The Daily Stoic
Episodes
You Have To Be Ready | Stake Your Claim
21 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“In his 91st Letter, Seneca tells Lucilius about his friend Liberalis who is “in some distress at the present moment following the news of the com...
5 More of the Most Stoic Moments in History
20 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan discusses 5 of the most Stoic moments in history with examples from Agrippinus, Steve Scott, Kerri Strugg, Frederick Dougla...
The National’s Matt Berninger On Ego, Collaboration, and Slowing Down
19 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks to the lead singer of indie rock band The National about the false glamour of the rock n’ roll lifestyle, staying c...
The Better You Get, The Less You Care…
18 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“Whether it’s a great athlete or a great comedian, the truth is the same. The better they get, the less they care about results. That’s not to s...
We Are All In This Together
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“One of the strangest pejoratives that has come up in this new divisive political era is the idea of calling someone a “globalist.” It’s parti...
This Is What You Have Been Working For
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“A quarterback can spend thousands of hours in the gym, watching footage, and working on their throwing accuracy. But ultimately, what matters is wh...
UFC Fighter Michelle Waterson On Training the Mind and the Body
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks to champion MMA fighter Michelle Waterson about the philosophy of being a mother, a business owner, and a world renow...
You Have to Be Willing to Change
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“We’ve been this way for a while. We are set in our ways. We’ve always had a short fuse. We’ve always been sad about our childhood. We’ve al...
Yes, This is Unfair, Yet... | Keep the Rhythm
14 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"You didn’t cause the pandemic. You might have even been one of the people who was vocal about the dangers early on. Perhaps you didn’t vote ...
Death and the View From Above — An Excerpt from Don Robertson’s “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor”
13 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan features another clip from the audiobook of Donald Robertson’s 2019 book How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, published by ...
Ramit Sethi on How to Live the Rich Life
12 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks to his longtime friend, author and financial expert Ramit Sethi. From backbreaking summer jobs in Sacramento to finan...
A Leader Must Be a Reader
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"A leader will be forced into countless situations that they have never been in before. Trying, painful, stressful, baffling dilemmas and difficu...
Greatness Should Be Put Up For Display
10 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Go stand in front of the Jefferson Monument in D.C. on an early morning, watch the sun rise through the columns and shining on those words, “W...
Author Connor Towne O’Neill On the Battle to Shape History
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan talks to a fellow Southern transplant, writer Conor Towne O’Neill. They nerd out over their mutual fascination with the g...
This Is the Power You Have
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Life is hard. We face insurmountable odds with so many problems. We get bad news. We mess up. We find out that what we wanted—what we deserve,...
Each of Us Has a Job to Do
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Today, we find ourselves in the teeth of a global pandemic, one with a mortality rate close to the Antonine Plague that killed millions of peopl...
How Do You Not See This? | Be Stingy With Time
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"You consider yourself a programmatic thinker, a political realist, a student of history, a righter of wrongs, a teller of truths. The world is g...
Temporary Madness — An Excerpt from Don Robertson’s “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor”
06 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan features a clip from the audiobook of Donald Robertson’s 2019 book How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, published by Macmil...
Pop Star Camila Cabello On Stoicism, Creativity and Success
05 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan talks with Camila Cabello on training your mind to work for you, finding courage and happiness in your career, how she valu...
You Think You’re So Powerful
04 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"You’re smart. You’re experienced. You’ve made a bunch of money. You have a few prestigious letters before or after your name. You’re a ...
Who You Spend Time With Matters
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"We’d like to think we are above being influenced by others, but of course that’s not true. We are shaped by the people we spend time with, a...
It’s Not If You’re Reading, But WHAT You’re Reading
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Reading is an indisputable good. How could it not be? It’s hard to criticize anyone who takes the time, in this crazy, busy (and shockingly ignorant...
ESPN's Wright Thompson On What Makes Us Great… And Human
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan speaks with writer Wright Thompson about what drives an author to cover a topic, the similarity between writing and sports, their differing writi...
Who Will You Look For?
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you look out at the world right now, what you’ll see at first glance is a pretty terrible picture of desperation. Steep market declines. Fear. Pa...
Look for the Smooth Handle | Balance the Books of Life Daily
30 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In 1811, a 68-year-old Thomas Jefferson sat down to try to put down some advice that he could pass along to his 12-year-old granddaughter Cornelia. Hi...
7 Things the Stoics Can Teach Us in 2020
29 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode, Ryan discusses 7 lessons we can all learn from the Stoics that are especially pertinent to the trials of 2020.This episode is...
Tech Investor Joe Lonsdale On How Philosophy Makes You Better at Business
28 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan speaks with entrepreneur and investor Joe Lonsdale about the intersections of business and philosophy, what Cicero means to him, why so many peop...
This Is Our Duty
27 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"That nice, warm feeling you have right now? That fullness? From the food you stuffed yourself with, from the wonderful meal you had with your fa...
Now, More Than Ever, You Have To Find This
26 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"On this day of American Thanksgiving, we’re supposed to make time to give thanks, to actively think about that word which has become almost cl...
Filmmaker Daniel Lombroso on How To Stay Sane Amidst Radicalization
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks to director and journalist Daniel Lombroso about social media and the ways that people can be manipulated and radicalized by it, the Intern...
The Right Amount Is Key
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"If you’re not on guard, you’ll find yourself falling victim to the urge for just one more helping, or I’ve earned that treat. But what we ...
Anger Is a Kind of Madness
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"They didn’t have the studies to back it up, but they knew.Anger makes you dumber. It makes you a worse leader, a worse decision-maker."Ry...
Love Them as You Love Yourself | Practice Letting Go
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Other people. Ugh.They are all the things Marcus Aurelius said, and more: Dishonest. Arrogant. Envious. Frustrating. Shortsighted. Selfish. And ...
Rich Roll and Ryan Reflect on Stoicism (Live Talks LA)
22 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode features an interview of Ryan conducted by yesterday’s guest Rich Roll about Ryan’s latest book, Lives of the Stoics: The Art of...
Rich Roll - Ultra-Endurance Athlete On How to Be Healthy
21 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan talks with athlete and wellness advocate Rich Roll about how our leadership has reacted to the coronavirus pandemic, the mo...
How Will You Account for This Time?
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"When Ebola was first spreading, the news would run fascinating stories about the habits of the people who were unknowingly infected. These stori...
This Is What Echoes in Eternity
19 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It’s ironic that today we celebrate the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, because the entire conceit of Lincoln’s short, 271-word addre...
Mike Herrera, Punk Rock Stalwart (MxPx, Goldfinger), On 30 Years On and Off the Road
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan speaks with singer Mike Herrera, founder of the punk band MxPx. They talk about being a touring musician during COVID, the ...
These Are Habits to Avoid
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Because of how Stoicism survives to us—mostly in the form of scraps and fragments and letters—we don’t exactly have a list of dos and don’...
How To Have a Great Day. Every Day.
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"A lot can happen to ruin your day. You could wake up to a freak storm, or roads gnarled with traffic. Your dog could throw up on the carpet. You...
You Can’t Predict the Future, But You Can Predict This | Judge Yourself, Not Others
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Few saw the pandemic coming. But certainly the woefully inadequate response, at all levels, was predicted by many. The same is true for most eve...
The Leadership Secrets of Marcus Aurelius
15 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode, Ryan talks about the virtues that Marcus Aurelius brought to his position as Emperor of Rome. How did Marcus lead the Roman people...
Matthew McConaughey On Winning the Role of Life
14 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan speaks with Academy Award-winning actor and producer Matthew McConaughey about his approach to the craft of acting, the sim...
What Matters and What Doesn’t
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It’s almost surreal to think about the things we were thinking about not long ago. How could we have been so naive? So entitled? How could we ...
It’s Not Much, But It Adds Up
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Don’t think of wisdom as something you get via epiphany or even a couple years of graduate school. No, it’s something you accumulate day by ...
Converting a Stoicism Skeptic with Novelist Amy Shearn
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks with author Amy Shearn about her own journey with Stoicism, how she and Ryan both wrestle with the concepts of Stoicism in a modern context...
You Must Meet It All the Same
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"We have good days. We have bad days. We will have, as Seneca experiences, moments of heartbreak and bad luck as well as strokes of good fortune ...
Ignore It. It Doesn’t Matter.
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"'“A trifle consoles us,' Blaise Pascal wrote, 'because a trifle upsets us.' We get so worked up about things that don’t ...
We Can't Just Do This. (Or Can We?) | The Real Power You Have
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Sometimes it can feel—especially lately—that we are, to use the novelist James Salter’s haunting phrase, just burning the days. We get up....
The Art of Journaling
08 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode, Ryan goes in-depth into journaling, describing the benefits of journaling, how to get started, and more.***If you enjoyed this wee...
Tank Sinatra - Meme King on how How Comedy Helps You Live
07 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks with Instagram star Tank Sinatra about his unique approach to comedy, the best way to use or deal with anger, what philosophy tells us abou...
Here’s How to See Life
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Most people see life as a kind of a race. They want to win. They want to get somewhere. They want to do it better than other people. Certainly, ...
So, It’s Been a Rough Year?
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"This has probably not been the year you expected. Few of us went into 2020 expecting an impeachment, a pandemic, murder hornets, earthquakes, fi...
Megha Rajagopalan On Using History to Understand Modern Authoritarianism
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks with Megha Rajagopalan, a world correspondent for BuzzFeed News, about her reporting in China about human rights and how history informs ou...
The Arc Is Long… But It Bends This Way
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"When you look at a map of the world from a distance, everything seems smooth. The more you zoom in, the bumpier it gets. Suddenly, mountain rang...
Life Will Go On. What’s Your Plan?
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Today is a day that Americans, as well as interested observers around the world, have been anticipating for some time. One of the most important...
We Can’t Let Anything Rattle Us/Accepting What Is
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan tells the story of Athenodorus versus the ghost, and reads today's weekly meditation about accepting whatever comes your way, on today'...
This Thing Predicts Everything
01 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s Sunday edition of the Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan talks about the one thing that predicts everything—character—and why it’s so import...
Edward Ball, Southern Writer, on the Ghosts of Our Collective Past
31 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks with writer Edward Ball about what has animated the racism of the past and present, the distinction between responsibility and accountabili...
Which Kind Will You Be?
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"There are two types of people in this world: The kind whose success makes them better and the kind whose success makes them worse. Nero and Marc...
An Honest Dollar Is an Impressive Thing
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It’s not the quantity that we should care about. Something earnestly made and sold for a fair price, whether it’s millions of units or a few...
There’s a Time to Make and a Time to Manage
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"There are lots of things you can pay people to do for you. You can pay them to mow your lawn or do your taxes. You can pay them to drive you fro...
Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams On Running a Business in Moments of Crisis
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan speaks with Jeni Britton Bauer, founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, about finding a diet that works for you, the trials of running a growing...
Will You Do Your Duty?
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"In one sense, it’s hard to argue with the statistics that any individual’s vote makes a difference. One person out of so many? When more tha...
BONUS: Ryan Talks with Robert Greene On Today's World
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this special bonus episode of the Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan speaks with Robert Greene about the irrationality that runs through our society, the in...
Don't Lose Your Connection to the Outdoor/Build Up, Don't Tear Down
26 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week we launch a new feature—every Monday, Ryan sets an intention for the week based on his book The Daily Stoic Journal. In addition to the we...
Ryan Discusses Lives of the Stoics at 92nd Street Y
25 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s Daily Stoic Sunday podcast, Ryan gives a virtual talk at 92nd Street Y in New York City, discussing three of the most important Stoics, a...
How to Bounce Back - Coach Eric Musselman (University of Arkansas)
24 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan speaks with Eric Musselman, head coach of the University of Arkansas men’s basketball team, about building on your mistakes to get better, why ...
All That Shimmers in This World
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Nothing gold can stay. All that shimmers in this world is sure to fade. We know this. We know that glory is fleeting. That even the best and th...
You Control What You Hear, Not What People Say
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"The political strategist and pollster Frank Luntz is fond of the expression, 'It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear.' His p...
Danica Patrick - Trailblazing Pro Racer On Pushing Limits Everywhere
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan speaks with groundbreaking pro racer Danica Patrick about performing under pressure, life as an athlete before and after retirement, and how to t...
Don’t Listen to the Complicit
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"In Cato’s time, Caesar’s partisans wanted to cast his usurpation of the Republic as somebody else’s fault. The system is broken, they said...
If You Want to Feel Better, Do This
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"You’re frustrated. You’re scared. You have a million things you have to do. Happiness, hell, even just not feeling bad, seems a million mile...
It’s About Crossing One Thing Off After Another
19 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"One thing addicts trying to get sober quickly discover is just how resilient their addiction is. They quit booze and suddenly find themselves sm...
Ryan Speaks with Kevin Rose at the Commonwealth Club
18 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode features Ryan's conversation with Digg Founder Kevin Rose at the Commonwealth Club as part of the launch tour for his newest book, Liv...
Ferkat Jawdat - Fighting Against Chinese Repression
17 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan speaks with Uyghur activist Ferkat Jawdat about the repression carried out by the Chinese government in his home province of Xinjiang, Jawdat’s...
How Much White Space Do You Have?
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Most of us internalize the wrong lesson. We think success = busy. We think that being busy is a sign of a good leader, an important person. Of ...
Always Be Humble and Kind
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"We hear in Meditations Marcus Aurelius speak of “epithets for the self,” watchwords for his life. From Zeno to Marcus, the works of nearly e...
It All Depends on How You Look at It
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan contrasts the experiences of Seneca and Napoleon on the island of Corsica, and why perspective is so important in how we shape our experiences, o...
MLB’s Eric Byrnes - How to Keep Going When Your Body Wants to Quit
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan speaks with Eric Byrnes, a former professional baseball player, analyst, and endurance athlete. They talk about...
Don’t Let Anger Make You Mean
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Successful, talented people are often frustrated for a simple reason: The world is constantly disappointing them. They expect everyone to be lik...
How to Make Joy
12 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Joy is good. Who doesn’t like joy?The question is where does it come from—is it accidental or is it something you pursue? The Stoics would s...
Who Is Seneca?
11 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan tells the tale of Seneca, one of the three most important Stoic philosophers who advised an emperor and authored countless works of fiction and a...
ESPN's Paul Kix - How Anyone Can Change Everything
10 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks with Paul Kix about the French Resistance (the topic of Kix’s first book), what we can learn from historical events...
What Is Your Anxiety Costing You?
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"You worry. You get stressed. You want to get there early. You want it to go well. You don’t want anything bad to happen—to your loved ones, ...
Here’s Why We Take Care of Our Own
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Marcus Aurelius reminded himself, and us, two thousand years ago that we are all made for each other. The Stoics talked repeatedly about the ide...
Scott Barry Kaufman - How to Use Psychology to Solve Real-World Problems
07 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks with Scott Barry Kaufman about passion versus purpose, what psychology can tell us about our political leaders, how t...
Life Endures. That’s What It Does.
07 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Right now, this feels like an unprecedented crisis. Nearly a million people have died worldwide from a virus for which there may or may not be a...
It’s Only After You’ve Lost Everything That You’re Free to Do Anything
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"One day late in the fourth century BC, the Phoenician merchant Zeno set sail on the Mediterranean Sea with a cargo full of Tyrian purple dye. Pr...
Patience Will Be Key to Surviving This
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Whether you thought things were about to go back to normal or you’re entering another long month of quarantine or your country is locking down...
It's the Little Moments That Make the Big Lessons
04 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Ryan reads his recent article about the lessons we can learn from the smallest moments in the lives of the philosophers and s...
Ryder Carroll - The Power of Journaling
03 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks with Ryder Carroll, the designer and creator of the Bullet Journal system, about how it feels to release a product in...
And This Too Shall Pass
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"In 1859, before he was president, before he suffered through that harrowing train ride to Washington on his way to office where many thought he ...
If Trouble Knocks, Let It Find You Home
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Cato did not want a civil war. Julius Caesar probably thought that if he marched on Rome, Cato’s opposition would evaporate. He was mistaken. ...
Ryan and Stephen Hanselman Talk About Their Newest Book, Lives of the Stoics
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks with co-author Stephen Hanselman about their latest book, Lives of the Stoics, and what their experience has been wri...
This Is the Most Impressive Thing
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"In Meditations, we have Marcus Aurelius writing notes to himself about who he wanted to be, what he expected of himself. In Book X, he writes ab...
It Doesn’t Matter What You Say. It Matters What You Do.
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"In Seneca’s writings, he is almost unbelievably Stoic. He speaks truth to power, he never despairs, he tries his best to be ethical and good. ...
You Don’t Have to Be a Victim
28 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"There’s no questioning that the Stoics were victims of severe injustices.Marcus Aurelius was betrayed by his most trusted general in what amou...
Epictetus’s Five Most Significant Quotes
27 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today's Sunday Podcast, Ryan talks about Epictetus, who from birth was enslaved yet still managed to become one of the most significant founde...
Manu Ginóbili - NBA Spurs Legend on the Philosophy of Peak Performance
26 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks with NBA legend Manu Ginóbili about how he reads books to help his athletic career, using your emotions to perform b...