The Daily Stoic
Episodes
Burn this Letter | The Enemy of Happiness
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It’s not that you should never speak up. It’s not that you should never speak truth to power. It’s just that you should never do it while you’...
This Was Washington’s Philosophy | Power Fades. Character Leads.
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
All that we see must be illuminated by the calm light of mild philosophy. So we can see what it really is. So we don’t do anything we regret. 📚...
If You Only Read a Few Books This Year, Read These
15 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most people don’t read that many books, maybe a few a year at most. So if you’re only going to read a couple books this year, the decision of whic...
11 Stoic Rules For Love
14 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Love isn’t just an emotion. It’s not just a feeling that hits you out of nowhere. It’s an action, something you can practice and something you c...
This Kindles the Soul | Why You Can't Ignore What's Happening
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Aurelius said that if you ever found anything better in life than courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom—the four virtu...
Do Not Delay | Dan Harris & Ryan Holiday on The Pursuit of Wisdom
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Life has a way of stripping all our reasons bare, of humbling our plans and assumptions. We must live, as Marcus Aurelius said, as if death hangs...
Stephen Greenblatt: Why “This Time Is Different” Is Always Wrong
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why do the same patterns keep showing up in completely different centuries? In this episode, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Stephen Greenblatt joi...
There’s a Rhythm. There’s a Rhythm.
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It can feel like everything is falling to pieces. It can feel like you’re lost. It can feel like there’s no hope, no way forward, nothing to do. B...
You Have to Fight for It | Is There A Dark Side To Stoicism?
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It would be wonderful if the world was naturally just, if people were automatically good, always doing the right thing. But of course, they don’...
You Are Responsible For How They Make You Feel | Watch Over Your Perceptions
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
At the core of Stoicism is the idea that our emotions are our responsibility. No one can make us frustrated. No one can offend us either, Epictetus sa...
Bert Kreischer's Reading List (From Ryan Holiday)
08 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After recording their episode, Ryan and Bert Kreischer stopped by The Painted Porch, where Ryan shared some must-read books with Bert.Watch this episo...
The Philosopher Who Didn’t Care What Anyone Thought
07 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The most fearless philosopher in the ancient world didn’t rule an empire or write books. He lived on the street and begged for food. And yet, he was...
This Is A Good Surprise | The Stoic Edge Behind Peak Performance
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You’re tough. You’re firm. You don’t get bothered by things. You keep yourself under control. Good. But you’re missing something else just as ...
This is The One Thing You Don’t Accept
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From corruption to tyranny, the Stoics refused to sit on the sidelines. They tried to change things.👉 Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoici...
BONUS | No One Is Coming to Give You Permission
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If your New Year motivation didn’t make it to February, this episode is for you. Ryan and his business partner and longtime friend, Brent Underwood,...
It’s Always Going To Be One-Sided
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It’s always been a dilemma: Why should I be honest when no one else seems to be? Why should I play by the rules when others are so visibly breaking ...
Chuck Klosterman: The NFL Explains More About America Than You Think
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Few writers understand American culture like Chuck Klosterman, which is why he joins Ryan ahead of the Super Bowl to talk about how football reshaped ...
Do You Have Double What It Takes? | The Source Of Your Anxiety
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Obstacles, adversaries, pitfalls, and bad luck. It’s going to be there. It’s going to happen. 📔 Pick up your own leather bound signed edit...
Sometimes You Just Lose (But That’s No Excuse) | A Proper Frame Of Mind
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We have to stay at it. We have to accept the losses that come…without accepting the status quo. We should not give up. 📘 Grab the hardcover ...
BONUS | You Can't Let The Setbacks Win
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When jarred by circumstances, Marcus Aurelius writes, we have to revert back to ourselves. We have to come back to the rhythm. We have to intervene. W...
This Is Why You Have To Care
01 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Immigration is a complicated issue. Crime is complicated. But this is not complicated.👉 Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscrib...
Why Bert Kreischer Thinks He Needs a Stoic Coach
31 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Bert Kreischer and Ryan continue their conversation about the tension between discipline and indulgence, why Bert sometimes feels better hungover than...
The Age of Catos is Gone (or Is It?) | Ryan Holiday Owes Everything To This One Book
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It always feels like the traditional values are slipping away…Maybe they are. Maybe they aren’t. 📕 Pick up your own Premium Leather Editio...
This is the Day You Start | What Does Living A Virtuous Life Look Like?
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes life happens, but here’s your second chance. Now is the best time to start being the person you want to be. Let’s not write t...
Bert Kreischer Has a Stoicism Problem
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Bert Kreischer wants to be Stoic. It just doesn’t come naturally. In this episode, he talks with Ryan about why Stoicism feels almost impossible for...
Do You Think They Liked It?
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This is what philosophy is about, what discipline is as a virtue: Doing things you don’t want to do.Let’s not write the year off just yet. Th...
We Have to Care About the Little Guy | A Stoic Reset for Right Now
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Forget party, forget class, forget any perceived differences: We must speak loudly and with one voice against those who intimidate, those who violate,...
Discipline is Doing It Anyway | The Power of Mantra
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You’re tired. You’re busy. It would be easier to stay home...It’s the perfect excuse. Unless, of course, you are disciplined.Let’s not write t...
Feeling Scared and Overwhelmed? Start Here
25 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Pain and hardship are part of life. From ancient Greece and Rome to now, people have faced plagues, wars, illness, and loss. The question has never be...
Jaimie Alexander: “I Was Asked If I Wanted to Live or Die”
24 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve seen Jaimie Alexander as the tough, unstoppable character on screen, but what was happening off camera tells a completely different story. In...
Remember That This Moment is Not Your Life | The Six Stereotypes Of Stoicism
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
January is January. A slump is a slump. They’re not fun, but neither are they the whole world…or forever.👉 Support the podcast and go...
Be Strict with Yourself, Tolerant with Others | Ask Daily Stoic
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It’s important to remember that Stoicism isn’t about judging other people. It’s not a moral philosophy you’re supposed to project and enforce ...
The Stoic Question David Mamet Engraved on His Watch
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
David Mamet is one of the most influential writers of the last half-century, so when he talks about craft, discipline, and courage, it’s worth liste...
Don’t Be a Broken Parable
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Be wary whom you go to work for. Moral compromises add up and eventually destroy you.👉 Check out to James Romm's episode on The Daily Stoic Podcas...
These Days You Need Double What It Takes | Reignite Your Thoughts
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We can train. We can prepare. This will not be enough. Because more will be expected of us still, more will be piled onto our plates.📔 Pick up your...
We Are Falling Short | How George Raveling Was Given the “I Have a Dream” Speech
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day here in America. It’s worth taking a minute today to consider one particularly brilliant and inspiring part of K...
How Many of These 7 Stoic Traits Do You Have?
18 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, you’ll hear about 7 traits that the Stoics actually lived by, and why they shaped leaders we’re still learning from 2,000 year...
Stop Waiting To Be Chosen | Adam Skolnick
17 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From writing with David Goggins to working alongside Rich Roll, Adam Skolnick’s success didn’t make imposter syndrome disappear. In this episode, ...
No, Not Later. Now. | How To Read Like A PRO
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Now is for certain. Later is a lie. It’s only going to get harder the longer you wait.👉 Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscr...
BONUS | Self-Awareness vs. Self-Consciousness: Do You Know the Difference?
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the difference between self-awareness and self-consciousness? In today’s bonus episode, Ryan shares an excerpt from his conversation with h...
This Is An Important Time in Your Life | How Do You Do Hard Things When Life Is Already Hard?
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
People probably thought Marcus Aurelius was strange. The time he spent alone in his room. The long walks he took by himself. There would be no Me...
The Lie That Keeps You Feeling Behind Every Single Day | Oliver Burkeman
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most productivity advice promises that if you just find the right system, you’ll finally catch up. In today’s episode, Ryan sits down with Oliver ...
Beware Lost Footsteps
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Our feet will always move in the direction of our focus. So look where you want to go. Stay focused on the path, keep moving forward, one foot in fron...
This Is It, Isn’t It? | Circle of Control
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Focus on what you can control. Keep your cool. Do the right thing. Be brave. Because if you’re not going to do it now, when will you?📔 Pick up yo...
Who Decides Who Gets What? | What Young Men Get Wrong About Stoicism
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You went to school. You worked hard. You sacrificed. You got really good at what you do. And yet…despite this success, this track record, this lever...
26 Stoic Rules to Survive an Uncertain 2026
11 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The year ahead is unknown, but one thing you can control is how you show up. In this episode, Ryan breaks down 26 timeless Stoic rules you can rely on...
Why You’re Not as Hard to Manipulate as You Think | Rebecca Lemov
10 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most people think manipulation only works on other people. That belief is exactly what makes it dangerous. In this episode, Ryan sits down with histor...
Can You Get Inside? | The Top Books Ryan Holiday Recommends
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Aurelius wrote about how the philosopher is one with their weapon—like a boxer, more than a swordsman. A boxer just clenches their fist. A fe...
That’s What It’s Made For | Ask Daily Stoic
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You probably wish you didn’t have to. Of course, you didn’t want it to happen. It would be nicer if things went as planned. As we’ve said before...
Are You “Well-Read” in This Sense?
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As Marcus would say, we can't be satisfied with just “getting the gist” of things we read. Read deeply. Read repeatedly.📕 The Daily Stoic eBook...
Mel Robbins | The Part of “Let Them” Everyone Gets Wrong
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After recording in-studio, Mel Robbins and Ryan Holiday headed to the Bastrop Opera House for a live conversation and audience Q&A. They discuss t...
BONUS | 11 Stoic Lessons to Reset Your Mind
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Seneca believed wisdom comes from focusing on one small idea each day, something simple you can sit with and let make you better.📕 The Daily Stoic ...
Do You Have This Too? | The Sphere of Choice
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
They knew that life was tough. They knew that a fragile person would not survive. But does that mean the Stoics were unfeeling? Utterly disconnec...
Do You Keep These Thoughts at Hand? | Clarify Your Intentions
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Again and again, the Stoics pored over the same texts. So the ideas could take firm hold. So they could be absorbed. So it could become muscle memory,...
Mel Robbins Reading List (From Ryan Holiday)
04 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After recording the podcast, Ryan and Mel Robbins walked next door to The Painted Porch to talk books. Head to Ryan Holiday’s YouTube Channel to wat...
Mel Robbins | What Would a Stoic Think About The Let Them Theory?
03 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Would the Stoics agree with Mel Robbins’ Let Them Theory? In today's episode, Mel Robbins sits down with Ryan to look at The Let Them Theory through...
So This is the New Year? | Make 2026 Your Best Year With These 6 Simple Stoic Rules
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What about if, instead of fighting against the current, we fought instead “to be the person that philosophy tried to make us?”Make 2026 the year w...
You’ve Been Given a Fresh Chance | Ask Daily Stoic
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
2025 is dead and gone. Who we were in 2025 is dead and gone. Here we are, lucky enough to rise again in 2026. A year not guaranteed to anyone. No...
How James Clear Would Start 2026 If He Were You
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The first few weeks of 2026 will decide far more than you think. In this episode, you’ll hear the best of James Clear’s most important advice from...
BONUS | Another Year Gone By. What Have You Done?
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve been blessed with another go, or at least the start of another go. Will we take it? Or will we go on the same as we did before and before and ...
We Are Training For This
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When we develop the discipline to prepare our minds and our bodies for hardship, we have the discipline to see the hard times through to the end. ...
BONUS | 7 Simple Stoic Habits That Will Transform You In 2026
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Here we are at the end of one year and the beginning of another. What do we have to show for it? Did we do what we set out to do? Did we meet those re...
You Don't Have Unlimited Time | What's Up To Us, What's Not Up To Us
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is what we do, isn’t it? We think about doing something…but we put off actually doing it until the last minute.Make 2026 the year where you f...
If You Want to Make the World Better, Do This | Give Thanks
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s focus on getting better. Let’s get serious about stuff we’ve put off. Let’s lend a helping hand. Let’s “fight to be the person philo...
The Stoic Way To Survive 2026
28 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You do not control the year ahead. You do control how you meet it. In this episode, Ryan walks through the Stoic framework for becoming better in the ...
You Could Leave Life Today. What Would You Do Differently?
27 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The end of the year has a way of reminding us that nothing lasts forever. In today’s episode, you will hear a deep dive into the Stoic practice of M...
BONUS | The Book Ryan Holiday Keeps Coming Back To
27 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan was recently a guest on Shilo Brooks’ podcast, Old School, to talk about a book that’s meant a lot to him over the years, Walker Percy’s Th...
It Doesn’t Take Long to Do This | Mark Manson's Reading List (From Ryan Holiday)
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It was a bad year. You picked up some bad habits. You let some good habits slip. You wasted time on stuff that didn’t matter. But just because that’...
These Legacies Are a Gift | Ask Daily Stoic
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Remarkably, Jesus and Seneca lived nearly parallel lives, with many sources suggesting they were born in the same year. Even more striking are the ove...
What Would a Year of This Look Like?
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To the Stoics, virtue was a way of life. Not something we are, but something we do. So what would a year look like if you actually practiced this...
Your New Stoic Role Models for a Stronger Life
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Virtue is not a theory. It is something you practice. In the moments where you could overreact. In the moments where quitting would be easier. In the ...
Why Do You Wait for This to Get Harder? | Turn Words Into Works
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Procrastination isn’t saving you…it’s only adding interest to the bill you’re going to have to pay eventually.Make 2026 the year where you fin...
BONUS | Why Your New Year’s Resolutions Always Fail (with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee)
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today's bonus episode, Ryan and Dr. Rangan Chatterjee talk about why New Year’s resolutions usually fall apart and what actually works instead. T...
Everything Is Changing. Are You? | Stake Your Own Claim
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Things falling apart. Traditions crumbling. New technologies. New threats. New trends. Welcome to ancient Rome. Welcome to the past…the present…an...
Sit Down With Walter Isaacson and Ryan Holiday
21 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Ryan Holiday sits down with legendary biographer Walter Isaacson for a wide-ranging, deeply thoughtful conversation recorded live ...
These 3 Rules Will Make or Break Your 2026 | Jesse Itzler
20 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most people will enter 2026 hoping life just gets better. Jesse Itzler knows that’s not how real change happens. In today’s episode, Jesse breaks ...
It Can’t All Be Wedding Cake | The Best Books You Can Read
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fortune doesn’t care about our plans and preferences. No, Seneca reminds us, she behaves as she pleases. 📚 Books mentioned:Plutarch’s Live...
Nobody is Coming to Save You (And That’s Good News) | Ask Daily Stoic
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
These are disorienting times. Cruel times. Dysfunctional times. And it’s natural to want someone, anyone, to step in and fix it. But they’re ...
You Don’t Have To Be Lucky, You Just Have To Be Good
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How are you helping? What are you doing? How are you acting like a Stoic as opposed to just ‘being stoic?📚 Get a signed copy of each of the...
You’ve Got to Demand Everything of Yourself | Paralympian Ezra Frech
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The pressure of being great changes when you’re carrying more than your own ambition. In today’s episode, Ryan sits down with Paralympian Ezr...
Love What Your Nature Demands of You | Stake Your Claim
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The world needed Marcus Aurelius to become the person we admire and study today. This required conscious and consistent effort on his part. You’re n...
In a World Gone Shallow, In a World Gone Lean | A Simple Way To Measure Our Days
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shallowness and cruelty and stupidity may be rampant, but we must resist it—resist it without bitterness or despair—by being bright lights in a da...
How To Find Peace | 8 Stoic Lessons You Can Start Today
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Stoics were trying to do what we’re all trying to do now: find some peace. For them, philosophy wasn’t an academic hob...
Olivia Nuzzi Knows She Messed Up
13 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s easy to defend yourself. It’s harder to tell the truth. In today’s episode, Ryan sits down with journalist Olivia Nuzzi for a raw, unfilter...
Are You Keeping One? | Stoic Lessons That Will Change Your Life
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that Meditations wasn’t the only book that Marcus Aurelius wrote? 📚 Mentioned: The Notebook by Rolland AllenThe Daily Stoic Jou...
BONUS | Camila Cabello: “Stoicism Changed Everything for Me”
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does Camila Cabello stay centered in the chaos of fame? Today’s bonus episode brings back an evergreen lesson from her Daily Stoic episode...
Tie Yourself to the Mast | Ask Daily Stoic
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’d be wonderful if we always did what we know we want or need to do. But that’s not how the world is. It is filled with temptations, distraction...
These Add Up to Greatness
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Well-being is realized by small steps,” Zeno would say looking back on his life, “but is truly no small thing.”🗓️ The Daily Stoic Page-A...
The Fine Line Between Genius and Delusion | Helen Lewis
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Being the smartest person in the room is usually where the trouble starts. In today’s episode, Ryan sits down with journalist and author Helen Lewis...
You Know It’s Time to Change | Keep The Rhythm
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re set in our habits. We’re quick-tempered, we eat poorly, we’re easily distracted. We skip exercise, we put stuff off, we make excuses. How ...
Have You Considered This? | Don't Hide From Your Feelings
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The sooner you realize that you are not the center of the universe or the intended recipient of everything, the more understanding you can be, the les...
Why EVERY Generation Rediscovers Stoicism | Mark Manson & Ryan Holiday
07 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every crisis creates the same instinct in people: go back to the wisdom that has outlasted everything else. In today’s episode, Ryan and Mark Manson...
The Question That Haunts the World’s Most Successful People | Andrew Ross Sorkin (PT. 2)
06 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Even the giants of history couldn’t outrun insecurity, comparison, or the feeling of not having enough. In today’s episode, Ryan continues his con...
No One is Truly “Self-Made” | The Philosophy Behind High Achievers
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The myth of the self-made man is just that, a myth. There has never been such a thing.🎥 Check out the Arnold Schwarzenegger episode: https://...
This Will Make You Stupid | Ask Daily Stoic
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It doesn’t matter how smart you are. In the moment, if you can’t control your emotions, you will be stupid.🪙 Carry The Daily Stoic Pause & ...
It’s Not That Complicated
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Power is corruptive and corrosive no matter your age. To the young and inexperienced, it is even worse.📕 Book Mentioned: Wisdom Takes Work by Ryan ...
Why Andrew Ross Sorkin Spent 8 Years Chasing One Story
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you stay locked in on one project for eight years? Andrew Ross Sorkin shares what he learned while writing his bestselling book 1929: Insi...
We Can Give This to Each Other | Be Stingy With Time
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We have to illustrate those virtues of courage and justice toward and for and through others. To help people from going hungry. To alleviate someone’...
This is What’s Really Important | Pretend Today Is The End
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Let us be good Stoics today and prove that we don’t just talk about this philosophy—we live it.Feeding America | We donated the first $30,000 and ...
BONUS | The #1 Way To IMMEDIATELY Feel Better
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s so much happening in the world, and so much of it feels terrible. There is dysfunction. There is conflict. There is outright lawlessness. Th...