The audio companion to DailyStoic.com's daily email meditations, read by Ryan Holiday. Each daily reading will help you cultivate strength, insight and wisdom necessary for living the good life. Every word is based on the two-thousand plus year old philosophy that has guided some of history’s great…
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The Daily Stoic podcast is an incredible resource for those interested in the philosophy of stoicism. Ryan Holiday, the host, has quickly become a prominent figure in the modern stoic movement, and his podcast showcases his deep understanding and passion for this ancient philosophy. At only 34 years old, Holiday brings a youthful optimism to stoicism that is refreshing and engaging. The podcast covers a wide range of topics related to stoicism, with episodes that consist of daily meditations as well as longer conversations with guests from various backgrounds.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is how it provides a daily reminder to focus on what we can control or have influence over, rather than being concerned with how others perceive us. This grounding and life-changing message resonates deeply with listeners and has the power to transform their perspectives on life. Additionally, Holiday's ability to declaim the meditations and explain them adds an extra layer of depth and understanding to the teachings of stoicism. His work truly helps listeners develop their own core philosophy and provides practical guidance for implementing these principles in their daily lives.
Another highlight of The Daily Stoic podcast is the variety of guests that are featured on longer episodes. From academic scholars to athletes and musicians, there is something for everyone in these conversations. These episodes offer a unique opportunity to learn from individuals who have applied stoic principles in different areas of life, further demonstrating the universality and relevance of this ancient philosophy. The insights shared by these guests provide valuable perspectives and inspire listeners to continue their own growth and development.
While The Daily Stoic podcast has received widespread acclaim, there are a few drawbacks worth mentioning. Some listeners have expressed their disappointment with Holiday's monetization strategy, as he tends to promote his books and other products during almost every episode. While it is understandable that content creators need to make money, the excessive self-promotion can be distracting for some listeners.
Additionally, a small number of critics have taken issue with Holiday expressing his liberal political views in some episodes. While these comments are not the main focal point of the podcast, they have caused discomfort for some listeners who prefer to keep politics separate from their philosophical discussions. However, it's important to note that these instances are relatively rare and do not detract significantly from the overall value of the podcast.
In conclusion, The Daily Stoic podcast is a powerful and transformative resource for anyone interested in stoicism and personal growth. Ryan Holiday's dedication to providing valuable content shines through in every episode, whether it's a short meditation or a longer conversation with a guest. While there may be a few minor drawbacks, the depth of knowledge, practical insights, and inspirational messages make this podcast truly exceptional. It has the potential to change lives and help listeners become better versions of themselves.
Nobody said getting wiser, better, or stronger would be accomplished without hard work. In fact, the Stoics specifically said the opposite.Turn the words into works
Before stepping in front of a live audience on Real Time with Bill Maher, Ryan turned to five Stoic reminders to calm his nerves. In today's episode, Ryan takes you behind the scenes and shares highlights from his conversation with Bill about why Stoicism is having a moment. Watch Ryan's segment on Real Time with Bill Maher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reT_s3jxYBUWatch Overtime with Bill Maher: Ryan Holiday, Andrew Cuomo, Kristen Soltis Anderson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUvynycoi3s
How do you keep climbing when there's no guarantee your work will pay off? Sportswriter Seth Wickersham joins Ryan to talk about the Springsteen lyric that inspired his new book Be On That Hill, the role luck plays in success, and what keeps ambitious people showing up when the work gets hard.
Comfort and convenience are nice, but too much insulation comes at a cost.
Do you write down the important things you read? Do you take the time to understand those “helpful pieces of teaching” and what they could mean for you?Turn the words into works
Ten years after taking a knee, Colin Kaepernick looks back on the decision that changed his life and cost him more than $150 million. In today's episode, he sits down with Ryan to discuss navigating the backlash, keeping the focus on the message behind his protest, and what, if anything, he would do differently.Colin Kaepernick is a Super Bowl quarterback, civil rights activist, and author of The Perilous Fight. He is the founder of the Know Your Rights Camp, Kaepernick Media, and Kaepernick Publishing, and Lumi Story AI. He has been awarded Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award, the Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award, the ACLU Ralph Ellison Award for Defenders of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in the Arts, Business, Science, and Sports, the ACLU Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award, and numerous others for his work in athletics and advocacy. Buy a signed copy of Colin's memoir, The Perilous Fight: https://www.thepaintedporch.com/products/the-perilous-fight?_pos=1&_sid=b8f67a3dc&_ss=rBuy The Perilous Fight on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perilous-Fight-Colin-Kaepernick/Follow Colin | Instagram, X, TikTokKnow Your Rights Camp: https://www.knowyourrightscamp.org/
Marcus Aurelius loved to read and tried to always have a text from a philosopher or a playwright or a historian with him. But, as it is for all of us, we don't always get our way—sometimes life intervenes.Turn the words into works
Are we doing the work we know we should be doing? Or are we letting hour after hour, day after day, simply drift past us? -- Dr. Becky Kennedy is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and the founder and CEO of Good Inside, a parenting platform that gives parents practical tools for raising emotionally healthy kids. Named “The Millennial Parenting Whisperer” by TIME, Dr. Becky is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be and host of the chart-topping podcast Good Inside with Dr. Becky.
Ryan knew running 50 kilometers through Rome would require more than just being in shape. So he turned to Luke Tuttle from the blog Ultra Running Destinations for firsthand advice on how to prepare for everything the run might throw at him.
We should not get to do everything we want. We should not be surrounded by “yes” men and women. We should not think we are superior to others or exempt from constraints. Watch the full conversation with David Epstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngKTRs6ghQ8David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. His book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, is out now!
Come along with Ryan as he sets out to run farther than he ever has before: 50 kilometers through Rome, past some of the most important Stoic sites in the world.
Stephanie Ruhle has spent her career with a front-row seat to some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world. In today's episode, she talks with Ryan about what they often misunderstand about success, what happens when having everything still isn't enough, and the cost of staying at the top.Before becoming a journalist, Stephanie Ruhle spent 14 years working in finance. She later joined Bloomberg Television, hosted The 11th Hour, and now hosts Money, Power, Politics with Stephanie Ruhle on MS NOW.Watch Money, Power, Politics with Stephanie Ruhle on MS NOW! Watch Stephanie Ruhle interview Ryan at The 92nd Street Y: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGXvQqurY-YFollow Stephanie Ruhle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephruhle/?hl=en
In today's bonus episode, Gen. Dan Caine reflects on being one of the first pilots in the air on 9/11 and what that moment taught him about courage, leadership, and service.General Dan Caine is the 22nd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has flown more than 100 combat hours in F-16 aircraft. His total flight hours are 2,800. Throughout his career he was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Today, on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, let us be full of love.-- Chief Joseph Pfeifer was the first FDNY chief to arrive at the World Trade Center on 9/11. He watched the first plane hit the North Tower, took command of the initial response, and that morning, he also lost his younger brother, Lieutenant Kevin Pfeifer.
It'd be wonderful if every great novel was easy to get into, if every philosophy was made accessible, if every history tome was readable and clear. Sadly, they are not.Turn the words into works
It would be nice if they got it. If they understood why they did it. How they hurt us. What it meant to us. And maybe they will…someday.--
Not all the Stoics were leaders, but all of them were readers.Turn the words into works
Seneca lived through illness, exile, and the brutal reign of Nero. In today's episode, Ryan shares three of the most powerful ideas Seneca learned from those experiences and why they can change the way you live.
Slow down. Pause. Take a breath. Because one day, you'll realize you rushed through too much of your life, too much of your loved ones' lives.
Ryan thought running 50 kilometers through Rome would be the hard part of the family trip to Italy but he was wrong. In today's episode, he shares how the rest of the trip went completely off the rails and what happened after his family got home that made every travel disaster along the way seem small.
In Rome, Ryan could barely go for a run without passing a place connected to Stoic history. In today's episode, he shares moments from his family trip, from visiting the places where the Stoics lived and worked to running a 50K route through Rome's ancient Stoic sites.
It's already Labor Day weekend. What happened?
If Ryan could sit down with Marcus Aurelius and ask him one question, it wouldn't be about Meditations or Stoic philosophy. In today's episode, Ryan poses the question to Professor William O. Stephens, author of and they discuss why the answer is far more complicated than it seems.
It might even be easy to use some of the Stoic teachings to tell yourself that travel is exotic, or even frivolous. But it isn't. It's essential.
“Why should we get angry at the world,” Marcus Aurelius writes, “as if the world would notice?”Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/
In this bonus episode, Ryan shares seven books that will help you think more clearly, use AI wisely, and become harder to replace.
We need to take a step back from problems, arguments, and frustrations. To look at the bigger picture. Watch the full episode with Senator and Astronaut Mark Kelly here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf-K7cEpuyICheck out Astronaut Terry Virts' full episode on The Daily Stoic Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube
People have, since Prometheus, developed technology that frees us from backbreaking drudgery and toil. And what do you do with this freedom, this incredible bounty?
Marcus Aurelius has only one core work, which was actually never intended for publication: his Meditations. This is not only one of greatest books ever written but perhaps the only book of its kind. It is the definitive text on self-discipline, personal ethics, humility, self-actualization and strength. In this episode, you will hear 45 of our favorite quotes from Marcus Aurelius.
Behind Jet Li's martial arts mastery and international fame is a deeply personal journey to understand purpose, ego, and freedom. In today's episode, he sits down with Ryan to discuss the three levels of martial arts, how surviving the 2004 tsunami changed his life, and what he believes is the highest form of strength.Jet Li is a martial artist, actor, philanthropist, film producer, and author. He became the youngest national martial arts champion in Chinese history at twelve years old and went on to become one of the most internationally recognized Chinese film stars of all time, with roles in Shaolin Temple, Once Upon a Time in China, Fist of Legend, Hero, Fearless, Romeo Must Die, Lethal Weapon 4, The Expendables, and Disney's live-action Mulan.Beyond film, Jet has spent more than thirty years studying Buddhism and has devoted much of his life to philanthropy. After surviving the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami with his family, he founded One Foundation, a charitable organization focused on disaster relief, mental health, and grassroots giving. His new book is Beyond Life and Death: The Way of True Freedom.Follow Jet Li on Instagram | @jetli
Discipline is a daily practice, and these seven Stoic rules will help you stick with it.
Fortune behaves however she pleases, as Seneca put it.
A chaotic few days on the road gave Ryan plenty of opportunities to practice what the Stoics taught. Between disrupted travel plans and visits to museums honoring Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln, and Rosa Parks, he reflects on integrity, courage, and how to handle whatever happens.
If you are a slave to your desires, if you are a slave to your fears, if you are a slave to things that were outside of your control, then you are not powerful at all. LIVE Q&A TODAY | If you get our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) you'll receive a private invitation to an exclusive LIVE Q&A with Ryan Holiday, happening today! Head to dailystoic.com/epictetuscourse to learn more and get your book, guide, and bundle today!
Wisdom doesn't come from first impressions and it does not come easy. It's hard work…and the only way to speed up the process is with the help of a great teacher.
We often imagine that freedom means having more power, more money, or fewer people telling us what to do. But none of that makes us free if we cannot control ourselves.
When everyone else seems to be abandoning their standards, what keeps you from abandoning yours? Ryan talks with USA TODAY national correspondent Rick Jervis, author of The Devil Behind The Badge, about objectivity, integrity, and how professional ethics provide stability in the middle of chaos. Listen to more of Ryan and Rick's conversation
With enough practice, Seneca said, he found he could think anywhere. He could find stillness and peace anywhere.
Most people think about time as something they have plenty of until they suddenly don't. But Seneca's warning raises a more unsettling question: how much of your life are you giving away without even realizing it?
In today's episode, Ryan and Steven Pressfield discuss one of Marcus Aurelius' most striking lines: “Life is warfare and a journey far from home.” What begins with the epigraph to Steven's new novel The Arcadian turns into a conversation about the hero's journey, the ideas we carry with us for decades, and reincarnation.
Before you trust your first reaction, assumption, or opinion, the Stoics would tell you to do a few things first. In this bonus episode, Ryan breaks down five rules for thinking more clearly.
These things happen to people…therefore they could happen to you.
We may not control what happens to us, what other people decide, or what circumstances take away. But we can still choose what we believe, how we respond, and who we become.
To enter into another person's mind, even for a moment, we first need to get out of our own head.
Why is that self-command and self-knowledge so elusive? How can we find it?
Keith thought he knew what his purpose was. Then his daughter got sick, his life took an unexpected turn, and Stoicism was put to a test he never expected.If Keith's story has inspired you to share your journey with Stoicism, please email an audio recording to podcast@dailystoic.com for the chance to be featured on a future episode!
Which of these do you struggle with the most?
We are prickly about our freedom…as we willingly submit to all sorts of addictions.
Most philosophers wrote about struggle, freedom, and resilience from a place of privilege. But one Stoic's story raises a fascinating question: what can a life shaped by hardship teach us about what it really means to be free?
Ryan sits down with comedian and actor David Cross for a conversation that goes just about everywhere. They talk about Stoicism, comedy, politics, free speech, parenting, privilege, entitlement, and more.David Cross is a comedian, actor, writer, and producer best known for co-creating and starring in HBO's Mr. Show, playing Tobias Fünke on Arrested Development, and his decades-long stand-up career.David's latest comedy special, The End of the Beginning of The End, is available to watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfqMkJwVgmoHe also recently teamed up with longtime friend Bob Odenkirk for Bob and David Climb Machu Picchu, a documentary about their 2024 trip on the Inca Trail. David won a Primetime Emmy for his writing on The Ben Stiller Show and has received multiple Emmy and Grammy nominations for his television and comedy work.Follow David | @DavidCrossOfficial
What can happen to anyone could happen to you. It's your job to be ready.
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