Office Hours with Arthur Brooks

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Four Practical Ways to Live Like a Stoic with Ryan Holiday

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Nov 3, 2025

Guest

Ryan Holiday

In this engaging conversation, bestselling author Ryan Holiday, a modern champion of Stoicism, shares his journey from discovering Marcus Aurelius to applying Stoic virtues in contemporary life. He debunks myths around Stoicism, emphasizing emotional self-governance and living with purpose. Ryan discusses how Stoicism encourages resilience in the face of life's challenges, using examples from history including Abraham Lincoln. Listeners learn practical steps, such as journaling and serving others, to cultivate a meaningful and virtuous life.

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ANECDOTE

Discovery Of Meditations

Ryan found Marcus Aurelius' Meditations as a college student and felt it spoke directly to practical life problems.
That discovery launched his long engagement with Stoic practice and writing.

insights

INSIGHT

Response Over Control

Stoicism teaches you can't control external events but you can control your response.
Virtue (courage, self-discipline, justice, wisdom) guides that response and makes adversity meaningful.

insights

INSIGHT

Obstacles Are Opportunities

Every obstacle is an opportunity to exercise virtue and grow.
Suffering signals life and prompts a meaningful response rather than proving something is wrong with you.

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How Ryan Holiday Discovered Stoicism

05:01 • 5min

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What Stoicism Really Means

10:03 • 4min

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Cicero, Epicureans, and Stoic Misconceptions

14:15 • 5min

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Stoic Indifference and Modern Desire

19:21 • 50sec

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Philosophy's Job: Learning to Die Well

20:11 • 2min

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Three Core Stoic Principles

22:16 • 3min

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Modern Examples of Stoic Virtues

25:41 • 2min

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Abraham Lincoln as a Stoic Model

28:10 • 6min

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Stoic Happiness Is Work

34:38 • 5min

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Emotional Self-Governance and Metacognition

39:39 • 4min

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Daily Stoic Practices: Journaling and Morning Routines

43:38 • 2min

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Serve Others to Lower Self-Focus

45:49 • 3min

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Managing Devices and Addictions

49:14 • 3min

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What Stoics Got Wrong

52:13 • 4min

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Identifying Your Idol: Money, Power, Pleasure, Honor

56:08 • 9min

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Four Practical Stoic Steps to Apply

01:04:57 • 32sec

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Wisdom Takes Work: Becoming Wiser Over Time

• Mentioned in 388 episodes

The obstacle is the way

Ryan Holiday

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.

#203

• Mentioned in 86 episodes

Wisdom Takes Work

Ryan Holiday

• Mentioned in 894 episodes

Meditations

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations is a series of private writings composed by Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome's greatest emperors, as he struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Written between 170 and 180 CE while on military campaigns, this work combines Stoic philosophy with personal observations on leadership, duty, mortality, and human nature. Through twelve books of intimate thoughts never intended for publication, Marcus Aurelius explores themes of self-improvement, resilience in the face of adversity, and living virtuously while accepting what cannot be changed.

Many people think Stoicism is about suppressing emotions or accepting suffering with a stiff upper lip. But it’s really about learning to live well, to find peace, courage, and happiness in a chaotic world.

In this episode of Office Hours, I sit down with my friend Ryan Holiday, bestselling author and modern Stoic who has written several books about Stoicism, including his latest, Wisdom Takes Work. Together, we explore how ancient wisdom can help us live better today and why doing the right thing, even when it’s hard, leads to greater happiness.

We talk about how to stay centered in a world that constantly tests our integrity and attention, and what it means to live with temperance and purpose. Stoicism reminds us that we can’t always control what happens, but we can control how we respond, and that choice shapes the life we build.

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Where to find Ryan Holiday:

• Website: https://ryanholiday.net

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmBIKsrzIjdHRuqs2I8nHA

• X: https://x.com/RyanHoliday

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanholiday

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryanholiday

• Podcast: https://dailystoic.com/podcast

Where to find Arthur Brooks:

• Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠

• X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/arthurbrooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠