The Daily Stoic
The Daily Stoic brings you a daily lesson inspired by Stoic philosophy, drawing from the teachings of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and others. Host Ryan Holiday offers practical wisdom for modern life, covering topics like resilience, virtue, and mindfulness. The podcast also features Q&A sessions with listeners and interviews with notable figures from various fields. It aims to help listeners apply ancient Stoic principles to their daily challenges.
Episodes
BONUS | Not Everything Has To Be Productive (with Chris Guillebeau)
Heading into the weekend, here’s a reminder that not everything you do has to be useful, efficient, or productive. In this bonus episode, Ryan and Chris Guillebeau talk about making space for fun, following strange impulses, and doing the small things that make you feel more alive.Watch the full episode with Chris Guillebeau here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHyEgbTg-BAChris Guillebea
The Terror of Knowing What The World Is About | Try The Other Handle
You will have to face facts. You will have to get uncomfortable. You will have to take up the burden of history. This will not always be fun.🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎥 VIDEO EPISODES| Watch the video episodes on The Daily Stoic YouTube channel: 
You Can’t Help But Leave a Piece | Ask Daily Stoic
Every “yes” is a trade. Every obligation takes its cut. Every distraction leaves with something.🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-fre
7 Stoic Steps for Breaking an Addiction
Everyone has something they’re trying to quit, whether it’s a habit, compulsion, or addiction. But what if the secret to getting clean and breaking free from that kind of slavery dates back more than 2,000 years?🎥 Watch this episode on The Daily Stoic YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTE6jEbR094🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city
Choose to See What It Gave You
The Stoics remind us that everything has its compensation…if we choose to see it, if we choose to welcome it.👉 Join The Daily Dad Society before Father’s Day and get $60 off your yearly membership with code FATHERSDAY: https://dailydad.com/society🎙️The Daily Dad Podcast | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city n
It’s No Good Without This | Epicurus’ Secret to the Good Life
Do not trade your soul away. Because once it’s gone, you cannot get it back. 📚 To learn more about Epicurus and his work, check out The Art of Living at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper int
In The Resolute Urgency of Now | Finding The Right Mentors
We could do it later. We could get serious later. But why? Why not do it while we have the chance?🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-f
Why Struggling Is the Point | David Epstein
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
The Stoic Mind Behind D-Day
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 opportunit
We Could Use More People Like This | How Ryan Holiday Is Challenging Himself Creatively
We are in desperate need of good, courageous people. Can you fill that need?📚 Grab signed copies of Austin Kleon's books at The Painted Porch: Don’t Call it ArtSteal Like An Artist Show Your WorkKeep Going 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🇺🇸 USA dates:Portland, Oregon - June 8&
It’s a Team Sport
It is harder to be courageous when all you see are examples of cowardice. Well, the Stoics can help us with this. 📚 Grab a copy of Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🇺🇸 USA dates:Portland, Oregon - June 8 San Francisco, California - Jun
What To Do When the World Feels Like Too Much
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
They Will Shove This In Your Face
Moral compromise is never a single act. It creates a precedent…and then another, and another.📚 Books Mentioned: Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero Plato and the TyrantHow To DieHow To Give🎙️ Check out the full episode: James Romm on The Daily Stoic Podcast | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city
You Made That Up | Robert Greene's Favorite Stoic Lessons
Stop extrapolating. Stop adding in the lens of anxiety. 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content:
This Is How It's Meant To Be Done | It Is Well to Be Flexible
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.🎙️ Listen to the episode with David Mamet on Apple Podcasts and Spotify📚 Pick up a copy of The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive
The Stoic Way To Handle Real Problems
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.🎟️ DAI
BONUS | The Novels Every Stoic Should Read
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.📚 Books:Moviegoer Memoirs of HadrianStonerA Man in FullJulius Caesar🎥 Want more book recs? Check out the full list that Ryan put together for Maria on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1fhk-7PHN4🎙️Li
Senator Mark Kelly on Stoicism, Space, and Staying Calm Under Pressure
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 leade
It is a Lonely Thing | Sweat the Small Stuff
A Stoic thinks about what’s right. They don’t ask, “Is this safe?” They say, “That’s wrong.”📚 Mentioned: The Four Virtues Boxed Set: https://dailystoic.com/virtuesboxsetThe Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subsc
They Are Calling To You | Adam Grant’s 3 Skills for Real Growth
The ancients are there to guide us. We can struggle to live up to their expectations. We can learn from their mistakes📚 Grab a copy of Think Again by Adam Grant at The Painted Porch: https://www.thepaintedporch.com/👉 Listen to the full episode with Adam Grant on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 🎥 VIDEO EPISODES| Watch the video episodes on The Daily Stoic YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.co
Skip The Shortcut. Take The Long Way Instead.
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 Four Virtues Boxed Set: https://dailystoic.com/virtuesboxset🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab ti
The Stoic Skill AI Can’t Replace
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
They Felt The Same Way As You | How To Remember Everything You Read
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.🎥 VIDEO EPISODE | Watch the video of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBdlprawTkA🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https:
What Do You Fight For? | The View From Above
The question for you today (and always) is: what do you pledge your sacred honor to? What are you fighting for?📚 Books Mentioned: The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on The Art of Living by Ryan Holiday🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus conte
How to Change Your Life in 24 Hours
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.🎥 Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7EE-bjD_pM🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go
Was Nero Really That Bad?
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. 📚 Books Mentioned: Nero: Emperor and Court by John F. DrinkwaterDying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of
A Sense of Urgency. A Sense of Urgency. | Practice True Joy
This is your life that sits before you. Time is ticking away.📚 Books Mentioned: The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on The Art of Living by Ryan Holiday🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/🎥 VIDEO EPIS
You’re Never Going to Be Perfect | Ask Daily Stoic
The Stoics had high standards. They also understood that perfection was not possible.📚 The Stoic Virtues Series teaches the timeless principles of Courage, Discipline, Justice, and Wisdom through history’s greatest examples. Check out The Four Virtues Boxed Set here: https://dailystoic.com/virtuesboxset🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city n
This is a Service
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.📚 The Stoic Virtues Series teaches the timeless principles of Courage, Discipline, Justice, and Wisdom through history’s greatest examples. Check out The Four Virtues Boxed Set here:
Empathy Is Not Weakness | Will Guidara
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,
They Give You Direction for Life | The Stoic Secret to Finding Real Joy
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?📚 The Stoic Virtues Series teaches the timeless principles of Courage, Discipline, Justice, and Wisdom through history’s greatest examples. Check out The Four Virtues Boxed Set here: https://dailystoic.com/virtuesboxset👉 Thanks to Tim Ferriss for pr
This is What Money Is Jealous Of | The Stoic Is A Work In Progress
You think they have everything they could possibly want. But the rich, the powerful? They are actually incredibly jealous people.💡The Wealthy Stoic: A Daily Stoic Guide to Being Rich, Happy, and Free explores how Stoic ideas can be applied to personal finance, wealth-building, financial mindset, and how it can help you overcome common financial obstacles and challenges👉 Get The Wealthy St
How To Think Better in the Age of AI (From the Stoics)
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.🎥 Watch the video of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1cryeqgKlc🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad
Gavin Newsom on Ego, Power, and Stoicism
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 a
This Is How You Release Your Anxiety | Quality Over Quantity
Think about what your anxiety costs you. Think about it honestly and painfully. 🪙 We are the creators of our anxiety. Which means we can also be the ones to do something about it. Gain a powerful tool in your fight against anxiety and get the Daily Stoic Anxiety Coin today! https://store.dailystoic.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The
How Much Is Left? | The Stoic Protocol for Your Next Zoom Call
What’s left of Stoicism today is, if anything, more robust than it was in the ancient world.💡 Modern Stoics are parents, athletes, entrepreneurs, soldiers, artists, students. They are busy, curious, principled people who want to do more than talk about virtue—they want to live it. And they want to do it with others who share that aim. Join The Daily Stoic Life community today: dailystoic.
This Is Inseparable From Living a Good Life
The four Stoic virtues are not supposed to be pursued in isolation. Instead, they come together under the idea of virtue itself.📚 Pre-order The Four Virtues Boxed Set: https://dailystoic.com/virtuesboxset🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supe
The Stoic Code General Mattis Lives By
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
BONUS | Ryan Holiday Responds to Daniel Radcliffe
In a recent interview, Daniel Radcliffe talked about the book "How To Hide an Empire" which has been one of Ryan's favorite reads lately. Here are some of his takeaways.You can grab a copy of How To Hide an Empire at Ryan's bookstore, The Painted Porch: https://www.thepaintedporch.com/🎥 Watch the video of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GXGx2iIlzY🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE |
No, This Is The Mission | Kindness Is Always The Right Response
You thought you were supposed to be doing this. You thought your job was to do that. But then what happened? Life happened. Stuff happened. Other people happened.📕 Pick up a copy of the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Su
It Can Change Everything | A Real-Life Example of How to Build a Coaching Tree
Great leaders don’t just build winning teams, they build people who can go on to lead without them. In today’s episode, Ryan talks about the idea of “growing a coaching tree” and what it means to create a culture that outlasts you. Using the San Antonio Spurs as a real-life example, Ryan looks at how the best leaders teach, empower, and develop others, not just for their own success, but
We Owe It All To Them | What Marcus Aurelius Learned From His Mother
In honor of Mother’s Day, Ryan talks with Donald Robertson about the powerful influence Marcus Aurelius’ mother had on his life and philosophy. Even though Stoicism is usually talked about as a philosophy shaped by men, Marcus’ mother may have been his first and most important model of Stoic character, shaping the virtues he would spend his life trying to practice.Donald Robertson is a wr
Rock Bottom, Recovery, and Starting Over at 40 | Jon Gustin
Jon Gustin got sober at the beginning of 2023, but as he explains in today’s episode, getting sober was not the end of the struggle. It was the beginning of finally facing everything he had spent years avoiding. Jon talks with Ryan about his unhealthy relationship with substances, the emotional rock bottom that forced him to change, and the daily practices that helped him stay sober and f
The Stoic All the Stoics Admired
Cato’s life was his philosophy, and the Stoics never stopped looking to his example. In today’s episode, Ryan explores why Cato the Younger became one of Stoicism’s most admired figures, and what his life can teach us about courage, character, and standing for what’s right. 📚 Learn more about Cato the Younger in Lives of the Stoics by Ryan Holiday🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is
BONUS | 6 Stoic Rules of Arete (Excellence)
Arete. To the Greeks, it meant excellence. It was the ultimate expression of human greatness—moral, physical, spiritual. It’s what the Stoics were chasing. It’s what you’re chasing today. But how do we get there?🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Supp
It Can’t Think About You | How to Be a Better Friend, According to the Stoics
These are impersonal forces. This is fortune and fate. It’s not targeting you. It’s not favoring or picking on you. 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and
You Think You Want Autonomy. You Don’t. | David Epstein
You think you want more freedom, but too much of it can work against you. In this episode, Ryan talks with David Epstein about why constraints can actually make us better. They discuss how deadlines sharpen focus, why too much autonomy can become a trap, and why “freedom within a framework” may be more useful than total freedom.David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best sel
They’re Not Thinking About You At All
They’re awful. They’re frustrating. They need to be stopped. These are the people who take up so much space in our head.🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/🎥 VIDEO EPISODES| Watch the video episodes on The Daily Stoic YouTube chan
This is the Part To Love | How a Stoic Deals with Obnoxious People
The terrible diagnosis. The betrayal. The broken heart. Are they Stoics really saying you should love that? Is that what it means to “amor fati”—to love your fate?🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH8HxAZlSfo🪙 Get your own Amor fati medallion, as a reminder to treat each and every moment—no matter how challenging—as something to be embraced, not avoided. So
When Your Passion Is Master of Your Reason… | We Are a Product of Our Habits
Recognizing your anger in the moment, feeling it rising before it takes over, means you’ve already started mastering it.🪙 Carry The Daily Stoic Pause & Reflect Medallion as a reminder to pause. A pause creates space. A pause creates clarity. A pause can change everything. | Grab The Daily Stoic Pause & Reflect Medallion at dailystoic.com/pause📓 Pick up a signed edition of The Dail
40 Hidden Lessons From Marcus Aurelius' Meditations
You think you’ve read Meditations, but the deeper truths in Marcus Aurelius’ private writings often reveal themselves only after years of revisiting them. In this episode, Ryan shares the hidden lessons he missed on his first, second, and even tenth read and why this book keeps giving you new insights even years later. 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJGtyg
What Comes After Surviving the Unthinkable | Kyle Carpenter
What happens after you survive something that should have killed you? After being critically injured in Afghanistan, Kyle Carpenter faced years of surgeries, setbacks, and a future he couldn’t yet see. In Part 2, Ryan and Kyle talk about learning to embrace the struggle, ask for help, and keep going when the path forward is unclear.Kyle Carpenter is a medically retired United States Marin
BONUS | Ryan Holiday's Response to Ivanka Trump
Watch Ryan's response on The Daily Stoic YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1OfTQusvYM🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/✉️ FREE STOIC WISDOM | Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the
What You Need is a Small Crisis | Show, Not Tell, What You Know
When we stop resisting and start learning, the obstacle becomes the way.📕 Grab the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday at dailystoic.com/obstacle🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/🎥 VIDEO EPISODES|
Why Are You Surprised?
The surprising thing about all this is that you were surprised. How could you not have seen this coming?Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide bundle | https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing t
The Choice That Kept Dr. Edith Eger Alive In Auschwitz
Dr. Edith Eger faced the worst humanity can do, survived Auschwitz, and went on to build a 98-year life rooted in resilience, forgiveness, and meaning. In this episode, Ryan reflects on her life and lessons as a Holocaust survivor, student of Viktor Frankl, and a powerful voice on resilience and forgiveness. 🎥 Watch Dr. Edith Eger’s interview on The Daily Stoic Podcast: https://www.youtub
Kyle Carpenter on Courage, Survival, and What Comes After
The Medal of Honor is the highest military award in the United States, given for extraordinary courage in the face of danger. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Kyle Carpenter, the youngest living recipient, to talk about what that kind of courage really looks like and what comes after it.Kyle received the Medal of Honor after throwing himself on a live grenade to save a fellow Marine i
Marcus Aurelius's Rules for Living a Better Life
To wrap up Meditations Month, today Ryan explores Marcus’s best rules for using the precious time in your life.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide bundle | https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscr
It’s Right There. Take It. | Stoic Lessons Hidden in Bruce Springsteen Songs
You can’t learn history that you don’t take the time to look at, that you think you already understand.📚 BOOKS:Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's NebraskaWisdom Takes Work 🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.c
Nothing Is As Encouraging As This | The Freedom of Contempt
It was a dark world…and Marcus Aurelius desperately needed some light.LAST CHANCE | Your ticket to the live Q&A with Ryan Holiday 👉 https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Most Powerful Lines From Marcus Aurelius
How can a 2,000-year-old book still change the way you think today? In this episode, Ryan Holiday shares passages from Meditations that he’s returned to more than a hundred times over the years. Each reading has revealed something new, and these lines are the ones that have had the biggest impact on how he thinks and lives. Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if yo
Why “Meditations” Needs a New Name—According to William O. Stephens
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. fro
It’s Never an Accident | Ask Daily Stoic
Our true character comes out under pressure. So we must train that character, we must develop our bodies, we have to put in the work. Your ticket to a live Q&A with Ryan Holiday 👉 https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access
Empower Yourself with This | Why You Need to Get In the Arena
We all have those days where we’d rather just not. Days where we’d rather not deal with that annoying co-worker or petty family member. Days where we’d rather not bother with all the work we have to do, all the responsibilities we have to manage. The ancients knew days like this.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here n
You Have Access to a Miracle of History
The Stoics weren’t just leaders and philosophers. They were parents, spouses, and friends, who experienced joy, who fell in love, who cherished the beauty of the world around them. Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide bundle | https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month
Everything Is Connected. We Just Forgot.
It’s strange that we need a day to remind us we’re part of the planet we live on. In this Earth Day episode, Ryan explores the Stoic idea of sympatheia, the belief that we’re part of a larger whole and that what affects the world affects us too. He looks at how modern life, filled with noise, busyness, and constant stimulation, pulls us out of alignment with nature. Earth Day is a reminde
You Are On The Right Timeline | Don't Let Your Attention Slide
This isn’t the timeline I’m supposed to be on, you think. This isn’t how it was supposed to go. But what if it is?Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide bundle | https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026📚 Books Mentioned: Deep Work and Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
Time is Racing Toward Us | Pete Holmes on The Real Point of Philosophy
We think that it’s off in the distance. We think that it’s far away. But this is wrong. Fundamentally wrong.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide bundle | https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026🎥 Watch the full episode with Pete Holmes here: https://www.youtube.com/
31 Life-Changing Lessons from Marcus Aurelius
For nearly 2,000 years, Meditations has guided presidents, generals, and leaders, from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick the Great to Arnold Schwarzenegger. What makes it remarkable is that it was never meant to be read. It was Marcus Aurelius’ private notes to himself. In this episode, Ryan breaks down 31 of the most powerful lessons from the book and how to actually apply them to your lif
How Does Stoicism Help You Overcome Guilt and Shame?
In today's episode, Ryan answers questions from a live audience in Sydney, Australia. Some of these questions include: How do we keep our ego in check when things are going well? How does a Stoic handle guilt and shame? What do the Stoics say about navigating profound loss? + more! Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🇺🇸 USA d
The Decades Disappear Like Sinking Ships | Impulse Control
This is happening and it’s happening in one direction. We have to pay attention.📚 The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on The Art of Living by Ryan Holiday🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/🎥 VIDEO EPI
The 5-Step Stoic Routine for Clear Thinking | Maria Semple
The difference between reacting and thinking clearly starts with how you begin your day. In this episode, Ryan sits down with bestselling author Maria Semple to break down the 5-step Stoic routine she uses each morning. They talk about how a daily practice of reflection, intention, and perspective can change the way you approach everything from small annoyances to life’s biggest challenge
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
“Mastery of reading and writing requires a master,” Marcus Aurelius writes. He knew this from experience. Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide bundle | https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscr
Prison Took His Freedom. Stoicism Gave It Back.
What happens when everything is taken from you and the only thing left is how you think? In this episode, Lamb of God’s lead singer Randy Blythe shares his firsthand prison experience and how Stoicism became more than philosophy and turned into a practical tool for surviving fear, uncertainty, and loss of control.Listen to the full episodes with Randy Blythe:Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe on
This is How You Have To See (and Respond To) Things | Becoming An Expert In What Matters
Start living your life with more courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom by deepening your understanding of one of the most enduring books on life ever written. Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide bundle | https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026🎙️ AD-FREE | S
Heal Yourself With This | The Cure for a Reading Slump
The Stoics urged us to read, study, and journal, not as abstract philosophy, but to help us recover from the stuff life throws at us. 📚 Sign up for Ryan’s free monthly reading list newsletter: https://ryanholiday.net/the-reading-list/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bon
You Think You Have Time. You Don’t.
It’s a tragedy. Too many people, Seneca says, reach the end of life with nothing to show for it but a number.🎥 VIDEO EPISODE | Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cInStI2DnI🪙 MEMENTO MORI | We have a collection of items in the Daily Stoic store to help you in your own memento mori practice, check them out here: https://store.da
What To Do When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned | Jim Collins
What if the hardest moments in your life aren’t detours but the very things that put you on the right path? In Part 2, bestselling author Jim Collins explains why the moments that derail you are often the ones that redirect you.Jim Collins is a bestselling author and one of the leading voices on leadership and human performance, known for books like Good to Great, which has sold millions
Nothing Can Get In The Way of the Mission | Test Your Impressions
Roles shift. Titles change. But the mission never does.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide bundle | https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listen
This Can Change the Course of Your Life
The right book at the right time is a powerful thing. In fact, it can change the whole course of your life.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide bundle | https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/meditations-month-2026📕 Book mentioned: Meditations translated by Grego
