The Daily Stoic

That was the purpose behind Stoicism, behind the journaling, and the reading, and studying of this philosophy, behind the Daily Stoic Spring Forward Challenge (which starts on Tuesday, the first day of spring)—to use each day as an opportunity to improve yourself action by action, step by step. This might not seem like much, as Zeno said, but it adds up to no small thing. Every one of us wants to...

Seneca makes the point, however, that what we are really rushing towards—with all deliberate speed—is death. That’s what he means when he says that we get death wrong. Death is not some distant thing in the future, not some one-time thing that looms ahead. Instead, death is something happening to you right now. It’s happening as you read this email (hope it’s been worth it!), it’s happening as you...

In the first half of this two-part conversation, Ryan talks with computer science professor and bestselling author, Cal Newport. They discuss the facade of hustle culture, understanding what really moves the needle in your process, Cal’s latest book  Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout , and more.  Cal Newport is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at...

Marcus Aurelius was, of course, an incredible man. He endured more than most people. He had more power than most people —and wore it more lightly. He did more work on himself than most people, understood people, and himself, better than most people. Was he perfect though? Of course not. No one is. In Lonesome Dove , the Texas Ranger Captain Woodrow Call seems almost superhuman, especially to the y...

That obnoxious person. That contractor who ripped you off. That slow driver. That overly enthusiastic exercise instructor. That brusk receptionist. That clingy parent . That friend holding a grudge. That loud neighbor. They’re not exactly your favorite. They don’t exactly make your life easier. But you know what you need to remember? You need to remember that they are just doing their jobs. “Is a...

That obnoxious person. That contractor who ripped you off. That slow driver. That overly enthusiastic exercise instructor. That brusk receptionist. That clingy parent . That friend holding a grudge. That loud neighbor. They’re not exactly your favorite. They don’t exactly make your life easier. But you know what you need to remember? You need to remember that they are just doing their jobs. “Is a...

Today is that day many dread—the day the clocks spring forward. Yes, in the middle of the night, you lost an hour that you’ll never get back. An hour of sleep, an hour of leisure, an hour to spend with your kids. You mourn that loss of time, wondering all the ways you could’ve spent it otherwise. He is the pupil and successor of Dioghenes ho Babylonios (Diogenes of Babylon or of Seleucia) as...

Ryan speaks with author Alexandra Hudson about how to navigate pragmatic situations through civility, unbundling the mental framework of people, her new book The Soul of Civility , and more.  Alexandra is a writer, speaker, and the founder of Civic Renaissance, a publication and intellectual community dedicated to beauty, goodness and truth. She was named the 2020 Novak Journalism Fellow, and...

For as long as there have been groups of people, people have wanted to be in charge of those people . For as long as there have been armies, people have tried to use them to conquer, to rule, to accumulate empires. Was it worth it? Did they enjoy it? Did it mean anything? Few, if any of them, ever bothered to honestly answer that question. This is what makes Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations such a rem...

Seneca reminded himself that death is not this thing in the future, but something that is happening now. It is always happening. It is the ticking hand of the clock. It is the spring flowers. It is the fall harvest. It is the summer rains. It is the first snow of the year. This idea is a reminder that each moment is precious. It tells us to wake up and really live, not just watch time go by. To em...

Ryan Holiday is joined by Lt Colonel Mike Erwin. Together they discuss the central practice of journaling and reflection, how wisdom and discipline is a form of freedom, and although emotions make us human, it is critical for us to control them. They also discuss his two books Lead Yourself: Inspiring Leadership Through Solitude and Leadership is a Relationship: How to Put People First in the Digi...

Seneca was exiled to what he felt was a rock in the middle of the ocean. He hated it. He thought it was torture. And of course, it was unfair that he was sent there—on trumped up charges no less—and it would have been lonely and sad to be so far from his family. Yet it is a little funny that the place he was sent to, Corsica, is a beautiful vacation spot for people all over the world today. Seneca...

Spring is the most beautiful of the seasons. Suddenly, after a dreary winter, the colors come back. The birds are out. The days last longer. The breeze is light and the air is cool. But as Phillip Larkin’s bittersweet poem reminds us, beneath this turning of the seasons is a kind of darkness. The trees are coming into leaf Like something almost being said; The recent buds relax and spread, Their g...

Marcus Aurelius opens Meditations reflecting upon what he has learned from various influential individuals in his life. It’s titled “Debts and Lessons,” and the 17 entries spanning nine pages and more than 2,000 words make up nearly 10% of the entire book! Marcus writes with the humility of someone in the final act of their life taking stock of how lucky they are to be where they are. It’s beautif...

In today's weekend episode of the Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan reminds us  How To Remain Calm When The Rest Of The World Is Freaking Out: 9 Tips From The Stoics  by the way of voice actor Michael Reid. The article delves into specific Stoic practices, such as mindfulness, self-reflection, and the deliberate contemplation of worst-case scenarios, to empower individuals to confront challenges...

This discussion between Ryan Holiday and Robert Greene took place in September of 2023 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Ryan and Robert talk about a range of topics from artificial intelligence, the perils of ego, success and failure, the power of self control, and key Stoic reminders like Memento Mori and Amor Fati . If you want to be a part of a talk similar to this, Rya...

It’s good that you’re tough. It’s good that you’re a fighter —maybe even trained in wrestling, as so many of the Stoics were. It’s good that you’re a risk taker, that you’ve put yourself out there, pushed through fear and doubt to do what others were afraid to do. But it’s important you don’t forget that there is more to the virtue of courage than just this. There’s a great song that talks about “...

Marcus Aurelius called it a few different things. His translators varied even more in their interpretations. Gregory Hays used the word “imperialization.” Robin Waterfield called it “becoming Caesarified” and “dyed in purple.” Pierre Hadot has it, “becoming Caesarized.” George Long translates it, “Take care that thou art not made into a Caesar, that thou art not dyed with this dye.” In The Daily S...

Ryan continues his conversation with Morgan Housel, they discuss the power of storytelling, how humans are wired for status and not happiness, his latest book Same As Ever , and more.  Morgan Housel is the New York Times Bestselling author of The Psychology of Money and Same As Ever . His books have sold over 4.5 million copies and have been translated into more than 50 languages. He is a two...

This tradition of warrior Stoics continued up through and past Admiral Stockdale, who would test Epictetus’s doctrines in the prison camps of Vietnam (his book Courage Under Fire is a must read for any modern Stoic). Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, all but predicted this would be the fate of the Stoics. “If you lay violent hands on me,” he said in 3rd century Greece, “you’ll have my body, but my mi...

The regular person in us is frustrated by all this. But the Stoic in us knows that this is leading us, teaching us, shaping us. Seneca said that misfortune toughens us up , forges us the way that fire tests gold. Epictetus said that life pairs us with these sparring partners for a reason—to turn us into Olympic-class material. And the Book of Romans says that “suffering produces endurance, and end...

At this point, you should have a pretty good understanding of human nature. That’s why we read history after all (and if you don’t, we suggest this reading challenge ). You’ve met people—you’ve seen what they do. People lie. People take the easy way out. People chase the wrong things. Not always, not all people, but most people, most of the time. Yet here you are, perpetually shocked and disappoin...

On today’s weekend episode of the Daily Stoic podcast, Ryan talks with over 150 employees from Austin Central Library during their staff development and apperception day. They discuss why Ryan became an author, writing process, and the importance of reading and learning from ancient wisdom. ✉️  Sign up for the Daily Stoic email:  https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail 🏛 Check out the&nbs...

Ryan speaks with author Morgan Housel in the first of a two-part conversation to discuss his near death experience as a teenager, the ephemeral and potentially toxic nature of success, his latest book Same As Ever , and more.  Morgan Housel is the New York Times Bestselling author of The Psychology of Money and Same As Ever . His books have sold over 4.5 million copies and have been translate...

Certainly, Marcus Aurelius would have related to the sentiment. Floods. Plagues. Wars. A troubled son. Personal health issues. “Haven’t I given enough?” we had him say in a recent Daily Stoic video . But the thing is, life doesn’t care. It has no time for your questions. It pays no mind to your limits. “I don’t think I’m up for this,” the novelist John Gregory Dunne said to his wife as they left t...