The Daily Stoic

What Epictetus learned in his fascinating life—beginning in slavery and culminating in a legacy as one of the most influential philosophers of all time—was simple, profound, and enduring. It's why countless Roman families sent their children to learn from Epictetus at his school in Nicopolis. And that's why we're spending this month doing a deep dive into Epictetus—because if reading him changed Marcus Aurelius' life, how might he change yours?

You could be doing anything with your life…so why are you choosing this? Historian and bestselling author Rutger Bregman joins Ryan to question everything we tend to believe about success, work, and impact. They discuss why many “prestigious” careers might actually be pointless, how a few regular people pulled off one of the biggest moral wins in history, and why meaningful work rarely looks like what society celebrates.Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author. His latest book Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference was released in April 2025. ‍‍In 2024, Rutger co-founded The School for Moral Ambition, a non-profit organization inspired by his latest book, Moral Ambition. The initiative helps people to take the step toward an impactful career.‍Follow Rutger on Instagram and X | @RutgerBregman

Seneca practiced poverty. Marcus Aurelius mentally rehearsed being criticized and misunderstood. Why did they put themselves in these uncomfortable positions?

Our lives are unpredictable. We are at the mercy of so many forces.

When we think of great Stoic figures like Marcus Aurelius, Cato, and Epictetus, we tend to focus solely on the individual, their perspective, their observations. But how did these brilliant thinkers treat those around them?Read this article here: https://dailystoic.com/6-stoic-tips-to-being-a-great-friend/

Is AI the end of creativity, or the beginning of a new artistic era? Rick Rubin returns for PT. 2 of his conversation with Ryan about how AI is reshaping creativity and why the real art still lies in the choices we make. They discuss the beauty of unexpected results, the difference between AI generating and iterating, timeless wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, and much more. Rick Rubin is a renowned American record producer and the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. He has produced albums for a wide range of acclaimed artists, including the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, and Johnny Cash. He has won nine Grammys and has been nominated for 12 more. He has been called “the most important producer of the last 20 years” by MTV and was named on Time‘s list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World”. Check out Rick's latest project The Way of the Code: https://www.thewayofcode.com/Grab copies of Rick's book The Creative Act: A Way of Being at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.comCheck out Rick's podcast Tetragrammaton Follow Rick on Instagram and X @RickRubin

For all the stupidity, for all the disasters, for all the noise and uncertainty, this is actually one of the least bad moments to ever exist.

Why should a Stoic let the awfulness of the world make them feel awful? Why would we let someone else's darkness cast a shadow on our own life?

Stress, anxiety, and concern don't exist outside us but within us—which means we have the power to do something about it, too.

What if AI isn't replacing creativity, but expanding it in ways we've never seen before? Rick Rubin joins Ryan to discuss the mysterious nature of using AI throughout the creative process. They talk about what vibe coding is, why structure can unlock freedom, and revisiting ancient philosophy to uncover new insights.Rick Rubin is a renowned American record producer and the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. He has produced albums for a wide range of acclaimed artists, including the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, and Johnny Cash. He has won nine Grammys and has been nominated for 12 more. He has been called “the most important producer of the last 20 years” by MTV and was named on Time‘s list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World”.

The thing about power is not so much that it changes you but that it changes the people around you. It changes what they're willing to say to you…and how they say it.

Coming to terms with pain and setbacks and unfairness is critical to moving forward, to affecting change, to being a leader, to basic happiness.

“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” - Mark TwainIn this powerful talk, Ryan explains why justice is the true measure of leadership. This is a call to do the right thing, not because it's easy or profitable, but because it's the only thing that truly lasts.

Mark Twain didn't just write American classics, he lived one of the most powerful personal transformations in history. In Part 2 of this conversation, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow returns to join Ryan for a deep dive into Twain's remarkable moral evolution. They discuss how Twain's journey mirrors those of Ulysses S. Grant and John D. Rockefeller, reflect on the tragic cost of chasing fortune over purpose, and explore what makes a biography timeless and a life unforgettable.Plus, a special moment: Ryan's 8-year-old son jumps in to ask Ron about Hamilton, his favorite musical.Ron Chernow is the prizewinning author of seven previous books and the recipient of the 2015 National Humanities Medal. His first book, The House of Morgan, won the National Book Award, Washington: A Life won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, and Alexander Hamilton—the inspiration for the Broadway musical—won the George Washington Book Prize. He has twice been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and is one of only three living biographers to have won the Gold Medal for Biography of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Ron's latest book is on the fascinating and complex life of American writer Mark Twain. Follow Ron Chernow on Instagram: @RonChernow

There are forces out there, just as tempting as power, that can cut us off from our values, from truth, from other people, from what matters. It takes work to resist them, to counteract them, and to rise above them.

The Stoics remind you that the point of financial security is to feel secure. The point of plenty is to realize that you have enough. You can't fear losing what you had–there was a time you didn't have it and you survived.

Powerful people can take from you. Yet the Stoics remind us: our character is our own.

Brilliance without emotional control is often a recipe for destruction. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow, whose acclaimed biographies on Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, John D. Rockefeller, and most recently, Mark Twain have reshaped our understanding of American greatness. Ron and Ryan talk about how these men's deepest personal struggles and their ability to manage emotion became the defining factor in their lives and legacies.Ron Chernow is the prizewinning author of seven previous books and the recipient of the 2015 National Humanities Medal. His first book, The House of Morgan, won the National Book Award, Washington: A Life won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, and Alexander Hamilton—the inspiration for the Broadway musical—won the George Washington Book Prize. He has twice been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and is one of only three living biographers to have won the Gold Medal for Biography of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Ron's latest book is on the fascinating and complex life of American writer Mark Twain. Follow Ron on Instagram: @RonChernow

We will be wronged—by friends, by colleagues, by life itself. When that happens, we have a choice: to be consumed by bitterness or to rise above it. Marcus showed us the way. The question is, will we follow?

It is astonishing, this world we live in. And it is a gift, this philosophical tradition we carry forward.

What if the most valuable thing you'll ever own is already slipping through your fingers?

What does it take to stay good when the world feels like it's falling apart? And how do we prepare the next generation to do the same? Science journalist and bestselling author Melinda Wenner Moyer joins Ryan to discuss what it means to hold onto empathy, curiosity, and integrity in an age of moral confusion. They discuss how to think critically in a world of misinformation, how to stay hopeful without becoming naïve, and how to not become an asshole in a world full of them. Melinda Wenner Moyer is an award-winning journalist whose work explores the intersection of science and everyday life. Her work deep dives into subjects that have both scientific and societal implications, addressing issues that are relevant to parents, families, and the general public. She is contributing editor at Scientific American magazine and a regular contributor — and former columnist at The New York Times. Melinda's first book, How To Raise Kids Who Aren't Assholes, was published in July 2021 and won a gold medal in the 2022 Living Now Book Awards. Her second book, Hello Cruel World!: Science-Based Strategies for Raising Terrific Kids in Terrifying Times, is out now! Follow Melinda on Instagram @ MelindaWMoyer and check out her substack, Now What?

Nobody likes being criticized. Nobody likes it when someone highlights your mistakes. In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius tries to remind himself that he has the freedom to take correction and criticism. He knew he didn't control what the person said or how they said it, but he did control how he handled it.

We cannot let them sully us—although we have to accept that they are going to do their best.

No one ever became excellent by chance, the Stoics said…so if you want to be courageous and disciplined and ethical, you gotta do the work.

The Wild West is full of myths, but behind the gunfights and honor codes is a deeper story about virtue and civilization. In today's episode, bestselling author Bryan Burrough joins Ryan to explore the truth behind America's gunfighter era. They discuss how honor culture took root in the lawless frontier, where violence was so common that gunfights were simply called “fights”, and what that reveals about the difference between performative strength and real virtue.Bryan Burrough is the author of Public Enemies, The Big Rich, Forget The Alamo, and most recently The Gunfighters: How Texas Made the West Wild. Bryan was a longtime correspondent at Vanity Fair and is now editor at large at Texas Monthly. Grab signed copies of The Gunfighters and Bryan's other books, Public Enemies, The Big Rich, and Forget The Alamo at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/Follow Bryan on X @BryanBurrough and check out more of his work at his website www.bryanburrough.com

We travel for work. We travel to see family. We travel to learn. As always, re-entry into our regular life, sleeping in our own bed, can require some getting used to.

We have these desires and aversions, these habits we indulge, these things we let ourselves get away with.

Sometimes the best days don't start out that way. In this episode, Ryan Holiday shares a personal story about how a seemingly ordinary, maybe even chaotic, day with his kids turned into something unexpectedly perfect.

In a world obsessed with attention, are we rewarding the worst in us? In today's PT. 2 episode, Chris Hayes and Ryan dive deep into how virtue signaling has transformed into full-blown vice signaling in today's attention economy. They discuss the unraveling of traditional journalism ethics, the decline of shared moral standards, and society's unsettling attraction to vice.Chris Hayes is the Emmy Award–winning host of All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC and the New York Times bestselling author of A Colony in a Nation and Twilight of the Elites. Chris' latest book is called The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource. Follow Chris on Instagram and X @ChrisLHayes and watch Chris' show ALL IN on MSNBC

We have to be prepared for what people will do. That isn't to say we need to become cynical, but it is to say that we have stop fooling ourselves.

The whole future is uncertain, Seneca reminds us. Live virtuously, of course, but also live immediately.

Cleanthes and Socrates exposed themselves to cold. Marcus Aurelius slept on a hard mattress. Seneca practiced poverty on a regular basis. Why did they do this?

What if the real problem isn't politics, the economy, or technology, but where you're directing your attention? Emmy-winning journalist Chris Hayes joins Ryan to reveal the sinister mechanics of modern media, explore how the digital age fractures our sense of self, and explain why misinformation is most dangerous when it tells us exactly what we want to hear.Chris Hayes is the Emmy Award–winning host of All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC and the New York Times bestselling author of A Colony in a Nation and Twilight of the Elites. Chris' latest book is The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource. Follow Chris on Instagram and X @ChrisLHayes and watch Chris' show ALL IN on MSNBC

There is no mention of what became of the Stoics' wives. We don't talk about the slights and the condescension they would have put up with as the ‘weaker sex.'

As Marcus would say, we can't be satisfied with merely "getting the gist" of what we read. "Read attentively," he advised. Read deeply. Aim for quality, not quantity.The Daily Stoic is $1.99 as an ebook for a limited time only. Grab it here now!

In moments of chaos, let Stoicism be your guide. In today's episode, Ryan dives into how to tackle both small and big obstacles by harnessing your inner strength, staying steady in the face of unpredictability, and leading with purpose

The Stoics knew something we often forget: influence starts before you speak. It's in your energy, your posture, your presence. In today's PT. 2 episode with body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards, she breaks down how to project authentic warmth, gives Ryan tips for navigating social dynamics, and shares how to confidently master the art of saying no.Vanessa Van Edwards is the bestselling author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People, translated into 17 languages, and Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication. More than 70 million people have watched her on YouTube and seen her viral TEDx London Talk.Vanessa is renowned for teaching science-backed people skills to audiences worldwide, including Harvard, SXSW, MIT, and Stanford. Through her engaging workshops and courses, Vanessa shares tangible skills to improve interpersonal communication and leadership. Her science-backed framework helps anyone communicate with confidence.Check out Vanessa' work on her website: scienceofpeople.com Follow Vanessa on Instagram and X: @VVanEdwards and on YouTube: @ScienceOfPeople

The world is constantly changing. We are constantly changing. Therefore what we get out of these books changes, too.

It's pathetic, isn't it? What some people do with power—what it reveals about them.

Think about the principles we are standing on. Think of what we are willing to risk for them.

The Stoics didn't just preach wisdom, they commanded attention. They knew how to lead with presence, not just ideas. In this episode, body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards joins Ryan to break down the science of real connection through a Stoic lens. She shares powerful, research-backed strategies to communicate with purpose, project warmth without losing authority, and instantly shift how others see and respond to you.Vanessa Van Edwards is the bestselling author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People, translated into 17 languages, and Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication. More than 70 million people have watched her on YouTube and seen her viral TEDx London Talk.Vanessa is renowned for teaching science-backed people skills to audiences worldwide, including Harvard, SXSW, MIT, and Stanford. Through her engaging workshops and courses, Vanessa shares tangible skills to improve interpersonal communication and leadership. Her science-backed framework helps anyone communicate with confidence.Check out Vanessa' work on her website: scienceofpeople.com Follow Vanessa on Instagram and X: @VVanEdwards and on YouTube: @ScienceOfPeople

The ancients did not just leave us words on papyrus—they left us a gift that keeps on giving through the ages.

On Memorial Day, it is worth reflecting on this very beautiful and almost baffling bit of human greatness.

In today's episode, Ryan opens up about how despite his career success and net worth, he still struggles with anxiety and stress, not so much about the state of the world but about the constant pressure for things to go right.

Can people actually change or are we just stuck with who we are? In this episode, author and journalist Olga Khazan joins Ryan to unpack the age-old debate: are personality traits fixed or can we reshape them over time? Olga shares what happened when she tried to change her own personality over the course of a year and what science says about whether that's even possible.Olga Khazan is a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of Me, But Better. You can follow Olga on Instagram and X @Olganator and read more of her work on Substack: https://olgakhazan.substack.com/

As leaders, we cannot allow people to tell us what we want to hear. We have to cultivate honesty, both in ourselves and in those around us.

The world is crazy. Plus, we have our own crazy lives to worry about—that pile of work, the kid who might be coming down with a cold, the house project that must be finished.

As Seneca wrote: “Associate with people who are likely to improve you. The process is a mutual one: men learn as they teach.”

1963 was a transformational year in American history—JFK's assassination, Martin Luther King Jr.'s “I Have a Dream” speech, the Birmingham Campaign, the rise of the Civil Rights Movement, and escalating Cold War tensions. It was a year that changed the soul of America.In this episode, Dr. Peniel Joseph, author and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, joins Ryan to discuss how 1963 ignited a decade of transformation. They discuss the pivotal events of the year, the contrasting strategies of Malcolm X and MLK Jr., and how this single year reshaped the course of future generations.Dr. Peniel E. Joseph is the Barbara Jordan Chair in Ethics and Political Values, founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and distinguished service leadership professor and professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author and editor of eight award-winning books on African American history, including The Third Reconstruction and The Sword and the Shield. 

We are not emperors. We are not senators. But we are human beings, connected to all other human beings.