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.
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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 at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com 🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper in...
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/watch?v=UiVU3613prw 🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Da...
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 life. Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now t...
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 dates: Portland, Oregon - June 8 San Francisco, California - June 11 Minneapolis, Minnesota - August 18 Chicago...
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 EPISODES| Watch the video episodes on The Daily Stoic YouTube channel : https://www.youtube.com/@DailyStoic/vid...
“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 subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoi...
Bestselling author Maria Semple shares her unique 5-step Stoic routine for daily reflection and intentional living. She and Ryan explore how she adapted Stoic philosophy to her personal life and writing, including her shift from "virtue equals happiness" to "virtue equals freedom." The conversation delves into the nuances of the four Stoic virtues, the role of love and passion, and how Stoicism empowers individuals, particularly women, to navigate modern complexities and find beauty in the mundane.
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 Fighting Fear With Gratitude EGO, DEATH, FAME: Lamb Of God's Randy Blythe 📚 Books Mentioned: Just Beyond T...
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 | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free liste...
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 bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/ 🎥 VIDEO EPISODE | Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.c...
This episode explores the Stoic practice of Memento Mori, using personal near-death experiences and reflections from various cemeteries to underscore the universal certainty of death. The host discusses how considering mortality encourages living mindfully, valuing present moments over posthumous fame, and acknowledging the temporary nature of possessions. It advocates for an authentic life, cutting out the inessential, and truly living each year rather than just accumulating a number.
Bestselling author Jim Collins explores the profound impact of life's "cliffs"—moments of adversity that can surprisingly lead to self-discovery and new paths. He challenges the common belief that one's best work occurs early, showcasing numerous examples of individuals who achieved their most significant contributions later in life. The conversation emphasizes the importance of strategic flexibility, decoupling worth from external results, and cultivating an attitude of gratitude and adaptability in the face of life's unpredictable turns.
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 listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/ 🎥 VIDEO EPISODES| Watch the vide...
Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, joins Ryan Holiday to explore what makes a life meaningful, delving into his new book, What to Make of a Life. They discuss the Stockdale Paradox, emphasizing unwavering faith combined with confronting brutal reality, and examine how personal challenges like Admiral Stockdale's Hanoi Hilton experience shape character. The conversation also explores how focusing on intrinsic joy, purpose, and acts of decency, rather than external success or legacy, defines a truly impactful life, warning against the "curse of competence doom loop."
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 Gregory Hayes 🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-free ...
We must change our aperture and perspective so that amidst the muddle and puddles of life, we can see what the artist and the philosopher sees. 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 listening, early access...
You may well be in the middle of—or in for—a nightmare. But you can skip part of it, the last part…if you choose. 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 - June 11 Minneapolis, Minnesota - August 18 Chicago, Illinois - August 19 Detroit, Michigan - August 20 🇳🇿 NEW ZEALAND: Auckland, New Zealand - October 13 🇦🇺 AUSTRALIA dates: Sydney, Australia - October 16 Melbourne, ...
You live in a time of abundance, medicine, knowledge, and opportunity—things the Stoics could not have imagined in their wildest dreams. 🎙️ 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 channel : https://www.youtube.com/@DailyStoic/videos ✉️ FREE STOIC WISDOM | Want Stoic wisdom...
What does Stoicism look like in the moments that matter most? In this episode, Ryan shares listener stories about how this philosophy showed up in their hardest situations and what it changed. 👉 Do you have a story of how Stoicism has personally impacted your life? We'd love to share it on the podcast! Send an audio recording of your story to this email: podcast@dailystoic.com 🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-fre...
Most people think they’d never sell out. Until there’s a number attached. In this episode, Ryan explores real-world examples that reveal what happens when that moment actually comes. 🎥 VIDEO EPISODE | Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arBy_Ep4FmE 🎙️ 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 St...
It should be the easiest book in the world to read. And yet… 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 listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/ 🎥 VIDEO EPISODES| Watch the...
The Stoics appreciated success, but it wasn’t something they coveted. It may have impressed others, but it wasn’t how they defined themselves. 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 - June 11 Minneapolis, Minnesota - August 18 Chicago, Illinois - August 19 Detroit, Michigan - August 20 🇳🇿 NEW ZEALAND: Auckland, New Zealand - October 13 🇦🇺 AUSTRALIA dates: Sydney, Austr...
Why has Meditations by Marcus Aurelius endured and influenced across so many centuries? And what makes its ancient wisdom still relevant to the modern problems we face today? 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/collections/meditations 🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unlock ad-fr...
This episode features Ryan Holiday's top recommendations for books that are short enough to be read in a single sitting, yet profound enough to leave a lasting impression. He covers a diverse range of genres, from classic philosophy and stoic teachings to historical accounts, social commentaries, and guides for creativity and personal growth. The selection aims to offer quick, memorable lessons that can be revisited often.
Why does everything feel so much worse when it’s happening close to you? In this episode, Ryan shares a simple shift he noticed while traveling in Australia that changed how he sees the news, stress, and everything happening around us. He also sits down with Brigid Delaney , author of Reasons Not to Worry: How to Be Stoic in Chaotic Times , to talk about what happens when you actually try to live like a Stoic in real life. Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you ! Grab tickets here | https://w...
We only get one life. Once time ticks by, it never comes back. 🎙️ 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 channel : https://www.youtube.com/@DailyStoic/videos ✉️ FREE STOIC WISDOM | Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at ...
The Daily Stoic discusses applying core Stoic virtues to real-world challenges, emphasizing how to endure adversity and control our reactions to external events. It explores the dichotomy of control, the concept that 'the obstacle is the way,' and the power of negative visualization to foster preparedness. The episode also highlights the importance of self-accountability, inner discipline, and cultivating humility over ego for continuous personal and intellectual growth, using examples from literature and Major League Baseball.
The Stoics knew life could be heavy, that loneliness, frustration, and heartbreak were part of the deal. They also knew something most people miss: if your thoughts shape your life, changing them can change everything. Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you ! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/ 🇺🇸 USA: Portland, Oregon - June 8 San Francisco, California - June 11 Minneapolis, Minnesota - August 18 Chicago, Illinois - August 19 Detroit, Michigan - August 20 🇳🇿 NEW ZEALAND: ...
What did Epicurus, Buddha, and Viktor Frankl understand about meaning that most people never question? In Part 2 of this masterclass, bestselling author and Harvard professor Arthur Brooks joins Ryan to break down Epicureanism, Buddhism, Christianity, and other schools of thought, revealing what each one gets right (and wrong) about happiness, meaning, and how to actually live. Arthur Brooks is a bestselling author, Harvard professor, and one of the world’s leading voices on happiness, meaning, ...
Where is our bravery? Where will we draw the line? What will we put on the line? 📕 If today's episode resonates with you, check out Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday | https://store.dailystoic.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: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/ 🎥 VIDEO EPISODES| Watch the video episodes on The Daily Stoic YouTube channel : https://www.youtube....