The Daily Stoic
Episodes
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:/...
Wisdom is the Most Important Virtue
06 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Courage. Temperance. Justice. These are the critical virtues of life. But what situations call for courage? What is the right amount? What is the righ...
Justice: The Most Important Virtue
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Being brave. Finding the right balance. These are core Stoic virtues, but in their seriousness, they pale in comparison to what the Stoics worshipped ...
Temperance is the Most Important Virtue
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Yesterday we discussed the Four Virtues, and talked about the primacy of courage. Of course, life is not so simple as to say that courage is all the c...
Courage is the Most Important Virtue
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Stoics believed that a life well lived was one which always countered adversity with virtue. And they believed in four aspects of virtue: courage,...
You Can Make This A Game...and Win
02 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Stoics said it over and over: the most important thing to remember about pain and suffering is that it is inevitable. It can’t be avoided, so do...
Daily Stoic Sundays: How to Have Your Best Week Yet
01 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan uses eight Stoic lessons to teach us how to have the best week ever.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...
Ask Daily Stoic: Guest Starring Steven Pressfield
29 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week's extra-long Saturday episode of Ask Daily Stoic features Ryan talking about, and speaking with, author Steven Pressfield, writer of cl...
You Must Wash Away This Dust
28 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Life is a dirty, dusty affair. It was that way in Rome and it’s that way today. The puddle in the street splashes us. Someone else’s nasty mood su...
You Are A God
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Stoic writings alternate between reminding us of our humility and our power. For humility, we have the concept of amor fati, for example—we shou...
Repeat These Three Words To Yourself Constantly
26 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“Facts are stubborn things,” John Adams once said, “and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictums of our passions, they canno...
You Must Read… and Re-Read
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s no secret that John Adams is one of history’s brilliant minds. He was widely respected as a lawyer, a politician, a president, and as a husba...
Don’t Be Zero-Sum
24 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Steven Pressfield, whose historically-driven novels about ancient Greece have sold millions of copies, wrote a recent post that posits that there are ...
Ask Daily Stoic: How Do You Recognize What's in Your Control?
22 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks about speaking to service members at Aviano Air Base in Italy. Ryan reads a passage from Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit. You can als...
Do What’s Right, Not What’s Easy
21 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It was a somber scene as the pallbearers marched down Pine Street carrying the coffin of General William Tecumseh Sherman on this day 129 years ago. I...
Who Can You Adopt?
20 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most remarkable traditions of ancient Rome—and one for which we have no real modern analog—was the tradition of wealthy, successful fam...
Why Be Angry About Something That’s Already Gone?
19 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s another mess. It’s not your fault, but you’re dealing with it. It’s another rude person— representing a company you are paying money to...
How To Be Proven Wrong
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine writing a book that sells millions of copies over the course of nearly a decade, and then, out of nowhere, another author comes along and chal...
Don’t Take the Money. Don’t Take the Money.
17 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Cicero and Cato both refused to take bribes, despite how widespread the practice was for politicians at the time. Cato refused to be enriched by his o...
Ask Daily Stoic: Who Are Some Famous Figure Influenced By Stoicism?
15 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks about putting the finishing touches on his upcoming book, Lives of the Stoics. Featuring today's entry from The Daily Stoic. You can ...
This Is a Command, Not a Mere Reminder
14 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Like most solo pursuits, the artist’s life is one that ceaselessly tests one's mental fortitude. Steven Pressfield likens it to dragon slaying....
You Must Think For Yourself
13 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s never been easier to get information than it is today. You have access to Wikipedia, to podcasts, to social media, and a near infinite library ...
Can You Be Still?
12 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There is probably no piece of literature that the Stoics were more familiar with than the Odyssey. Seneca quotes it. Marcus Aurelius quotes it. Pretty...
Here’s How To Become an Informed Citizen
11 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When people hear Epictetus quoted to justify not watching the news—“If you wish to improve, be content to appear clueless or stupid in extraneous ...
It Takes What It Takes
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Watching a master do their work is always impressive. Whether it’s an orator working a crowd or an athlete contorting their body with ease and fines...
Ask Daily Stoic: Can You Be Informed Without Cable News?
08 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks about his upcoming talk in Italy and about James Stockdale, and answers questions from fans. Featuring today's entry from The Daily St...
You Still Have Time. You Have So Much Time.
07 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Seneca’s life is worth looking at for anyone who thinks they missed their shot, who thinks it might be “too late” for them. Because in his early...
You Must Look Beneath The Surface
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus, like all Romans, seemed to have loved the theatre. Seneca, in particular, had a great fascination for what “...
If Everyone Is Woke, Then No One is Awake
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s unquestionably a good thing that the world is waking up to the idea of social justice. For too long, marginalized groups have been precisely th...
It’s Better To Share
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For Julius Caesar’s grip on power to be complete, he had to eliminate his rivals. So too did Octavius, Caesar’s nephew who succeeded him. Claudius...
You Must Win The Morning!
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most relatable moments in Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations is the argument Marcus Aurelius has with himself in the opening of book 5. It’s...
Ask Daily Stoic: How Do I Deal With Long Term Problems?
01 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
**Now featuring twice as much content per episode**In each of the Ask Daily Stoic Q&A episodes, Ryan will answer questions from fans about Stoicis...
Shine On, You Crazy Diamond
31 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There has always been an odd streak in the Stoics. Zeno used to practice begging people for money, even though he had plenty. Cleanthes worked as a ma...
If You Don’t Read, You’re Functionally Illiterate
30 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
General James Mattis is part of a long line of tradition of Stoic warriors. Just as Frederick the Great carried the Stoics in his saddlebags as he led...
How You Look At Things Matters
29 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever been stuck in Los Angeles traffic at night, you know it’s miserable. But if you’ve ever seen a helicopter shot of Los Angeles at ...
You Have To Be Kind To Yourself
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There’s no question that much of what we talk about in this philosophy is hard. Specifically, it’s hard on the person practicing it. Stoicism asks...
Stop Freaking Out. None of This Is New.
27 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You think this hasn’t happened before? Whatever it is, whatever you’re freaking out about?A crisis at the borders. Agitators riling up the youth. ...
Ask Daily Stoic: How can I get my partner interested in Stoicism?
25 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In each of the Ask Daily Stoic Q&A episodes, Ryan will answer questions from fans about Stoicism. You can also find these videos on the Daily Stoi...
You Must Think The Thing You Cannot Think
24 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s fitting that one of the most important things you can do as a parent requires you to think about something that’s very nearly impossible for ...
You Have To Learn Something From Everyone
23 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Stoics were learners. It’s hard to escape that conclusion when you read their writings. Marcus Aurelius begins Meditations by cataloging the les...
A Good Morning Creates A Good Life
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Stoics believed in the power of ritual, particularly at the beginning and the end of the day. For them, routines and rituals were not productivity...
Do It Because It’s Right. Not So They’ll Like You
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve talked a lot recently about the importance of not making yourself a slave to outside approval. Because it’s not something you control. Becau...
Everything is Figureoutable
20 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We all have problems. We have an employee we can’t figure out how to motivate. We have a kid with behavioral issues. We have a job we want to leave,...
Ask Daily Stoic: The Stoic Response to Getting Your House Burgled, and more
18 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In each of the Ask Daily Stoic Q&A episodes, Ryan will answer questions from fans about Stoicism. You can also find these videos on the Daily Stoi...
When It Comes To Family, We Have To Be Kind
17 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Aurelius’s step brother Lucius Verus was hardly a great man. Unlike Marcus, he was not as driven or as a smart. He was not always so diligent...