stoicism

Marcus Aurelius called it a few different things. His translators varied even more in their interpretations. Gregory Hays used the word “imperialization.” Robin Waterfield called it “becoming Caesarified” and “dyed in purple.” Pierre Hadot has it, “becoming Caesarized.” George Long translates it, “Take care that thou art not made into a Caesar, that thou art not dyed with this dye.” In The Daily Stoic, we have Marcus express his worry of being “stained purple.”

Ok, but what is he actually talking about? He’s talking about being corrupted by power, changed by the position and fame that he has. And we know this was a lifelong concern of his. One story has Marcus Aurelius breaking down in tears when he’s told he will someday be emperor, not because he was sad, but because his study of history taught him how few people managed to leave the job unscathed, let alone unchanged.

While none of us will wear the purple cloak of the emperor (that’s what Marcus was referring to about being dyed), hopefully, we will be successful. Hopefully, we will earn positions of influence and power and respect. What will this reveal about us? What might it corrupt or corrode?

It is a timeless battle, a timeless temptation. Stoicism is here to help us with it. Meditations, specifically, is one of the only books ever written by a person with that much power, one of the only books by a person who power did not make worse, and about how to remain good and decent and virtuous when there is every excuse and opportunity not to.

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On today’s Thursday episode of the Daily Stoic podcast, Ryan talks with over 150 employees from Austin Central Library during their staff development and apperception day. They discuss why Ryan became an author, writing process, and the importance of reading and learning from ancient wisdom.

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In this show, I try to reconcile the differences between Stoicism and Astrology.  There was a time when they existed side-by-side, and it seems they are doing so again today.  Both have seen a generous climb in popularity in recent years and I feel they need eachother—well, one needs the other more than the other.  I make a case for this in the pod.  It's a solo one.  I hope you enjoy it.

Eudaimonia,

Adam

to work with me:

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Maybe you don’t see yourself as an artist, just like Socrates didn’t see himself as an athlete, but maybe you are. According to Mikel Jollett, the founder of the band The Airborne Toxic Event and the author of a fascinating and haunting memoir about his troubled childhood, we have to “take our pain and make it useful. That’s what it means to be an artist.” His own art came from growing up in a cult his mother had joined, then living with her series of messed up husbands, struggling with addictions, getting in trouble at school, not knowing what he ought to do with his life. But all this struggle ultimately shaped him and in turn shaped the art he would make.

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P.S. Building the skill to take the challenges life throws at you and transform them into something useful takes practice. That’s why we created the Daily Stoic Challenge Deck, full of actionable daily challenges for you to push and develop yourself year round. Bundle your pack with the Challenge Deck Vol. II and save—available over at the Daily Stoic Store!

If you want to do more reading on these topics, we highly recommend Dying Everyday by James Romm (and we have a podcast with him on this topic). Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe is a great modern read on one of the biggest crimes of the 20th/21st centuries. And for more on the life of Seneca and Thrasea and some Stoics who did resist Nero, check out Lives of the Stoics (signed copies here).

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And today's Daily Stoic Journal reading, Ryan discusses what the Stoics teach us about keeping constant watch over the flood of perceptions that fill our minds. Ryan quotes Mark Manson's Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life reminding us to find the right things to care about.

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Nobody wants to be criticized. It doesn’t feel good when people judge what you’ve done. We want the right people to like us, we want all people to like us. We want to be accepted, appreciated, celebrated. So we try to be like other people, like the people that everyone likes.

Imagine if he had tried instead to conform to their expectations, to fit more clearly in the box they wanted him to be. Imagine if he’d tried to win the mob’s favor or the respect of future generations by conquest or dazzling deed. Imagine if he had written Meditations for an audience instead of from a far more personal and vulnerable place.

It doesn’t matter what you do, the criticism is always going to be there. So you might as well do what you think ought to be done. You might as well do what seems meaningful and important and fulfilling and right to you. People are going to say what they’re going to say, haters will find a way to hate. In the meantime, just be true to yourself, be true to the mission you have, fight for the respect (and praise) of yourself, not the mob, not the future.

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In today's weekend episode of the Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan talks Unlocking Human Potential, and Conquering your ego with YPO West Michigan and YPO Gold Chapter in West Michigan. YPO is the global leadership community of extraordinary chief executives.

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On this episode of the Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan talks with American author, lawyer, and legal scholar Kermit Roosevelt III on Honoring and doing what is right, Why peoples values and sense of honor are collapsing, How many people know who Marcus Aurelius is because of Gladiator, and his book The Nation That Never Was.

Kermit is an American author, lawyer, and legal scholar. He is a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a great-great-grandson of United States President Theodore Roosevelt and a distant cousin of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt worked as a lawyer with Mayer Brown in Chicago from 2000 to 2002 before joining the Penn Law faculty in 2002. Roosevelt's areas of academic interest include conflicts of law and constitutional law. He has published in the Virginia Law Review, the Michigan Law Review, and the Columbia Law Review, among others, and his articles have been cited twice by the United States Supreme Court and numerous times by state and lower federal courts.

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In today’s audiobook reading, Ryan talks with 150 Local Business Leaders and Marketing Directors who are Twins Brand Partners about Challenges we face, Overcoming adversity in leadership roles and work life balance.

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also known as Cato the Censor and the Wise, was a Roman soldier, senator, and historian known for his conservatism and opposition to Hellenization. He was the first to write history in Latin with his Origines, a now fragmentary work on the history of Rome. Ryan reads from his book Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius to share the a fascinating historical figure from ancient Rome, admired for his unwavering virtue and commitment to the Roman Republic, and a famous vocal opponent of the leadership of Julius Caesar.

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We don’t know a lot about Seneca’s friend Lucilius. From Seneca’s letters though, we get the sense that he, like many of us, was often overwhelmed by his responsibilities. He was a Roman knight. He was the Governor of Sicily. He owned a country villa in Ardea. We can assume he had friends and family vying for his time too.

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And in today's Ask Daily Stoic, Ryan speaks and answers questions for Signal Advisors on Stillness is the Key, Challenging people to do one thing each day that positively moves your life forward, and more stoic wisdom to a group of independent financial advisers. 

⏳ You can view our entire Memento Mori Collection at dailystoic.com/mm

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In today's fast-paced digital world, many leaders feel overwhelmed and don't take the time to reflect on their experiences. The act of introspection is often overlooked, with many thinking they're too busy to pause and reflect.

However, a study from Harvard Business School found that individuals who journaled daily had a 25% improvement in performance. Many leaders are also not investing enough time in their ongoing learning and development, potentially missing out on valuable insights and growth opportunities.

In a brand new series, Digital Leadership, James Robert Lay and Audrey Cannata share timeless wisdom for the modern day leader based on ancient philosophy and stoicism. 

Join us as we discuss:

-Stoicism and leadership in the Age of AI (5:19)

-Managing ego, emotion, and expectations (12:39)

-Philosophy, journaling, and personal growth (24:19)

You can find this episode and many more by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here. 

All day long, we tell ourselves stories.

When something goes wrong—“this is my fault.” We blame ourselves even though the reality might be that we had little control over the situation. When someone is rude—“they don’t like me.” We take other people's actions or behaviors personally even though the reality might be that they are going through a tough time. We walk into a meeting—“they’re all judging me.” We think everyone is thinking about us when the reality is that everyone is thinking about themselves.

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And in today's excerpt from The Daily Stoic, Ryan explains how to respond in moments of conflict without adding insult on top of injury, while educating ourselves on the difference between justice and revenge.

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Ryan speaks with Tom Segura in the second of a two-part conversation about the changing landscape of stand-up comedy, the philosophical mindset that he brings to his work, how he manages his media diet, why kids made him more tied to reality, and more.

Tom Segura is a stand-up comedian, writer, author, actor, and podcaster. He co-hosts the Your Mom's House podcast with his wife and fellow comedian Christina Pazsitzky, as well as the podcast 2 Bears 1 Cave with best friend and fellow comedian Bert Kreischer. He has made two stand-up comedy albums and five specials on video, including Disgraceful (2018) and Ball Hog (2020), and he has appeared on the comedy shows Comedy Central Presents, Live at Gotham, and This Is Not Happening. You can find Tom’s work at tomsegura.com and on Instagram @seguratom and Twitter @tomsegura, on his YouTube channel.

📚 Check out Tom’s book I’d Like to Play Alone, Please at the Painted Porch, and listen to Ryan’s appearance on 2 Bears, 1 Cave at www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uLDWf6jM-c.

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Ryan speaks with Adrian Grenier in the first of a two-part episode about their parallel career and life trajectories, what it’s really like to be famous, the rock-bottom moment that led to Adrian taking control of his life, why he is striving to be a better father than his own, why farming is the only profession for a philosopher, and more.

Adrian Grenier is an actor, director, producer, podcaster, entrepreneur, and musician. He is best known for his role as Vincent Chase on the show Entourage and his roles in The Devil Wears Prada and Clickbait, as well as his directorial debut Shot in the Dark, which chronicled his search for his estranged father, as well as Teenage Paparazzo. He is currently producing a documentary series called Earth Speed in which he seeks out better ways for humanity to use its resources and capabilities to make positive impacts on the planet. Adrian’s philanthropic work, including his promotion of sustainable living with his brand SHFT.com and his work with the Lonely Whale Foundation, garnered him the appointment of a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme in 2017. You can follow him on Instagram @adriangrenier and on Twitter @adriangrenier.

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In this episode, we delve into the complexities of anxiety with Dr. Aziz Gazipura. We explore four primary frameworks that explain the origins of anxiety:

1. Exposure: Anxiety stems from avoiding certain situations.
2. Cognitive: Irrational thoughts can escalate our anxiety levels.
3. Biological: Biochemical shifts can also trigger anxiety.

But the fourth, known as "The Hidden Emotion Model," suggests that unaddressed issues and suppressed emotions in our lives are key contributors to anxiety. This is essentially another term for being "too nice."

Being "nice" often means keeping the peace at the expense of your own feelings, which can ultimately lead to emotional turmoil and mental health struggles. I can personally relate to this, as my perspective changed after diving into Dr. Aziz's work.

Dr. Aziz Gazipura is not just a compelling speaker but also holds a PhD in clinical psychology. This makes his work both engaging and rooted in scientific research. He specializes in helping people build social confidence.

In our discussion, we cover a wide array of topics, including:

- Why Dr. Aziz emphasizes the pitfalls of being "too nice."
- The role of trauma healing in contrast to self-optimization.
- The significance of Shadow work and techniques for practicing it.
- Striking a balance between assertiveness and compassion.
- Dr. Aziz's personal journey from shyness to social confidence.
- Ways to express yourself without reservation.

And much more! Don't miss this enlightening episode.

Dr. Aziz Books: https://www.socialconfidencecenter.com/books

🌊  Stoic Anxiety Mastery

The ultimate psychological toolkit drawing on ancient Stoicism and modern science to help you transform debilitating fear into heroic courage.

👉 Learn more here: https://stoicanxiety.com/

Resources

• Stoic Handbook Premium
• Stoic Anxiety Mastery
• Stoic Handbook Newsletter

"The relationship with your father will have an impact on you that won’t recognize until much later" - Juan Romera.

Isra Garcia interviews Juan Romera, a natural-born leader and human potential catalyzer, about building meaningful and impactful interactions, networking in a way that truly makes a difference, making honest, dignified and, at the same time, effective sales, being a great human being by highlighting and bringing greatness to others. It's a conversation about leading a virtuous life, creating excellence as a moral act and giving the best of oneself for the good of your surrounding.

“Do the right thing even if it’s the difficult path…the universe will even you out later.”

This conversation also explores biohacking, psychedelics, productivity hacks, being smart and authentic, getting rid of the heavy weight of one's identity, peak performance habits and carrying a self-examined life.

Who is Juan Romera

"I don't want to live in the grey area anymore. Stay out of the grey area."

Juan has over 15 years of experience in finance and technology. He graduated from Dartmouth College before beginning his career in consulting with PwC. He moved to Barclays in the investment banking division in NYC,  then later to Merrill Lynch, structuring financial derivatives and advising Fortune 500 companies.

Juan left Wall Street in 2016 to pursue deeper meaning and positive impact. He spent 18 months in Berlin, Mexico City and Cape Town, advising and mentoring early-stage companies while exploring the world and himself. He got the opportunity to work as a Business Associate at the Techstars Fintech Accelerator to advise Fintech startups, where he later joined Abe.ai - a Techstars company, as Head of Business Development. Juan helped grow, sold the company in 2019, and then worked with the acquirer. In 2022 Juan founded Afelio, an employee wellness solution. 

"All my rigid patterns have gone thanks to psilocybin." - Juan Romera.

"I slow down at night and have 30 minutes to reflect and then act accordingly the next day."

Interview main topics - and what you will learn in this episode:

1. Why he has started his own business, an employee wellness program.
2. Juan's most impactful practices.
3. His meditative daily practice. 
4. Lifetime milestones.
5. How to be a smart guy.
6. How to approach people in a very successful way.
7. How Juan Romera brings the most out of people.
8. "Canned phrases" to honestly win people used by Juan.
9. How to get rid of awkwardness when connecting with somebody.
10. Juan details "how to be you".
11. How Juan Romera has changed his habits.
12. Peak performance hacks that have impressed Juan the most: for the mind, body, heart and spirit.
13. Juan shares his most helpful App.
14. Recommended books he's reading right now.
15. The way to be an optimistic person and why.
16. 3 big things he learned from his father and the best advice given by him.
17. Advice for sons about their fathers and vice-versa.
18. Core values and principles.
19. How to make sales decently and effectively.
20. How Juan carries a self-examined life.
21. His experience with psilocybin.
22. Essential practices before, during and after a psychedelic experience.
23. Juan's 3 top productivity hacks.

"I'm constantly in a state of observation. I'm always paying attention to small details."

Podcast show notes and resources, links, people mentioned, cool stuff, tools, apps, books, podcasts...

• Afelio - simplifying the employee wellness journey.
• Andrew Huberman Lab - podcast.
• Factfulness - book.
• Crossing the Chasm - book.
• The Obstacle is the Way - book.
• A Brief Story of Time - book.
• NYT Sudoku.
• Imprint APP.
• Duolingo.
• Psychedelics 101 by Tim Ferriss.
• How to Change Your Mind - Michael Pollan's book.
• Rick Doblin Interview.
• MAPS.
• Psilocibina Ciencia y Experiencia - Spanish platform.
• Kevin Gates.
• Getting Things Done.
• Linkedin Profile.
• Instagram profile.

"How to get back to happy presupposes that happy is "the normal", and it's not." - Juan Romera.

Juan Romera: The Greatness Buddy, down-to-earth biohacking, letting virtue lead the way, making honest, decent and effective sales, becoming great by making others great first, practicing boldness, and the art of winning people - podcast #232.

"Stoicism provides us with a kind of psychological toolbox. It's full of strategies for helping us cope with anxiety, anger, pain, and all sorts of emotional problems."

"People who love Stoicism often read the Meditations over and over. You can squeeze more and more out of it the more you read it."

In this episode, we're thrilled to be joined by a renowned expert in Stoicism Donald Robertson.  This episode was created a few years ago on the HighExistence podcast but has never been shared on the Stoic Handbook podcast. 

In my discussion with Donald, we explore the rich history of this ancient philosophy and unravel the wisdom of some of the great Stoic thinkers including Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca. As we dissect key Stoic texts, we will also discover how to effectively apply these age-old teachings to address modern-day challenges. Whether you’re new to Stoicism or well-acquainted, get ready to embark on an enlightening journey that transcends time and sheds light on living a meaningful and contented life.

In the episode, you'll learn... 

• Introduction to the ancient philosophy of Stoicism and its historical background.
• Insight into the fundamental principles of Stoicism, including rationality, virtue, and acceptance of fate.
• Exploration of key Stoic texts including Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, Epictetus’ Handbook, and Seneca’s Letters.
• Discussion on the contemporary relevance of Stoicism and how it addresses modern challenges such as anxiety and depression.
• A guide on how to effectively study and interpret Stoic texts.
• Examination of Stoicism’s influence on cognitive behavioral therapy and psychological practices.
• The importance of community and connection in Stoic philosophy.
• Overview of modern adaptations and interpretations of Stoicism, including books by Ryan Holiday.
• Personal reflections and stories of how Stoicism has profoundly impacted the expert’s life.
• Recommendations on how to integrate Stoic principles into daily life for greater well-being and contentment.

🧠 Learn More About Donald Robertson: 

• Courses 
• Newsletter 
• Books

🌊  Stoic Anxiety Mastery

The ultimate psychological toolkit drawing on ancient Stoicism and modern science to help you transform debilitating fear into heroic courage.

👉 Learn more here: https://stoicanxiety.com/

Resources

• Stoic Handbook Premium
• Stoic Anxiety Mastery
• Stoic Handbook Newsletter