For centuries, all sorts of people—generals and politicians, athletes and coaches, writers and leaders—have looked to the teachings of Stoicism to help guide their lives. Each day, author and speaker Ryan Holiday brings you a new lesson about life, inspired by the thoughts and writings of great Stoic thinkers like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca the Younger. Daily Stoic Podcast also features Q+As with listeners and interviews with notable figures from sports, academia, politics, and more. Learn more at DailyStoic.com.
Support the podcast and go deeper with Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content (coming soon): dailystoic.com/premium
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
If there’s one thing Candace Parker does best, it’s winning. In today’s episode, Ryan sits down with basketball legend Candace Parker to talk about championships, pressure, and what it takes to be one of the greats. Candace talks about how being elite changes the way you see the world (and yourself), why winning never really feels like enough, and what happens when your whole identity is built around being the best. She opens up about legacy, ambition, parenting, and why she doesn’t go a year wi...
When people show us who they are, we need to believe them. 👉 Find all of the books mentioned in today's episode here: https://www.thepaintedporch.com/collections/10-life-changing-books-from-ryan-holiday 📚 Sign up for Ryan’s free monthly reading list newsletter: https://ryanholiday.net/the-reading-list/ 🎥 Watch Why Narcissistic Leaders Always Fail (In The End) on The Daily Stoic YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ4gbvjdIao 🎙️ Listen to Why Narcissistic Leaders Always Fail (In ...
When Marcus Aurelius wrote ' the obstacle is the way ,' he was talking about difficult people. Tune in to hear Matthew McConaughey’s advice on how to handle the challenging individuals we all face every day. 🎥 Watch the full video of Matthew McConaughey LIVE at The Painted Porch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8pCvA40GhM 📖 Preorder the final book in Ryan Holiday's The Stoic Virtues Series: "Wisdom Takes Work": https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/wisdom-takes-work 🎙️ Follow The Daily Stoic Po...
Despair is so easy, even reasonable in moments like this. The Stoics knew that feeling well. 📖 Preorder the final book in Ryan Holiday's The Stoic Virtues Series: "Wisdom Takes Work": https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/wisdom-takes-work 🎙️ Follow The Daily Stoic Podcast on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/dailystoicpodcast 🎥 Watch top moments from The Daily Stoic Podcast on YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@dailystoicpodcast ✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up fo...
What good is courage if not in pursuit of justice? And how can we know what is just and right without wisdom? And without temperance and self-discipline, how will we have the strength both to acquire wisdom and to apply courage? 📚 The Four Stoic Virtues: Justice, Temperance, Wisdom, Courage, are timeless keys to living your best life. The Daily Stoic is releasing a limited collector’s edition set of all four books signed and numbered, with a title page identifying these books as part of the onl...
Self-regulation is the single most important skill for life. In today’s episode, developmental psychologist and parenting expert Dr. Aliza Pressman joins Ryan to talk about how to start reframing everyday frustrations, why she is worried for this generation of parents, and the difference between expressing emotion and acting on it. Dr. Aliza Pressman is a developmental psychologist, parenting expert, the author of the New York Times bestselling book THE 5 PRINCIPLES OF PARENTING: Your Essential ...
You have to interrogate the thoughts, views, and understanding of the facts. You do this not to prove you're right, but to ensure you’re not wrong—to make sure you’re not embarrassingly, shamefully, confidently wrong. 🎙️ Listen to Wright’s episode on The Daily Stoic Podcast | Apple Podcasts & Spotify 🎥 Watch Wright Thompson’s FULL interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qSqE7lvrzX0 📚 Pick up copies of The Barn and Wright Thompson’s other books, The Cost of These Dreams , Pappyland , at The...
“Why do you wait?” Seneca asks us. “Wisdom comes haphazard to no man.” 📚 The Four Stoic Virtues: Justice, Temperance, Wisdom, Courage, are timeless keys to living your best life. The Daily Stoic is releasing a limited collector’s edition set of all four books signed and numbered, with a title page identifying these books as part of the only printing of this series. PLUS we're including one of the notecards Ryan used while writing the series. Pre-order the Limited Edition Stoic Virtues Series To...
Marcus Aurelius didn't read a book once and think that he got it. He read it over and over and over again. In today's video, Ryan shares 100 lessons that he has gotten from reading Meditations hundreds of times over the last decade. 💡 How to Read Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations (A Daily Stoic Guide) is designed to help you get the most wisdom and very best tools Stoicism has to offer and apply them to your life. Get How to Read Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations (A Daily Stoic Guide) & all other Dai...
After their conversation for The Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan gives communication expert and The Next Conversation author Jefferson Fisher book recommendations at The Painted Porch. 📚 Check out all the books mentioned here: https://www.thepaintedporch.com/collections/jefferson-fischer 🎥 Watch this on Ryan Holiday's YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbWjFCkLjEk 📖 Get signed copies of Jefferson Fischer's book The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More , at The Painted Porch! Follow ...
In today’s Part 2 episode, Ryan visits the birthplace of Stoicism in Athens and sits down for lunch with writer and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist Donald Robertson. They explore the rich history of Stoicism in Greece, share their must-see ancient philosophy spots, and catch up on what they’ve been reading and writing. Donald is a writer, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist and trainer. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). Donald specializes in teaching evidence-ba...
How can we make a great fortune out of misfortune? Reverse our circumstances, as Epictetus did? 💡 We designed our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) as a personal field guide —part book club, part masterclass, part daily practice. It’s designed to help you not just read the words of Epictetus, but live them—to turn his timeless wisdom into real change in your own life and the lives of those around you. And if you get the guide before July 26th, you’ll receive a private invitation to an...
The Stoics were human. Most great men and women were. If they were made of stone, what would there be to admire? 📖 Preorder the final book in Ryan Holiday's The Stoic Virtues Series: "Wisdom Takes Work": https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/wisdom-takes-work 🎙️ Follow The Daily Stoic Podcast on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/dailystoicpodcast 🎥 Watch top moments from The Daily Stoic Podcast on YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@dailystoicpodcast ✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inb...
If enslavement—the horrible torture that Epictetus experienced, the lifelong disability that followed it—didn’t touch his power over himself, what excuse do the rest of us have? 💡 We designed our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) as a personal field guide —part book club, part masterclass, part daily practice. It’s designed to help you not just read the words of Epictetus, but live them—to turn his timeless wisdom into real change in your own life and the lives of those around you. An...
Follow along as Ryan visits the birthplace of Stoicism in Athens—where Zeno once taught beneath the legendary Stoa Poikile. Joined by writer and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist Donald Robertson, the two tour the ancient ruins, explore the deep roots of Stoic philosophy, talk about the surreal experience of standing where it all began, and share updates on their latest writing projects. Donald is a writer, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist and trainer. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society ...
We study philosophy to learn how to protect this real estate between our ears—and you could argue there's no better teacher than Epictetus. 💡 We designed our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) as a personal field guide —part book club, part masterclass, part daily practice. It’s designed to help you not just read the words of Epictetus, but live them—to turn his timeless wisdom into real change in your own life and the lives of those around you. And if you get the guide before July 26t...
Let’s call out the cowards and the corrupt—but let’s also hold up the mirror. 📔 Pick up your own leather bound signed edition of The Daily Stoic ! Check it out at the Daily Stoic Store: https://store.dailystoic.com/ 📖 Preorder the final book in Ryan Holiday's The Stoic Virtues Series: "Wisdom Takes Work": https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/wisdom-takes-work 🎙️ Follow The Daily Stoic Podcast on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/dailystoicpodcast 🎥 Watch top moments from The Daily Stoic Po...
What separates the work that fades from the work that endures? In this episode, Ryan explores the Stoic wisdom behind lasting success and how to turn adversity into something timeless, meaningful, and built to outlive you. 📖 Preorder the final book in Ryan Holiday's The Stoic Virtues Series: "Wisdom Takes Work": https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/wisdom-takes-work 🎙️ Follow The Daily Stoic Podcast on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/dailystoicpodcast 🎥 Watch top moments from The Daily St...
James Altucher and Ryan return for Part 2 to talk about creativity, aging, and why most ideas don’t last. Ryan explains why he avoids personal stories in his Stoic Virtues series , a research skill he learned while working for Robert Greene, and what most writers get wrong. James opens up about his renewed obsession with an old passion and the painful truth of chasing a past version of yourself. James Altucher is the podcast host of The James Altucher Show , an investor, venture capitalist, writ...
Epictetus didn't just theorize about resilience—he lived it. It’s why his powerful lessons have endured for nearly two millennia as perhaps the most practical and accessible playbook in Stoic philosophy. 💡 We designed our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) as a personal field guide —part book club, part masterclass, part daily practice. It’s designed to help you not just read the words of Epictetus, but live them—to turn his timeless wisdom into real change in your own life and the liv...
Ryan Holiday shares Stoic insights on managing life's challenges, from dealing with betrayal and ego to fostering stillness in a busy world. He emphasizes focusing on what's controllable, embracing humility, and cultivating timeless wisdom. The episode also touches on teaching resilience and emotional regulation to children, applying ancient philosophy to modern living.
The greatest work isn’t what goes viral, it’s what endures. Podcaster, writer, and venture capitalist James Altucher joins Ryan to talk about why podcasting might be doing more harm than good, what makes a medium “healthy” for creativity, why some stories survive history and others disappear, and how the algorithm subtly rewires creators’ minds. James Altucher is the podcast host of The James Altucher Show , an investor, venture capitalist, writer, and an expert in emerging technologies like cry...
It's unfortunate Epictetus isn't more widely read—because when he is, he changes lives. 💡 We designed our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) as a personal field guide —part book club, part masterclass, part daily practice. It’s designed to help you not just read the words of Epictetus, but live them—to turn his timeless wisdom into real change in your own life and the lives of those around you. And if you get the guide before July 26th, you’ll receive a private invitation to an exclusi...
There was gruffness to the Stoics. A wariness of getting too close or too attached, lest your heart be broken by fortune. But does that mean the Stoics were unfeeling? 📓 Pick up a signed edition of The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on The Art of Living : https://store.dailystoic.com/ 📖 Preorder the final book in Ryan Holiday's The Stoic Virtues Series: "Wisdom Takes Work": https://store.dailystoic.com/pages/wisdom-takes-work 🎙️ Follow The Daily Stoic Podcast on Insta...
Most people are enslaved and controlled and directed by their ignorance. Their impulses. Their temper. Their desires and delusions. 📚 The Four Stoic Virtues: Justice, Temperance, Wisdom, Courage, are timeless keys to living your best life. The Daily Stoic is releasing a limited collector’s edition set of all four books signed and numbered, with a title page identifying these books as part of the only printing of this series. PLUS we're including one of the notecards Ryan used while writing the ...
In this letter, Seneca critiques sophistical argumentation, highlighting how it exercises wit without purpose and distracts from the essentials of living a good life. Today’s episode is an excerpt from The Tao Of Seneca produced by Tim Ferriss’ Audio. Get the free PDF at tim.blog/seneca 🎙️ Listen to other letters from Seneca: Seneca on Despising Death Seneca on Conquering the Conqueror Seneca on Philosophy and Friendship Seneca on Practicing What You Preach Seneca on The Reasons For Withdrawing...
The most misunderstood Stoic practice is Memento Mori - remember you will die . Dr. Laurie Santos, an expert on the science of happiness, joins Ryan to share the research behind why thinking about your mortality is proven to increase happiness. Dr. Laurie shares how to balance negative and positive visualizations for a fulfilling life, the Stoic practices that she swears by, and practical applications of Stoic and Buddhist teachings. Dr. Laurie Santos is an expert on the science of happiness and...
Win or lose, what matters, the Stoics believed, was that we tried. That we did our best. 💡 We designed our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) as a personal field guide —part book club, part masterclass, part daily practice. It’s designed to help you not just read the words of Epictetus, but live them—to turn his timeless wisdom into real change in your own life and the lives of those around you. And if you get the guide before July 26th, you’ll receive a private invitation to an exclus...
It’s rather sad—almost sacriligeous—that more people don’t know who shaped Marcus’s philosophical worldview. 💡 We designed our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) as a personal field guide —part book club, part masterclass, part daily practice. It’s designed to help you not just read the words of Epictetus, but live them—to turn his timeless wisdom into real change in your own life and the lives of those around you. And if you get the guide before July 26th, you’ll receive a private inv...
You can’t expand your perspective if you never step out of your bubble. In today’s episode, Ryan sits down with Chet Garner, host of The Daytripper , to explore how traveling, even just one town over, can completely change the way you see the world. They talk about why you don’t need to leave the country (or even your own state) to gain a new perspective, how the Stoics thought about travel in the ancient world, and how to use everyday adventures to raise more curious, open-minded kids. Chet Gar...
