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The Daily Stoic

Why Are You Surprised?

30 Apr 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What surprising behaviors do we often overlook in others?

0.031 - 21.895 Ryan Holiday

So this is like the best time of year in Texas. You know, the weather's getting good. You want to spend time outside. Our patio furniture is just like falling apart. So we're going to upgrade our little patio outside the house, our back deck at the ranch. And the first place we went to find some new chairs, a new rug, we're going to get a porch swing, was Wayfair. It's been wonderful.

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21.975 - 46.373 Ryan Holiday

Get out there, enjoy the spring before it gets too hot, too crazy. Delivery was super easy. Wayfair also has installation and assembly stuff so I could spend my time writing instead of getting angry at some frustrating instructions. Ordering online is easy. It's all delivered right to your door. Wayfair products have over 20 million verified five-star reviews to help you make the right call.

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46.353 - 58.31 Ryan Holiday

And I recommend shopping with Wayfair Verified, your shortcut to the good stuff. Their team of product specialists vet everything by hand using a 10-point quality inspection so you know you're getting a great piece no matter your budget.

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Chapter 2: How can Stoicism help us manage our reactions to others?

58.851 - 68.846 Ryan Holiday

Get prepped for patio season for way less. Head over to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. W-A-Y-F-A-I-R.com. Wayfair. Every style. Every home.

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69.367 - 71.77 Unknown

Wayfair. Every style. Every home.

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72.02 - 100.913 Ryan Holiday

Welcome to the Daily Stoic Podcast, designed to help bring those four key Stoic virtues, courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom into the real world. Why are you surprised? Your boss, who is a jerk, pulled a jerk move. Your mother, who is passive aggressive, said something passive aggressive. That dishonest politician lied. That loud neighbor was loud.

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Chapter 3: Why is it important to focus on our own character?

101.332 - 123.009 Ryan Holiday

The surprising thing about all this is that you were surprised. How could you not have seen this coming? That sort of person was bound to do that, Marx really writes in Meditations. You might as well resent a fig tree for secreting juice. Why are you letting it catch you off guard? Why are you taking it personally? This is what they do, she is saying.

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123.831 - 142.62 Ryan Holiday

Think about all the hours we waste talking about what they did. All the nights we toss and turn at 2 a.m., replan it. All the energy we give reliving what they were always going to do. Instead of marveling at it and lamenting it, we should focus on being the kind of person that doesn't get rattled by this.

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143.321 - 161.528 Ryan Holiday

We should focus on being the kind of person who is bound to do and be something very different. That is to say, kind and empathetic, honest and respectful. That's what our character has fated for us, and we should work hard to live up to it. Everyone else, let them be exactly who they've shown you they are.

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Chapter 4: What insights can we gain from Marcus Aurelius's Meditations?

162.52 - 180.584 Ryan Holiday

By the way, if you've ever said, like, I really want to read meditations, I'm curious about this Mark Shulis guy you keep quoting. Well, maybe today is the day. It is the final day in Meditations Month. We've been celebrating the great man's birthday the last 30 days. He was born almost 2,000 years ago this month.

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Chapter 5: How can we better prepare ourselves for unexpected behaviors?

181.005 - 192.46 Ryan Holiday

We've been doing a deep dive into meditations. We just finished a Q&A we did about him. People from all over the world have been reading meditations with us. Some of them, it's been their first time. Some of them, it's been their 50th time.

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Chapter 6: What resources are available to deepen our understanding of Stoicism?

192.44 - 212.676 Ryan Holiday

And if you've been meaning to pick it up, we've got a great how-to guide for you. We've got great editions of meditations, including the leather-bound edition, which is my favorite. You can grab all of that, including the recording of the Q&A. I answer some pressing and common questions about meditations there. And you can grab all that at dailystoic.com slash meditations.

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