The Daily Stoic
Episodes
Daily Stoic Sundays: This Is Why You Have to Care
07 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan reads his latest article, discussing the unfair advantage that privilege gives to certain of us because of the color of our...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and Sunday Night Football’s Michele Tafoya Talk Stoicism and Making the Most of Each Day
06 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan and Michele Tafoya, NFL sideline reporter and radio host, discuss self-improvement in quarantine, sympatheia, and more.This...
You Have to Fight
05 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Maybe you don’t have to worry about being pulled over for little reason. Maybe you don’t have to worry about not getting the benefit of the ...
You Should Meditate on Greatness
04 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"The Stoics were some of the keenest admirers of human greatness. Marcus Aurelius opens his Meditations with seventeen entries—nearly ten perce...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and Charlamagne tha God Talk Opening Your Mind and Political Power
03 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan and Charlamagne tha God, host of The Breakfast Club and author, speak on a number of different topics—from reading and fa...
To Wrong One Is To Wrong All
03 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It’s easy to forget. It’s easy to think small. But this life is not just about us. Our loyalty and duty is not just to ourselves, to our fa...
This Is a War We Are Fighting
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It would be easy to say that this is someone else’s fight. It is easy to say, as some pundits have said, that this is not a fight at all. You ...
You Always Have The Power To Resist
01 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"When one considers the notion of 'resignation and the principle of 'amor fati,' it might not seem like the Stoics and the idea of...
Daily Stoic Sundays: How Marcus Aurelius Conquered Stress (and the Rest of Us Can Too)
31 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan reads his latest article describing how Marcus Aurelius fought against the stresses and anxieties that come with running a ...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and Cal Newport Discuss Staying Productive in a Pandemic and How to Maintain Focus
30 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks with author and computer scientist Cal Newport about staying productive during the pandemic, how to maintain your foc...
Remove These Three Words From Your Life
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"You’ve said them a thousand times. You said them when you were a kid. You said them last year. You’ve caught yourself saying them recently a...
At Least It’s a Chance to Do This
28 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It would have been much better if this hadn’t happened. If your employee had listened. If your parents could respect your boundaries. If your ...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and Coach George Raveling Talk Meeting Harry Truman, Reading and the Perils of Ego
28 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks with Coach George Raveling, the longtime college basketball coach and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall...
Stress Is a Fact Of Life, Being Stressed Is Not
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"You think the Stoics didn’t experience stress? Of course they did... Seneca had health problems, was exiled, and then had to show up to work ...
There’s Nothing Better Than A Simple Pleasure
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"The Spartans were known for their simple, rustic ways. Unlike the citizens of Athens, who dined on the most gourmet fare, the Spartans ate almos...
This Will Make You Feel Better
25 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It’s been rough. We’re not meant to be inside this long. We’re not meant to spend this much time with our devices. We’re not meant to hi...
Daily Stoic Sundays: You Must Stare This Scary Fact in the Face
24 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan discusses the idea of memento mori as depicted in art throughout the centuries, and why it might be such a common motif.Thi...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and Coach Buzz Williams (Texas A&M) Talk Habits, Time Management and the Lessons You Can Learn from the Pandemic
23 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Ryan talks with Buzz Williams, head coach of the men’s basketball team at Texas A&M. They discuss the impact of the COVID-19 quarantine on...
There Is Nothing Special About Money
22 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"For all the poverty he practiced and Stoic philosophy he wrote, clearly there was some part of Seneca that was dazzled by money. Even though he ...
Do You Know How To Wait?
21 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Shakespeare waited out a plague. So did Isaac Newton. The poet John Keats spent 10 days in a harbor, waiting out a typhus epidemic. Think of the...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan Talks Freedom and Personal Responsibility with David French
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Ryan talks with author and reporter David French about the balance between personal and civic responsibility, the ability to take criticism, the...
The Horror of Words Not Turned Into Deeds
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It’s always been tempting to talk a good game. People have been doing it for thousands of years. But today, it’s never been easier to talk a...
Bring On Your Wrecking Ball
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"What does a Stoic say to adversity? To recessions? To pandemics? To setbacks and struggles and months stuck inside? To uncertainty and cramped q...
Don’t Learn This Dangerous Lesson
18 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It’s easy to look at history and learn the wrong lesson. You see Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar and can’t help but connect their enorm...
Daily Stoic Sundays: Ryan Talks with South Carolina Football About How to Practice Stoicism
17 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s podcast features Ryan talking to the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football team, discussing how you can use Stoicism in a practica...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and Historian Andrew Roberts Talk Leadership, Character and How One Person Can Change The World
16 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Ryan talks with writer and historian Andrew Roberts about the process of writing about historical figures, the ways that character is tested dur...
Better To Have Than Not To Have
15 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It’s easy to think—given their spurning of so many of the pleasures that other people chase—that the Stoics didn’t want or like anything...
We Are All Tied Up Together
14 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"These are rough times. Then again, times are always rough for someone. If not for us, then for someone else. And according to the Stoics, that ...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and NBA G League Coach Coby Karl Answer Your Questions About Stoicism and Sports
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Ryan talks with Coby Karl, a former member of the Los Angeles Lakers and current head coach of the NBA G League’s South Bay Lakers. They take ...
Always Keep A Role Model In Mind
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It’s key then, if you want to be good and do good, that you have a kind of North Star in your life that keeps you centered. A role model who d...
This Is Who To Turn To When You’re Struggling
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"For thousands of years people have been turning to Stoicism when they had problems, big and small. Obviously you know that on some level or you ...
Just Do One Thing Every Day
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Seneca wrote a lot of letters to his friend Lucilius. We don’t know a lot about Lucilius, only that he was from Pompeii, he was a Roman knight...
Daily Stoic Sundays: Life Comes at You Fast. So You Better Be Ready.
10 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan reads his latest article about the unpredictability of life, and how we should always be prepared for the worst and the bes...
Ask Daily Stoic: How Do I Deal With Imposter Syndrome?
09 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan talks about the new box set (https://geni.us/A6gX) of his first three books on Stoicism. He reads from Seneca’s Letters f...
Can You Help Others First?
08 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Here we are in tough times. A global pandemic has struck wide swaths of the population. Governments are struggling under the load. Economies are...
There Is Only One Person to Listen To
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Like any person in power, any person in the public spotlight, any person striving to be great, Marcus struggled with caring too much about what ...
Now Is The Time For Structure
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Maybe right now you’re stuck at home, maybe you’re not working. Your kids might be home with you. Certainly the normal way of doing things h...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and Robert Greene Talk Plagues, Politics, and Polarization
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan talks with his mentor, author and strategist Robert Greene. They discuss historical links to today’s pandemic, the 2020 U...
It’s Important to Have Reminders
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It seems crazy now, but amongst the Stoics in the ancient world there was once intense disagreement over whether philosophers should have “pre...
Yours Is Not to Reason Why
04 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It just doesn’t make sense, does it?They have every incentive in the world to get it right, and they can’t. They’re putting their own live...
Daily Stoic Sundays: All You Need Are a Few Small Wins Every Day
03 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan describes how success rarely comes in one fell swoop, but rather is built a little more every day, bit by bit.Building succ...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and NBA Legend Pau Gasol Talk Books, Basketball, and Stoicism
02 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan talks with NBA All-Star, Laker legend and humanitarian Pau Gasol. They discuss everything from Pau's reading habit to ...
You Do the Math
01 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"At least 200,000 people are marked for death worldwide and they don’t even know it. They are the back half of 'the curve.' They are ...
In the End, It’s Nothing
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"From the outside, it can all seem very impressive. Think of Marcus Aurelius, marching into Rome in triumph. Think of him looking down at the cro...
You Will Not Be Made Whole
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"This was not your fault. You work hard. You pay your taxes and your insurance premiums. You follow the law. So you should be good, right?"R...
This Is a Critical Strength to Cultivate
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Whatever you decide to do with your life, whatever path you decide to walk, people are going to stand in your way. They’re going to doubt yo...
You Have to Care About the Most Vulnerable
27 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"By now, you’ve probably seen the viral CNN clip of the woman heading to church in Ohio. Aren’t you worried about being exposed to COVID-19, ...
Daily Stoic Sundays: What Marcus Aurelius Can Teach Frontline Responders During COVID-19
26 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This past January, Ryan spoke with the USAF’s 31st Fighter Wing, stationed in Aviano, Italy. Later this area would experience a virulent outbreak of...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan Talks Social Media, Social Distancing, and Stoicism with Congressman Mike Gallagher
25 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Ryan speaks with US Representative Mike Gallagher from the 8th District of Wisconsin. They talk how not to be distracted by social me...
This Is a Game of Inches
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Zeno lost everything in a shipwreck in the 3rd century BC. A family fortune. His occupation. Everything. He washed up in Athens anonymous and pe...
We All Fall Short
23 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
By now, you may have seen the video. A devout religious woman grabs the hand of Pope Francis as he greets the crowd of pilgrims and children. He tries...
Rage, Rage Against the Dying of the Light
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"In April 46 BCE, 1,974 years ago, Cato the Younger died. In one sense, you might say he died willingly, as he chose death by his own hand rather...
Ryan Interviews Brent Underwood, Ghost Town Proprietor
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this special bonus episode of the Daily Stoic podcast, Ryan interviews Brent Underwood, a partner in Ryan's marketing endeavors and the owner ...
We Are What We Repeatedly Do
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Arete.That’s a powerful word. To the Greeks, it meant excellence. It was the ultimate expression of human greatness—moral, physical, spiritual. I...
Keep Calm and Carry On
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Things are rough out there, it’s hard to argue with that. The stock market. Quarantines. Hospitals filled to capacity, and beyond. Travel plan...
Daily Stoic Sundays: Using Stoicism To Become Unbeatable
19 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Ryan talks to the University of Alabama football team and discusses how to use the concepts of Stoicism to take on any challenge...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan and John Brownstein Discuss the Science Behind the Pandemic
18 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Ryan speaks with John Brownstein about the COVID-19 pandemic and what we all should do to stay safe and fight back against it. John B...
How Will You Remember This?
17 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Right now, we’re looking at this all up close. It’s in our face. Being stuck at home. Watching business—and money—evaporate. Our plans are can...
We Cannot Be Servants To Our Stuff
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There is a story about King Philip, the father of Alexander the Great. He was leading a massive army campaign, and had picked an ideal spot to stop to...
We Always Lose When We Lose Our Tempers
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Something happened. You got pissed. Now two bad things have happened. That’s just a fact. Because getting angry rarely makes things better—even i...
Your Job is to Get The Best Out of People
14 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the trickiest parts of holding yourself to a high standard in life is that it’s only natural to start to expect others to do the same. You’...
You Have A Gun To Your Head
13 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s one of the most surprising scenes in literature and film. In Fight Club, Tyler Durden walks into a 24-hour convenience store and puts a gun to ...
Daily Stoic Sundays: The Important Thing is to Not Be Afraid
12 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan talks about the importance of courage in the face of great peril—and the distinction between being scared and being afrai...
Ask Daily Stoic: Ryan Holiday & Tim Ferriss Discuss "Alive Time vs Dead Time"
11 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan speaks with Tim Ferriss, the author, podcaster, and investor. Tim has written five New York Times best selling books, including The 4-Hour Workwe...
It’s Okay To Ask For Help
10 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the strongest and the most helpful among us that often have the most trouble asking for help. The frontline responders know that their duty is ...
In Any Event, Do Your Best
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Look: none of us are truly self-sufficient. The success of a salesman depends on whether they’ve been given a good product and solid leads. The proj...
You Don’t Control When, You Do Control How
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As we’ve discussed, one could look out at the world right now and see a lot of negative. Or you could grab the other handle, as Epictetus says, and ...
When You’re Going Through Hell, Do This…
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Seneca was exiled, he wanted to give up, but he didn’t. He wrote. He prepared for the opportunity that would eventually come. When Musonius Ruf...
Now Is The Time For Heroes
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It was a decade or so ago, in the depth of the global financial crisis, that the musician and writer Henry Rollins offered a prescription that once ag...
Daily Stoic Sundays: The Four Stoic Virtues
05 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode, Ryan discusses the Four Stoic Virtues: Courage, Justice, Moderation, and Wisdom. Listen to find out why the Four Virtues are ...
Ask Daily Stoic: Chris Guillebeau
04 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this super-sized edition of Ask Daily Stoic, Ryan talks about his visit to a mastermind event in Nashville, where he shared ideas and inspiration w...
We’re Part of This Beautiful Tradition
03 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do you remember the first time you heard about the Stoics? Maybe you read about them in another book. Maybe someone you know recommended them to you. ...
The Way, The Enemy and The Key
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We should always be looking for mantras and epigrams. Ideas that are true and applicable in every situation, to every generation, across all time. The...
From The Past, We Are Able To Tell The Future
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s imagine a scenario in which almost all our modern scholarship was lost. Imagine if some great fire at the Library of Alexandria wiped away the...
How a Few Can Help The Many
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Perhaps you know the story of the 300 Spartans. It was first immortalized by Herodotus, and then has been passed down through the ages (there’s a wo...
These Are The Three Most Important Words of Wisdom
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Almost 50 years ago, the Beatles whispered to us some words of wisdom: Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.One of the most relatable passages i...
Daily Stoic Sundays: Should I Watch The News
29 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan discusses the merits of watching the news, and how to tune out distractions, with Steven Pressfield.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priva...
Alive Time or Dead Time. What Will It Be?
28 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Here you are, stuck indoors, stuck somewhere you don’t want to be. Maybe also you’re stuck because you’re 17 going on 30. Maybe also you’re st...
Ask Daily Stoic - How Do I Use Stoicism To Fend Off Negativity?
28 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks about the Edmund Morrison biography of Thomas Edison, reads a passage from The Obstacle is the Way (on sale for a few more days), and field...
When Things Are Tough, Remember This
27 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Most languages have some expression to the effect of “When it rains, it pours.” For instance, in Latin malis mala succedunt means troubles are fol...
No One Escapes This Law
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is not another note about memento mori.It’s about a different immutable, inescapable law of human existence that comes to us from the Stoics th...
We All Have Flaws… What Matters is What We Do With Them
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jeannie Gaffigan is a control freak. She takes charge. She cares about the little things and getting those things right. She always has. It’s hard t...
You Can Seize This Moment
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is an email we weren’t expecting to send, but sometimes sudden events call for sudden responses. Right now you, and much of the world, are loc...
The World Is Trying To Teach You
23 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This was all pretty sudden, wasn’t it? The economy was chugging along. Life was going well. We had travel plans. We had work plans. We had things we...
Daily Stoic Sundays: You Don’t Control What Happens, You Control How You Respond
22 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Ryan reads his piece from March 12, "Remember: You Don’t Control What Happens, You Control How You Respond." He d...
Ask Daily Stoic: Keeping Calm About Coronavirus
21 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Saturday episode, Ryan discusses the coronavirus pandemic and how to deal with it like a Stoic.See Privacy Policy at https://art19...
You Should Always Find Something to Learn
20 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We all have our way of doing things. We have what we were directly taught. We have the values that our culture gives us. We have the lessons we picked...
This Is One Thing You Must Not Do
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s possible, Marcus Aurelius said, to not have an opinion. You don’t have to turn this into something, he reminds himself. You don’t have to l...
When the System Breaks Down, Leaders Stand Up
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It began in the East. At least, that’s what the experts think. Maybe it came from animals. Maybe it was the Chinese. Maybe it was a curse from the g...
Your Obstacles Are Trying To Teach You Something
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One way to go through life is to turn away from the things that are hard. You can close your eyes and ears to what is unpleasant. You can take the eas...
We Need You To Be Bold
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On the Roman calendar, March 15th was known as the Ides of March—once most notable as the year’s deadline for settling debts. That changed in 44 B...
Daily Stoic Sundays: Four Strategies for Reading Better
15 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks about how you can improve your reading skill and get more from the books you love.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Calif...
Ask Daily Stoic: Austin Kleon
14 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan chats with Austin Kleon, author of great books like Steal Like An Artist.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy ...
You Must Be a Good Example
13 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Think of the pressure Marcus Aurelius must have been under. Not just of the temptations and the corruptions of power, but all the eyes that were on hi...
How Prepared Are You To Start Over?
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Austrian writer Stefan Zweig experienced both incredible good fortune and misfortune in his life. He was born into wealth; he met some of the grea...
You Should Always Find Something To Do
11 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There was time to kill in Rome, just as there is today. A dinner started late. A meeting got cancelled. Travel delays meant being stuck in this place ...
You Might Never Be Famous — And That’s O.K.
10 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Aurelius talked a lot about fame. He called it a worthless clacking of tongues and liked to point out things like how few people remember the e...
Why Anger Might Be The Worst Vice
09 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There are many different vices out there. It’s long been a debate amongst priests and philosophers if some are worse than others, or if they are all...
Daily Stoic Sundays: How a Stoic Deals with Bad News
08 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan describes how a Stoic can deal with bad news—and not just move past it, but use it to fuel their success.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.co...
Ask Daily Stoic: How Does a Stoic Deal with Aggressive People?
07 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks about the new Daily Stoic offices, reads a selection from The Obstacle is the Way, and answers your questions.See Privacy Policy at https:/...