The Daily Stoic

Latest Episodes:

Sam Gwynne On Progress, War, And Zeppelins Jun 24, 2023

Show notes

Ryan speaks with Sam Gwynne about his new book His Majesty’s Airship: The Life and Tragic Death of the World's Largest Flying Machine, the triumph of hope over experience, why progress is based in irrationality, the fascinating history of the zeppelin, and more.

Sam Gwynne is a writer, journalist, and historian. After earning a bachelor’s degree in history from Princeton University and a master’s degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University, Sam worked for Time magazine as a correspondent, bureau chief, and senior editor. His journalism has appeared in the New York Times, Harper's, Los Angeles Times, Outside Magazine, Dallas Morning News, California Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal. He has written seven non-fiction books, including the New York Times Bestsellers Empire of the Summer Moon and Rebel Yell, the former of which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in the General Nonfiction category. Sam’s work can be found on his website scgwynne.com and on Twitter @scgwynne.

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We Can Get This Expensive Thing Cheap | The Long Way Around Jun 23, 2023

Show notes

The rarest thing in the world is wisdom. The most expensive thing in the world is experience. How many truly wise people have you met? How many of them would take the time to download to you all that they know? And of the small amount of wisdom you have accumulated in your life, how much painful trial and error did it take to get it?

There is really only one shortcut or hack around this. It is the theme we have returned to here many times: reading.

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And in today's excerpt from The Daily Stoic, Ryan examines what the Stoics say about choosing to stop taking the long way around to getting what you want, and the benefits that immediately follow.

If you want to become a great reader, the Stoics can help. We built out their best insights into our Read to Lead: A Daily Stoic Reading Challenge. Since it first launched in 2019, Read to Lead has been our most popular challenge, taken on by almost ten thousand participants. Sign up today!

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Give It Your All | Ask DS Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

Cato fought a losing battle. He was trying to preserve a Republic that was old and creaky in a rapidly changing world. He was trying to be honest and good in a political world in which corruption was the norm–clinging to idealism, as Cicero said, and refusing to accept that reality was the ‘dregs of Romulus.’ Cato was going up against the most insatiable of foes, the ambition, the ego of a future tyrant.

Yet throughout it, he was implacable–when they tried to shout him down, when they threatened him, when they tried to kill him. Still, he kept trying.

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And in today's Ask Daily Stoic, Ryan answers questions about lesser known Stoics who we should pay attention to, the relationship between the Stoics and Christianity, and more.

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Brett Crozier On Bravery, Impossible Decisions And What It Takes To Be A Leader Jun 21, 2023

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Ryan speaks with Brett Crozier about his new book Surf When You Can: Lessons in Life, Loyalty, and Leadership from a Maverick Navy Captain, what it felt like to go against his orders to save the lives of his sailors, the tensions between being a part of a system and doing the right thing, the importance of learning something new every day, and more.

Brett Crozier is a retired captain in the United States Navy. In spring 2020, he was commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt when COVID-19 broke out among the crew. He was relieved of command after sending a letter to Navy leaders asking that most of the crew be taken ashore which was subsequently leaked to the press. Brett retired from the Navy in March 2022. Brett can be followed on Instagram @becrozier.

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How To Not Be Afraid of Criticism | Marcus Aurelius' Advice For Better Days Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

No one likes to be found at fault. In fact, this is what many of us walk around fearing–that we’ll be exposed as imposters, we’ll be put on the spot in front of people, we’ll have to admit error. This makes us defensive, it makes us play it safe, and in some cases, it even makes us dishonest.

It’s a cure, you could say, that’s worse than the disease.

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And in today's Daily Stoic video excerpt, Ryan shares what Marcus Aurelius had to say about how best to utilize the 24 that the day presents to all of us. As he says, Marcus was a man of habit—all the Stoics were. They understood, as Aristotle did, that we are what we repeatedly do. That excellence is a habit.

You can watch the full video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS0gSjrlMJc.

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Words Count For Nothing | Take A Walk Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

Today the United States celebrates Juneteenth, the commemoration of the emancipation of slaves in America. Two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, and nearly 90 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Union Army troops deployed to Texas, the only state of the Confederacy still with institutional slavery, on June 19, 1865. “The people of Texas are informed,” ordered a Union General, “that in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

There’s no question—that military order deserves celebration.

This idea of fighting for freedom, of asserting one’s rightful dignity in a cruel or unjust world, is the journey of Epictetus, which we tell in The Girl Who Would Be Free. In the beautifully illustrated, all-ages fable we learn how Epictetus went from a slave to one of the most influential philosophers of all time.

This month we are celebrating the 1-year anniversary of the release. If you purchase The Girl Who Would Be Free, we are giving you 75% OFF of The Boy Who Would Be King! We have signed and personalized copies available, so don’t miss out on this fantastic deal!

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And in today's Daily Stoic Journal excerpt, Ryan discusses why the Stoics preach the values of stepping away from work to take a walk outside.

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Ryan And Jordan Harbinger Live At The West Jun 18, 2023

Show notes

Jordan Harbinger is a podcaster, radio personality, entrepreneur and longtime friend of Ryan’s. So when he invited Ryan to come to The West in LA to join him for a live conversation for his podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show, Ryan jumped on a plane right away. This is that conversation, in which they discuss how they find their flow states, the ins and outs of teaching Stoicism, cultivating a healthy relationship with work, and more. You can follow Jordan’s work on Twitter @JordanHarbinger and Instagram @jordanharbinger, and on his website www.jordanharbinger.com.

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Matthew McConaughey On The Art Of Livin’ Jun 17, 2023

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Ryan speaks with Matthew McConaughey in the second of a two-part interview about his new course: Roadtrip – the Highway to More, the importance of being close to the ones you love, the sense of oneness that comes with zooming out your lens, why he is striving to be less impressed and more involved, and more.

Matthew McConaughey has been working in Hollywood for over 25 years, appearing in acclaimed films, including Interstellar, A Time to Kill, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Dallas Buyers Club. His work in the latter film won him the 2013 Academy Award for Best Actor. McConaughey also works as a producer and spokesperson, and recently released his first book, the bestselling memoir Greenlights. He also founded and runs the Just Keep Livin Foundation to help kids lead active and healthy lifestyles. You can follow his work on Twitter @McConaughey, Instagram @officiallymcconaughey, and YouTube at Matthew Mcconaughey, and you can find his Roadtrip course at artoflivinevent.com/roadtrip

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Life Is Emotionally Abusive | No Shame In Needing Help Jun 16, 2023

Show notes

One day everything is easy. The next, everything that can go wrong, does. One minute, everyone tells you you’re great. The next, they’ve all ganged up against you. Life is too short…and interminably long. Things move insanely fast…and also take forever.

Look at Marcus Aurelius’ life. He loses his father…and is then adopted by two powerful stepfathers. He’s suddenly thrust into power…then forced to wait 19 years to wield it. He’s blessed by enormous wealth…and haunted by tragedy after tragedy. Even his job is emotionally manipulative and impossible–at one point Marcus Aurelius describes being emperor as a kind of deranged world where one “earns a bad reputation by good deeds.”

When the Stoics talked about the need for an even keel, this was why.

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And in today's Daily Stoic excerpt reading, Ryan discusses why the Stoics encourage us to reach out for help when we need it.

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What To Do After You’ve Done Wrong | Ask DS Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

Seneca should have owned up to it. We’ve talked about this. He was 13 years in Nero’s service before he broke with the clearly broken emperor. It is to Seneca’s credit that he walked away. More to his credit still that he was at least partly involved in the Piso Conspiracy to unseat Nero, as we talked about recently (and is also told at length in Lives of the Stoics).

But where in Seneca’s voluminous writings is there anything about taking responsibility for his role in such a corrupt and evil regime?

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And in today's Ask Daily Stoic, Ryan answers questions during an audience Q&A session after his talk to a collection of corporate leaders. Topics covered include how to reconcile self-confidence with humility, what Ryan believes the meaning of his is, tips on putting your emotions away, and more.

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