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Do not trade your soul away. Because once it's gone, you cannot get it back.
We could do it later. We could get serious later. But why? Why not do it while we have the chance?
AI filmmaker and 14-time author Jason Moore joins me to unpack how artificial intelligence has reshaped the way he tells stories — without stripping out the creativity behind them. We get into a real client project that only became possible because of AI, his three guiding principles for using it well, and how he handles the inevitable wave of online critics. If you're curious (or a little nervous) about where AI fits into your video business, this conversation's for you. Key Takeaways AI works best as a collaborator, not a vending machine — the more of yourself you bring to it, the better the output. Some projects only exist because AI makes them affordable. In those cases, nobody actually loses a job that was never in the budget to begin with. Every big tech shift — Photoshop, CGI in Jurassic Park, even self-checkout — displaced some work while creating new opportunities for the people who adapted. Jason's "soul test": if you don't bring your own creativity and judgment, you get soulless results. The human stays in the driver's seat. About Jason Moore Jason is the author of 14 books on topics ranging from creativity and design to artificial intelligence. His most recent release, AI and the Church: A Clear Guide for the Curious and Courageous, is an Amazon bestseller that has sparked more than 150 national training engagements. In film and television, Jason has collaborated with Hollywood producers and created book trailers for New York Times bestselling authors including Arianna Huffington, Seth Godin, Robert Greene, Ryan Holiday, and Marc Ecko. A graduate of The Modern College of Design, Jason now returns to his alma mater as an adjunct instructor, alongside his work as a sought-after keynote speaker and trainer whose career bridges the worlds of creative production, ministry, and emerging technology. In This Episode [00:00] Welcome to the show! [05:58] Meet Jason Moore [12:06] AI Video Content [16:22] AI Video Package [27:47] Using AI Morally [38:23] Example Projects [48:35] Outro Quotes "AI should be a 'do it with you' tool, not a 'do it for you' tool." — Jason Moore "You have a soul and AI doesn't. If you don't bring enough of your soul to your interaction with AI, you get really soulless outputs." — Jason Moore "I'm a human first, business owner second." — Ryan Koral "When the option exists, we're going to help more people tell stories in more compelling ways than we could in the past." — Jason Moore Guest Links Follow Jason Moore on Instagram | Facebook | X Links Find out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram Get your Early Bird tickets for the Onward Summit Join the Studio Sherpas newsletter
The easier life gets, the less prepared we may be for what's hard. In today's episode, Ryan talks with David Epstein about “desirable difficulties,” the challenges that make learning slower and more frustrating in the moment but lead to greater growth over time. David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. His new book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, is out now!
82 years ago, thousands of young men crossed the English Channel and stepped into one of the most consequential days in history. In today's episode, Ryan shares the Stoic lessons behind D-Day and Dwight D. Eisenhower's leadership. He explains how Eisenhower prepared for failure, took responsibility before the outcome was known, stayed steady under unimaginable pressure, and saw opportunity where others saw disaster.
We are in desperate need of good, courageous people. Can you fill that need?
The world has always been uncertain, but we have never had this much access to everything that might go wrong. In today's episode, Ryan talks with the hosts of The Imperfects about what Stoicism can teach us when the world feels like too much. They discuss doomscrolling, AI anxiety, the difference between worrying and actually taking action, and how to stay engaged with the world without letting it pull you away from the life and people right in front of you.
It is harder to be courageous when all you see are examples of cowardice. Well, the Stoics can help us with this.
Moral compromise is never a single act. It creates a precedent…and then another, and another.
We can get a little bit better each day. And you don't have to do it alone.
Stop extrapolating. Stop adding in the lens of anxiety.
It's worth remembering, as we've said, that you'll be nostalgic for this moment later on, that you'll be jealous of this person you are now soon enough.
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.
Look for those things that would make them happy to be with you—and use them as an excuse to spend time together. Whatever it is, get into it to be with them.
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.
The words we say to our kids don't just disappear. They become part of how our kids understand themselves, what they believe they deserve, and what they carry into the world. In today's episode, Ryan talks with Jon Gustin, creator of The Tired Dad, about the small comments parents make without thinking, the messages kids hear underneath them, and how to create a home where they feel safe, secure, and fully themselves.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.
A Stoic thinks about what's right. They don't ask, “Is this safe?” They say, “That's wrong.”
None of it lasts, and soon enough you will miss it.
The ancients are there to guide us. We can struggle to live up to their expectations. We can learn from their mistakes
If you're in a position to spend, to support, to give—well, now is the time.
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.
Why are you choosing to pick this battle? Why are you on them about something so insignificant?
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.
As parents, our job isn't just to raise kids—it's to raise confident, virtuous humans.
The question for you today (and always) is: what do you pledge your sacred honor to? What are you fighting for?
You don't know—nobody does—where your kids will find their thing. That thing that lights them up, that makes them think for the first time, I want to do that with my life.
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.
Our kids are going to love things we don't understand. They're going to get into costumes, music, shoes, games, and whole worlds that aren't our thing. In today's episode, Ryan talks about taking his kids to the Renaissance Fair, resisting the urge to judge, and why one of the best things we can do as parents is simple: let them love what they love.
This is your life that sits before you. Time is ticking away.
You get them all the time…and then suddenly this is all you get of them.
The Stoics had high standards. They also understood that perfection was not possible.
The wise don't fly off the handle. They don't say the first thought that enters their mind.
On this episode of The Karen Kenney Show, I talk about what it really means to make a positive contribution in your life - especially when you're feeling stuck, scared, or like you're falling behind.I share a little bit about working on my memoir and why author Ryan Holiday says that chasing word or page counts can backfire, and how shifting to small, doable daily actions can change everything.We revisit Kaizen (continuous improvement through tiny steps), and I show you how to apply the concept in your writing, money, fitness, relationships, and spiritual practice. It can help even when you only have 5 or 10 minutes!I also pull in some wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita, A Course in Miracles, and some of my favorite teachers to remind you that no sincere effort is ever wasted!If you're tired of your own (or others) “all-or-nothing” thinking and want a more compassionate, sustainable way to grow…Then this episode will help you start making positive contributions today, from exactly where you are and with exactly what you've got to give. ❤️KAREN KENNEY BIO:Karen Kenney is a writer, speaker, podcaster, certified spiritual mentor, and coach.She's known for her dynamic storytelling, her sense of humor, her Boston accent, and her no-bullshit approach to spirituality, self-development, and transformational work.Karen helps people to navigate this whole “being human” experience using practical tools, universal principles and stories, and a variety of resources.KK has been a yoga teacher for 25+ years, has been giving Thai Yoga Massage since 2008, and began teaching it in 2015.She's also a Gateless Writing Instructor, the creator of WRITE CLUB, and host of The Karen Kenney Show podcast.She coaches clients individually in her 1:1 program THE QUEST and via her HEART-TO-HEART DAYS using Voxer. She also leads a group program and community called THE NEST.CONNECT WITH KAREN:Website: http://karenkenney.com/Podcast: https://www.karenkenney.com/podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenkenneylive/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenkenneylive/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KarenKenney
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.
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.
Memorize these four virtues. Act on them. Live them. Parent by them.
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?
They're going to need to hear it explained, over and over and over.
You think they have everything they could possibly want. But the rich, the powerful? They are actually incredibly jealous people.
Do you think anyone has ever really regretted choosing family first?
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.
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.
The four Stoic virtues are not supposed to be pursued in isolation. Instead, they come together under the idea of virtue itself.