The Strong Stoic Podcast

There's one thing that's certain when it comes to success in anything you do: there will be both good times and bad times. As difficult as the bad times are when things just don't seem to be going right and when the results don't reflect the hard work you put in, persevering through these troughs is the only way to reach the peak on the other end. This is easier said than done....

We all seem to fear old age and, of course, death. However, it seems that we fear old age more than death. Perhaps this is because we have more reasons to fear old age - immobility, death of our loved ones, and, above all, regret. Many people who reach old age homes regret things that they didn't do, which may be why we all fear it so much. So, how do we ensure that we don't end up like...

There's a popular idea that we should all "live in the moment" and "live each day as if it's your last". Indeed, this quote may make sense to us and so we hit "share" on that FaceBook post without even thinking about it. The question is: is this actually a good motto? Does it really make sense? Is it practical? Listen in today as I cover the topic of living...

At this stage in the COVID pandemic, the Canadian government is imposing very strict stay at home regulations. Some are applauding this, while others are claiming this is taking away basic human liberties. The truth is that there are reasons for both and they are in many ways related. You see, responsibility is linked with oppression. It's been said before that "with great power comes gr...

"Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering." All of you Star Wars nerds out there will recognize this quote from Master Yoda. If you are NOT a Star Wars nerd, don't fret! There's still much to learn from this very wise quote. Fear is our body's reaction to a potential threat. Anger is sometimes a useful response to this, however, over time it can le...

The world appears to be dominated by extroverts, whereas introverts seem to rarely ever be in the public spotlight. Is this real, or just the perception? Is introversion real, or are people just shy and insecure? This episode will discuss the difference between introverts and extroverts and provide some guidance for both sides if you want to optimize your success in life. Will this episode fill yo...

If you were to go to the gym and wish for the weights to be lighter rather than yourself to be stronger, people would call you crazy. It is ridiculous to say the least. However, it is common for us to wish for many aspects of our life to be easier. We seem to want everything to be handed to us. Is it any less ridiculous than asking for weights to be lighter? Join me today as I cover this topic. Ho...

If you're interested in listening to The Strong Stoic Podcast, check out this trailer to get an idea of what to expect! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's the truth about truth? Is it subjective or objective? If an objective truth exists, why are all of our subjective truths not the same? Listen in today as I talk about truth; what it means, why it's important, and how we can all move towards whatever the objective truth really is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We will be called constantly throughout our lives to start something new, to challenge ourselves, to go on an adventure. However, most of these calls go unanswered. Why? Because we're scared of failing, of being laughed at, at sucking at it. The truth is that sucking at something is part of the process and should be embraced. It isn't a bad thing; in fact, it's quite normal. So, wha...

Discrimination is a huge topic in our modern world, and for good reason. Much discrimination is unjust and unfair treatment of individuals, however, is discrimination all bad? While digging into the history of the word, it became clear that discrimination is actually a neutral term. Today, we often discuss unjust discrimination while taking for granted all of the just discrimination. Join in on to...

I've talked before about how solitude can be beneficial, as it sparks creativity and also brings out any issues you are subconsciously dealing with. However, like anything, too much solitude can wreck havoc on your life and can negatively effect your mental health. On this episode, I go through what you can learn from the COVID pandemic in terms of solitude as well as tips for improving your...

If there is one piece of advice that you could give someone about how to live life, the best would probably be something like "be a hero." Luckily, we can decide exactly what that means, however, it begs the question: why isn't everyone a hero? Why doesn't everyone want to be a hero? I found the answer to this question when I watched the live version of Mulan. The answer is mor...

Happy New Years everybody! Today I cover the (cliche) topic of New Years resolutions, why it may not be the best idea, and what you should do instead. This isn't your stereotypical resolution advice! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our modern world is constantly offended about something. As such, what we feel free to say is increasingly restricted, even if it is only meant as a harmless joke. It wasn't so long ago that people would be told to "toughen up" in such situations and to "grow some thick skin". Which is the right way? Should we stop everyone from being offensive or should we all work on hav...

Merry Christmas, everyone! Today's episode will be discussing how this Christmas is quite different than recent years and how we can work on changing our perspective to make the best of this year, even if it isn't how you would like to spend the holidays. An east coast alcoholic recipe will also be featured along with a description on what "Tibb's Eve" is.  Learn more abou...

Humanity tends to share some pride in their place of origin. We are all told growing up the accomplishments of our people and how special we are. However, how much truth is there to this? And is this actually a good thing? Join in on today's episode as the topic of human uniqueness and commonality is discussed. Other topics include why you should really be travelling and how best to grow as a...

We all face particularly dark and hard times in our lives where we are really tested. Perhaps two or more bad things have happened, and before you know it evil is staring you directly in the face. I'd describe this as "The Great Test" and it will come for you at least several times throughout your life. That being certain, what is the best response? How can we effectively go through...

The battle between faith and reason (that is, between "religion" and "science" has been ongoing for years, and there is no doubt that it will continue to be a battle for years to come. As such, claiming to have a definite answer on this is arrogance at its finest. However, a very interesting perspective is offered in a famous work of literature, The Brothers Karamazov. In it, D...

The world we live in is filled with awful deeds. The gulag and the holocaust are but 2 examples. A hard thing to accept is that such deeds were committed by our fellow humans, of which we all share the vast majority of our genes. However, along with our capacity for great evil, we seem to have a great capacity to maintain our goodness despite all of the awful things that happen to us, and so it be...

According to the Tao, life can be divided between Chaos and Order. The Stoics call this a little differently; they divide life into things that you cannot control, and things that you can. However, it's the same overall message. The Stoics also say that we shouldn't worry about things that we cannot control. Makes sense! But is the division between Chaos and Order clear? Listen in on tod...

Ego is a huge problem for many people. We all know people who are too into themselves, and it's rather off-putting isn't it? Despite this, many people still struggle with a big head. Perhaps one of the reasons for this is that ego grows slowly under the radar; just a little bit every day. Eventually, we reach a point where we definitely need humbling. Listen in on today's episode as...

Christianity has, more or less, fallen! This is rather interesting, considering it was and still is the dominating religion in the world. One of the biggest modern criticisms of Christianity is that it is, well, ridiculous! After all, how could a virgin have a baby, and how could Jesus perform miracles? Still, it begs the question: how has it historically resonated with so many people? Listen in o...

We all have different opinions and perspectives on what the best way to live is. Many of us even have different ideas on what a good way of living looks like. Regardless of our differing opinions, most of us would agree that a person needs a philosophy to live by. The question is: how do we choose the best one? And why doesn't it work for everyone? Today's episode will discuss this very...

The idea of saving your father occurs frequently throughout works of fiction. It would seem that this archetype has some significance which resonates with so many people; but what is it exactly? Grab your favorite marionnette and get cozy as this archetypical story is discussed and what the true meaning behind it is. Note: Brandon's nose did NOT grow during the recording of this episode!  Lea...