The Daily Stoic

Moral compromise is never a single act. It creates a precedent…and then another, and another.

 Stop extrapolating. Stop adding in the lens of anxiety.

For most of its history, Stoicism was a spoken, conversational philosophy. It was meant to be heard, discussed, and worked through in the back and forth.

In today's episode, Ryan answers questions about how to apply Stoicism to the real problems life throws at us. How do you stay Stoic when the obstacle is emotional, personal, and human? What does “doing the work” look like when you're exhausted, burned out, or discouraged? How do you know what's in your control, what you can influence, and where your energy is best spent? Plus more.

After recording in studio for The Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan and Maria Semple went next door to The Painted Porch to talk about the Stoic-themed novels everyone should read.

There are some situations where panic is not an option. In today's episode, Ryan talks with Senator Mark Kelly about what his years as a Navy pilot, test pilot, and NASA astronaut taught him about fear, focus, humility, and staying calm under pressure. They discuss the lessons of spaceflight, the danger of ego in high-stakes moments, Marcus Aurelius' “view from above,” and what real leadership requires in today's world.Senator Mark Kelly is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. Before entering public service, he served as a U.S. Navy combat pilot, test pilot, and captain. He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1996 and flew four space shuttle missions: STS-108, STS-121, STS-124, and STS-134, commanding the final two. Over the course of his NASA career, he spent more than 54 days in space. After his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, was shot in an assassination attempt in 2011, Kelly retired from the Navy and NASA later that year. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 in the special election for the seat once held by Senator John McCain, and was reelected to a full term in 2022.

A Stoic thinks about what's right. They don't ask, “Is this safe?” They say, “That's wrong.”

The ancients are there to guide us. We can struggle to live up to their expectations. We can learn from their mistakes

Marcus Aurelius, despite being emperor of Rome, still made time every day to write in his journal, examining his thoughts and actions. He understood that wisdom required ongoing effort—not once, but continually throughout life.

The more powerful our tools become, the more important our judgment becomes. In today's episode, Ryan talks with Jeremy Utley and Henrik Werdelin, hosts of Beyond the Prompt, about what the Stoics can teach us about AI, modern technology, and the skills we can't afford to outsource.Beyond the Prompt is hosted by Henrik Werdelin, an entrepreneur known for co-founding BarkBox, prehype, and other startups, and Jeremy Utley, a lecturer at Stanford and author of Ideaflow.

Seneca and Marcus Aurelius and Cato were all concerned about their declining institutions. But unlike us, as we read about these historical events, they did not know how they would end.

The question for you today (and always) is: what do you pledge your sacred honor to? What are you fighting for?

This is the day to change your life. A new day is in front of us. As Marcus Aurelius reminds us, it's a tragedy to cling to being the person you've always been.

Was Nero really that bad, or has history been telling the same story for 2,000 years without asking who started it? In today's episode, Ryan looks at the myths, accusations, and contradictions behind Nero's reputation, and asks whether he was really a monster, a scapegoat, or a warning.

This is your life that sits before you. Time is ticking away.

The Stoics had high standards. They also understood that perfection was not possible.

Maybe you don't think it's making much of a difference. Maybe it's terrifying and exhausting. Maybe it's costing you a lot—friends, followers, peace of mind. Still, it is worth doing.

Empathy is not the opposite of Stoic strength. It's part of what keeps that strength from becoming coldness. In today's episode, Ryan talks with Will Guidara, author of Unreasonable Hospitality, about why empathy is one of the most powerful skills a leader can build. They discuss why hospitality is really about making people feel seen, the Stoic idea of slowing down to speed up, the importance of not wasting adversity, and why we should never let someone else's bad behavior pull us away from the person we want to be.Will Guidara is a restaurateur, speaker, and the author of Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect and the new Unreasonable Hospitality: The Field Guide. He is the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, which earned three Michelin stars and was named the number one restaurant in the world.Will's work on hospitality has been featured in his TED Talk, The Secret Ingredients of Great Hospitality, and his book Unreasonable Hospitality was featured in the hit series The Bear.

The four virtues serve as a compass for how to act, who to be, and how to respond in any situation.  Have we found anything better?

You think they have everything they could possibly want. But the rich, the powerful? They are actually incredibly jealous people.

In today's episode, Ryan shares timeless lessons from the ancients on how to ask better questions, think more clearly, and make the most of AI without losing your ability to discern what's true.

The real test of philosophy is not what it teaches us in quiet moments, but what it demands from us when power, pressure, and ego enter the room. In today's episode, Ryan talks with Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, about Stoicism, leadership, responsibility, and the dangers of power without introspection. They discuss ego, the crisis facing young men, the loss of shared rituals and institutions, and why philosophy still matters in public life.

Think about what your anxiety costs you. Think about it honestly and painfully.

What's left of Stoicism today is, if anything, more robust than it was in the ancient world.

The four Stoic virtues are not supposed to be pursued in isolation. Instead, they come together under the idea of virtue itself.

General Jim Mattis has spent his life proving that philosophy is not just for the classroom. In today's episode, Margaret Hoover interviews General Mattis, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, and Ryan about why philosophy matters most when things are difficult. They discuss how leaders fall back on their first principles in a crisis, and what Marcus Aurelius, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln can still teach us about courage, citizenship, and character today.

In a recent interview, Daniel Radcliffe talked about the book "How To Hide an Empire" which has been one of Ryan's favorite reads lately. Here are some of his takeaways.You can grab a copy of How To Hide an Empire at Ryan's bookstore, The Painted Porch: https://www.thepaintedporch.com/

You thought you were supposed to be doing this. You thought your job was to do that. But then what happened? Life happened. Stuff happened. Other people happened.

Great leaders don't just build winning teams, they build people who can go on to lead without them. In today's episode, Ryan talks about the idea of “growing a coaching tree” and what it means to create a culture that outlasts you. Using the San Antonio Spurs as a real-life example, Ryan looks at how the best leaders teach, empower, and develop others, not just for their own success, but for the success of everyone who comes next.

In honor of Mother's Day, Ryan talks with Donald Robertson about the powerful influence Marcus Aurelius' mother had on his life and philosophy. Even though Stoicism is usually talked about as a philosophy shaped by men, Marcus' mother may have been his first and most important model of Stoic character, shaping the virtues he would spend his life trying to practice.Donald Robertson is a writer, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist and trainer. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). Donald specializes in teaching evidence-based psychological skills, and is known as an expert on the relationship between modern psychotherapy (CBT) and classical Greek and Roman philosophy.Listen to the full episode with Donald Robertson: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTubeSubstackX: @donjrobertsonIG: @donaldjrobertson

Jon Gustin got sober at the beginning of 2023, but as he explains in today's episode, getting sober was not the end of the struggle. It was the beginning of finally facing everything he had spent years avoiding. Jon talks with Ryan about his unhealthy relationship with substances, the emotional rock bottom that forced him to change, and the daily practices that helped him stay sober and focus on being a better husband and father. Jon Gustin is the founder of The Tired Dad LLC and the voice behind The Tired Dad, a movement built around showing up for what matters most. His book, The Tired Dad.: 100 Reflections on Showing Up for What Matters Most, is out now! Follow Jon Gustin on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Cato's life was his philosophy, and the Stoics never stopped looking to his example. In today's episode, Ryan explores why Cato the Younger became one of Stoicism's most admired figures, and what his life can teach us about courage, character, and standing for what's right.

Arete. To the Greeks, it meant excellence. It was the ultimate expression of human greatness—moral, physical, spiritual. It's what the Stoics were chasing. It's what you're chasing today. But how do we get there?

These are impersonal forces. This is fortune and fate. It's not targeting you. It's not favoring or picking on you.

You think you want more freedom, but too much of it can work against you. In this episode, Ryan talks with David Epstein about why constraints can actually make us better. They discuss how deadlines sharpen focus, why too much autonomy can become a trap, and why “freedom within a framework” may be more useful than total freedom.David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. His third book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, is out now!

They're awful. They're frustrating. They need to be stopped. These are the people who take up so much space in our head.

The terrible diagnosis. The betrayal. The broken heart. Are they Stoics really saying you should love that? Is that what it means to “amor fati”—to love your fate?

Recognizing your anger in the moment, feeling it rising before it takes over, means you've already started mastering it.

You think you've read Meditations, but the deeper truths in Marcus Aurelius' private writings often reveal themselves only after years of revisiting them. In this episode, Ryan shares the hidden lessons he missed on his first, second, and even tenth read and why this book keeps giving you new insights even years later.

What happens after you survive something that should have killed you? After being critically injured in Afghanistan, Kyle Carpenter faced years of surgeries, setbacks, and a future he couldn't yet see. In Part 2, Ryan and Kyle talk about learning to embrace the struggle, ask for help, and keep going when the path forward is unclear.Kyle Carpenter is a medically retired United States Marine who received the United States' highest military honor, the Medal of Honor in 2010. Kyle is the youngest living Medal of Honor recipient.

Watch Ryan's response on The Daily Stoic YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1OfTQusvYM

When we stop resisting and start learning, the obstacle becomes the way.

Dr. Edith Eger faced the worst humanity can do, survived Auschwitz, and went on to build a 98-year life rooted in resilience, forgiveness, and meaning. In this episode, Ryan reflects on her life and lessons as a Holocaust survivor, student of Viktor Frankl, and a powerful voice on resilience and forgiveness.

The surprising thing about all this is that you were surprised. How could you not have seen this coming?Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work

The Medal of Honor is the highest military award in the United States, given for extraordinary courage in the face of danger. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Kyle Carpenter, the youngest living recipient, to talk about what that kind of courage really looks like and what comes after it.Kyle received the Medal of Honor after throwing himself on a live grenade to save a fellow Marine in Afghanistan. It was a split second decision that changed his life. But as he explains, that moment was only the beginning.Kyle Carpenter is a medically retired United States Marine who received the United States' highest military honor, the Medal of Honor in 2010.

To wrap up Meditations Month, today Ryan explores Marcus's best rules for using the precious time in your life.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work

You can't learn history that you don't take the time to look at, that you think you already understand.

It was a dark world…and Marcus Aurelius desperately needed some light.LAST CHANCE | Your ticket to the live Q&A with Ryan Holiday

How can a 2,000-year-old book still change the way you think today? In this episode, Ryan Holiday shares passages from Meditations that he's returned to more than a hundred times over the years. Each reading has revealed something new, and these lines are the ones that have had the biggest impact on how he thinks and lives. Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work

Most people read Marcus Aurelius the wrong way. In this episode, Ryan sits down with philosopher William Stephens to discuss why the title "Meditations" may be misleading, what these writings were actually meant to be, and how that changes the way we read them today. William O. Stephens is a philosopher specializing in Stoicism, ethics, and ancient philosophy. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and spent over 30 years teaching at Creighton University, where he is now Professor Emeritus. His work spans topics like friendship, ecology, and human nature, with a focus on Stoic thought. His latest book is Marcus Aurelius: Philosopher-King (2025), and he is also the author of Marcus Aurelius: A Guide for the Perplexed, Epictetus's Encheiridion: A New Translation and Guide to Stoic Ethics, and Stoic Ethics: Epictetus and Happiness as Freedom. Check out more of William Stephens' work at https://WilliamOStephens.com/

Our true character comes out under pressure. So we must train that character, we must develop our bodies, we have to put in the work. Your ticket to a live Q&A with Ryan Holiday