In this episode, I share a personal story about nearly losing my temper on a train—a moment that reminded me, yet again, how far I am from sagehood and how important continuous attention (prosochē) is in Stoic practice. A long day in London, a rowdy group of teens, and a few minor annoyances were enough to push me near my breaking point. But in reflecting on ... 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
Mar 2020
SPECIAL EPISODE! How To Fail: Alain De Botton on embracing vulnerability in the age of Coronavirus
In the second of two special episodes, the renowned philosopher Alain de Botton, returns to How To Fail With Elizabeth Day to talk about how to be human and how to stay (relatively) sane in the grip of a global pandemic. We talk about the fact that, right now, it's rational to be ... Show More
1 h
Apr 2025
How To Get Through Life's Most Difficult Situations
<p>If it happened, then it was meant to happen.</p><p><br></p><p>The great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche would describe his formula for human greatness as amor fati—a love of fate. “That one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backwards, not in all eternity. ... Show More
14m 6s
Mar 2025
It’s Given Us More Of Ourselves | (Dis)integration
<p>Adversity costs us, sure, but it also gives us <em>more of ourselves</em>. It unlocks something in us that was not reachable in ordinary circumstances, that we didn’t know was there.</p><p><br></p><p>🪙 Get your own <a href="https://store.dailystoic.com/products/amor-fati-meda ... Show More
10m 27s
Jun 2024
Silent Minds: How Life Changes Without an Inner Monologue w/John R. Miles EP 468
<p>Do you have a voice that constantly speaks to you throughout the day? For most people, the answer is 'Yes.' This inner voice aids in decision-making, problem-solving, and self-reflection. However, some people live without this inner monologue, a phenomenon called anendophasia. ... Show More
23m 18s