The Daily Stoic

When you feel that voice inside you creeping up, the one that makes you feel entitled, the one that makes you feel superior, the one that makes you aghast that anyone would try to be telling you what to do, that child-like voice, that's ego. Listen in to Ryan Holiday differentiate between ego and confidence, explain how ego gets in the way of success, tips to combat ego, and more by using examples from his personal life as well as people like Kanye West and Sam Bankman-Fried.

You may know Patrick Dempsey as “McDreamy” from Grey’s Anatomy or from one of his many leading roles in films like Enchanted, Sweet Home Alabama, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Ferrari, and countless others. In addition to being an incredible actor, Patrick is also a competitive race car driver and founder of Dempsey Racing. His first competitive race back on the track since 2015 was actually on the same day he came to the Daily Stoic studio! Patrick talks to Ryan about how he applies Stoicism for both of his passions, emotional control, being adaptable in high-pressure situations, and more. He shares how he discovered Stoicism, how The Obstacle is the Way has helped him reframe difficult situations, and the mental training that he’s used to build resilience. Connect with Patrick Dempsey on Instagram &  X: @PatrickDempseyLearn about the Dempsey Center at https://www.dempseycenter.org/

Embrace who you really are. Embrace what makes you unique. Embrace your weirdness. Because chances are it’s special.

If you read the news, it feels like the world is falling apart. Zoom out. Take a sideways glance. Get the outside of the issue, the problem, the day’s events. Seek perspective.Ask DS:How do we know when we are sticking to our values versus leaving them behind? What can we learn from President Carter’s campaigning versus his leadership while in office? Does Ryan Holiday think there are any major pitfalls or flaws in Stoicism? 

Gary Vaynerchuck, better known as Gary Vee, has always had his finger on the pulse of digital media. His content pyramid is the secret behind how some of your favorite online creators built their platform and is the playbook used by the biggest digital marketing agencies in the world. Gary joins Ryan Holiday at the Daily Stoic studio to talk about creating compelling content, the significance of subjective opinions in an online world, the evolving nature of people’s attention spans, what the current “parenting pandemic” is, and more.Gary Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur and serves as the Chairman of VaynerX, the CEO of VaynerMedia, and the Creator and CEO of VeeFriends. His latest project is a children's book, Meet Me in the Middle: A VeeFriends Book! The book uses a unique, two-in-one, flip-the-book-around format that encourages young readers (and their parents) to see how different the world looks from another point of view. Based on two VeeFriends characters, Eager Eagle and Patient Pig, it is a fun and

Falling short today does not have to mean that everything is falling apart. Stop torturing yourself! Be present. Focus primarily on what is front of you.

We must retain possession of ourselves. We must get a hold of ourselves. No matter what they do to us. No matter how unfair or frustrating life (and bullies) can be.Books Mentioned: Letters from a Stoic - Seneca - https://www.thepaintedporch.comMeditations - Marcus Aurelius - https://www.thepaintedporch.comCourage Under Fire - James Stockdale - https://www.thepaintedporch.comMans Search For Meaning - Viktor Frankl - https://www.thepaintedporch.comHardship and Happiness - Seneca - https://www.thepaintedporch.comLives of the Stoics - Ryan Holiday - https://www.thepaintedporch.comThe Enchiridion - Epictetus - https://www.thepaintedporch.comThat One Should Disdain Hardships - Musonius Rufus - https://www.thepaintedporch.comHow To Think Like A Roman Emperor - Donald Robertson - https://www.thepaintedporch.comOn The Shortness Of Life - Seneca - https://www.thepaintedporch.comThe Inner Citadel - Pierre Hadot - https://www.thepaintedporch.comThe Daily Stoic - Ryan Holiday - https://www.thepaintedporch.comAmazon Prime

We are in an imperfect world populated with flawed people. We ourselves are flawed. We can’t afford to feel or act superior. We have too much work to do, there is too much good we can do.

Twenty centuries ago, the Roman era Stoic philosopher Seneca joked that the one thing fools all have in common is that they are always getting ready to live. But they never do it. Is that who you want to be?Check out the full article on https://dailystoic.com/

Having interviewed over 1,000 people, how does Jordan Harbinger decide who he brings on his wildly successful podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show? What guests, topics, or advertisers has he turned down despite how click-worthy or lucrative they are? Listen in to today’s conversation with Jordan Harbinger and Ryan Holiday to hear them talk about why integrity is incredibly expensive, but worth it every time. 

We’re in an election year here, not just in America but across the world. Let us learn from Seneca.

Courage is the mother of all virtues, Aristotle said, because in a world that’s not virtuous, it’s a brave thing to go out there and do what needs to be done. Ask DS: What does Ryan do with his journals once they are full? How can Stoicism be practical and relevant in today’s environment? Does Ryan try to teach Stoicism to his kids? (check out Daily Dad for more on this!) What is the best intro book to Stoicism? How does the concept of Antifragile intersect with Stoicism?

At the time of this recording, Jordan Harbinger had just published over 1,000 episodes of his podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show. Throughout the years, Jordan has interviewed icons like Kobe, Malcolm Gladwell, Danny Trejo, Mark Cuban and more. Ryan has also had the pleasure of being a guest on the show multiple times since he met Jordan over a decade ago, when his first book Trust Me, I’m Lying came out. In this conversation, Jordan and Ryan talk about what they have learned from interviewing and meeting some of the most successful people across all industries. Whether it's lessons learned from their remarkable achievements or huge mistakes, there's a lot to takeaway from years of conversations with the world's most accomplished and widely known names.Listen to Ryan’s previous interviews on The Jordan Harbinger Show: 45: Ryan Holiday | Solving for What You Really Want from Life271: Ryan Holiday | Stillness Is the Key740: Ryan Holiday | Discipline is Destiny (Live from Los Angeles)Connect with Jordan

You keep going. You do your best. Even if life has kicked the crap out of you.

Journaling is one of the most essential exercises in Stoic philosophy. You find your own way. You find your own style. You get your own benefits. But only if you do it.

Marcus Aurelius wrote Meditations to himself, yet he only speaks positively of people he knows in those pages. This is the price of success, of a platform, of power—that is, responsibility.

“As a historian, we have to look unflinchingly at the past, looking at the record of events as they happened. But commemoration—what we choose to celebrate and honor—is something different.” - General Ty Seidule

Happy Fourth of July! While you are grilling and relaxing with friends, remember that the comfort you enjoy now grew out of a philosophy that was made to embrace discomfort and to do the right thing, whatever the costs. Today’s Ask DS features questions asked from the audience at Robert Greene and Ryan Holiday’s live talk in Los Angeles: What does Robert Greene think the future holds with AI and other technology? What set Ryan Holiday apart from Robert Greene’s other research assistants? How do Robert Greene and Ryan Holiday know if they have written too much, too little, and decide what needs to be taken out? Learn more about how the Founders of the United States of America turned to Stoicism: