Podcasts about Epictetus

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.

Whoever you are, whatever you do, you can be someone your kids respect, someone they can be proud of.

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.

In a world full of misinformation and misdirection, isn't this the inheritance we want to pass down? To show our children how to master their minds and hold onto their inner freedom no matter the situation?

This episode uses Seneca's image of the road to ask whether we are moving with purpose or merely following the crowd. A clear destination helps us resist distraction, while Epictetus shows where our attention truly belongs: on our judgments, choices, desires, and actions. The Stoic task is to be cautious with what depends on us and confident toward what does not

Why is that self-command and self-knowledge so elusive? How can we find it?

We usually explain regret as knowing better but lacking discipline. This episode argues something more useful: in a hot state, the values on your internal scoreboard change.I connect Epictetus with hot-cold empathy gaps, self-control replication research and implementation intentions. Then I give you a four-minute handover note: one specific if-then plan, written while you can still see clearly, for the version of you who will not realise their judgement has changed.Sources and further reading:- Epictetus, Discourses 1.28- Seneca, Letters 76.34-35- George Loewenstein, “Hot-Cold Empathy Gaps and Medical Decision Making” (2005)- Hagger et al., “A Multilab Preregistered Replication of the Ego-Depletion Effect” (2016)- Peter Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran, “Implementation Intentions and Goal Achievement” (2006)- Keith Stanovich, Richard West and Maggie Toplak, work on myside bias and rational thinking Free 7-Day Stoic Challenge: stoicchallenge.coThe Stoic Vault: stoicvault.com

While the Greek and Roman philosophy of Stoicism has been around for millennia, author and media strategist Ryan Holiday is bringing its teachings to a modern audience by way of his popular books and his podcast, “The Daily Stoic.” He says ancient writings by the likes of Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus resonate in times that feel especially chaotic. Kara and Ryan talk about why young men in particular seem drawn to Stoicism and what powerful figures in the worlds of tech, MAGA politics, and the man-o-sphere get wrong about its teachings. He tells Kara their actions frequently run counter to Stoicism's foundational tenet: our obligation and responsibility to — and with — other people. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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?

What can happen to anyone could happen to you. It's your job to be ready.

Whatever controls what we desire or dislike, Epictetus warned, becomes our master. Whatever we obey, we serve.

It was out of the blue. It caught you off guard. It hurt you. But that's not to say you're blameless here. In fact, you had plenty of warning.

If there is a point to the criticism, let's learn from it. If it's off base, then what do we care? -- Codie Sanchez is an entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Contrarian Thinking, where she teaches people how to build wealth through business ownership. After starting her career in journalism and later working in finance at firms like Goldman Sachs and Vanguard, Codie went on to buy, build, and invest in Main Street businesses. Listen to the full episode with Codie Sanchez: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch on YouTubeFollow Codie Sanchez on Instagram @codiesanchez, on TikTok @Codie_Sanchez, and on YouTube @CodieSanchezCTGrab signed copies of Main Street Millionaire by Codie Sanchez at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/Check out Ryan's episode on BigDeal by Codie Sanchez: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube

Stoicism says nobody does wrong on purpose: every bad act begins in a mistaken judgement about what is good. But does that survive contact with clear-eyed cruelty, compulsive habit and modern moral psychology?I test the claim against Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Medea, research on psychopathy and the Stoics' own internal disagreement. Then I keep the practical part that still works: catching one assent before it hardens into action.Sources and further reading:- Epictetus, Discourses 1.28 and 2.17- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2.1, 7.26 and 11.18- Cicero, On Fate 42-43- Aharoni, Sinnott-Armstrong and Kiehl, “Can Psychopathic Offenders Discern Moral Wrongs?” (2012)- Aharoni, Sinnott-Armstrong and Kiehl, “What's Wrong? Moral Understanding in Psychopathic Offenders” (2014)- Kühn and Gallinat, “Brain Structure and Functional Connectivity Associated With Pornography Consumption” (2014)- Grubbs et al., “Pornography Problems Due to Moral Incongruence” (2019) Free 7-Day Stoic Challenge: stoicchallenge.coThe Stoic Vault: stoicvault.com

We don't control the role we are assigned by circumstance…but we control how we play that role.

Today we explore wisdom. Not the "don't put tomatoes in a fruit salad" kind. Serious business wisdom.It turns out, the wise tend to converge on understanding the world in a similar way.In the 20th century, philosophical titans saw this convergence. They look back to the original seers of wisdom and see in them parallels that run so deep, that upon deep contemplation of these philosophies, they found a "highest common factor," including among:Epicteus, Marcus Aurelius, and the StoicsPlato, and various Neoplatonists such as PlotinusSpinoza, SchopenhauerPossibly Hegel, Wittgenstein, though they are famously difficult to interpretJiddu KrishnamurtiLao Tzu, who authored the Tao Te ChingALso Chuang Tzu and Lieh TzuJewish philosophers such as Philo of AlexandriaSufi mystics of Islam, most famously Jalal al-Din RumiJesus of NazarethSt. PaulMeister Eckhart, the mystic Christian St. Jon of the CrossHinduism:The Sages of the UpanishadsAdi Shankara's The Crest-Jewel of WisdomThe Bhagavad GitaThe BuddhaParticularly Zen masters who followedVarious SutrasThe Bardo ThodolIt is the Perennial Philosophy. I call it the One Wisdom. Huxley called it the “Highest Common Factor” of universal truth.SOURCESCamus, Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus. 1942.Huxley, Aldous. The Perennial Philosophy. Harper & Row, 1945.John of the Cross, St. Dark Night of the Soul (La noche oscura del alma).Jung, C. G. Letters, Volume 1: 1906–1950. Princeton University Press.Kahan, Dan. Identity-protective cognition research (cross-referenced, this project).Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (Liuzu Tan Jing).Polanyi, Michael. Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy. University of Chicago Press, 1958.Polanyi, Michael. The Tacit Dimension. Doubleday, 1966.Tolle, Eckhart. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. Dutton, 2005.Tao Te Ching (Laozi).Watts, Alan. Become What You Are. Shambhala, 1995 (essays, 1930s–1950s).Watts, Alan. Out of Your Mind: Tricksters, Interdependence, and the Cosmic Game of Hide-and-Seek. Sounds True, 2017.Watts, Alan. The Wisdom of Insecurity. Pantheon, 1951.Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. 1921.Wright, Robert. Why Buddhism Is True. Simon & Schuster, 2017.Xiangyan Zhixian — traditional Chan/Zen biographical account (Tang dynasty, c. 820–898).Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu), "On the Equality of Things" ("Discussion on Making All Things Equal").Bible. Job 42:5–6; Luke 15:11–32 (KJV).Bhagavad Gita, 2.47.Ovid. Metamorphoses.McGilchrist, Iain. The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World. Yale University Press, 2009.Miles Kington. Quoted in The Independent (UK), Mar 28, 2003. Joseph Campbell. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Pantheon, 1949 — "Freedom to Live," Stage 17. Eckhart Tolle. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. New World Library, 1997 Ramana Maharshi, quoted in Ram Dass, "Dying Is Absolutely Safe"Alan Watts, Become Who You Are. Sam Harris, Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion. Dalai Lama & Paul Ekman, Emotional Awareness: Overcoming the Obstacles to Psychological Balance and Compassion. Times Books, 2008Emmet Fox, The Sermon on the MountErnest Kurtz & Katherine Ketcham, The Spirituality of Imperfection. BantamByron Katie, Loving What Is. Harmony, 2002. Diana Chapman & Jim Dethmer (with Kaley Klemp), The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership. 2014.Epictetus, Discourses / Enchiridion.Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.Plato, RepublicPlotinus, The Enneads.Spinoza, EthicsSchopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation.Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit. Jiddu Krishnamurti, Freedom from the Known Philo of Alexandria, On the Creation of the World. 1 Corinthians 1:20, 1:25, 3:19 — "the wisdom of the world is foolishness"John 14:6 — "I am the way, the truth, and the life." John 8:12 — "I am the light of the world."Galatians 2:20 or 2 Corinthians 5:17 -- "in Christ" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Epictetus's work changed Marcus' life. Both of them have changed Ryan's life. Both of them will change your life—if you let them.--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. Full episode with Medal of Honor Recipient Kyle Carpenter | Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube

This morning I came across a quote from the Stoic philosopher Epictetus that stopped me cold, and I had to share it with you. Every situation, every adversity, every wrong done to you has two handles. One lifts you forward and one leaves you standing exactly where you are. I dig into why we instinctively grab the wrong handle, why lessons feel frustrating because they never pay off instantly, and what it really means when people say 'there's a lesson in everything.' If you feel stuck in anger, a bad professional situation, or a painful personal chapter, this episode will help you see what you have been holding onto and what you need to grab instead. Key Takeaways Every adversity has two handles: one that carries you forward and one that keeps you paralyzed. You choose which one to hold. Negativity bias makes the destructive handle feel like the only option, especially when you are angry or stressed. Awareness is the first step to choosing differently. Lessons do not pay off instantly. They marinate through you and change your perspective permanently, which is far more valuable than a quick fix. When someone wrongs you once and you stay in resentment, you are wronging yourself daily. That is a bad trade. You are never truly starting over because every experience marinates into the wisdom and resilience you carry forward. Action Steps Write down one current adversity and literally list two handles: the destructive way you are holding it and one legitimate constructive angle you have not focused on yet. When you catch yourself stewing on a wrong done to you, ask out loud: 'What is this actually doing for my life right now?' Let the honest answer redirect you. Spend five minutes today identifying three good handles already present in your life, professionally or personally, to train your mind to find them faster in hard moments. Notable Quote They wrong you once, and you wrong yourself daily. No. They wrong you once. I take the other handle and I move forward in my life.

Marcus Aurelius was not satisfied just getting the gist of Epictetus' powerful teachings and you shouldn't be, either.

Anthony Autry started using at ten, picked up meth at thirty, and was on LAPD's Pacific Division most-wanted list six months later. He spent more than ten years in custody. Today he trains at Jocko Willink's gym, coaches active-duty law enforcement — including a sheriff from the jail that once held him — and is about to become a father for the first time at forty-three. In this episode: · The high-speed pursuit that ended his using — and getting pulled out from under a house with a Bentley key in his pocket · Why he calls getting caught the best thing that ever happened to him · Breaking down in a jail church service, and the two churches he passed on the bus to court · The judge who offered him a program instead of prison, and what he promised in return · Thirty days from graduating, fast-tracking to house manager — then a U.S. marshal walked into the kitchen with a federal warrant · His brother Angelo's murder, and the rage that came over him at count the hour it was happening · What Andrew Huberman told him that led to his first child · Running his own BMR math from a federal cell to get under 10% body fat · Reading Jocko's books from a podium to a unit full of guys — and Jocko later telling him to write his own · Why the deputies who used to have him in custody now pay him to coach them Guest: Anthony Autry, founder of Unchained Fit — a men's coaching program built on nutrition, training, discipline, habit and routine. Formerly incarcerated for over ten years, an RDAP mentor in federal prison, now partnered with Jocko Fuel, competing in jiu jitsu, and pursuing expungement with seventeen character letters from special-operations veterans behind him. Instagram: @unchained_fit Host: Tyler Ramsey. Punk Rock Sober / Painful Lessons. Nothing in this episode is medical advice. HCG is a prescription medication — talk to your own doctor. If you or someone you love is struggling: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, US) · SAMHSA National Helpline 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). 0:00 On LAPD's Most Wanted List in Six Months 1:04 “Seven Years and Change” 1:32 Ten Years Old to Thirty: How It Escalated 2:20 October 5th, 2018: The High-Speed Pursuit 3:11 Under the House With a Bentley Key 4:21 Over Ten Years, Mostly for Petty Crime 4:52 The Jail Church Service Where He Broke 5:30 “I Actually Surrendered” 6:28 The Bus to Court, and Two Churches 7:07 The Black Crow 8:18 The Judge Who Offered a Program 9:38 Thirty Days From Graduating 10:29 “I'm a US Marshal. I Have a Federal Warrant.” 11:05 Two Ounces and a Federal Mandatory Minimum 12:25 AB 109: Why He Did Prison Time in County 13:44 County vs. Prison: What Actually Differs 14:38 How the Politics Really Work 16:24 Wes Watson, Up Close 19:10 Negotiating With Your Non-Negotiables 20:17 “Ego Is a Killer” 20:30 The Day His Brother Was Murdered 24:26 April 12th, 2014, in LA County Jail 26:10 The Rage He Felt Before Anyone Told Him 27:12 The Last Time He Saw His Brother 28:34 One on the Way 29:02 The Andrew Huberman Conversation 31:53 The Wife Who Said “Okay” 32:54 Married Mid-Skydive 34:03 Jiu Jitsu at Forty-Three 34:56 Jocko, Discipline, and Using the Time 35:34 Tracking Macros From a Federal Cell 36:31 What Macros Actually Are 37:20 3:30 A.M., the Bible, and the Journal 38:22 The Books That Pulled Him Out 39:27 Epictetus and the Serenity Prayer 42:19 Unchained Fit 43:06 Coaching the Deputies Who Booked Him 43:55 “There's No Glory in a Man That Never Fell” 44:26 Seventeen Character Letters and an Expungement 45:42 Psychedelics, Faith, and Two Roads Out 48:04 Where the 12 Steps Fit 49:29 “I'm Done Sitting in Confined Spaces” 50:19 The Cake at Coronado Beach 52:57 Banned From Going Live for a Year 59:11 Commissary Economics and the Protein Trade 1:01:41 Gratitude as a Superpower 1:02:53 “Sometimes I Think People Just Need to Go to Prison” 1:04:04 How Jocko Told Him to Write the Book 1:05:42 The Goal: Get Into the Juvenile Halls #PunkRockSober #PainfulLessons #AnthonyAutry #UnchainedFit #Recovery #Sobriety #Discipline #JockoWillink #SecondChances #MensMentalHealth

This episode is a replay from The Existential Stoic library. Enjoy! What is Stoicism? Why does Stoicism matter? In this episode, Danny and Randy discuss why Stoicism matters.Subscribe to ESP's YouTube Channel! Thanks for listening!  Do you have a question you want answered in a future episode? If so, send your question to: existentialstoic@protonmail.com 

Stoicism is meant to help you master your emotions. There's a version of it that just teaches you to avoid them.In this conversation I joined Erick Cloward on the Stoic Coffee Break to talk about "stoic bypassing" (Jules Evans' term): using the philosophy to suppress hard feelings instead of feeling them. We both grew up learning to push emotions down, so it got personal.We cover the difference between suppression and reappraisal, alexithymia, why the Let Them Theory is thinner than it looks, how the manosphere funnels every emotion through anger, the case for voluntary discomfort, and a reframe from Epictetus that means you can never lose a first date.This first aired on Erick's show, the Stoic Coffee Break. Go and follow him.Erick Cloward / Stoic Coffee BreakPodcast: https://stoic.coffeeOriginal episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5oBAAeiX5x1aMCqoahP3Dv?si=6av80YqGSmeIMG7wdTjGbgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stoic.coffee Free 7-Day Stoic Challenge: stoicchallenge.coThe Stoic Vault: stoicvault.com

One of history's most powerful rulers was shaped by a teacher he never met. In this episode, Ryan talks with Professor William O. Stephens about how Marcus Aurelius discovered Epictetus, why the former slave's teachings hit him so deeply, and how those ideas about freedom, power, and self-mastery helped shape the philosopher king.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/

Marcus Aurelius Anderson sits down with Ed Hinman, Marine infantry officer veteran, public figure protection specialist, historian, and author of The Barbarian in You. Ed shares how his time at the Naval Academy, deployments across Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Africa, and a pivotal reckoning with ego and identity led him to build a life around three core principles: vigor, wonder, and fellowship. Drawing on history, philosophy, and hard experience, Ed makes the case that living a full life is not about optimization — it's about reconnecting with the most primal, truest parts of yourself. The conversation weaves through the creative life, the craft of writing, the mentorship of Steven Pressfield, the wisdom of Montaigne, Emerson, and Marcus Aurelius, and the courage it takes to follow what resonates rather than what looks good on paper. Episode Highlights: 1:54 - Ed and Marcus discuss the mentorship of Steven Pressfield and the discipline required to show up for the creative life 29:44 - Ed introduces his three-part philosophy of vigor, wonder, and fellowship as a framework rooted in how pre-civilized humans actually lived 49:23 - Ed recounts his Marine Corps career, the ego-driven disappointment of deployments that went nowhere, and how psychosomatic pain forced him to ask what he actually wanted 58:58 - Ed and Marcus explore the idea of listening to intuition over empirical evidence, following resonance rather than a prescribed path, and why the barbarian in you is the truest version of yourself Ed Hinman served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps, graduating from the Naval Academy and deploying five times across Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Africa before earning a master's degree in history and building a career in public figure protection with Gavin de Becker's firm. He is the author of The Barbarian in You and the founder of the Barbarian in You blog, where he writes about history, strength, friendship, and the philosophy of living with vigor, wonder, and fellowship. Visit barbarianinyou.com to find Ed's book, blog, and writings. Follow him on Instagram at ed_hinman. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode explains Epictetus's three disciplines as a practical way of returning to the present moment.The Discipline of Assent helps us judge clearly, the Discipline of Desire teaches us to want only what is within our power, and the Discipline of Action directs us toward justice and the common good. Hadot's account of the reserve clause adds an important final step: act with firm intention, but accept that outcomes are not fully yours to command.

When did we stop asking what we could do better and start looking for someone else to blame? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast we examine one of the most common and costly habits in modern life: the blame game, and what Stoic philosophy says about how to break it.Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This episode is an honest look at how blame keeps us stuck, why it feels so comfortable, and what taking real responsibility for our lives actually looks like in practice.The shift did not happen overnight. A teacher approaching retirement described how in her early years, parents would tell underperforming children to work harder. Over time, that finger moved from the child to the teacher, from the self to everything outside it. That shift is not just happening in schools. It is happening in our relationships, our careers, and our inner lives.Epictetus placed blame squarely on the discipline of assent; we are not adding the correct judgment to what is happening. The discipline of desire reminds us that chasing externals makes blaming externals inevitable. And Epictetus described three stages of progress: the beginner blames everyone else, the intermediate blames themselves, and the advanced person simply does the work.The moment you stop blaming is the moment you start growing.Support the showviastoica.comYouTube: @viastoicaProduced by: Badmic.comNote: In the episode, I attributed the three stages of blame to Marcus Aurelius. This is actually from Epictetus, Enchiridion 5. The wisdom is the same; the source just needed correcting.

“First, say to yourself what you would be,” Epictetus says, “and then do what you have to do.”

Most people believe they know their limits.The truth is, they only know where they've chosen to stop.In this episode, I explore one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves—that discomfort equals incapability. Whether it's grief, parenthood, illness, failure, or unexpected responsibility, history shows that ordinary people repeatedly rise to challenges they once believed impossible.Like the reserve tank in your vehicle, human beings often have far more left than they realize.Drawing from Stoic philosophy, personal stories, and everyday examples, this episode explores why suffering often reveals strengths that comfort never could.In this episode:Why discomfort isn't the same as your limitThe “reserve tank” metaphor that changed how I think about resilienceWhat grief, parenthood, and hardship reveal about human capabilityMarcus Aurelius and Epictetus on preparing for difficultyWhy you've probably underestimated yourselfPerhaps the strongest version of you isn't someone you have to build.Perhaps it's someone difficult circumstances reveal.

Hosts: Ed Jones (Owner – Nutrition World) & Clint Powell A variety of topics all related to living a healthy life Presented by: Nutrition World www.nutritionw.com Broadcasting from the Nooga Dentistry Studio www.noogadentistry.com Production of: Whitfield Media Group www.vitalhealthradio.com Title: All about Spike Proteins with Dr. Glenn, Beyond Cholesterol & Better Heart Testing with Dr. Dearing [0:00:00] – Intro: Brian Johnson, Longevity & Oxalates + Farmers Market Light banter about: Ed coining the term “peak span” and using it in interviews. Ed's social media success (8.3 million views in 90 days). Joking about Ed doing a shirtless video and his bodybuilding competition and carb loading. Ed talks about Brian Johnson (longevity guru who spends ~$2M/year trying to live to 120): Johnson recently announced an autoimmune condition where his stomach is “eating its own stomach.” Ed admires his data and “Blueprint” protocol but believes two key factors in Johnson's regimen contributed to this issue. Ed teases that one factor is excess oxalate-rich foods; the other factor is left as a teaser for Ed's social media video. Ed announces a weekly farmers market at Nutrition World: Every Wednesday, inside the store, morning to mid-afternoon. Run by a young family with clean farming practices and minimal chemicals. Nutrition World does not profit from it; framed as a service to the community and support for small farmers. [0:05:04] – Upcoming Guests, Ed's E‑Books & Podcasts Ed previews two interviews for this episode: Dr. Glenn – testing and managing spike proteins. Dr. Curt Dearing – discussing his new book “Beyond Cholesterol” and non-traditional views on cardiovascular risk. Ed's e‑books: Six e‑books available on theholisticnavigator.com, including: Quality sleep Oxalates and pain “Are You Sick and Tired?” (diet & overall health) Oral health Immune system “Core Four” foundational supplements Podcasts: Ed mentions his Holistic Navigator podcast Clint promotes Nooga Podcasts (noogapodcasts.com) – a network of 20+ podcasts. [0:09:26] – Interview with Dr. Glenn: What Are Spike Proteins & Why They Matter Dr. Glenn defines spike proteins: Discovered in the 1960s, normally part of viruses from nature. Our immune system usually recognizes and dissolves natural spike proteins. For COVID-era, lab-made spike proteins: They are not recognized properly by the body. They can persist and are not efficiently eliminated. Mechanism (simplified): Spike proteins interact with ACE2 receptors (“locks” on the cell door). They unlock and open the cell doors, enter the cells, and damage/destroy cells from the inside. Clint notes he never heard the term “spike protein” before COVID; Dr. Glenn explains: Previously, they weren't an issue because the body just handled them. This is the first time in history we've dealt with lab-made spike proteins at scale. Dr. Glenn stresses this is not simply vaccinated vs. unvaccinated: mRNA vaccines were designed to produce spike proteins. But unvaccinated people with bad cases of COVID can also carry very high spike levels. His personal story: Got severe COVID in Jan 2020, pre-official naming: 2 weeks very ill on couch/bed. 3 months to feel “recovered,” but that was just the start of long-term issues. Over the next 3+ years, progressive cellular damage accumulated, leading to a broad set of symptoms. Dr. Glenn's symptoms when spikes were very high: Whites of eyes turned gray, with burning eyes all day (constant eye drops). Tinnitus (ringing in ears). Cyclical rashes under armpits. Burning nerves in quads; needed leg massage devices nightly to sleep. Gout attacks (kidneys not handling uric acid well). Venous congestion in lower left leg. Severe fatigue, getting sick frequently despite doing everything “right.” Developed endocarditis (inflammation of heart and valves); resting heart rate jumped from 55–60 to 80–105. Subtle Bell's palsy–type weakness on left side of face and brain symptoms. Laboratory findings: Test: SARS‑CoV‑2 spike protein antibody test (semi-quantitative). Thresholds: 1000: likely too high, potential cell damage. 5000: “a whole other level of danger.” His highest result: 11,694 (measured around Oct 28, 2023). Progress over four tests: 11,694 → 11,087 → ~9,950 → 8,905 (as of June 30, current year). Many symptoms have significantly improved, though: Heart rate better but not back to baseline. Tinnitus persists. Spike level is still high, so work remains. Symptoms can vary dramatically from person to person: Because spikes can enter different “doors” (cells/tissues) in different bodies. One person's profile may be mostly neurological; another's cardiovascular, etc. Dr. Glenn's clinic policy: He will not work with someone on issues like hormones, gut, or cognitive problems without a spike antibody test, because: Otherwise they may be “paddling upstream” against ongoing spike-related damage. Observation: Many patients say: “My doctor says my bloodwork is fine,” yet they feel terrible. Conventional doctors rarely order spike protein antibody tests [0:23:01] – Managing High Spike Proteins: Testing, Risk & Protocol Who Should Test & How: Ed notes frequent COVID infections (he's had it six times) and that many people have unexplained symptoms. Both Ed and Dr. Glenn suggest: Spike antibody testing should be considered for anyone with mysterious chronic symptoms, regardless of age or vaccination status. Testing can be done through labs like Be Well Labs (which Nutrition World works with) or other local options. Reference values: < 0.08 means essentially no exposure to COVID. Out of ~130 tests Dr. Glenn has reviewed, only one person was

Last week my McLaren broke down on the A303, right by Stonehenge. Engine light on, pulled over waiting for recovery while people drove past honking at me.Old me would've spiralled. Missed meetings, day ruined.Instead I asked myself, where's this stress actually coming from? I haven't crashed. I haven't died. I'm just standing next to a broken car. So I got a taxi, did my meetings from the back seat, let the car company sort the rest. Zero stress. Because I chose not to have any.That's the whole game. Cortisol isn't the enemy. Living permanently jacked up on it is.Every rich person I know exists in a state I call hyper calm. Not stressed 24/7, not switched off either. Calm as the default, with the ability to flip the stress on for the split second it's needed and drop it straight after.Epictetus said it a couple thousand years ago. If it's not in my control, it's none of my concern.You decide what deserves a stress response. Most of what wrecks people daily doesn't qualify.In this video I broke down my full protocol for “Cortisol Loading” and how it will make you rich.If you can't sit through a 40 minute step-by-step video on how to become rich by someone who has made $40M in his 20's, then this is not for you.Watch the full breakdown here: https://youtu.be/AOMmrxyiOCs

Most people believe they know their limits.The truth is, they only know where they've chosen to stop.In this episode, I explore one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves—that discomfort equals incapability. Whether it's grief, parenthood, illness, failure, or unexpected responsibility, history shows that ordinary people repeatedly rise to challenges they once believed impossible.Like the reserve tank in your vehicle, human beings often have far more left than they realize.Drawing from Stoic philosophy, personal stories, and everyday examples, this episode explores why suffering often reveals strengths that comfort never could.In this episode:Why discomfort isn't the same as your limitThe “reserve tank” metaphor that changed how I think about resilienceWhat grief, parenthood, and hardship reveal about human capabilityMarcus Aurelius and Epictetus on preparing for difficultyWhy you've probably underestimated yourselfPerhaps the strongest version of you isn't someone you have to build.Perhaps it's someone difficult circumstances reveal.

Stoicism is a philosophical movement and practical guide to living, emphasizing daily self-discipline and moralimprovement, which originated in the Hellenistic period of ancient Greece and proliferated well into the Roman Imperial period. Ancient Stoics believed that the universe operated according to reason, constructed from ideals of rational discourse. These ideals constitute virtue, whichis necessary for the Stoic goal of 'living a well-reasoned life'. But how does this involve the teachings of Savoir? Well today on the podcast I have on Rob Nielsen who has just published a book the topic title “Jesus The Stoic Sage”. During the course of our conversation, we explore striking parallels between the words of Jesus Christ and the wisdom of Stoic masters like Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. Along the way we talk about principles such as, finding peace in the midst of personal crisis, becoming a self-actualized person, TempleCovenants, and more. I have read Rob's book and highly recommend it. You can find the link to the book below. Restored Version Of The Scriptureswww.restoredscriptures.com Jesus The Stoic SageJesus the Stoic Sage: Parallel Teachings and Timeless Wisdom From Jesus and the Stoic Philosophers: Nielsen, Rob: 9798995729525: Amazon.com: Books

Send us Fan MailWhat if the  to peace isn't about controlling your life, but changing your relationship with reality?In this episode, we explore one of the most challenging ideas in Stoicism through a single line from Epictetus:"Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well."At first glance, it sounds like surrender. Lower your expectations. Stop caring. Accept mediocrity.But that's not what the Stoics meant.We'll explore the difference between giving up and giving your full effort without demanding a particular outcome. Along the way, we'll examine the psychology of control, the Stoic idea of "co-fated" events, and why your actions still matter—even if the future is ultimately outside your control.We'll also discuss:Why suffering often comes from resisting reality.The difference between acceptance and passivity.Locus of control, the illusion of control, and self-fulfilling prophecies.Marcus Aurelius on why labeling outcomes as "good" or "bad" leads to resentment.Practical examples from sports, everyday life, and my own experiences.The central idea is simple:Act as though everything depends on your effort. Accept that the outcome never did.When you stop demanding reality be different, you don't become passive—you become free.

A new voluntary program at the U.S. Naval Academy is using Stoic philosophy to help midshipmen build resilience, moral clarity, and inner discipline during Plebe Summer. In this episode, we discuss how ancient ideas from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, and Vice Admiral James Stockdale are being applied to modern military leadership—and why spiritual readiness may need to evolve for an increasingly diverse and less religious force.

This episode treats life's difficulties as assignments rather than interruptions. Epictetus reminds us that we don't get to choose every task Fortune sets, but we do choose how well we meet it. Each challenge becomes a chance to practice courage, patience, justice, or self-control—and, when handled well, to encourage others by example.

People pleasing is not kindness. It is fear dressed up as generosity. In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we look honestly at what it means to stop living for other people's approval and start showing up as yourself.Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This episode builds directly on the previous conversation about the scripts we inherit. People pleasing is what happens when we keep performing that script out of fear rather than choice.Most of us learned early that being agreeable was rewarded and that causing discomfort came at a price. That lesson becomes a habit, the habit becomes a pattern, and the pattern quietly erodes the person underneath it. You say yes when you mean no. You manage the emotions of others at the expense of your own. You lose track of where their needs end and yours begin. Epictetus was clear: what others think of you is entirely outside your control. Handing your life over to opinions you cannot control is not kindness. It is fear with a generous face.This episode of the Via Stoica Podcast asks the question most people pleasers never stop to consider: am I doing this because it is right, or because I am afraid of what happens if I do not? The in-between is yours.Support the showviastoica.comYouTube: @viastoicaProduced by: Badmic.com

You haven't done anything yet, and the voice is already running its commentary. Too slow, too weak, not enough. The day hasn't started and you're already failing in advance. This guided Stoic practice works with the inner critic directly — not to silence it, but to strip it of the authority it doesn't deserve.You'll practise the Stoic technique of examining your impressions: separating the bare facts from the judgements your mind adds automatically. Drawing on Epictetus's principle that it's not events but our judgements about them that disturb us, and on Marcus Aurelius's habit of asking "what is this thing in itself, stripped of my story?" — you'll learn to recognise the critic's voice as opinion, not fact.For best results, listen every morning for 30 days. The critic gets quieter when you stop agreeing with it.For mornings when the issue is letting go of what already happened, try "Stoic Morning Practice: Let Go Of What You Can't Control" — part of the same daily series.Free 7-Day Stoic Challenge: stoicchallenge.coThe Stoic Vault: stoicvault.com

What is the single most important concept in crisis management? Andy Coulson believes it's control — a lesson he first learned sitting on a plastic mattress in a Glasgow police cell, with nothing to focus on but his own breathing.In this special compilation episode, he revisits four past guests who each arrived at the same conclusion through very different routes.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FEATURINGRyan Holiday — bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and The Daily Stoic, on why Stoicism is history's greatest crisis management framework, and the remarkable story of Admiral James Stockdale tapping Epictetus through a prison wall in Vietnam.Alix Popham — former Welsh international rugby player, diagnosed with early-onset dementia and probable CTE, on how the athlete's instinct for discipline becomes a survival strategy when the stakes are as high as they get.Natasha Silver Bell — international model turned recovery coach, on the moment she stopped blaming her external circumstances and took control of her internal state.Cally Beaton — comedian, writer, and former Viacom CBS executive, on surrender, mayhem, and why she refuses to call herself a stoic — despite sounding exactly like one.Control the controllables. It sounds simple. It isn't. But as every guest in this episode shows, it is learnable — and it might just be the most important lesson crisis has to offer.FULL EPISODES:Ryan Holiday: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000755722247 Alix Popham: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000712166764 Natasha Silver Bell: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000722574377 Cally Beaton: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000717250391FOLLOW THE GUESTS:Ryan Holiday: https://www.instagram.com/ryanholiday/ Alix Popham: https://www.instagram.com/alix_popham/ Natasha Silver Bell: https://www.instagram.com/natashasilverbell/ Cally Beaton: https://www.instagram.com/callybeatoncomedian/

What does it really mean to love your fate? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we look at one of the most used phrases in modern Stoicism, where it actually comes from, and what Stoic philosophy says about acceptance, fate, and how to show up when life does not go as planned.Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Here, philosophy is not something you recite. It is something you practice, especially when the difficult moments arrive.Amor fati was never a Stoic phrase. Nietzsche coined it, and his version was radical: a total, eternal affirmation of everything that has ever happened, exactly as it happened. The Stoics had a different relationship with fate. They saw the world as a chain of cause and effect governed by the logos, and they asked a simpler question: Will you walk with it, or be dragged?That is where the real practice begins. Not in the good moments, when acceptance is easy, but in the ones that test you. The rejection, the injury, the plan that falls apart. Those are the moments Epictetus called the exam. The ones that show you how much you have actually learned.This episode will not tell you to love what hurts. It will show you how to welcome it anyway.Want to go deeper? Read the full guide: viastoica.com/how-to-practice-amor-fati/Support the show

Most morning affirmations ask you to declare a future you wish for. The Stoics did the opposite. They began the day by recollecting what was already true.This is a short guided practice built from eight lines drawn from Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and Seneca. No manifestation, no raising your vibration. Just eight reminders, a little silence between each, a brief rehearsal of one difficulty you expect today, and a single quiet plan to carry into it.Best listened to first thing, before you open your phone. Find somewhere to settle, and let the day start a little steadier. Free 7-Day Stoic Challenge: stoicchallenge.coThe Stoic Vault: stoicvault.com

What if, instead of asking which college your teen should attend, you started asking what kind of person they want to become? That one shift changes everything about how you prepare your kids for adulthood — and this episode lays out a completely different path forward.This episode introduces a 16-cycle blueprint designed to build genuine life skills for young adults one quarter at a time — from EMT certification to sailing through the South Atlantic to starting a business and making the first sale. You will hear a father and son tell the real story of what this journey has looked like, how it was funded, and what the outcome has been so far.Discover ways to build character, and create confident, capable adults by age 20.✅The one question that replaces "what college should I attend"✅How 16 hands-on cycles stack real skills and real-world experience✅How one teen earned $600 a day to fund his own real-world education✅Why a personal code of rules and virtues is the foundation of true self-government✅The patron relationship that opens doors traditional mentoring never could✅Why most teens launch into adulthood anxious, unprepared, and waiting for someone to tell them what to doGrab the book mentioned in this episode and start building the kind of young adult your family is proud to launch into the world.Resources for YouThe Preparation by Matt and Maxim Smith Maxim's SubstackMore life skills for teens helpShow Notes:Preparing Your Kids for Adult Life — A Conversation With Matt and Maxim SmithToday I have a long-time friend Matt Smith here with his son Maxim, and we're talking about a brand new book they wrote together called The Preparation — all about preparing young people for adult life. Matt and I met in a mastermind back in 2009, so it's great to reconnect. Maxim is the guinea pig for the whole thing, and he's got some incredible stories to share.What Kind of Man Do I Want to Become?Instead of starting with outcomes like career and college, the book opens with a much bigger question — what kind of man do I want to become? Matt explains why.The whole idea of college is — so that what? So you can pay your own rent? That's not a very motivating vision. So they started thinking about what the real outcome actually is. What would inspire a young man, challenge him, and make him want to come into his own adulthood? The only answer to that question is one he has to find for himself — what kind of man does he want to become?The book is designed as a program that could fully replace college. It lays out exactly what to do, quarter by quarter, and still covers all the academics. But the motivating driving force behind it — the thing strong enough to push you through the hard parts — is that personal vision of who you want to be.Maxim says when he was first introduced to the program, the question took shape through a concept called be, do, and have — the three most important verbs. Most people focus on the have. But be is the most important. And do is where young people have their greatest power, because when you're young, you have unlimited energy and high openness to new experiences. Doing is your leverage.For his own answer to that question, Maxim found inspiration in a fictional character — Edmund Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo. Not the revenge part of the story, but the 14 years he dedicated to gaining as many skills as possible. Learning to read and write, sword fighting, hand-to-hand combat, economics, math, multiple languages. That was the vision Maxim worked from.Wisdom as Righteousness in ActionThe Preparation focuses heavily on the classical virtues — courage, wisdom, hospitality — and especially stoic thinking, particularly the work of Epictetus. Matt says wisdom is the key to being a happy, healthy, successful individual, but you have to make it practical. Get away from abstract ideas and give young people real examples of what good looks like and how to model it.One of the most powerful exercises in the book is building a personal code. It has three parts.First, they think about their own actions — what are the things I do that make me feel small or ashamed? No one else might even know about these things, but the kid knows. They decide to stop doing those things — not because someone else made a rule, but because they made the rule for themselves. This is the very beginning of identity formation. For the first time, they're choosing not to do something on their own authority.Second, they go through a list of the ancient virtues and find the ones that call to them. Unlike the rules, which are binary — you either kept them or you didn't — the virtues are aspirational. You can always be more courageous. There's no ceiling.Third, they start listing their accomplishments. When you're starting out, you feel like you have nothing. But skills stack up fast in the preparation. After just one cycle, looking back at the actual skills you've gained — not just what you've studied, but what you can actually do — gives you a sense of pride and identity you didn't have before. And that's what young people are missing.Patrons, Not Just MentorsMost people think of a mentor like Gandalf — someone who shows up and offers you everything for nothing. That's not really how it works. The Preparation uses the term patron, drawn from ancient Roman society, where an older established person would come alongside a younger person who had skills, motivation, and hunger but not much yet. It was a two-way street. The patron would publicly say — this person is under my protection. One of us.The key insight is that you can earn a mentor or patron. Young people who are ambitious, smart, detail-oriented, hungry, and virtuous — when Matt encounters young people like that, he wants to help them. But the relationship only works if the young person is adding something to it in return.Intergenerational relationships are often the richest in life — because there's no competition, no status jockeying. You're not trying to prove anything. Matt says the best relationships in his life are not with his peers. They're intergenerational.The Cycles of PreparationThere are 16 cycles in the program, each centered around an anchor course — anything from a cooking school in Florence, Italy, to a heavy equipment operator course in Florida, to an entrepreneur cycle, a sailing cycle, an EMT certification, learning to build a house at the Shelter Institute in Maine, a fighter cycle in Thailand. Sixteen different real-world skill areas.Each cycle also includes activities the student chooses themselves — skydiving, learning guitar, a second language, motorbikes — plus online academic courses related to the anchor activity, and a required reading list. For the entrepreneur cycle, there are about 10 books to complete in three months, along with courses in sales, marketing, and social media marketing.Students are also required to post a weekly update on Substack — for accountability and to build a public record of what they're doing. Maxim now has over 6,000 followers on Substack, which has opened up opportunities he never expected — working on wildfires, a sailing cycle recommendation from a reader, geophysics crew work in Nevada, mule packing.The most memorable cycle so far? Sailing. Maxim had never been on a sailboat in his life when he flew to the Falkland Islands — all the way at the bottom of South America — to join a 72-foot sailing vessel for 21 days. The winds were so strong the bus was swaying on the road. They couldn't leave for several days. He got seasick two or three times. They crossed the South Atlantic through the Strait of Magellan — from the Falklands back to Chile — and he said the moment the water calmed down on the Pacific side, he finally understood why Magellan named it the Pacific.Each cycle, virtually every anchor activity, leaves you with a real skill that has real economic value. Something you could get a job from. And when you stack 16 of those, by the time you're 20 you are the most interesting 20-year-old you'll meet.How to Fund the PreparationYes, some cycles cost money. But compared to college — with one year of college tuition, Maxim has been funding multiple real-world experiences. There's also a work cycle built into the program where the entire three-month focus is earning as much money as possible.Maxim's first cycle was getting his EMT certification. Because of that — and because a reader found him on Substack — he was offered work on wildfires earning $600 a day. That funded his sailing cycle. He also worked at Office Depot and as a pizza delivery driver. In six weeks at Office Depot, he saved over $5,000.And here's a perspective shift — training Muay Thai in Thailand for two months, including room, board, and meals six days a week, costs less than EMT school. Not everything real costs more than college.Maxim's Advice to TeenagersIf you could tell another teenager one thing about preparing for adulthood, what would it be?Realize how limited time actually is. Figure out as soon as possible what you should be doing to make the most of it — not pursuing vices, but pursuing what is actually fulfilling. Gain as many practical skills as possible. Study the classical virtues. Study the stoics. And see how many opportunities open up from that work and that effort.You can find The Preparation on Amazon. Read the reviews before you buy — many of the reviewers are parents who read it first before giving it to their kids, and many say they wish they had this when they were that age.If you want to follow what Maxim is doing, go to maximsmith.com on Substack. We'll put a link right below this video.

This episode reflects on the quiet evidence of resilience we carry with us: the fact that we have survived every difficult moment that once seemed unbearable. Seneca's image of the scar reminds us that old wounds are not just records of pain, but proof of endurance. Epictetus adds to the lesson by showing that external events only truly threaten us when our judgments give them power.

Watch the video episode here: https://youtu.be/_CKtK4ajc2M----The manosphere has been quoting the Stoics to young men for years. Marcus Aurelius. Epictetus. Seneca. The version they've been selling — anger as strength, dominance as virtue, emotion as weakness — is the exact opposite of what those philosophers actually wrote.In Meditations 11.18, Marcus Aurelius wrote in his private journal that gentleness is more manly than rage. Seneca, in Letter 63, wrote that we may weep but must not wail — and admitted he had been overcome by grief himself. Epictetus, in Discourses 2.10, said that the man who becomes a wild beast has lost something essential. Musonius Rufus argued in Lecture IV that virtue is the same in man and woman, and Cleanthes — Zeno's successor as head of the Stoic school — wrote an entire treatise titled On the Thesis that Virtue Is the Same in Man and Woman in the 3rd century BCE.This video walks through what the original Stoics actually said about being a man, why the manosphere reading of Stoicism is a misreading, and four traits of the Stoic version of manhood you can use to test whether you're actually living the philosophy.

Using Dante's opening in the “dark wood,” host Chad Prevost frames midlife as waking up to being lost after sleepwalking through socially prescribed success, and reframes “abandon hope” as an instruction to stop relying on the old self and tools that created the crisis. He describes needing guidance beyond oneself, like Virgil leading Dante downward into the inferno to see the patterns that trap people, which he links to coaching clients' pervasive belief “I am not enough,” shaped by culture or family systems. Drawing on Epictetus, Adler, Auden, and the Greek concept hamartia, he argues the ego's protective adaptations become traps, and Dante's hell illustrates suffering rooted in lies, from unconscious “errors” to willful avoidance; the series explores this descent as a path to a freer, fuller creative life.00:00 Saturday Series Intro00:58 Waking in the Dark Wood03:10 Midlife Lostness04:08 Abandon Hope as Instruction06:02 Virgil and the Descent07:45 The Not Enough Story10:43 Separating Self from History11:49 Hamartia and Ego Armor13:40 Truth Lies and the Circles15:35 Series Purpose and FarewellFREE — THE DIFFICULTY FIELD GUIDEEight difficulties every working writer faces, and what to ask when each one shows up.→ crossroadspublishing.group/assets/pdfs/The_Difficulty_Field_Guide.pdf—WHERE TO FIND MESubstack — new essays Wednesdays, the Working Publisher news digest Fridays→ chadprevost.substack.comThe Difficulty — Monday (the why), Thursday (the how), Saturday (essay readings) — wherever you listen to podcasts→ chadprevost.com/the-difficultyCrossroads Publishing Group — publishing services, IF/THEN Books, the Iris Blackwood mystery series→ crossroadspublishing.group—“The difficulty in life is the choice.” Get full access to The Descent at chadprevost.substack.com/subscribe

It's Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Today, I'm revisiting a topic that struck a chord with many of you: the razor-thin line between confidence and arrogance. Inspired by a recent entry in The Daily Stoic (April 7th), we explore why the most dangerous thing you can do for your career—and your happiness—is to stop being a student. We discuss Epictetus's warning against "arrogant opinion" and why changing your mind is actually a sign of elite leadership, not weakness.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

Greek philosopher Epictetus once said, “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” That insight may be more relevant today than ever. We live in a world constantly urging us to want more, upgrade more, and pursue more. But what if that endless pursuit is costing us something far more valuable than money? What if wanting less is one of the most powerful financial decisions we can make? On today's episode of Faith & Finance, financial coach and author Bob Lotich joined the show to discuss why contentment creates freedom—and how learning to want less can reshape our financial lives. A Better Financial Question Most people make spending decisions by asking one question: Can I afford this? That's not a bad question—but it may not be the best one. Bob suggested a deeper question: Can I afford to want this? That shift matters because some things we own eventually begin to own us. A purchase may fit the budget, but still bring new pressures, obligations, and distractions. The issue isn't always the price tag—it's the grip that desire can have on our hearts. Bob shared the story of Roman general Manius Curius Dentatus. When enemies attempted to bribe him with gold and expensive gifts, they found him roasting turnips for dinner. Seeing his simple lifestyle, they realized a man content with so little could not be bought. The lesson is timeless: contentment removes leverage. When we need less, we are less vulnerable to manipulation, fear, and compromise. The fewer things we depend on for identity or security, the freer we become. How Desire Can Become a Chain Every unchecked desire can create a new chain. A larger lifestyle often requires a larger paycheck. More possessions usually mean more maintenance, more bills, and more commitments. Debt can magnify that burden even further. Scripture warns, “The borrower is slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). While that may not mean literal slavery today, the principle still stands: financial obligations can reduce flexibility and limit our ability to respond when God leads us in a new direction. Bob shared the story of someone who sensed a clear call into ministry but couldn't accept the opportunity because debt payments made the lower salary impossible. That's more than a budgeting issue—it's a discipleship issue. Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24). That warning is not only about greed. It is also about control. Financial obligations demand time, energy, and attention. When too many of them pile up, they begin directing our choices. As Bob put it, sometimes our possessions end up possessing us. Two Very Different Responses to Wealth The Gospels give us two striking examples. The rich young ruler walked away from Jesus because he could not release his wealth (Mark 10:17–22). Zacchaeus, on the other hand, responded to an encounter with Jesus by joyfully giving away half of his possessions and making restitution to those he had wronged (Luke 19:1–10). The difference wasn't the amount of money involved. It was the hold that money had on their hearts. The Secret of Contentment The Apostle Paul wrote: “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11). Paul had experienced abundance and need. Yet his joy wasn't tied to either one. That kind of contentment is true freedom. It means we can live faithfully in seasons of plenty or scarcity because our confidence rests in God, not in circumstances. Wanting more often begins with comparing more. Social media can intensify this struggle by putting everyone else's highlight reel in front of us every day. It becomes easy to feel behind, dissatisfied, or pressured to keep up. One practical step Bob shared was limiting social media use. Sometimes reducing the voices shaping our desires is one of the fastest paths to peace. How to Start Wanting Less If you long for greater freedom, begin here: 1. Evaluate Your Desires. Ask what you deeply want right now—and why. 2. Count the True Cost. Look beyond the purchase price. Consider the time, maintenance, stress, and financial commitments attached to it. 3. Be Careful With Lifestyle Upgrades. Every increase in lifestyle can quietly become a permanent monthly obligation. 4. Explore Simpler Alternatives. Sometimes renting, borrowing, waiting, or doing without can provide more joy than ownership. 5. Practice Gratitude. Contentment grows where gratitude is cultivated. True financial freedom is not measured by what we have, but by what no longer has a hold on us. When we learn to want less, we create more room to live generously, respond obediently, and walk closely with God. And that may be the richest life of all. Want to Go Deeper? You can read Bob's full article in Faithful Steward Magazine called The Surprising Power of Wanting Less. When you become a FaithFi partner, you'll receive helpful resources designed to equip you for faithful stewardship. Learn more at FaithFi.com/Partner. On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions: I'd like to put a power of attorney in place, but I don't have a family member I can ask to serve in that role. What would you recommend? I'm recently widowed and trying to determine how to grow what remains of the insurance money after I pay my bills. What would you suggest? Resources Mentioned: Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner) Simple Money, Rich Life: Achieve True Financial Freedom and Design a Life of Eternal Impact by Bob Lotich SeedTime The Surprising Power of Wanting Less by Bob Lotich (Article in Faithful Steward, Issue 5) Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA) FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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/

Why Isn't TEAM More Popular? Why Do So Many Therapists Resist TEAM CBT? Featuring Matt May, MD Why has the therapeutic community been so resistant to TEAM? This topic has been a concern to me or many years. To be honest, it isn't new. From the very start of cognitive therapy, when I was first learning it, I began modifying it to make it more dynamic, powerful, and effective. But to be honest, I ran into a small (at the time) of Beck loyalists who branded me as an "outsider," something Beck also did when my book, Feeling Good, began to sell and gain popularity. This saddened and frustrated me, and still does, but it had some great spin-off. On my own, my ideas and approaches grew rapidly, and there was no scarcity of young therapists who wanted to work with me.  Below, you will ready Matt's take on why TEAM CBT has not caught on better, followed by my own thoughts. So read, and enjoy, and feel free to share your own thinking on this topic!  On the live podcast, you will hear our lively discussion with our beloved and brilliant host, Rhonda! Thanks for listening today!  Matt, Rhonda, and David Matt's take: Hi David, I'm excited to discuss this topic!  Also, I agree we would be hard-pressed to cover it in an hour, which I believe is the goal for the podcast. So, why isn't TEAM isn't more popular?  My short answer is that TEAM isn't more popular because many therapists don't want to learn it. Those reasons will vary from one person to another and relate to concepts in the model, itself, like 'process resistance' and 'outcome resistance'. While biological factors, like deficits in cognitive flexibility and neuroplasticity, the 'primacy effect' and age-related changes in the brain, combined with the complexity of the TEAM model, will make it near-impossible for some folks to learn it, these barriers are hard to address with our current technology For the purpose of this conversation, it probably makes more sense to consider the psychological barriers therapists have to adopting a model that is scientifically proven to be superior to other approaches.  As a proponent of TEAM and an instructor, I'd love to know what I'm doing wrong, in presenting the model and how to get more people excited about learning it.  While more research would help us see the problem more clearly, here are some factors that likely play a role: It seems humans have a hard time adopting new truths, regardless of the field being considered. I believe it was Schopenhauer who said all new truths go through three phases on the way to acceptance:  People will ridicule it, violently oppose it, then say they knew it all along as self-evident! One cause of this is something called the 'primacy effect'. People preferentially retain the first version of a story they hear.  If that information is corrected, later, they will continue to believe the first version they heard.  Biological Factors play a role in learning, including genetics, aging, illness and toxic exposure. 'Switching gears', mentally, is more challenging in people with Schizophrenia and their first-degree relatives, for example.  We know that neuroplasticity is greatest in our youth and declines over our lifespan.  Hence the importance of early education and attending to our overall health, habits, nutrition and medical care.       Socioeconomic and Cultural factors certainly play a role.  This is well documented in the book, 'The Emperor's New Drugs', showing how marketing prevailed over science in promoting "antidepressants".  Many therapists in training tell me, 'oh, they wouldn't let me use a measurement tool where I work'.   Lack of 'Critical Thinking'. What people believe often has nothing to do with what is evidence-based or logical.  Many people reject global warming despite the evidence and prefer to believe in conspiracy theories.  We tend to preferentially believe what someone says if we feel a kinship or loyalty to that person or view them as an 'expert'. People might believe RFK Jr. when he says immunizations are dangerous, for example, because he is in their political party and in a position of power, rather than review the science for themselves. Sunk-Cost Fallacy:  People who have gone through training may have a sense that they have invested too much time and money in their education to discard that model and start afresh. Even if we covered this in just a few minutes, we'd still be up against the hardest part of TEAM to learn, Agenda Setting.   Lots of 'Good Reasons' NOT to have open hands, explore topics paradoxically, and reasons this is challenging, technically. So, yeah, we'll have a lot to discuss and I'm looking forward to that! Sincerely, Matt Here is David's list Taking a page out of your book, Matt, our field is filled with so-called "schools" of therapy that function much like cults, most with a narcissistic "leader" at the helm. In a cult, members are required to be absolutely loyal, and to believe in claims the guru makes that have little or no evidence to back them up. For example, most "schools" of therapy claim to know "the" cause of emotional distress, when the causes of depression and other forms of emotional disturbance are still not known. What I have been suggesting is that we get rid of all the schools of therapy and usher in a new era of science-based, data-driven therapy, which would amount to a revolution in our field. This idea, which I feel passionate about, always meets with stiff and hostel opposition / push back. People just don't want to hear it. TEAM integrates high-level empathy and compassion with firm accountability. Give Stanford story with Sunny Choi, and the statement that "Stanford graduate students and faculty cannot be held accountable for doing psychotherapy homework. The need insight-oriented therapy!" This angrily issued statement conveyed, actually, two cult-like (to my thinking) components: First, we KNOW that patients should not be asked to do psychotherapy homework between sessions. Second, we KNOW that "insight-oriented therapy" is the treatment, without ever evaluating them. TEAM focuses on the here and now, and emphasize a "fractal" approach to treatment, where the same distortions and self-defeating beliefs will be embedded in the patient's negative thoughts and feelings every time she or he is upset. So, when you change the present, you have already changed the past. Whereas most therapies have traditionally (and still) focus on the past, thinking they will find the cause of the patient's distress in some pattern or traumatic event. TEAM focuses on rapid change in the here and now, where as many (most?) therapies focus on talk therapy that unfolds slowly, over a period of months, years, or even more. This DOES provide a powerful financial incentive to do "talk therapy," since this drastically provides financial security and reduces the incredible pressure of constantly have to find new patients. TEAM is very challenging to learn. I have taught over 50,000 therapists in the past 35 years or more, through my supervision of graduate students and psychiatric residents, my weekly training group at Stanford, and my workshops, including intensive, around the US and Canada. And one lesson that has emerged is just how difficult it is to learn TEAM. It requires a high level of intelligence and aptitude, and an unusual dedication and commitment. A great many of the most important tools, like Assessment of Resistance, and Externalization of Voices with the CAT, Self-Defense, and the Acceptance Paradox, are extremely difficult to learn and master.  And most give up, and drop out, in favor of some simpler and more formulaic therapy that is easy to learn. TEAM training requires constant role-playing with specific and immediate feedback on your performance, which includes bot a letter grade (A, B, C, etc.) as well as what you did that was effective, and where you fell short and might need to fine-tune your technique with frequent role reversals, always with feedback. This means lots of criticism along the way, which many (most?) therapists do not like. And although we repeatedly emphasize the philosophy of "joyous failure," and "learning through failure," most people do not buy it emotionally. We all want success and compliments! And NOT the "great death" of the self." The "great death" permeates every phase of the T E A M process. At the T = Testing, you will nearly always learn that your perceptions of your patients feel, and how they feel about you, are way off base. This is critically important, but painful for most, as it is a direct body blow to our "need" to be in the role of "expert." Unlike most other forms of therapy, we require therapists to measure patients' feelings, "in the here and now," at the start and end of every therapy session, using brief, highly reliable scales that assess feelings of depression, suicidal urges, anxiety, anger, and also happiness, as well as relationship satisfaction or discord. These scales function like an "emotional X-ray machine," allowing therapists for the first time to see exactly how effective or ineffective you were in every therapy session. Can you take it? On the positive side, this information will allow you to fine tune the therapy and learn from all of your patients every day. On the negative side, you may not want to have to "see" your failures before your eyes at every session with every patient. David: Tell the story of Tuesday group patient who proudly showed me her depression (and other scores) over the previous year with one of her patients. . . But there was absolutely no improvement in any scale. This was shocking and it made me very sad. My goal is to get dramatic changes within a single session. This "great death" continues during the E phase. TEAM therapists are required to ask "What's my grade on empathy" during the session, and also patients fill out the Empathy Scale and other scales on the "Patient's Evaluation of Therapy Session" right after the session. These scales are set up to make therapist failure common, almost universal at first. A warm and curious dialogue about where the therapist went wrong can revolutionize the therapy and deepen the relationship—quickly. But at what cost to the fragile ego of the insecure shrink? The "great death" continues with A = Paradoxical Agenda Setting. You give up your role as the "expert:" or "helper" or "rescuer," which many therapist refuse to do, and instead "become" the patient's subconscious resistance, arguing, with compassion and logic, that there are many GOOD reasons NOT to change. This freaks therapists out! The "great death" continues with the M = Methods phase of the session. I have developed roughly 140 methods to help people challenge distorted negative thoughts and self-defeating beliefs, and have always taught that no one method will work for everyone who's depressed and anxious. So you will have to try many methods, using the Recovery Circle, to find the one that works for each patient. But these methods are challenging to learn, and most therapists don't seem to have the intelligence, aptitude, or commitment to learning how to use them. Many of the methods and insights of TEAM or subtle nuances that many therapists do not "get" or perhaps do not want to "get." Example, the ACT training group, where someone held up the Feeling Good book and said, "We do not want THIS!" They falsely believed that "leaning into" your feelings is always the answer, and wrong believed that TEAM tried to make people happy all the time—called Toxic Positivity—whereas nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, I mentioned healthy negative feelings as early as, I think, Chapter 3 in Feeling Good, "Sadness is Not Depression," where I told the story of an elderly man who died on the Stanford inpatient medical service one evening when I was a medical student. Much of what I teach is shocking and at odds with what people are taught in graduate school. For example, the idea that most people with depression and anxiety—NOT everybody!—can be effectively treated in a single, extended therapy session. Curses! That sounds horrible! And even worse-sounding is the idea that change typically happens suddenly, at the very moment patients stop believing their distorted thoughts. Of course, since most therapists have not seen these phenomena, due perhaps to not having the skill, they insist instead that David is some type of fool, liar, or con artis. Okee Dokee! People—therapists and patients alike—do not "get" a great many of the key ideas in TEAM. For example, let's say the socially anxious patient totally believes the thought, "I shouldn't be so screwed up!" the necessary and sufficient conditions for emotional change. The necessary condition: The Positive Thought (PT) must be 100% true. Rationalizations and half-truths have never helped anybody. The sufficient condition: The PT must drastically reduce your belief in the negative thought. And that's when your negative thoughts will suddenly change. There is even more of what I teach is shocking and at odds with what people believe. For example, 2,000 years ago Epictetus stated they key premise of all the cognitive therapies: "People are disturbed, not by things, or events, but by the views they have of them". And recently, our research team has provided proof of this for the first time, in a study of nearly 7,000 users of our Feeling Great app, using sophisticated statistical modeling techniques. So, the three tenants of cognitive therapies, including TEAM, are: First, you FEEL the way you THINK. In other words, all of your positive and negative feelings result from your thoughts in the here-and-now. Second, depression and anxiety are the world's oldest cons. In other words, your negative thoughts, like "I'm not as good as I should be," or "I'm a hopeless case,"—will be loaded with many of the ten cognitive distortions and are extremely misleading—but you don't realize this when you're upset. You will believe these thoughts with all your heart and feel CERTAIN that they are 100% true. Third, you can CHANGE the way you FEEL. But lots of people will won't have it. They keep insisting on theories that simply aren't true—that emotions cause thoughts, for example—and on methods that may have little or no "punch" above and beyond the placebo effect. Story of Tuesday group student who was scolded in her graduate school counseling program for using the words "thought" or cognition during a therapy session. She was told ONLY to focus on feelings. Many people—therapists and patients alike—strongly believe that therapist empathy is THE key to healing. I have developed many powerful empathy tracking and training methods, but our clinical experience and research has shown, over and over, that therapist empathy is NOT the key to healing. They keys involve using TEAM systematically, and the rapid healing happens during the A and M for the most part. But those are the hard parts! Other problems include the idea that we can convert normal human emotional distress into a series of "mental disorders" that are listed in the DSM, the "bible" of the American Psychiatric Association. In TEAM, we consider each patient's patterns of suffering at the start of therapy, quickly and easily screened by the EASY Diagnostic System, but monitor therapy and patient progress with simple tools that measure feelings, like depression, anxiety, anger, and more. But this is an argument for another day. There's a lot more issues, too. Have I, David, contributed to the resistance to TEAM? Absolutely I have. I plead guilty as accused, and I'm proud of it. I'm totally aware that people—maybe even you— get turned off by criticism, and naturally recoil to protect your "in group," as Matt so clearly pointed out, and maintain loyalty to your "leader," whether it's Freud, Jung, Beck, Hayes, Rogers, or whoever. People are more emotional than rational, and people can be intentionally cruel and deceptive, too, all in the name of what they believe. We see that in our politics these days too. People believe things that are totally false, and wildly implausible, because the group or leader says it's true, it's the way things are. I'm a strong believer that science and truth will win out in the long run. Is this inevitable? I'm not totally confident, and have my doubts, but I am also filled with hope, and look to a future with more therapists like our beloved Matt May, MD and others who have dared to venture in a radically new direction, much like the early astronomers like Galileo and Copernicus who dared to challenge the superstitious teachings of the Catholic church. Those brave and brilliant early souls said, "things are NOT the way you think!" And they used data and mathematical modeling to prove their points. But there were a hundreds years of intimidation and suffering until people finally began to catch on to the then-ridiculous and outrageous ideas that the sun does NOT actually revolve around the earth, and that the earth is NOT the center of the universe. Those NOTS changed history. Can it happen again in the fields of psychiatry and psychotherapy? I hope so, and I've been giving my all, in my teaching, research, clinical work and writing, to make this happen. Sadly, I've fallen far short of my dream, but I'm thankful every day for what I've got, and the wonderful colleagues I'm privileged to know and love. Warmly, David, Matt and Rhonda