The Daily Stoic

On today’s Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan talks with his editor Niki Papadopoulous about their long career together, from the origins of The Obstacle Is the Way and how Ryan became a writer to the development of Ryan’s books on Stoicism, the inner workings of the editing process, and Ryan’s latest book, Lives of the Stoics (now available for preorder). Niki Papadopoulous is the editorial director for t...

"You’ve been kicked around by life, that’s true. Where other people had it easy, you’ve had to struggle. You didn’t get into the college you wanted, your parents couldn’t buy you a car, you had to wear glasses. You’ve watched as other people hit it out of the park on their first try, getting breaks that you’ve had to work your ass off for. You’ve been insulted. You’ve been fired. You’ve been...

"For most of history, we’ve gotten it precisely wrong. We have given far too much attention to what philosophers have thought or written, when really what counts is what they do. What someone says is not important; what’s important is if they live up to what they say. In the end, what matters—whether a person is ancient or modern—is whether their ideas work in the real world, whether they mak...

"People think they are too important, the stakes of their work are too high, that there is not a minute to lose. So they never relax. They never shut off their minds. They never check out, or let go. And far too often they end up losing it." Ryan describes the importance of getting calmness and relaxation in today's Daily Stoic Podcast. *** If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d l...

In today's Sunday Podcast, Ryan talks about how to apply Stoicism, and the difference between not caring at all and only caring about what's important. This episode is also brought to you by Raycon , maker of affordable earbuds with incredibly high-quality sound. Raycon earbuds are half the price of more-expensive competitors and sound just as good. With six hours of battery time, seamle...

On today’s Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Anne Applebaum ( Gulag: A History , Red Famine: Stalin’s War on Ukraine , Twilight of Democracy ) about recent global political developments: the rise of authoritarianism in Western nations, the struggle against this movement, and how to fight for and defend democracy. Anne Applebaum is an expert on 20th-...

"It’s increasingly hard to deny that we’re facing indisputably massive problems with ever growing threats to planetary health. Scientists, conservationists, ecologists, and environmentalists have been ringing the alarm on global warming, mass extinction, deforestation, and pollution for decades. At this point, the argument is no longer about whether there is anything to be alarmed about, but...

"As the pandemic has dragged on, you’ve probably found yourself asking one question, over and over again, to anyone who will listen—even to yourself: What day is it?  It’s a simple question, but also a very revealing one." Ryan explains why the days seem to be blending together, and the Stoic insights that can help you make sense of this phenomenon, in today's Daily Stoic Podcast. *...

On today’s Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan and author ( Extreme Ownership , Discipline Equals Freedom ) and podcaster Jocko Willink talk about maintaining a solid daily routine, how to react to adverse circumstances, finding the strength to fuel your personal endeavors, and more. Jocko Willink is a retired Navy SEAL, author, and leadership expert. Willink served 20 years in the US Navy, including eight...

"Marcus Aurelius was wealthy on a scale you cannot even imagine. Seneca too. These were men with enormous fortunes… and control of imperial power. They controlled life and death. They had fame beyond fame.  And yet, you are far more blessed and fortunate than they are." Ryan describes how lucky we all are to live in this day and age in today's Daily Stoic Podcast. *** If you enjoyed...

"There’s no question that the Stoics accustomed themselves to hard living. For many people, this is the image we have of them: Cato walking bareheaded and barefooted. Marcus sleeping on a hard mattress. Seneca practicing poverty and cold plunges.  Yet less well known but equally true is that the Stoics knew the good life: Cato had a family fortune. Marcus lived in an imperial palace. Seneca t...

"The divorce. The bankruptcy. The car accident. The night you’re having to spend at the airport. The business you poured your savings into that you now have to close because of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s not fun. It’s not fair. Why couldn’t it have happened to someone else? When Stuart Scott found out he had cancer, when he knew that he would almost certainly die, you can imagine he thoug...

In today's podcast, Ryan discusses 10 moments in history where the power of Stoicism became apparent, from Adm. James Stockdale's time in a North Vietnamese prison camp to Michael Jordan's Flu Game and beyond. This episode is brought to you by Four Sigmatic . Four Sigmatic is a maker of mushroom coffee, lattes, elixirs, and more. Their drinks all taste amazing and they've full...

On today’s Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan and Mark Manson (author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck ) talk about working to figure out your true priorities, the balancing act between independence and conformism, how it feels to be a bestselling author, and more. Mark Manson is a best-selling writer and blogger about living a balance, productive, and ultimately fulfilling life. He has written two N...

"Marcus Aurelius had workaholic tendencies. Even if he hadn’t had the most important job in the world, we get the sense that he would have treated his work that way. He was one of those all-in types. When he discovered philosophy, he slept on the floor and practiced poverty to his mother’s frustration. When he found an author he liked, he dove deeply into their work. And when he became empero...

"You were in high school when you read The Great Gatsby for the first time. You were just a kid when you read The Count of Monte Cristo or had someone tell you the story of Odysseus. Maybe it’s been many years now since you first picked up the Stoics, whether it was Marcus Aurelius or Seneca.  The point is: You got it right? You read them. You’re done, right?" Ryan discusses a better way...

On today’s Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan and Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes talk about the difficulty of striving for an extraordinary goal during a pandemic, how to maintain creative and athletic momentum while staying safe, the most important moments that an athlete experiences, and more. Dominique Dawes is a retired American gymnast. She is a three-time Olympian and has won medals at the 1992, 199...

"How suddenly life can take from us all the things we took for granted.  Whether it’s a global pandemic that locks you in your house or one of the capricious exiles that the Stoics experienced, much can be taken from us. Our ability to see our friends. Our financial security. Even our freedom of movement.  That sucks. But it sucks even more if you don’t learn from it, if you don’t take this m...

"After returning from particularly notable campaigns, the commanders of Roman legions would distribute small coins to their men as rewards for their service and mementos of their time in those campaigns. These coins were the originators of a now-ancient tradition—the challenge coin—that continues all these centuries later, with generals like Washington, Grant, and Mattis handing out small, sp...

"People will piss you off in this life. That’s a given. You’ll get cut off on the highway. You’ll be spoken to rudely. You’ll get blown off. Someone will drop the ball. Someone’s screaming baby will keep you up all night on a plane. But before you get upset, you should stop yourself. Because maybe there’s something you don’t quite know about the situation." Ryan gives an example of the w...

On today's Daily Stoic Sunday episode, Ryan goes over five of Marcus Aurelius' best quotes and describes how you can live up to his words. This episode is also brought to you by Raycon , maker of affordable earbuds with incredibly high-quality sound. Raycon earbuds are half the price of more-expensive competitors and sound just as good. With six hours of battery time, seamless Bluetooth...

Today's episode features a 2018 interview in which Ryan talks with author and strategist Robert Greene. They discuss the core message of Robert’s latest book ( The Laws of Human Nature ), the research process that he uses to put together his books, and more. Robert Greene is a bestselling author and strategist. Across his six books he has combined intense research with powerful stories from h...

"Dr. William Osler was a giant of the medical field in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was also a fan of the Stoics. He was a deep reader who advised his students to read Shakespeare before bed to clear and refresh their minds. He was one of the founding members of Johns Hopkins University and impacted millions of lives through his research. It was an incredible career that eventua...

"The odds are looking bad. They are asking you to compromise. They want you to betray what you believe in. It would be so easy to take your buyout and leave the mess to the people who come after you. Concede. Roll over. Give up. Beg to be spared.  Ha! The Stoic says no." Find out what a Stoic does instead on today's Daily Stoic Podcast. *** If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d l...

"Socrates was smart. He was clever and funny. He was, as we can tell from just two of his students, Xenophon and Plato, clearly a great teacher.  But is that the only reason we admire him? Because of his contributions to philosophy?" Ryan explains the main reason we admire Socrates, and describes how we can emulate his example, in today's Daily Stoic Podcast. *** If you enjoyed this...