Epictetus’s most powerful line is about how it’s not things that upset us, but what we think about things that does all the damage. What he really meant is that our sense of what an obstacle or a disadvantage or a trial is—our subjective understanding—is more powerful than the objective reality.
For instance, if you tell yourself that you were failed by yo ... Show More
Yesterday
A Stoic's Guide To Looksmaxxing
Looksmaxxing promises to make you more attractive, more confident, and more powerful. But at what point does self-improvement become obsession? In today’s episode, Ryan looks at what the Stoics would say about this viral trend, the dangers of chasing external validation, and what ... Show More
20m 10s
Jun 13
A Stoic Masterclass for Ambitious People | Codie Sanchez
Ambition can open doors, but your principles determine where you go from there. In today’s episode, Ryan talks with entrepreneur and investor Codie Sanchez about how the four Stoic virtues of courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom can serve as a guide for building a successful ... Show More
1h 12m
Jun 12
BONUS | Not Everything Has To Be Productive (with Chris Guillebeau)
Heading into the weekend, here’s a reminder that not everything you do has to be useful, efficient, or productive. In this bonus episode, Ryan and Chris Guillebeau talk about making space for fun, following strange impulses, and doing the small things that make you feel more aliv ... Show More
3m 57s
Apr 2023
You Are Qualified For Greatness
You were BORN TO DO SOMETHING GREAT, and I’m going to let you in on THE BIG SECRET of how you can make that happen. Everyone has HOPES & DREAMS. But too often, we think our PAST, our SHORTCOMINGS, and our IMPERFECTIONS disqualify us from chasing those dreams and from helping othe ... Show More
14m 59s
Jul 2016
This Powerful Factor Controls Your Decisions And 86% of People Have No Idea It Exists
Do you think you’re in control of your thoughts and actions? What if things totally out of your conscious experience of reality actually controlled your decisions? What if random phenomenon – like the music you just heard, or the words on a billboard, changed the way you thought, ... Show More
21m 32s
Jun 2018
How to Defeat Your Inner Critic
Psychotherapist Barry Michels—bestselling coauthor of The Tools—doesn’t believe that uncovering the roots of problems sets people free. Instead, he’s designed quick, accessible tools for getting unstuck and moving through fear, which he coaches some of the most prolific, creative ... Show More
50m 42s
May 2019
Processing the Trauma of Loneliness
“Part of the reason why humans suffer is that we don’t honor the expression of these so-called weak emotions—meaning sadness, fear, and shame,” says psychiatrist Will Siu. In this moving conversation with new friend and goop chief content officer Elise Loehnen, Siu takes us throu ... Show More
1h 13m