The Daily Stoic

Are You Afraid to Start? | 10 Years Of Lessons From The Obstacle Is The Way

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have to be strong enough to will ourselves to do what needs to be done. Don’t be afraid to start. Don’t put it off any longer.The Daily Stoic N...

These Make You Beautiful | Stake Your Claim

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You are what your choices make you, nothing more and nothing less.The Daily Stoic New Year, New You Challenge is 3 weeks of ALL-NEW, actionable challe...

Enjoy These Moments While You Can

15 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

These moments give us time and space for gratitude in our life, where we have the ability to see the big picture, where we can get perspective, where ...

James Clear’s Guide to Turning New Year's Resolutions into Lasting Habits

14 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New Year’s Day begins a frenzy of ambitious goals and resolutions, yet by the end of January most have already been abandoned. James Clear, bestsell...

This Roman Party Trick Holds A Hidden Wisdom | It’s Just A Number

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a lesson we’d do well to remember today. Don’t overdo anything. Don’t take virtue or vice in its pure or unadulterated form.The Daily Sto...

You Don’t Love Yourself Enough | Ask Daily Stoic

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Each morning when you wake up, life presents you with an opportunity. You know what you’re capable of. The Daily Stoic New Year, New You Challe...

Richard Reeves on Why Men Are Being Set Up To Fail (PT. 2)

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Young men are struggling to find guidance and make sense of their place in society, so what can we do about it? In today’s Part 2 episode, Richard R...

You Can Handle More Than You Can Handle

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You have so much more in you than it feels like you do. You got this.The Daily Stoic New Year, New You Challenge is 3 weeks of ALL-NEW, actionable cha...

Turn These Things Over | How 10 Years Of Studying Stoicism Changed Ryan Holiday's Life

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The small, deliberate acts of journaling, reading, and meditating—these are not just habits but rituals that fortify the soul and create the steady ...

It’s Time To Change (And You Know It) | Keep The Rhythm

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The definition of insanity, they say, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. What could this year be if you finally li...

9 Stoic Lessons From Iron Maiden

08 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stoicism and Iron Maiden may seem like an unlikely duo, but there is a surprising number of philosophical lessons the heavy metal band has taught Ryan...

Richard Reeves on Why Men Are Being Set Up To Fail (PT. 1)

07 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While women have made incredible strides over the past few decades, men have found themselves stuck in a tornado of confusion and disinformation aroun...

It's Easy To Take This For Granted | Teach Them To Do The Right Thing

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The more you are content with your surroundings, whatever they are, the more power you have.📕 We’re excited to announce that we’ve put together...

We Want That But Need This | Ask DS

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s not about abundance. It’s about nourishment, inspiration, guidance, reassurance, clarity.Check out AJ Jacobs' podcast The Puzzler!🎙️ Lis...

Not Who’s Right, What’s Right

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A Stoic will flip-flop…if the facts demand it. A Stoic will give up…if they’ve been going the wrong direction.✉️ Want Stoic wisdom deli...

Judge Frederic Block on the Moral Duties and Real-Life Stories of Prison Reform

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The First Step Act in 2018 included provisions for non-violent federal inmates to petition for early release or reductions in their sentences. How to ...

Have You Done This? | 13 Stoic Strategies For Conquering Your Anxiety

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Find ways to be of service. Find ways to pay forward the acts of charity and grace that we would not be here without.Locate a blood bank near you: red...

This Is A Tragedy | Be Stingy With Time

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The great fortune of Marcus Aurelius' life, he says at one point in Meditations, is not just that he himself has never known serious want, it’s that...

Don’t Forget To Practice This

01 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Those of us who have been blessed—whether it be love, time, or resources—have an opportunity and responsibility to share it with others. The more ...

AJ Jacobs on His Year of Living Constitutionally (Muskets and Tricorne Hats Included)

30 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There have been few changes and additions to the United States Constitution since it was ratified in 1788, despite life being wildly different now a f...

Let’s Be Good Stoics Today | To Have A More Peaceful Home, Have Fewer of These

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While some of us sit here with stomachs filled with as many Thanksgiving foods as we could manage, there are those feeling the rumblings of an empty s...

Every Day Is A Day To Give Thanks | Ask DS

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As you gather around your family and friends this Thanksgiving, of course, appreciate it and give thanks for all the obvious and bountiful gifts that ...

This Is Why We Do It

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When we do good, we don’t need to ask for more, because practicing virtue is its own profound return.📿 Get your own Four Virtues Pendant to wear ...

Stoic Reminders for Thanksgiving | Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Amor Fati

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Every year instead of contributing to the corporate indulgence of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we encourage our listeners to make a donation. Every ...

So It’s Weird, Now Deal With It | Time-Tested Stoic Truths For Life

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s weird. It’s unnatural. It’s not how you’d like things to be. But so what? Welcome to life. ✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to you...

The Who’s Who of Who’s That | Balance The Books Of Life Daily

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Eternal fame doesn’t even last. So what should we prize instead? 📕 Pick up your own Premium Leather Edition of Meditations - Marcus Aurelius (Gre...

This Is Why I Don’t Have Goals (And What To Do Instead)

24 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Forget goals. Be Every Day.🎥 Watch Coach Buzz Williams' interview on YouTube✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the...

Donald Robertson on What Ancient Philosophy Teaches Us About Facing Uncertainty

23 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stoicism is no different than working out or journaling—it is a daily practice that we lean on to overcome the obstacles we face every day. As a cog...

We Must Think The Unthinkable | The Glass Is Already Broken

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The point of contemplating this unthinkable reality isn’t morbid, it’s purposeful.🎙️ Listen to Martha Nussbaum's interview on the Daily Stoic...

Real Power Can't Be Taken Away | Ask DS

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

They can hate you, they can send you away, they can mock you or even kill you, but no one can take away those principles.Ask DS:Is Stoicism considered...

The East Side of Sorrow

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pain and suffering and loss are a part of life. It was a part of life for the rich and powerful Stoics like Marcus and Seneca, it was a part of life f...

Donald Robertson on the Life of Socrates and His Impact on Stoicism

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s easy to forget that the Stoics, Socrates, and other ancient philosophers were just like us—human and therefore imperfect. But in his new book...

Have You Read These? | The Brutal Truth About Ego (The Stoics Warn About)

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You can’t be a student of the Stoics without reading the Stoics.Books mentioned: Letters From A Stoic by SenecaHardship and Happiness (The Complete ...

It’s A Bad Use Of Your Creativity | Practice Letting Go

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You have been given an incredibly powerful too—this brain and imagination of yours. We have to direct these resources properly.🪙 Gain a powerful ...

Ryan Holiday's MasterClass | Using Ancient Wisdom to Solve Modern Problems

17 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in for an exclusive sneak peak into what Ryan talks about in his MasterClass, Using Ancient Wisdom to Solve Modern Problems. The first course was...

Ken Burns on Bringing History’s Greatest Stories Back to Life (And Why Doing So Matters)

16 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With over 40 documentaries under his belt, Ken Burns is one of the most iconic filmmakers of our time. His newest documentary, which features a brand-...

Split It In Two — It’ll Have To Do | Everything Is Change

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Life doesn’t go easy on any of us. It splits us in two…and half will have to do.📓 Grab your own leather bound signed edition of The Daily Stoic...

Live Like This To Handle Anything | Ask DS

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

By living philosophically, we can learn to handle anything. This isn’t easy. But this is also a foundation for true well-being, happiness, and, as s...

They Can Help You With Your Most Important Job

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The more you study philosophy the more you realize that parenting is a topic almost every tradition has spoken about. The Daily Dad is built around a...

Dr. Jennifer Baker on Teaching Stoicism and Virtue Ethics to the Next Generation

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can Stoicism be applicable for Gen Z and generations to come? As a Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Jennifer Baker has an insider's look into what res...

Each One Tells You This | Financial Freedom Won't Set You Free

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Each yesterday is gone, dead. While there is a little grief, it also presents you an opportunity. a chance to begin afresh. 🗓️ The Daily Stoic Pa...

So What’s Your Plan? | Judge Yourself, Not Others

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you’re excited about the direction of the country or not, you still have to focus on what’s in your control (which is you).📓 Pick up a ...

Seneca On The Reasons For Withdrawing From The World

10 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Seneca lived in a chaotic, dangerous, and unpredictable time. Listen in to this letter he wrote about how to stay sane in a crazy world and his advice...

Mt. Joy’s Matt Quinn on Consistent Growth Vs. Overnight Success (And Which Is Sweeter)

09 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the age of virality and trending TikTok songs, Mt. Joy rose to fame through the band’s authentic storytelling and community building within the i...

Don’t Follow His Example (For Once) | Actors In A Play

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Don’t follow Cato’s example. Keep fighting for virtue and the common good.🎥 Watch Patrick Dempsey’s interview on YouTube 🎥 Watch Matthew M...

Could You Survive This? | Ask DS

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To survive success and fame and power, to be virtuous in such a situation, one must make it the work of their life.Ask DS: How does Ryan approach inst...

Your Duty Remains The Same

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As a Stoic, nothing in an election changes what is asked or obligated of you. You are still expected to be a person of virtue. 📕 Pick up a copy of ...

Dan Jones on Why History Is Our Greatest Teacher And Henry V’s Legacy

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all heard of Marcus Aurelius, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, but what about Henry V? British historian Dan Jones joins Ryan today to talk abou...

Don’t Let Bad Times Make You A Bad Person | Underrated Stoic Advice For A Better Life (From Seneca)

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As individuals what is up to us is whether these bad times make us a bad person, whether hard events harden our hearts, whether the wrongs of the worl...

This Is Your Main Job | The Real Power You Have

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We must remain good. We must remain sane. This is our job.📓 Pick up a signed edition of The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection...

Navigating Success and Adversity | Stoic Lessons on Wealth and Fortune

03 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Of all the schools of philosophy, none give us a more practical framework for becoming rich, free, and happy than Stoicism. Today, Ryan is speaki...

Why Narcissistic Leaders Always Fail (In The End)

03 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We can't accept, we cannot tolerate, we cannot rationalize narcissistic leaders. We have to aspire to be real leaders, servant leaders, leaders of cou...

Sharon McMahon on How We Can All Be Change-Makers

02 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If we don’t take action to help just one person, how can we expect to help them all? Ryan and Sharon McMahon, author of The Small and the Mighty,&nb...

This Is The Dead’s Day | Accepting What Is

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There is great value in rituals that allow us to confront and even dance with the reality of death. Taking time to process, grieve, and accept this in...

Let Go To Get This | Ask DS

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Having goals and desires in life is fine but needing things to go a certain way to be happy? These pained, intense, anxious moments reveal the mo...

This Is Why We Do Our Part

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Being virtuous, like voting, is within our power. Whether it visibly changes the world is not. But we act because it is our duty, and that alone is re...

Sharon McMahon on The Unsung Americans Who Altered the Course of History

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“The people that history smiles most kindly upon, are the ones who just kept doing the next needed thing.” These words from Sharon McMahon remind ...

Into The Flood Again | How Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations Transformed My Life

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Calm isn’t something we get by managing our external environment or by hoping that we luck out. This is something we create.📕 Pick up your own Pr...

This Is How You Stay Intact | Accepting What Is

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Maintaining healthy boundaries in your life requires discipline. And only through self-discipline and self-control are we capable of achieving the gre...

Who Would Marcus Aurelius Vote For?

27 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Register to vote at https://vote.gov🎟 Ryan Holiday is going on tour! Grab tickets for London, Rotterdam, Dublin, Vancouver, and Toronto at ryanholi...

Adam Kinzinger on The Future of American Leadership

26 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In just a couple of weeks, Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump will be named the next President of the United States of Amer...

Take Back Control With This | Two Tasks

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine if you had the tools to be less angry, less distracted, less impulsive. Imagine if the news and social media didn’t make your blood boil, yo...

Just Get It Done | Ask DS

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Not everyone is going to appreciate your perspective or your beliefs. By the same token, you’re not going to agree with everyone else—in your indu...

Take This Seriously

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stoicism is not a philosophy for the classroom, but a philosophy for life. You use it and it makes you better. That is, if you take it seriously. If y...

Adam Kinzinger on Standing Up For The Truth

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Adam Kinzinger was 1 of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump back in 2021 following the January 6th attack on the U.S. Ca...

It Can Make You Great | The Hidden Power Of Compassion

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Can we really call Marcus Aurelius a “philosopher king?” How great a Stoic was he actually?💡 We set up Stoicism 101: Ancient Philosophy For You...

Let This Wash Over You | Build Up, Don't Tear Down

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world. Golden hour is there. It’s there more than once a day, weather permitting.💡 We designed The ...

Letters of Stoic Wisdom | Marcus Aurelius and Fronto

20 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Marcus Aurelius' letters to his rhetoric teacher, Fronto, give us a unique look into his life and relationships. As Brigid Delaney said in her recent ...

Julia Baird on Accepting Responsibility and the Strength of Forgiveness

19 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While we aren’t the ones to blame for the mistakes of our ancestors' pasts, we are responsible for what we do today to combat the repercussions of t...

Let It Be And Let It Go | Frenemies

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Life is hard. People are not perfect. If we cannot cultivate the ability to let things be and to let them go, we’ll never get anything done. 🎟 Ry...

This Is Why We Study | Ask DS

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To be a Stoic is to be a lifelong student. You don’t read the Stoics, you study them.Ask DS: What mentorship lessons did Ryan learn from Robert Gree...

Your Effort Today Can Change Tomorrow

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you convince yourself that nothing can be changed, that your actions don’t matter, you’re right—but you’ve also surrendered. Time and time ...

Julia Baird on Building Resilience and How Grace Can Change Everything

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The fundamental idea of Stoicism is that we cannot control what happens to us (or the ones we love), we can only control how we respond. Julia Baird k...

You’re Afraid of Death Because of This? | 12 Stoic Rules For Life

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

By thinking, by imagining that we’ve just been given a few months to live, we too can see immediately what we should stop doing. We realize we don’...

Here’s What Not To Do | Make Honesty Your Only Policy

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Though Cicero wrote histories that praised the ethics and virtues of the Stoics, his ego and his expensive tastes got in the way of actually practicin...

The Worst Advice On The Internet

13 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The great thing about the internet is that no one is excluded from building a platform, connecting with a community, and sharing their opinions and pe...

Chase Jarvis on Why Embracing Risks is Necessary for Creative Success

12 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Risk-taking means diving into the unknown, which is scary because anything could happen, but not taking risks is the only guarantee that nothing will ...

We Have To Help Each Other | Honesty As Our Default

11 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are so many things outside our control. We can’t stop a hurricane, or prevent an earthquake. But we can help our fellow citizens and fellow hu...

Use This To Slay Stress | Ask DS

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do we get outside our heads when our stomach is twisting in knots and our heart is pumping out of our chests?We create mementos, as the Stoics did...

Turn the Tables | Ryan Holiday Reflects on 10 Years of The Obstacle Is the Way

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, the tables have turned as Ryan Holiday is interviewed by his research assistant, Billy Oppenheimer, to talk about the 10th Anniversary Edition ...

The Winds May Howl But…

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As history repeats itself in new and unfamiliar forms, we will once again choose to stand firm, knowing that while the storm may be relentless, our re...

What A Thing To Have Done! | How To Keep Calm In A Chaotic World

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Most of our problems are not so urgent. The stakes are not so high. Yet we rush, we react emotionally. But how much more magnanimous and wise it would...

In The Midst of Life We Are In Death | Practice Love

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

During the month of October in America, images of death are all around us as we celebrate Halloween—and while it’s a playful time of year, it’s ...

The Obstacle Is the Way, 10 Years Later

06 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A lot can change in 10 years, yet The Obstacle Is the Way remains the timeless formula for turning our toughest trials into our greatest triumphs...

David Kessler on Finding Meaning in Grief and Practicing the Art of Memento Mori

05 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius wrote “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” Death is inevitable for ...

It’s Tempting To Tell Yourself This | All For One, One For All

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We can flatter ourselves that we’re essential, that we’re one of the good guys, that we’re preventing things from being worse. But are we? Or is...

Will You Meet Your Moment? | Ask DS

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Destiny taps each of us on the shoulder, will we be able to answer? Will we have cultivated the skills and virtues necessary to answer well? That’s ...

You Can Live Well Anywhere

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you need money and success to live well, then you’re vulnerable to things not going well.💡 The Wealthy Stoic: A Daily Stoic Guide to Being Ric...

Brigid Delaney’s Life Changing Year of Living Like a Stoic

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Brigid Delaney was at a unique point in her life and found herself looking for answers around life’s deepest questions: What does it mean to be a go...

This Doesn’t Change But You Do | The Daily Routine That Built Marcus Aurelius

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

So much has changed over the course of a decade…so little as well. The 10th anniversary edition of The Obstacle Is the Way has relevant and insightf...

The Most Disciplined Side Wins | Practice Silence

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Stoics—just like activists—didn’t always win but they showed themselves always as worthy of winning. They showed themselves to be the most d...

The Hobby That Changed Ryan Holiday's Life

29 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Some people travel for the food. Others for the nightlife. Some travel for work. Others travel to get away. Ryan travels for the swimming.🎙️ List...

Wright Thompson on Untangling Myth from History in America

28 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Wright Thompson grew up in the Mississippi Delta, unaware that his family farm was just 23 miles away from the barn where 14 year old Emmett Till was ...

This Is What You Do | What Will Prosperity Reveal?

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We don’t have the power to bring the people we love back, but by choosing to embody the virtues of loved ones we have lost, we not only carry forwar...

This Is The Most Common Obstacle | How Can We Balance Confidence and Humility?

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The annoying coworker, the unreasonable client, the demanding coach, the selfish teammate, the family member who pushes all your buttons—these are c...

Wright Thompson on Reckoning with the South’s Buried Secrets

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Junior were born in the same year. The last known widow of a Civil War veteran lived to see Barack Obama become the ...

Be Brave Enough To Do This

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We carry our own weight in this world, we blow our own nose, as Epictetus says. It’s what’s right, it’s what’s fair, it’s our job.💡 We de...

It’s All About How You Close | Timeless (Stoic) Habits To Transform Your Future

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What matters is how we bring the show to a close, what matters is the ending we give each scene. 📕 Pick up a copy of Lives of the Stoics by Ryan Ho...

It’s How It Makes You Heal | Pain Is Self-Inflicted Harm

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It wasn’t fun that it went sideways. It hurt that they hurt you. It took something that you can never get back. That’s life. That’s resiliency. ...

Temper Your Ambition | A Cautionary Tale From Napoleon Bonaparte

22 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We don't need accomplishments to feel good or be good enough. If only Napoleon had listened to his own advice. 📕 Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holi...