Stoicism emphasizes internal control, contentment, and fulfillment as a means to live a good life.
Ryan Holiday uses the note card system to organize and reference knowledge when writing books.
Deep dives
Stoicism as a practical philosophy of life
Stoicism is a practical philosophy that focuses on living virtuously and with excellence. It teaches that we cannot control the world around us, but we can control our thoughts and responses. The stoics aim to live a good life by focusing on internal control, contentment, and fulfillment.
Ryan Holiday's introduction to Stoicism
Ryan Holiday discovered Stoicism through the book recommendations of Dr. Drew and started reading works by philosophers like Epictetus and The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. The personal language used by Marcus Aurelius resonated with Ryan and introduced him to a radically different way of thinking and living.
The Note Card System
Ryan Holiday adopts the note card system from Robert Greene, the author of 'The 48 Laws of Power.' This system involves taking notes on book readings and transferring the knowledge onto note cards, organized by theme. The note cards serve as a physical database of knowledge that can be easily referenced and manipulated when writing books.
Ryan Holiday's Writing Process
Ryan Holiday breaks down writing a book into discreet tasks to make it more manageable. He focuses on one section at a time, starting from the introduction and moving sequentially. He works for a few hours each day, matching his energy and intensity to the task at hand. Additionally, he takes breaks for physical activities like running or swimming, which often lead to new insights and ideas.
In this episode, I talk with multiple best selling author Ryan Holiday about how he reads, what it means to be a stoic, and how to gracefully deal with freeloaders.
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