In *The Small and the Mighty*, Sharon McMahon highlights the stories of ordinary Americans who, through their courage and resilience, shaped the course of American history. The book features a diverse cast of characters, including a woman riding a white horse down Pennsylvania Avenue, a young boy detained at a Japanese incarceration camp, and a formerly enslaved woman on a mission to reunite with her daughter. McMahon’s thorough research and engaging storytelling bring these untold histories to light, emphasizing that anyone, regardless of background, can make a significant impact on the nation’s future.
In 'The Obstacle Is the Way', Ryan Holiday presents a framework for turning obstacles into successes. Drawing from the philosophy of Stoicism and the writings of Marcus Aurelius, Holiday outlines three disciplines: perception, action, and will. He illustrates these principles with historical anecdotes from figures such as John D. Rockefeller, Amelia Earhart, Ulysses S. Grant, and Steve Jobs. The book emphasizes the importance of perception in shaping one's response to obstacles, the need for intentional and creative action, and the cultivation of will to persist through challenges. Holiday argues that by adopting these Stoic principles, individuals can transform their obstacles into opportunities for growth and success.
If we don’t take action to help just one person, how can we expect to help them all? Ryan and Sharon McMahon, author of The Small and the Mighty, continue their conversation in this episode about how outrage is not activism, how to not get overwhelmed by the many problems in the world, and why it’s important for the next generation to know the truth about our history.
Sharon is known as “America’s Government Teacher,” and after years as a high school government teacher, Sharon now runs the non-partisan, fact-based Instagram account @sharonsaysso. Sharon just released her book, The Small and the Mighty, where she proves that the most remarkable Americans are often ordinary people who didn’t make it into the textbooks.
🎙️ Listen to PT. 1 with Sharon McMahon on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
📚 You can grab signed copies of The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon at The Painted Porch.
Check out Sharon’s podcast Here’s Where It Gets Interesting and follow her on Instagram @SharonSaysSo and on X @Sharon_Says_So
🎟 Ryan Holiday is going on tour! Grab tickets for London, Rotterdam, Dublin, Vancouver, and Toronto at ryanholiday.net/tour
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