In this episode, I discuss Meditation 11 from Book 2 of Meditations, where Marcus Aurelius reminds us to live each moment as if death could come at any time, encouraging a focus on living virtuously. Marcus addresses the nature of death and the existence of gods, framing them in a way that reduces fear. He explains that if gods exist, they are just, so there ... Show More
Nov 21
Growing Into Roles We're Not Good At Yet
In this episode I talk about what it’s like to take on a large number of new roles in a very short period of time, and how doing so can leave you feeling detached from yourself unless you approach those roles with clear thinking, humility, and attention. Over the last few years I ... Show More
16m 30s
Nov 14
Living Well on a Hot Planet [The COP30]
In this episode I take a current headline—the opening of COP30 in Belém, Brazil—and sit with it like a philosopher, not a pundit. Instead of debating policy language or political victories, I look at what a global event like this means for people trying to live excellently right ... Show More
25m 35s
Nov 5
Gender Roles and the Rational Soul
In this episode I take on a listener question about gender roles and Stoicism — whether they exist, how the Stoics would have defined them, and what any of it means for modern relationships. We look closely at Musonius Rufus, the so-called “fourth head” of the Stoic school, who a ... Show More
22m 28s
Sep 8
Hegel on Stoicism (Part One)
Discussing the section on Stoicism in Hegel's "Phenomenology of Spirit," which is under "Freedom of Self-Consciousness," "Stoicism, Scepticism, and the Unhappy Consciousness." This comes right after his famous lordship and bondage chapter, and explains how in reaction to being de ... Show More
58m 13s
Sep 6
3728: Our Everloving Quest to Control Our Lives by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits on How to Sit with Uncertainty
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3728: Most of us spend our days trying to create order and comfort, yet life never stays under control for long. Leo Babaut ... Show More
9m 50s
Sep 29
#1000 - Matthew McConaughey - The Art of Living a Courageous Life
Matthew McConaughey is an Academy Award-winning actor, producer and an author. Expect to learn why Matthew says life often “rhymes”, why it’s okay if you do everything right and still not get the result you want, how Matthew views the role courage plays in his life, how to learn ... Show More
1h 58m
Apr 2025
#1321 - Suffering Will Not Seek
“We don’t have absolute choice to choose our situations, but we have been given the freedom to choose our experience.” –Sadhguru
For many, life seems to be a pretty rotten deal. In this talk, Sadhguru states that human beings have the unique gift of being able to suffer even a g ... Show More
50m 44s
Dec 2022
Episode 113, Epicurus and the Art of Happiness (Part II - Metaphysics, God, and Death)
<p class="">You're going to a party, but you don't care if the other guests will like your dress. You pull onto your drive; you don't consider what your neighbours will think of your car. You sell books that you've written, share photographs that you've taken, and post your thoug ... Show More
1h 1m