385: Ryan Holiday - The Art Of Living (Like A Stoic)

Community — In Rome, Panaetius met a fellow student of Diogenes named Gaius Laelius, and later in a naval contingent, met and served with Scipio Aemilianus, one of Rome’s great Generals. These three men formed a kind of philosophical club — known to historians today as the Scipionic Club (like Ben Franklin’s Junto’s) — they would meet you discuss and debate the stoic philosophy they all pursued.
- Plutarch wrote in Moralia: Precepts of Stagecraft “it is a fine thing also, when we gain advantage from the friendship of great men, to turn welfare of our community, as Polybius and Panaetius, thru Scipio’s goodwill towards them, conferred great benefits upon their native states”
- Ryan participates in off site adventures with other top authors in the world like James Clear and Mark Manson. They go there to share ideas and help one another.
  - He experienced another example of this as he was asked to speak to a group of the top athletic directors in collegiate sports. All of them are very competitive with each other, yet they still meet regularly to share ideas and help one another.
Zeno had little patience for idlers or big egos on his porch -- "Stoa is the Greek word for porch."
- Zeno said “better to trip with the feet than with the tongue”
He was the first to express the four virtues of stoicism
- Courage
- Temperance/Moderation
- Justice
- Wisdom
Consistency -- “His work was not defined by some single epiphany or discovery but instead by hard work. He inched his way there, through years of study and training as we all must.”
Zeno said “well being is realized by small steps, but is truly no small thing.”
Cleanthes — he not only continued his labors but actively turned down large financial gifts to help him retire to his studies — to him labor and philosophy were not rivals. They were pursuits that furthered and enabled each other.
- The ancients used to describe his industriousness: philoponia - a love of work.
Chrysippus, the third Leader is the stoic school. He was introduced to running and it changed his life. The same is true for Ryan...
- "A marathon doesn't care that you're tired at mile 20. You have to get to 26.2 to be done. Your mind wants to quit much earlier than your body has to."
- "When you think you're done, you're at 40%." - David Goggins
The stoic idea of Oikeiosis - that we share something and our interests are naturally connected to those of our fellow humans — is as pressing in the ancient world as it is today.
“Being poor is not having too little, it is wanting more.” Seneca
Stay a Student -- The Maxim For Every Successful Person; ‘Always Stay A Student’ -- “Every man I meet is my master in some point, and in that I learn of him.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson. Genghis Khan one of the greatest military minds who ever lived, he was a perpetual student.
How to find stillness?
- Stop watching the news
- Journal - Anne Frank wrote when she struggled: “Paper,” she said, “has more patience than people.”
- Go for a walk or run
- Seek solitude -- Bill Gates “think weeks”
How to balance temperance and justice?
- Start by being better ourselves
- As a citizen, where do you draw the line? Particularly when it's not in your interest to do so...
- What are you willing to sacrifice to insist on your standard?
Epictetus’ instructions:
- Separate things into what you control and what you don’t
- Choose not to be complicit in getting offended
- Prep for adversity in advance
- Realize every situation has 2 handles—grab the right one
- Memento Mori—let death put everything in perspective
“Writer’s block is a phony, made up BS excuse for not doing your work.” Jerry Seinfeld
Life advice -- "Don't send me an email asking if you can ask me a question. Just ask the question." -- Ryan Holiday
Be worthy of a great mentor... Do work that impresses them. Gets their attention.
"Writing forces you to clarify your thinking..."