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The Daily Stoic

Daily Stoic | Wondery

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.

Listen to The Daily Stoic on the Wondery App or wherever you listen to your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-daily-stoic/ now.

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Our Editor's Take

The Daily Stoic is a podcast about examining and applying the benefits of Stoic philosophy. The saying "everything old is new again" has proven to be pertinent. And while people often use this saying to describe popular culture, it can also apply to other places.

Stoicism is a philosophy that has been around for thousands of years. In short, it focuses on the idea that people should not allow their destructive emotions to rule their actions, and a person's behavior is the best indicator of their character. In a stressful world where unrestrained emotion often incites undesired action with unintended consequences, many find comfort in the Stoic approach.

One of those people is the host of the podcast, Ryan Holiday. Holiday considers himself a modern Stoic and has become a vocal proponent for stoicism. In fact, the New York Times has gone on the record and stated that Holiday has been "leading the charge for stoicism."

Holiday is an accomplished author and former marketing consultant. His unique background in communications and knowledge of this topic makes him an excellent host for this podcast.

He also does an excellent job finding notable guests from various fields to join him on the podcast. These guests come from all types of backgrounds and expertise, and often provide interesting insights. Leadership experts, musicians—one can never guess who will show up on The Daily Stoic.

Holiday releases new episodes almost daily, as the show's name implies. For those looking to help control the chaos in their lives, The Daily Stoic is a helpful resource.

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Episodes

Chase Jarvis on Why Embracing Risks is Necessary for Creative Success
Available on 12-10-2024
Chase Jarvis on Why Embracing Risks is Necessary for Creative Success
Risk-taking means diving into the unknown, which is scary because anything could happen, but not taking risks is the only guarantee that nothing will change. That’s what Chase Jarvis is here to talk with Ryan about in today’s episode, as his latest book, Never Play It Safe, is a guide for anyone looking to overcome fear around the unknown, trust their intuition, and become comfortable taking the uncomfortable risks in order to get to where they want to go. Chase talks to Ryan about managing risks when pursuing creative projects, balancing urgency with long-term thinking, the necessity of constraints in fostering creativity, maintaining personal and artistic authenticity, and the role of intuition and wisdom in achieving a well-lived life. Chase is an acclaimed artist, photographer, entrepreneur, podcast host of The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show, and author of Creative Calling and Never Play It Safe. You can follow Chase on Instagram , YouTube, and X @ ChaseJarvis and check out his websiteWatch Ryan’s first appearance on The Chase Jarvis Live Show back in 2012 for Trust Me, I’m Lying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odfH7LZwAQ8Listen to Chase’s podcast: The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show🎟 Ryan Holiday is going on tour! Grab tickets for London, Rotterdam, Dublin, Vancouver, and Toronto at ryanholiday.net/tour✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail🏛 Get Stoic inspired books, medallions, and prints to remember these lessons at the Daily Stoic Store: https://store.dailystoic.com/📱 Follow us:  Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Turn the Tables | Ryan Holiday Reflects on 10 Years of The Obstacle Is the Way
Available on 09-10-2024
Turn the Tables | Ryan Holiday Reflects on 10 Years of The Obstacle Is the Way
Today, the tables have turned as Ryan Holiday is interviewed by his research assistant, Billy Oppenheimer, to talk about the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Obstacle Is the Way. They discussed why Ryan felt it was important to update and expand the book, what stories and pieces of wisdom were necessary to add, and the experience as a writer of revisiting material you wrote 10 years ago. Ryan also touched on the evolving reception of Stoicism and how his perspectives and writing style have changed in the process, providing a deeper understanding of how life's obstacles present us an opportunity for virtue as much as victory.Billy Oppenheimer is Ryan Holiday’s research assistant and the writer behind the newsletter, Six at 6 on Sunday. To read more of his work, check out his website billyoppenheimer.com.📕 Get a signed, numbered first-edition of the 10th anniversary edition of The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday at dailystoic.com/obstacle✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail🏛 Get Stoic inspired books, medallions, and prints to remember these lessons at the Daily Stoic Store: https://store.dailystoic.com/📱 Follow us: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
David Kessler on Finding Meaning in Grief and Practicing the Art of Memento Mori
Today
David Kessler on Finding Meaning in Grief and Practicing the Art of Memento Mori
In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius wrote “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” Death is inevitable for all of us and practicing the art of Memento Mori reminds us to live each day to the fullest and with virtue. David Kessler, a grief and loss expert, joins Ryan today to talk about why a meaningful life comes from embracing rather than fearing death, how grief can shape our understanding and appreciation of life, the balance between grief and joy, and how losing his son changed everything he thought he knew about grief. David’s personal experience with grief started very young, as a child witnessing a mass shooting while his mother was dying in a hospital. For most of his life, David has taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about the end of life, trauma, and grief. Even after years of studying grief and counseling those experiencing it, his life was turned upside down by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son.David co-authored two books with Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, including On Grief and Grieving, and after experiencing the death of his son, he updated her 5 stages of grief with a 6th stage: meaning. 📚 Grab signed copies of Finding Meaning and the Finding Meaning Workbook by David Kessler at The Painted Porch https://www.thepaintedporch.com/ Go to griefbook.com and follow David Kessler on Instagram and X | @IAmDavidKessler 📕 Our favorite translation of Seneca’s essays on grief and loss, Hardship and Happiness (The Complete Works of Lucius Annaeus Seneca) is available at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/🪙 Designed with the intention of carrying them in your pocket, our Memento Mori Medallion is a literal and inescapable reminder that “you could leave life right now.”Check it out at https://store.dailystoic.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Brigid Delaney’s Life Changing Year of Living Like a Stoic
3d ago
Brigid Delaney’s Life Changing Year of Living Like a Stoic
Brigid Delaney was at a unique point in her life and found herself looking for answers around life’s deepest questions: What does it mean to be a good person? How do we stop letting the things out of our control rule our emotions? Can our anger be tamed? After learning more about Stoicism, Brigid decided to let the ancient wisdom from Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca guide her decisions for a year. While in Australia on tour, Ryan had the chance to meet Brigid in person and talk with her about why Stoicism resonated with her, how to successfully apply Stoicism to modern problems, and the common misconceptions around Stoicism being exclusively for men. To learn more about Brigid’s experience, check out her book Reasons Not to Worry: How to Be Stoic in Chaotic Times. Brigid Delaney is the author of Reasons Not to Worry: How to Be Stoic in Chaotic Times and Wellmania: Extreme Misadventures in the Search for Wellness. Be sure to check out the Netflix series Brigid co-create, inspired by her book Wellmania!📚 Books Mentioned: Reasons Not to Worry: How to Be Stoic in Chaotic Times by Brigid Delaney The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan HolidayOn Anger: De Ira by SenecaThe Therapy of Desire by Martha Nussbaum Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero by James RommFollow Brigid Delaney on X @ BrigidWD🎟 Ryan Holiday is going on tour! Grab tickets for London, Rotterdam, Dublin, Vancouver, and Toronto at ryanholiday.net/tour✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail🏛 Get Stoic inspired books, medallions, and prints to remember these lessons at the Daily Stoic Store: https://store.dailystoic.com/📱 Follow us:  Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Wright Thompson on Untangling Myth from History in America
1w ago
Wright Thompson on Untangling Myth from History in America
Wright Thompson grew up in the Mississippi Delta, unaware that his family farm was just 23 miles away from the barn where 14 year old Emmett Till was murdered in 1955. When writing The Barn, Wright had to take a look at the place he had always known as home with fresh eyes and courageously uncover the details of Emmett's tragic story that had been buried for decades. In today’s episode, Wright and Ryan continue their conversation about Emmett Till’s legacy, the complexity of American history, why it’s important to know where you come from, and the responsibility of preserving Emmett’s story. You can get signed copies of The Barn and Wright’s other books,The Cost of These Dreams, Pappyland, at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/You can follow him on Instagram @wrightthompsonbooks or head to his website, https://wrightthompson.com/🎙️ Listen to Pt. 1 of Wright and Ryan’s conversation on the Daily Stoic | Apple Podcasts &  SpotifyCheck out Wright Thompson’s very first interview on the Daily Stoic Podcast | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch it on YouTube!🎥 Subscribe to the Daily Stoic Podcast on YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@dailystoicpodcast✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail🏛 Get Stoic inspired books, medallions, and prints to remember these lessons at the Daily Stoic Store: https://store.dailystoic.com/📱 Follow us:  Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Wright Thompson on Reckoning with the South’s Buried Secrets
25-09-2024
Wright Thompson on Reckoning with the South’s Buried Secrets
Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Junior were born in the same year. The last known widow of a Civil War veteran lived to see Barack Obama become the first African-American President. Emmett Till would be the same age as Neil Diamond, Martha Stewart, and Bob Dylan in 2024 if he was not brutally tortured and murdered in 1955. Facts like these remind us that history is not as far away as we think it is. Wright Thompson, is a Senior Writer at ESPN and author of The Cost of These Dreams, Pappyland, and most recently, The Barn, which uncovers the real story of Emmett Till’s murder in the Mississippi Delta. Wright joins Ryan to talk about the impact of cognitive dissonance, how political rhetoric has shaped racial violence, why history is closer than we think, the rise and fall of the cotton boom, and what it was like for Wright to learn the truth about Emmett Till’s story. You can get signed copies of The Barn and Wright’s other books, The Cost of These Dreams, Pappyland, at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/You can follow him on Instagram @wrightthompsonbooks or head to his website, https://wrightthompson.com/🎙️Listen to Wright Thompson’s first interview on the Daily Stoic Podcast | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch it on YouTube!🎥 Subscribe to the Daily Stoic Podcast on YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@dailystoicpodcast✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail🏛 Get Stoic inspired books, medallions, and prints to remember these lessons at the Daily Stoic Store: https://store.dailystoic.com/📱 Follow us:  Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.