Greatness Is Poison | Stoic Advice on Finding Happiness & Success with William Mulligan

In this episode, William takes a deep dive into a modern-day poison—our obsession with greatness and its weak imitation, clout. Drawing from the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius and the Stoics, he explores how this toxic pursuit has infiltrated every aspect of our lives, stripping us of true joy and fulfilment.

Through a personal story of a childhood friend who lost his love for adventure to the validation of social media, William paints a vivid picture of how modern society has twisted our motivations. We climb mountains not for the view, but to be seen. We live for the approval of others, forgetting the richness of ordinary life.

But what if we stopped chasing this illusion? What if, instead of grasping at the smoke of greatness, we embraced the beauty of the ordinary? William argues that true contentment lies in being present, being good, and finding meaning in the everyday—not in the unattainable image of success we’ve been sold.

This episode is a powerful reminder to seek authenticity over approval, to value presence over performance, and to find greatness in the small, quiet moments of life.