time every day to write in his journal, examining his thoughts and actions. He understood t...

They Felt The Same Way As You | How To Remember Everything You Read

26 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Seneca and Marcus Aurelius and Cato were all concerned about their declining institutions. But unlike us, as we read about these historical events, th...

What Do You Fight For? | The View From Above

25 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The question for you today (and always) is: what do you pledge your sacred honor to? What are you fighting for?📚 Books Mentioned: The Daily St...

How to Change Your Life in 24 Hours

24 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This is the day to change your life. A new day is in front of us. As Marcus Aurelius reminds us, it’s a tragedy to cling to being the person you’v...

Was Nero Really That Bad?

23 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Was Nero really that bad, or has history been telling the same story for 2,000 years without asking who started it? In today’s episode, Ryan looks a...

A Sense of Urgency. A Sense of Urgency. | Practice True Joy

22 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This is your life that sits before you. Time is ticking away.📚 Books Mentioned:  The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection o...

You’re Never Going to Be Perfect | Ask Daily Stoic

21 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Stoics had high standards. They also understood that perfection was not possible.📚  The Stoic Virtues Series teaches the timeles...

Empathy Is Not Weakness | Will Guidara

20 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Empathy is not the opposite of Stoic strength. It’s part of what keeps that strength from becoming coldness. In today’s episode, Ryan talks with&n...

This is a Service

20 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Maybe you don’t think it’s making much of a difference. Maybe it’s terrifying and exhausting. Maybe it’s costing you a lot—friends, follower...

They Give You Direction for Life | The Stoic Secret to Finding Real Joy

19 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The four virtues serve as a compass for how to act, who to be, and how to respond in any situation.  Have we found anything better?📚  The St...

This is What Money Is Jealous Of | The Stoic Is A Work In Progress

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You think they have everything they could possibly want. But the rich, the powerful? They are actually incredibly jealous people.💡The Wealthy Stoic...

How To Think Better in the Age of AI (From the Stoics)

17 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, Ryan shares timeless lessons from the ancients on how to ask better questions, think more clearly, and make the most of AI witho...

Gavin Newsom on Ego, Power, and Stoicism

16 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The real test of philosophy is not what it teaches us in quiet moments, but what it demands from us when power, pressure, and ego enter the room. In t...

This Is How You Release Your Anxiety | Quality Over Quantity

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Think about what your anxiety costs you. Think about it honestly and painfully. 🪙 We are the creators of our anxiety. Which means we can also ...

How Much Is Left? | The Stoic Protocol for Your Next Zoom Call

14 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What’s left of Stoicism today is, if anything, more robust than it was in the ancient world.💡 Modern Stoics are parents, athletes, entrepreneurs,...

The Stoic Code General Mattis Lives By

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

General Jim Mattis has spent his life proving that philosophy is not just for the classroom. In today’s episode, Margaret Hoover interviews General ...

This Is Inseparable From Living a Good Life

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The four Stoic virtues are not supposed to be pursued in isolation. Instead, they come together under the idea of virtue itself.📚 Pre-order The Fou...

No, This Is The Mission | Kindness Is Always The Right Response

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You thought you were supposed to be doing this. You thought your job was to do that. But then what happened? Life happened. Stuff happened. Other peop...

BONUS | Ryan Holiday Responds to Daniel Radcliffe

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In a recent interview, Daniel Radcliffe talked about the book "How To Hide an Empire" which has been one of Ryan's favorite reads lately. Here are som...

It Can Change Everything | A Real-Life Example of How to Build a Coaching Tree

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Great leaders don’t just build winning teams, they build people who can go on to lead without them. In today’s episode, Ryan talks about the idea ...

We Owe It All To Them | What Marcus Aurelius Learned From His Mother

10 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of Mother’s Day, Ryan talks with Donald Robertson about the powerful influence Marcus Aurelius’ mother had on his life and philosophy. Ev...

Rock Bottom, Recovery, and Starting Over at 40 | Jon Gustin

09 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Jon Gustin got sober at the beginning of 2023, but as he explains in today’s episode, getting sober was not the end of the struggle. It was the begi...

The Stoic All the Stoics Admired

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Cato’s life was his philosophy, and the Stoics never stopped looking to his example. In today’s episode, Ryan explores why Cato the Younger became...

It Can’t Think About You | How to Be a Better Friend, According to the Stoics

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

These are impersonal forces. This is fortune and fate. It’s not targeting you. It’s not favoring or picking on you. 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE ...

BONUS | 6 Stoic Rules of Arete (Excellence)

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Arete. To the Greeks, it meant excellence. It was the ultimate expression of human greatness—moral, physical, spiritual. It’s what the Stoics were...

You Think You Want Autonomy. You Don’t. | David Epstein

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You think you want more freedom, but too much of it can work against you. In this episode, Ryan talks with David Epstein about why constraints can act...

They’re Not Thinking About You At All

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

They’re awful. They’re frustrating. They need to be stopped. These are the people who take up so much space in our head.🎙️ AD-FREE | Support ...

This is the Part To Love | How a Stoic Deals with Obnoxious People

05 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The terrible diagnosis. The betrayal. The broken heart. Are they Stoics really saying you should love that? Is that what it means to “amor fati”—...

When Your Passion Is Master of Your Reason… | We Are a Product of Our Habits

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Recognizing your anger in the moment, feeling it rising before it takes over, means you’ve already started mastering it.🪙 Carry The Daily Stoic P...

40 Hidden Lessons From Marcus Aurelius' Meditations

03 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You think you’ve read Meditations, but the deeper truths in Marcus Aurelius’ private writings often reveal themselves only after years of revisiti...

What Comes After Surviving the Unthinkable | Kyle Carpenter

02 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What happens after you survive something that should have killed you? After being critically injured in Afghanistan, Kyle Carpenter faced years of sur...

BONUS | Ryan Holiday's Response to Ivanka Trump

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Watch Ryan's response on The Daily Stoic YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1OfTQusvYM🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go...

What You Need is a Small Crisis | Show, Not Tell, What You Know

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When we stop resisting and start learning, the obstacle becomes the way.📕 Grab the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holi...

The Choice That Kept Dr. Edith Eger Alive In Auschwitz

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Edith Eger faced the worst humanity can do, survived Auschwitz, and went on to build a 98-year life rooted in resilience, forgiveness, and meaning...

Why Are You Surprised?

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The surprising thing about all this is that you were surprised. How could you not have seen this coming?Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, ...

Marcus Aurelius's Rules for Living a Better Life

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

To wrap up Meditations Month, today Ryan explores Marcus’s best rules for using the precious time in your life.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change yo...

Kyle Carpenter on Courage, Survival, and What Comes After

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Medal of Honor is the highest military award in the United States, given for extraordinary courage in the face of danger. In this episode, Ryan si...

It’s Right There. Take It. | Stoic Lessons Hidden in Bruce Springsteen Songs

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You can’t learn history that you don’t take the time to look at, that you think you already understand.📚 BOOKS:Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Mak...

Nothing Is As Encouraging As This | The Freedom of Contempt

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It was a dark world…and Marcus Aurelius desperately needed some light.LAST CHANCE | Your ticket to the live Q&A with Ryan Holiday 👉 https:/...

The Most Powerful Lines From Marcus Aurelius

26 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How can a 2,000-year-old book still change the way you think today? In this episode, Ryan Holiday shares passages from Meditations that he’s returne...

Why “Meditations” Needs a New Name—According to William O. Stephens

25 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Most people read Marcus Aurelius the wrong way. In this episode, Ryan sits down with philosopher William Stephens to discuss why the title "Meditation...

It’s Never an Accident | Ask Daily Stoic

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Our true character comes out under pressure. So we must train that character, we must develop our bodies, we have to put in the work. Your ticket...

Empower Yourself with This | Why You Need to Get In the Arena

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We all have those days where we’d rather just not. Days where we’d rather not deal with that annoying co-worker or petty family member. ...

Everything Is Connected. We Just Forgot.

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It’s strange that we need a day to remind us we’re part of the planet we live on. In this Earth Day episode, Ryan explores the Stoic idea of sympa...

You Have Access to a Miracle of History

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Stoics weren’t just leaders and philosophers. They were parents, spouses, and friends, who experienced joy, who fell in love, who cherished the ...

You Are On The Right Timeline | Don't Let Your Attention Slide

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This isn’t the timeline I’m supposed to be on, you think. This isn’t how it was supposed to go. But what if it is?Reading Marcus Aurelius can ch...

Time is Racing Toward Us | Pete Holmes on The Real Point of Philosophy

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We think that it’s off in the distance. We think that it’s far away. But this is wrong. Fundamentally wrong.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change you...

31 Life-Changing Lessons from Marcus Aurelius

19 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

For nearly 2,000 years, Meditations has guided presidents, generals, and leaders, from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick the Great to Arnold Schwarzeneg...

How Does Stoicism Help You Overcome Guilt and Shame?

18 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Ryan answers questions from a live audience in Sydney, Australia. Some of these questions include: How do we keep our ego in check...

The Decades Disappear Like Sinking Ships | Impulse Control

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This is happening and it’s happening in one direction. We have to pay attention.📚 The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflectio...

The 5-Step Stoic Routine for Clear Thinking | Maria Semple

16 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The difference between reacting and thinking clearly starts with how you begin your day. In this episode, Ryan sits down with bestselling author Maria...

You Don’t Have to Do It Alone

16 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

“Mastery of reading and writing requires a master,” Marcus Aurelius writes. He knew this from experience. Reading Marcus Aurelius can change ...

Prison Took His Freedom. Stoicism Gave It Back.

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when everything is taken from you and the only thing left is how you think? In this episode, Lamb of God’s lead singer Randy Blythe sha...

This is How You Have To See (and Respond To) Things | Becoming An Expert In What Matters

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Start living your life with more courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom by deepening your understanding of one of the most enduring books on life ev...

Heal Yourself With This | The Cure for a Reading Slump

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Stoics urged us to read, study, and journal, not as abstract philosophy, but to help us recover from the stuff life throws at us. 📚 Sign u...

You Think You Have Time. You Don’t.

12 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a tragedy. Too many people, Seneca says, reach the end of life with nothing to show for it but a number.🎥 VIDEO EPISODE | Wat...

What To Do When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned | Jim Collins

11 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What if the hardest moments in your life aren’t detours but the very things that put you on the right path? In Part 2, bestselling author Jim Collin...

Nothing Can Get In The Way of the Mission | Test Your Impressions

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Roles shift. Titles change. But the mission never does.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 He...

This Can Change the Course of Your Life

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The right book at the right time is a powerful thing. In fact, it can change the whole course of your life.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your lif...

If You’re Lost, You’re Asking the Wrong Question | Jim Collins (PT.1)

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What if the reason you feel lost has nothing to do with direction and everything to do with the question you’re asking? Ryan sits down with bestsell...

You Must Learn to See | The Stoic Lesson of Marcus Aurelius' Crumbling Statue

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We must change our aperture and perspective so that amidst the muddle and puddles of life, we can see what the artist and the philosopher sees.Reading...

You Can Skip This Part of the Nightmare | Stoicism, Across the World

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You may well be in the middle of—or in for—a nightmare. But you can skip part of it, the last part…if you choose. Ryan Holiday is coming to a ci...

It’s Not Only Always Been Like This, It’s Always Been Worse | Trust But Verify

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You live in a time of abundance, medicine, knowledge, and opportunity—things the Stoics could not have imagined in their wildest dreams.🎙️ AD-F...

Real People. Real Tests. Real Stoicism.

05 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What does Stoicism look like in the moments that matter most? In this episode, Ryan shares listener stories about how this philosophy showed up in the...

It’s Not a Principle If It Doesn’t Cost You

04 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Most people think they’d never sell out. Until there’s a number attached. In this episode, Ryan explores real-world examples that reveal what happ...

Do This to Capture the Magic for Yourself | What Can Go Wrong...Might

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It should be the easiest book in the world to read. And yet…Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work ...