Stoic Coffee Break

“When someone criticizes you, they do so because they believe they are right. They can only go by their views, not yours. If their views are wrong, it is they who will suffer the consequences. Keeping this in mind, treat your critics with compassion. When you are tempted to get back at them, remind yourself, ‘They did what seemed to them to be the right thing to do.’”— EpictetusOne of the hazards...

“How ridiculous and how strange to be surprised at anything which happens in life”— Marcus AureliusWhat could possibly go wrong? I think one of the biggest mistakes that we as humans make is that we are far too optimistic about how something we’re planning might go. In doing so we often fool ourselves into believing that it will work as planned, and overlook what could go wrong. In this weeks epis...

This weeks episode is an interview with Jeff Emtman from the Here Be Monsters podcast. This is my first time interviewing someone, and Jeff is a very interesting and thoughtful guest. We talk about life challenges, creative challenges, and what it's like to drag main. Enjoy! Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind program for building mental discipline is now open for enrollment! My book St...

“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” ― Marcus AureliusOne of the weirdest things about being a human is how we get comfortable with our habits, and resist change, while at the same time we get bored when things stay the same. In this weeks episode will talk about how to deal with the paradox of change. Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind pr...

I had the good fortune of being interviewed on Memonto the Stoics with Santiago Proaño, so I'm posting it as a bonus episode. Enjoy! You can find his podcast here: https://anchor.fm/memento-the-stoics/ Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind program for building mental discipline is now open for enrollment! My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here! Find out more at https://stoic.coffee...

“Whoever does wrong, wrongs himself; whoever does injustice, does it to himself, making himself evil.” ― Marcus Aurelius, MeditationsAre you disturbed by the political landscape that has changed so rapidly over the last 4 years? As more and more authoritarian parties come into power around the world, we see that hatred towards others - immigrants, refugees, women, minorities - seems to be at an al...

Why is it hard for us to be vulnerable, especially when it comes to those we care about the most? Partners, children, family, close friends - if these are the people we are the closest to why would be afraid to be ourselves around them? In this weeks episode we’ll talk about vulnerability and the real you. Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind program for building mental discipline is now...

"...what you desire is something great and supreme and very near to being a god — to be unshaken. "— Seneca“I may be sincere, but never serious, because I don’t think the universe is serious.”— Allen WattsDo you struggle to live up to your principles? Do feel like when you make a mistake that all your efforts were not worth it? In this weeks episode, we’re going to talk about how to appr...

The Un-Pursuit of Happiness “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”— EmersonDo you struggle to find happiness within yourself? Do you despair every time you watch the news? In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how to get over this despair and how pursuing happine...

I talk a lot on this podcast about anger because it’s something that I’ve been working to manage in my own life. And today, I want to talk about the language of anger, and about learning to redefine and talk about anger in a different way.“For if anger listens to reason and follows where reason leads, then it is already not anger, of which obstinacy is a proper quality; if, however, it fights back...

“Your potential, the absolute best you’re capable of — that’s the metric to measure yourself against. Your standards are. Winning is not enough. People can get lucky and win. People can be assholes and win. Anyone can win. But not everyone is the best possible version of themselves.” ― Ryan Holiday,How often do we compare ourselves with others? Why do you we get down on ourselves when someone is b...

How often do we look outside of ourselves to know what to do? How often do we doubt ourselves and look to others to find a solution to a problem? How often do we seek the opinions of others to feel like we’re on the right path? This weeks episode is about learning how to find the wisdom in yourself.>“Dig within. Within is the wellspring of Good; and it is always ready to bubble up, if you just...

“There are more things likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”— Seneca (Letters from a Stoic - Letter XIII: On Groundless Fears)How many great things have never happened because of fear? How many times did you give up on a dream because of fear? This weeks episode, we’re going to talk about fear, what it is, what it does, and how to m...

How do you remain true to the aspirations you have? How do you not let other people’s opinions sway you from you principles? This weeks episode is about finding your values and holding true.“Attach yourself to what is spiritually superior, regardless of what other people think or do. Hold to your true aspirations no matter what is going on around you.” ― EpictetusHow do you remain true to the aspi...

“What really frightens and dismays us is not external events themselves, but the way in which we think about them. It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance.” ― EpictetusWhen was the last time that you felt a really strong emotion? What was that emotion? Gratitude? Joy? Anger? Jealousy? Emotions are a powerful force in our lives. When channeled properly, they c...

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.” ― Marcus Aurelius, MeditationsAs human beings, we have an amazing gift - the ability to be conscious of our own thinking. How are you taking advantage of this gift? When we are unaware of the thoughts running t...

“Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.” ― Marcus AureliusWhy do we feel a sense of injury when disagrees with us? Why do we feel hurt when someone tells us we are wrong? In this week’s episode, we’re going to talk why were worry so much about what others think of us and how to learn to deal with our ego. Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind program for building me...

Do you feel like you have a hard time accomplishing things? Do you feel you lack the motivation to reach your goals? Today, we'll talk about some stoic ideas of accomplishing your goals. Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind program for building mental discipline is now open for enrollment! My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here! Find out more at https://stoic.coffee Watch episodes...

“Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” – EpictetusHow do we deal with difficulties? Do we see them as challenges or opportunities? As something that is to be suffered through, or something that teaches us who we are? In today's episode, we're going to talk about difficult circumstances and how they are the things we should be most grateful for. Send us Fan Mail The Bu...

The Stoics warn us about the judgments we make and that we need to be careful about holding on to first impressions. Why do we judge others? Why do we judge ourselves? Do we even need to have an opinion about something? How do we let go of judgments? Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind program for building mental discipline is now open for enrollment! My book Stoicism 101 is available!...

“Putting things off is the biggest waste of life: it snatches away each day as it comes, and denies us the present by promising the future. The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow, and loses today. You are arranging what lies in Fortune's control, and abandoning what lies in yours. What are you looking at? To what goal are you straining? The whole future lies in un...

“Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcomes. Therefore, give yourself fully to your endeavors. Decide to construct your character through excellent actions and determine to pay the price of a worthy goal. The trials you encounter will introduce you to your strengths. Remain steadfast...and one day you will build something that endures: something worthy of your potential.” ― Epictetus Send us Fan...

“The honest and good man ought to be exactly like a man who smells strong, so that the bystander, as soon as he comes near him, must smell him whether he chooses or not.” ― Marcus Aurelius Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind program for building mental discipline is now open for enrollment! My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here! Find out more at https://stoic.coffee Watch episod...

“You must know that it is no easy thing for a principle to become a man's own, unless each day he maintain it and hear it maintained, as well as work it out in life.”– Epictetus Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind program for building mental discipline is now open for enrollment! My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here! Find out more at https://stoic.coffee Watch episodes on YouTu...

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. ” ― Epictetus Send us Fan Mail The Build an Unbreakable Mind program for building mental discipline is now open for enrollment! My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here! Find out more at https://stoic.coffee Watch episodes on YouTube ! Find me on linkedIn , instagram , or threads . Than...