Quintus Curtius

How can a person develop or sustain motivation? We examine the following: 1. The nature and quality of motivation. 2. The five sources of motivation. 3. Two incentives for positive mental change. 4. The mechanics of refining and polishing one's motivation.

A reader of FOTM emails me to say that lately he's been oppressed by fears of death and dying. It's concerning him, and he wants to know what the Stoics would have said about it. I provide some suggestions.

I interview the co-founder of Delta2Alpha, a homegrown Canadian knife manufacturing business started by two regular guys with vision and guts. They're attracting attention for their design philosophy, product performance, and dedication to the highest quality. A motivating story.

A young wrestler writes and asks how he can cultivate his aggressive spirit. He has strong willpower, but something could be holding him back in his recent matches. What's happening? And how can he break through this barrier?

In this episode I talk with Lucas Temple, proprietor of www.banterloud.com. He decided to marry in his 20s and have a large family. I talk with him about this views on life, values, family, and education.

A reader is moving to a foreign country and needs help on how "to best integrate" himself into the local culture. What is the best way to approach this? What types of challenges will he face?

A reader of qcurtius.com explains that anger is ruining his life, and he asks for help. How can he regain his balance, and deal with his issues? I discuss the four ways of dealing with repressed rage and anger, and which one may be right for you.

Is charity important? If so, why? And what are the different types of charity? Are there guidelines on how to think about giving? We explore the answers.

What do all creative minds have in common? They always retain a sense of awe at the beauty, mystery, and grandeur of Nature. Why you should never lose your quest for your ideals, and how to cultivate your sense of awe.

Henry Worsley died in his attempt to be the first man to cross Antarctica unassisted. Why should we honor him? Every man needs a quest. The quest is what gives him purpose and fire.

The classic book "Kalila and Dimna" is one of the treasures of world literature. What is its timeless appeal? What themes does it deal with, and what lessons does it teach us?

Everyone wants to gain notoriety. Everyone wants to be respected. But what are the various ways this can be achieved?

How I overcame a collapsed lung, an operation, and a hospital recovery. What kind of attitude you need to have when confronting disasters.

The tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has much to say about the virtue of justice, and why it is so rare. But why is it so rare? A small amount of justice yields an incredible amount of energy.

Some people bloom early. Some people need more time to come into their own. This podcast explains why we should be patient with ourselves, not compare ourselves to others, and cultivate what it is that we do best.

This is a review of the 2016 film "The Revenant," directed by Alejandro Inarritu and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

What are the 8 key factors that we need when conducting any operation, or carrying out a project? This podcast discusses the 8 critical elements of success in any conflict scenario.

If we want to do something big, we need (1) a strategy, (2) a campaign, and (3) tactics. This podcast discusses these three levels of operational art, and how they must accommodate our goals and envisioned end-state. How do these three levels interrelate? And how can we be sure they are being used effectively? Join me for a discussion.

You will hear many people try to tell you that "this can't be done" or "that can't be done." And many times such talk is proven wrong. This podcast discusses why you should not listen to the doubters or naysayers, and instead focus on your own vision.

What are social boundaries? Why are they important? And how do we go about setting them with other people? This podcast discusses some answers.

Why is guilt the most insidious and devious of all the vices? Why can it exist when we enjoy success, or suffer failure? And what are the ways we can eradicate crippling feelings of guilt? We discuss how in this podcast.

How has personality influenced history? Are great men more influential, or are impersonal forces? What are the positive and negative instincts that give rise to strong or weak personalities?

What are the traits that allow us to survive extreme situations? What is the calculus of survival? What can we can do to increase our chances of survival in adverse conditions? This podcast uses lessons learned from the horrifying prison camps of the Pacific in the Second World War to suggest some answers.

What is the imagination? We discuss some of its features: 1. The pervasive nature of ambiguity and what it means for the imagination. 2. The bridge or isthmus between the physical and spiritual worlds. 3. The microcosm and the macrocosm. 4. Existence being identical to imagination. 5. The importance of dreams.

We all need to sharpen our powers of logic and deduction. But how to go about doing this? This podcast provides some effective strategies for improving our deductive skills.