The Daily Stoic

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 you know how to read his work

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. from the University of Pennsylvania and spent over 30 years teaching at Creighton University, where he is now Professor Emeritus. His work spans topics like friendship, ecology, and human nature, with a focus on Stoic thought. His latest book is Marcus Aurelius: Philosopher-King (2025), and he is also the author of Marcus Aurelius: A Guide for the Perplexed, Epictetus’s Encheiridion: A New Translation and Guide to Stoic Ethics, and Stoic Ethics: Epictetus and Happiness as Freedom. Check out more of William Stephens' work at https://WilliamOStephens.com/

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

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

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 reminder of that connection, but the Stoics believed it should shape how we live every day.

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

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

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

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

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/

This is happening and it’s happening in one direction. We have to pay attention.

“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

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 challenges.Maria Semple is the bestselling author of Today Will Be Different, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, and This One Is Mine. Her new novel, Go Gentle, is about a Stoic philosopher living in New York City. Before writing fiction, Maria wrote for TV shows like Arrested Development, 90210, Mad About You, Ellen, and more.

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 GratitudeEGO, DEATH, FAME: Lamb Of God's Randy Blythe

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

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. 

It’s a tragedy. Too many people, Seneca says, reach the end of life with nothing to show for it but a number.

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 of copies worldwide. His research-driven work explores what separates the truly exceptional from the average, with a focus on how people confront the biggest questions of leadership, purpose, and life.Jim Collins’ new book

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

What if the reason you feel lost has nothing to do with direction and everything to do with the question you’re asking? Ryan sits down with bestselling author Jim Collins to explore the mindset that defines strong people, why success can mislead you, and what actually makes a life meaningful.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 of copies worldwide. His research-driven work explores what separates the truly exceptional from the average, with a focus on how people confront the biggest questions of leadership, purpose, and life.Jim Collins’ new book