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Dan Millman on How to Practice Life

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Dec 29, 2025

Guest

Dan Millman

Dan Millman, a world champion athlete and renowned author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior, shares insights on living with purpose and presence. He emphasizes the importance of taking action over being driven by emotions and reveals the essence of the Peaceful Warrior philosophy. Millman discusses how small mindset shifts can lead to significant transformations in both high-pressure moments and daily life. He also delves into the significance of self-knowledge, the journey of finding purpose, and practical steps to manage stress and enhance resilience.

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Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Control Actions Over Emotions

We control actions, not most thoughts or feelings, so focus responsibility on behavior rather than emotion.
Acting in line with purpose frees you from the tyranny of passing moods and yields practical results.

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ADVICE

Three Rules For Wise Living

Accept thoughts and feelings as natural and notice them without judgment.
Focus on your purpose and then do what needs to be done in line with that purpose.

insights

INSIGHT

Now Is The Moment Of Power

The present moment is the only real moment of power; past is memory and future is imagination.
Flow and peak performance come from handling what's directly in front of you, not ruminating on other times.

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Peaceful Warrior Defined as Action and Presence

01:20 • 4min

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Control: Action Over Emotions

04:50 • 6min

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Three Rules of Wise Living

Creating Space Between Stimulus and Response

11:52 • 2min

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Nowhere → Now Here: Present Moment Power

14:20 • 5min

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Deliberate Practice and the Black Belt Test

19:04 • 4min

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Learning Through Failure and Persistence

23:00 • 4min

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Perfectionism: Process vs Outcome

27:14 • 4min

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Purpose and Self-Knowledge

31:17 • 4min

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Trusting Your Unique Path

35:32 • 3min

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Finding Purpose Over Time

Managing Career, Purpose, and Systemic Stress

43:13 • 8min

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Simple Antidotes to Stress

51:08 • 9min

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Assessing Job Fit and Small Steps to Change

01:00:00 • 3min

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Practice Life Daily Through Kindness

The Journeys of Socrates

An Adventure

Dan Millman

#1782

• Mentioned in 21 episodes

The wisdom of insecurity

A Message for an Age of Anxiety

Alan Watts

In this book, Alan Watts draws on Eastern philosophy and religion to argue that true security and peace can only be achieved by understanding and embracing the impermanence and insecurity of life. He critiques the modern quest for security and certainty, highlighting the futility of chasing moving goalposts such as financial success, stability, or escape from pain. Watts emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment, letting go of the past and future, and accepting the uncertainty of life to find true freedom and fulfillment.

#25714

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

The Creative Compass

Writing Your Way from Inspiration to Publication

Dan Millman

Sierra Prasada

The Creative Compass offers a structured approach to writing, dividing the process into five stages: Dream, Draft, Develop, Refine, and Share. This book provides practical advice for writers to cultivate ideas, overcome obstacles, and navigate the publishing landscape. It is designed for both fiction and non-fiction writers, offering insights into storytelling and communication.

#5537

• Mentioned in 8 episodes

the life you were born to live

Dan Millman

#10430

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

The four purposes of life

Dan Millman

Dan Millman's "The Four Purposes of Life" offers a framework for finding meaning and direction in life. It explores four fundamental purposes: learning life's lessons, finding one's career and calling, embracing the mysterious aspects of life, and serving the world. The book encourages readers to view life as a journey of self-discovery and growth, emphasizing the importance of both personal development and contributing to something larger than oneself. It challenges conventional notions of success and happiness, suggesting that true fulfillment comes from aligning with one's deeper purpose. The book provides practical tools and insights to help readers navigate life's challenges and create a more meaningful existence.

#22483

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Living On Purpose

Five Deliberate Choices to Realize Fulfillment and Joy

Amy Eliza Wong

Living On Purpose is a self-help book that addresses feelings of dissatisfaction and deep questioning by providing a framework of five deliberate choices. Written by transformational leadership coach Amy Wong, it merges personal and professional experiences with social neuroscience to help readers connect more deeply with others and find true satisfaction in life. The book aims to shift readers towards a mindset of possibility and freedom.

#2503

• Mentioned in 16 episodes

Way of the peaceful warrior

A Book That Changes Lives

Dan Millman

The book follows Dan Millman, a world-champion gymnast, as he navigates his life at university. Despite his outward success, Dan feels a deep sense of emptiness and discontent. His life changes when he meets an old man named Socrates at an all-night gas station. Socrates mentors Dan, teaching him powerful lessons about living in the present, the importance of humor and paradox in life, and the need to find meaning and purpose beyond external achievements. The story is a blend of romance, mystery, and spiritual growth, guiding readers toward a path of unreasonable happiness and fulfillment.

#43

• Mentioned in 230 episodes

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley

Written in 1931 and published in 1932, 'Brave New World' is a dystopian novel set in a futuristic World State where humans are bred in vitro and predestined into a rigid social hierarchy. The novel explores themes of technological advancement, social conditioning, and the loss of individuality and freedom. The story revolves around characters such as Bernard Marx, an Alpha who questions the society, Mustapha Mond, the World Controller, and John, a 'Savage' from a reservation who introduces elements of emotion and individuality into the highly controlled World State. The novel critiques the optimism of technological progress and its potential to create a society that values stability and happiness over humanity and freedom.

#18376

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Body Mind Mastery

Dan Millman

#23640

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

The Warrior Athlete

Body, Mind & Spirit: Self-Transformation Through Total Training

Dan Millman

Drawing on his extensive experience as a coach and world champion athlete, Dan Millman presents 'The Warrior Athlete' as a comprehensive guide to self-transformation through total training. The book emphasizes balancing physical training with mental clarity and emotional stability, encouraging athletes to develop psychophysical harmony and a centered, present-moment awareness. It offers practical and philosophical insights for cultivating resilience, focus, and balance in athletic and life endeavors.

What if the true test of strength is focusing less on what we feel and more on what we do? In this episode, we explore a practical philosophy of action, presence, and personal agency with Dan Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Finally, we dig into how small mindset shifts can transform both high-stakes moments and the quiet struggles of everyday life.

Guest bio: Dan Millman is a world champion athlete turned author, educator, and teacher of practical wisdom. With a background that spans competitive sports, university-level coaching, martial arts, and academic instruction, Dan brings a rare blend of physical discipline and philosophical insight to his work.

Following two decades of spiritual exploration, he developed what would become known as the Peaceful Warrior’s Way, an action-based approach to living with purpose. Dan is the author of 18 books, including the international bestseller Way of the Peaceful Warrior, which was adapted into a feature film. His writings have reached millions across 29 languages and continue to influence readers around the world.

We Discuss:

Peaceful Warrior Philosophy in Action
What We Control (And What We Don’t)
Action Over Emotion
The Three Rules of Wise Living
The Power of Present Moment Awareness
Mastery Through Deliberate Practice
Purpose as a Practical Tool
Growth Without Perfection
Working Within Broken Systems
Practicing Life

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