The Daily Stoic

You’re not here to impress, you're here to make a difference. In this PT. 2 episode, historian and bestselling author Rutger Bregman sits down with Ryan for a deep dive into what a meaningful life actually looks like and why so many people end up wasting their one shot at it. They talk about how easy it is to chase the wrong goals, why real impact often goes unnoticed, and how to realign your work with what truly matters.Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author. His latest book Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference was released in April 2025. ‍‍In 2024, Rutger co-founded The School for Moral Ambition, a non-profit organization inspired by his latest book, Moral Ambition. The initiative helps people to take the step toward an impactful career.‍Follow Rutger on Instagram and X | @RutgerBregman

The American experiment—based as it was on individual liberty—was built on the necessity of virtue and honor. A people freed from the tyranny of government, they understood, still needed to be checked by their own morality, philosophy and religion.

There is something that can’t be taken from us by even the strongest strong man or the most unlucky of external events. 

You could be doing anything with your life…so why are you choosing this? Historian and bestselling author Rutger Bregman joins Ryan to question everything we tend to believe about success, work, and impact. They discuss why many “prestigious” careers might actually be pointless, how a few regular people pulled off one of the biggest moral wins in history, and why meaningful work rarely looks like what society celebrates.Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author. His latest book Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference was released in April 2025. ‍‍In 2024, Rutger co-founded The School for Moral Ambition, a non-profit organization inspired by his latest book, Moral Ambition. The initiative helps people to take the step toward an impactful career.‍Follow Rutger on Instagram and X |  @RutgerBregman

What Epictetus learned in his fascinating life—beginning in slavery and culminating in a legacy as one of the most influential philosophers of all time—was simple, profound, and enduring.  It’s why countless Roman families sent their children to learn from Epictetus at his school in Nicopolis. And that’s why we’re spending this month doing a deep dive into Epictetus—because if reading him changed Marcus Aurelius’ life, how might he change yours?

Seneca practiced poverty. Marcus Aurelius mentally rehearsed being criticized and misunderstood. Why did they put themselves in these uncomfortable positions?

Our lives are unpredictable. We are at the mercy of so many forces. 

When we think of great Stoic figures like Marcus Aurelius, Cato, and Epictetus, we tend to focus solely on the individual, their perspective, their observations. But how did these brilliant thinkers treat those around them?Read this article here: https://dailystoic.com/6-stoic-tips-to-being-a-great-friend/

Is AI the end of creativity, or the beginning of a new artistic era? Rick Rubin returns for PT. 2 of his conversation with Ryan about how AI is reshaping creativity and why the real art still lies in the choices we make. They discuss the beauty of unexpected results, the difference between AI generating and iterating, timeless wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, and much more. Rick Rubin is a renowned American record producer and the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. He has produced albums for a wide range of acclaimed artists, including the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, and Johnny Cash. He has won nine Grammys and has been nominated for 12 more. He has been called “the most important producer of the last 20 years” by MTV and was named on Time‘s list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World”. Check out Rick’s latest project The Way of the Co

For all the stupidity, for all the disasters, for all the noise and uncertainty, this is actually one of the least bad moments to ever exist.

Why should a Stoic let the awfulness of the world make them feel awful? Why would we let someone else’s darkness cast a shadow on our own life?

What if AI isn’t replacing creativity, but expanding it in ways we’ve never seen before? Rick Rubin joins Ryan to discuss the mysterious nature of using AI throughout the creative process. They talk about what vibe coding is, why structure can unlock freedom, and revisiting ancient philosophy to uncover new insights.Rick Rubin is a renowned American record producer and the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. He has produced albums for a wide range of acclaimed artists, including the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, and Johnny Cash. He has won nine Grammys and has been nominated for 12 more. He has been called “the most important producer of the last 20 years” by MTV and was named on Time‘s list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World”. 

Stress, anxiety, and concern don’t exist outside us but within us—which means we have the power to do something about it, too. 

The thing about power is not so much that it changes you but that it changes the people around you. It changes what they’re willing to say to you…and how they say it.

Coming to terms with pain and setbacks and unfairness is critical to moving forward, to affecting change, to being a leader, to basic happiness.

“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” - Mark TwainIn this powerful talk, Ryan explains why justice is the true measure of leadership. This is a call to do the right thing, not because it's easy or profitable, but because it’s the only thing that truly lasts.

Mark Twain didn’t just write American classics, he lived one of the most powerful personal transformations in history. In Part 2 of this conversation, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow returns to join Ryan for a deep dive into Twain’s remarkable moral evolution. They discuss how Twain’s journey mirrors those of Ulysses S. Grant and John D. Rockefeller, reflect on the tragic cost of chasing fortune over purpose, and explore what makes a biography timeless and a life unforgettable.Plus, a special moment: Ryan’s 8-year-old son jumps in to ask Ron about Hamilton, his favorite musical.Ron Chernow is the prizewinning author of seven previous books and the recipient of the 2015 National Humanities Medal. His first book, The House of Morgan, won the National Book Award, Washington: A Life won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, and Alexander Hamilton—the inspiration for the Broadway musical—won the George Washington Book Prize. He has twice been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and is o

There are forces out there, just as tempting as power, that can cut us off from our values, from truth, from other people, from what matters. It takes work to resist them, to counteract them, and to rise above them.

The Stoics remind you that the point of financial security is to feel secure. The point of plenty is to realize that you have enough. You can’t fear losing what you had–there was a time you didn’t have it and you survived.

Brilliance without emotional control is often a recipe for destruction. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow, whose acclaimed biographies on Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, John D. Rockefeller, and most recently, Mark Twain have reshaped our understanding of American greatness. Ron and Ryan talk about how these men’s deepest personal struggles and their ability to manage emotion became the defining factor in their lives and legacies.Ron Chernow is the prizewinning author of seven previous books and the recipient of the 2015 National Humanities Medal. His first book, The House of Morgan, won the National Book Award, Washington: A Life won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, and Alexander Hamilton—the inspiration for the Broadway musical—won the George Washington Book Prize. He has twice been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and is one of only three living biographers to have won the Gold Medal for Biography of the America