Your New Stoic Role Models for a Stronger Life
The Daily Stoic
A Pilot's Mistake and Its Lesson
Michelle recounts a dogfighting training error that led to her call sign, showing ego, fear, and costly overreach.
Virtue is not a theory. It is something you practice. In the moments where you could overreact. In the moments where quitting would be easier. In the moments where doing the right thing costs you something.
In this episode, Ryan explores the four Stoic virtues through conversations with people who actually live them. You’ll hear from a fighter pilot who shows courage under pressure, a marathon runner disciplined in daily practice, a historian who reframes justice as action, and Ryan himself on treating wisdom as a lifelong pursuit.
📚 Get a signed copy of each of the books in the Stoic Virtues Series: Courage is Calling, Discipline is Destiny, Right Thing Right Now, and Wisdom Takes Work
🎥 Watch the full episodes on The Daily Stoic YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DailyStoic/videos
- Silence the 5 Inner Critics DESTROYING Your Confidence | Combat Fighter Pilot Michelle Curran
- CEO of The Atlantic Nick Thompson on Stoic Lessons From Success
- Why Do We Hate Our Jobs? The Truth About Success, Work, & Impact | Rutger Bregman
- How To Avoid Destroying Your Mind | Billy Oppenheimer & Ryan Holiday
👉 Michelle “MACE” Curran is a former United States Air Force fighter pilot with nearly 2,000 hours of F-16 flying time. She flew combat missions in Afghanistan and honed her skills across the globe, becoming the second woman in history to serve as the Lead Solo Pilot for the Thunderbirds, the Air Force’s elite demonstration team.
📚 Check out Michelle’s book The Flipside: How to Invert Your Perspective and Turn Fear into Your Superpower
Follow Michelle on Instagram @Mace_Curran and learn more about her work at https://macecurran.com/
👉 Nick Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic, an American magazine founded in 1857. He has long been a competitive runner; in 2021, he set the American record for men 45+ in the 50K race.
📚 Check out Nick’s new book The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports
Follow Nick on Instagram and X @NXThompson
👉 Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author. 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.
📚 Check out Rutger's book Moral Ambition
Follow Rutger on Instagram and X | @RutgerBregman
👉 Billy Oppenheimer is Ryan Holiday’s research assistant and the writer behind the newsletter, Six at 6 on Sunday. To read more of his work, check out his website billyoppenheimer.com.
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