The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living

Description

From the team that brought you The Obstacle Is the Way and Ego Is the Enemy, a beautiful daily devotional of Stoic meditations—an instant Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller. Why have history's greatest minds—from George Washington to Frederick the Great to Ralph Waldo Emerson, along with today's top performers from Super Bowl-winning football coaches to CEOs and celebrities—embraced the wisdom of the ancient Stoics? Because they realize that the most valuable wisdom is timeless and that philosophy is for living a better life, not a classroom exercise. The Daily Stoic offers 366 days of Stoic insights and exercises, featuring all-new translations from the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the playwright Seneca, or slave-turned-philosopher Epictetus, as well as lesser-known luminaries like Zeno, Cleanthes, and Musonius Rufus. Every day of the year you'll find one of their pithy, powerful quotations, as well as historical anecdotes, provocative commentary, and a helpful glossary of Greek terms. By following these teachings over the course of a year (and, indeed, for years to come) you'll find the serenity, self-knowledge, and resilience you need to live well.  Also by Ryan Holiday Title Page Copyright Dedication Epigraph CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PART I: The DISCIPLINE of PERCEPTION JANUARY: CLARITY January 1st: CONTROL AND CHOICE January 2nd: EDUCATION IS FREEDOM January 3rd: BE RUTHLESS TO THE THINGS THAT DON’T MATTER January 4th: THE BIG THREE January 5th: CLARIFY YOUR INTENTIONS January 6th: WHERE, WHO, WHAT, AND WHY January 7th: SEVEN CLEAR FUNCTIONS OF THE MIND January 8th: SEEING OUR ADDICTIONS January 9th: WHAT WE CONTROL AND WHAT WE DON’T January 10th: IF YOU WANT TO BE STEADY January 11th: IF YOU WANT TO BE UNSTEADY January 12th: THE ONE PATH TO SERENITY January 13th: CIRCLE OF CONTROL January 14th: CUT THE STRINGS THAT PULL YOUR MIND January 15th: PEACE IS IN STAYING THE COURSE January 16th: NEVER DO ANYTHING OUT OF HABIT January 17th: REBOOT THE REAL WORK January 18th: SEE THE WORLD LIKE A POET AND AN ARTIST January 19th: WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE YOUR CHOICE IS January 20th: REIGNITE YOUR THOUGHTS January 21st: A MORNING RITUAL January 22nd: THE DAY IN REVIEW January 23rd: THE TRUTH ABOUT MONEY January 24th: PUSH FOR DEEP UNDERSTANDING January 25th: THE ONLY PRIZE January 26th: THE POWER OF A MANTRA January 27th: THE THREE AREAS OF TRAINING January 28th: WATCHING THE WISE January 29th: KEEP IT SIMPLE January 30th: YOU DON’T HAVE TO STAY ON TOP OF EVERYTHING January 31st: PHILOSOPHY AS MEDICINE OF THE SOUL FEBRUARY: PASSIONS AND EMOTIONS February 1st: FOR THE HOT-HEADED MAN February 2nd: A PROPER FRAME OF MIND February 3rd: THE SOURCE OF YOUR ANXIETY February 4th: ON BEING INVINCIBLE February 5th: STEADY YOUR IMPULSES February 6th: DON’T SEEK OUT STRIFE February 7th: FEAR IS A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY February 8th: DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER? February 9th: YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE AN OPINION February 10th: ANGER IS BAD FUEL February 11th: HERO OR NERO? February 12th: PROTECT YOUR PEACE OF MIND February 13th: PLEASURE CAN BECOME PUNISHMENT February 14th: THINK BEFORE YOU ACT February 15th: ONLY BAD DREAMS February 16th: DON’T MAKE THINGS HARDER THAN THEY NEED TO BE February 17th: THE ENEMY OF HAPPINESS February 18th: PREPARE FOR THE STORM February 19th: THE BANQUET OF LIFE February 20th: THE GRAND PARADE OF DESIRE February 21st: WISH NOT, WANT NOT February 22nd: WHAT’S BETTER LEFT UNSAID February 23rd: CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE NO CARE FOR OUR FEELINGS February 24th: THE REAL SOURCE OF HARM February 25th: THE SMOKE AND DUST OF MYTH February 26th: TO EACH HIS OWN February 27th: CULTIVATING INDIFFERENCE WHERE OTHERS GROW PASSION February 28th: WHEN YOU LOSE CONTROL February 29th: YOU CAN’T ALWAYS (BE) GET(TING) WHAT YOU WANT MARCH: AWARENESS March 1st: WHERE PHILOSOPHY BEGINS March 2nd: ACCURATE SELF-ASSESSMENT March 3rd: (DIS)INTEGRATION March 4th: AWARENESS IS FREEDOM March 5th: CUTTING BACK ON THE COSTLY March 6th: DON’T TELL YOURSELF STORIES March 7th: DON’T TRUST THE SENSES March 8th: DON’T UNINTENTIONALLY HAND OVER YOUR FREEDOM March 9th: FIND THE RIGHT SCENE March 10th: FIND YOURSELF A CATO March 11th: LIVING WITHOUT RESTRICTION March 12th: SEEING THINGS AS THE PERSON AT FAULT DOES March 13th: ONE DAY IT WILL ALL MAKE SENSE March 14th: SELF-DECEPTION IS OUR ENEMY March 15th: THE PRESENT IS ALL WE POSSESS March 16th: THAT SACRED PART OF YOU March 17th: THE BEAUTY OF CHOICE March 18th: IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT March 19th: TIMELESS WISDOM March 20th: READY AND AT HOME March 21st: THE BEST RETREAT IS IN HERE, NOT OUT THERE March 22nd: THE SIGN OF TRUE EDUCATION March 23rd: THE STRAITJACKETED SOUL March 24th: THERE IS PHILOSOPHY IN EVERYTHING March 25th: WEALTH AND FREEDOM ARE FREE March 26th: WHAT RULES YOUR RULING REASON? March 27th: PAY WHAT THINGS ARE WORTH March 28th: COWARDICE AS A DESIGN PROBLEM March 29th: WHY DO YOU NEED TO IMPRESS THESE PEOPLE AGAIN? March 30th: REASON IN ALL THINGS March 31st: YOU’RE A PRODUCT OF YOUR TRAINING APRIL: UNBIASED THOUGHT April 1st: THE COLOR OF YOUR THOUGHTS April 2nd: BE WARY OF WHAT YOU LET IN April 3rd: DECEIVED AND DIVIDED April 4th: DON’T LET THIS GO TO YOUR HEAD April 5th: TRUST, BUT VERIFY April 6th: PREPARE YOURSELF FOR NEGATIVITY April 7th: EXPECT TO CHANGE YOUR OPINIONS April 8th: THE COST OF ACCEPTING COUNTERFEITS April 9th: TEST YOUR IMPRESSIONS April 10th: JUDGMENTS CAUSE DISTURBANCE April 11th: IF YOU WANT TO LEARN, BE HUMBLE April 12th: REJECT TANTALIZING GIFTS April 13th: LESS IS MORE April 14th: BECOMING AN EXPERT IN WHAT MATTERS April 15th: PAY YOUR TAXES April 16th: OBSERVE CAUSE AND EFFECT April 17th: NO HARM, NO FOUL April 18th: OPINIONS ARE LIKE . . . April 19th: OUR SPHERE OF IMPULSES April 20th: REAL GOOD IS SIMPLE April 21st: DON’T LET YOUR ATTENTION SLIDE April 22nd: THE MARKS OF A RATIONAL PERSON April 23rd: THE MIND IS ALL YOURS April 24th: A PRODUCTIVE USE FOR CONTEMPT April 25th: THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING WRONG April 26th: THINGS HAPPEN IN TRAINING April 27th: TURN IT INSIDE OUT April 28th: WANTS MAKE YOU A SERVANT April 29th: WASHING AWAY THE DUST OF LIFE April 30th: WHAT IS IN KEEPING WITH YOUR CHARACTER? PART II: The DISCIPLINE of ACTION MAY: RIGHT ACTION May 1st: MAKE CHARACTER YOUR LOUDEST STATEMENT May 2nd: BE THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BE May 3rd: SHOW, NOT TELL, WHAT YOU KNOW May 4th: WHAT’S TRULY IMPRESSIVE May 5th: YOU ARE THE PROJECT May 6th: RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BEAUTIFUL May 7th: HOW TO HAVE A GOOD DAY May 8th: GOOD AND EVIL? LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES May 9th: CARPE DIEM May 10th: DON’T BE INSPIRED, BE INSPIRATIONAL May 11th: GUILT IS WORSE THAN JAIL May 12th: KINDNESS IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT RESPONSE May 13th: FUELING THE HABIT BONFIRE May 14th: OUR WELL-BEING LIES IN OUR ACTIONS May 15th: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS May 16th: THE CHAIN METHOD May 17th: THE STOIC IS A WORK IN PROGRESS May 18th: HOW YOU DO ANYTHING IS HOW YOU DO EVERYTHING May 19th: LEARN, PRACTICE, TRAIN May 20th: QUALITY OVER QUANTITY May 21st: WHAT KIND OF BOXER ARE YOU? May 22nd: TODAY IS THE DAY May 23rd: SHOW ME HOW TO LIVE May 24th: MAKING YOUR OWN GOOD FORTUNE May 25th: WHERE TO FIND JOY May 26th: STOP CARING WHAT PEOPLE THINK May 27th: SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF May 28th: THE FIRST TWO THINGS BEFORE ACTING May 29th: WORK IS THERAPY May 30th: WORKING HARD OR HARDLY WORKING? May 31st: WE HAVE BUT ONE OBLIGATION JUNE: PROBLEM SOLVING June 1st: ALWAYS HAVE A MENTAL REVERSE CLAUSE June 2nd: PLATO’S VIEW June 3rd: IT IS WELL TO BE FLEXIBLE June 4th: THIS IS WHAT WE’RE HERE FOR June 5th: BLOW YOUR OWN NOSE June 6th: WHEN TO STICK AND WHEN TO QUIT June 7th: FINDING THE RIGHT MENTORS June 8th: BRICK BY BORING BRICK June 9th: SOLVE PROBLEMS EARLY June 10th: YOU CAN DO IT June 11th: JUST DON’T MAKE THINGS WORSE June 12th: A TRAINED MIND IS BETTER THAN ANY SCRIPT June 13th: LIFE IS A BATTLEFIELD June 14th: TRY THE OTHER HANDLE June 15th: LISTENING ACCOMPLISHES MORE THAN SPEAKING June 16th: NO SHAME IN NEEDING HELP June 17th: OFFENSE OR DEFENSE? June 18th: PREPARED AND ACTIVE June 19th: STAY FOCUSED ON THE PRESENT June 20th: CALM IS CONTAGIOUS June 21st: TAKE A WALK June 22nd: THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY June 23rd: THE LONG WAY AROUND June 24th: THE TRULY EDUCATED AREN’T QUARRELSOME June 25th: THE WISE DON’T HAVE “PROBLEMS” June 26th: TRY THE OPPOSITE June 27th: ADVERSITY REVEALS June 28th: NO SELF-FLAGELLATION NEEDED June 29th: NO EXCUSES June 30th: THE OBSTACLE IS THE WAY JULY: DUTY July 1st: DO YOUR JOB July 2nd: ON DUTY AND CIRCUMSTANCE July 3rd: TURN HAVE TO INTO GET TO July 4th: PROTECT THE FLAME July 5th: NO ONE SAID IT’D BE EASY July 6th: RISE AND SHINE July 7th: OUR DUTY TO LEARN July 8th: STOP MONKEYING AROUND July 9th: THE PHILOSOPHER KING July 10th: LOVE THE HUMBLE ART July 11th: THE START‑UP OF YOU July 12th: SOME SIMPLE RULES July 13th: A LEADER LEADS July 14th: A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS July 15th: DOING THE RIGHT THING IS ENOUGH July 16th: PROGRESS OF THE SOUL July 17th: DON’T ABANDON OTHERS . . . OR YOURSELF July 18th: EACH THE MASTER OF THEIR OWN DOMAIN July 19th: FORGIVE THEM BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW July 20th: MADE FOR JUSTICE July 21st: MADE FOR WORKING TOGETHER July 22nd: NO ONE HAS A GUN TO YOUR HEAD July 23rd: RECEIVE HONORS AND SLIGHTS EXACTLY THE SAME WAY July 24th: SOMEWHERE SOMEONE’S DYING July 25th: WHAT’S ON YOUR TOMBSTONE? July 26th: WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING July 27th: WHERE IS ANYTHING BETTER? July 28th: CHECK YOUR PRIVILEGE July 29th: A CURE FOR THE SELF July 30th: STOIC JOY July 31st: YOUR CAREER IS NOT A LIFE SENTENCE AUGUST: PRAGMATISM August 1st: DON’T GO EXPECTING PERFECTION August 2nd: WE CAN WORK ANY WAY August 3rd: THE GOOD LIFE IS ANYWHERE August 4th: NO BLAME, JUST FOCUS August 5th: SILENCE IS STRENGTH August 6th: THERE IS ALWAYS MORE ROOM TO MANEUVER THAN YOU THINK August 7th: PRAGMATIC AND PRINCIPLED August 8th: START WITH WHERE THE WORLD IS August 9th: STICK WITH JUST THE FACTS August 10th: PERFECTION IS THE ENEMY OF ACTION August 11th: NO TIME FOR THEORIES, JUST RESULTS August 12th: MAKE THE WORDS YOUR OWN August 13th: TAKE CHARGE AND END YOUR TROUBLES August 14th: THIS ISN’T FOR FUN. IT’S FOR LIFE August 15th: THE SUPREME COURT OF YOUR MIND August 16th: ANYTHING CAN BE AN ADVANTAGE August 17th: THE BUCK STOPS HERE August 18th: ONLY FOOLS RUSH IN August 19th: CORRALLING THE UNNECESSARY August 20th: WHERE IT COUNTS August 21st: DON’T BE MISERABLE IN ADVANCE August 22nd: DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF August 23rd: IT’S IN YOUR SELF-INTEREST August 24th: PILLAGE FROM ALL SOURCES August 25th: RESPECT THE PAST, BUT BE OPEN TO THE FUTURE August 26th: SEEKING OUT SHIPWRECKS August 27th: LAUGH, OR CRY? August 28th: THE OPULENT STOIC August 29th: WANT NOTHING = HAVE EVERYTHING August 30th: WHEN YOU FEEL LAZY August 31st: CONSIDER YOUR FAILINGS TOO PART III: The DISCIPLINE of WILL SEPTEMBER: FORTITUDE AND RESILIENCE September 1st: A STRONG SOUL IS BETTER THAN GOOD LUCK September 2nd: THE PHILOSOPHER’S SCHOOL IS A HOSPITAL September 3rd: FIRST, A HARD WINTER TRAINING September 4th: HOW CAN YOU KNOW WHETHER YOU’VE NEVER BEEN TESTED? September 5th: FOCUS ON WHAT IS YOURS ALONE September 6th: THEY CAN THROW YOU IN CHAINS, BUT . . . September 7th: OUR HIDDEN POWER September 8th: DO NOT BE DECEIVED BY FORTUNE September 9th: NOTHING TO FEAR BUT FEAR ITSELF September 10th: PREPARING ON THE SUNNY DAY September 11th: WHAT WOULD LESS LOOK LIKE? September 12th: BE DOWN TO EARTH, OR BE BROUGHT DOWN September 13th: PROTECTING OUR INNER FORTRESS FROM FEAR September 14th: A DIFFERENT WAY TO PRAY September 15th: A GARDEN IS NOT FOR SHOW September 16th: ANYONE CAN GET LUCKY, NOT EVERYONE CAN PERSEVERE September 17th: DEALING WITH HATERS September 18th: DEALING WITH PAIN September 19th: FLEXIBILITY OF THE WILL September 20th: LIFE ISN’T A DANCE September 21st: MAINTAIN COMPOSURE, MAINTAIN CONTROL September 22nd: NO PAIN, NO GAIN September 23rd: THE MOST SECURE FORTRESS September 24th: IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU September 25th: THE VULNERABILITY OF DEPENDENCE September 26th: WHAT TIME OFF IS FOR September 27th: WHAT WILL PROSPERITY REVEAL? September 28th: YOU HOLD THE TRUMP CARD September 29th: YOUR ACTUAL NEEDS ARE SMALL September 30th: YOU CAN’T TOUCH ME OCTOBER: VIRTUE AND KINDNESS October 1st: LET VIRTUE SHINE BRIGHT October 2nd: THE MOST VALUABLE ASSET October 3rd: A MANTRA OF MUTUAL INTERDEPENDENCE October 4th: ALL FOR ONE, ONE FOR ALL October 5th: WORDS CAN’T BE UNSAID October 6th: LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER October 7th: A SELFISH REASON TO BE GOOD October 8th: A HIGHER PLEASURE October 9th: SET THE STANDARDS AND USE THEM October 10th: REVERENCE AND JUSTICE October 11th: HONESTY AS OUR DEFAULT October 12th: ALWAYS LOVE October 13th: REVENGE IS A DISH BEST NOT SERVED October 14th: DON’T GET MAD. HELP October 15th: GIVE PEOPLE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT October 16th: SPREAD THE WORD October 17th: THE BENEFIT OF KINDNESS October 18th: FRENEMIES October 19th: GOOD HABITS DRIVE OUT BAD HABITS October 20th: MARKS OF THE GOOD LIFE October 21st: HEROES, HERE AND NOW October 22nd: IT’S EASY TO GET BETTER. BUT BETTER AT WHAT? October 23rd: SHOW THE QUALITIES YOU WERE MADE FOR October 24th: THE FOUNTAIN OF GOODNESS October 25th: TWO TASKS October 26th: THREE PARTS, ONE AIM October 27th: WE REAP WHAT WE SOW October 28th: WE WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER October 29th: CHARACTER IS FATE October 30th: WHO GETS THE LION’S SHARE? October 31st: YOU WERE BORN GOOD NOVEMBER: ACCEPTANCE / AMOR FATI November 1st: ACCEPTING WHAT IS November 2nd: BINDING OUR WISHES TO WHAT WILL BE November 3rd: FOLLOWING THE DOCTOR’S ORDERS November 4th: NOT GOOD, NOR BAD November 5th: A HIGHER POWER November 6th: SOMEONE ELSE IS SPINNING THE THREAD November 7th: HOW TO BE POWERFUL November 8th: ACTORS IN A PLAY November 9th: ALL IS FLUID November 10th: ALWAYS THE SAME November 11th: IT’S NOT THE THING, IT’S WHAT WE MAKE OF IT November 12th: THE STRONG ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY November 13th: NEVER COMPLAIN, NEVER EXPLAIN November 14th: YOU CHOOSE THE OUTCOME November 15th: EVERYTHING IS CHANGE November 16th: HOPE AND FEAR ARE THE SAME November 17th: JUDGE NOT, LEST . . . November 18th: FOUR HABITS OF THE STOIC MIND November 19th: MAXIMS FROM THREE WISE MEN November 20th: BEHOLD, NOW AS EVER November 21st: ONCE IS ENOUGH, ONCE IS FOREVER November 22nd: THE GLASS IS ALREADY BROKEN November 23rd: ATTACHMENTS ARE THE ENEMY November 24th: TRAIN TO LET GO OF WHAT’S NOT YOURS November 25th: FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS OUT November 26th: THE ALTAR OF NO DIFFERENCE November 27th: THE PLEASURE OF TUNING OUT THE NEGATIVE November 28th: IT’S NOT ON THEM, IT’S ON YOU November 29th: YOU’RE GOING TO BE OK November 30th: FOLLOW THE LOGOS DECEMBER: MEDITATION ON MORTALITY December 1st: PRETEND TODAY IS THE END December 2nd: DON’T MIND ME, I’M ONLY DYING SLOW December 3rd: THE PHILOSOPHER AS AN ARTISAN OF LIFE AND DEATH December 4th: YOU DON’T OWN THAT December 5th: THE BENEFITS OF SOBERING THOUGHTS December 6th: THE SWORD DANGLES OVER YOU December 7th: THE CARDS WE’RE DEALT December 8th: DON’T HIDE FROM YOUR FEELINGS December 9th: SPENDTHRIFTS OF TIME December 10th: DON’T SELL YOURSELF TOO CHEAPLY December 11th: DIGNITY AND BRAVERY December 12th: THE BEAT GOES ON December 13th: IT’S JUST A NUMBER December 14th: WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW BY THE END December 15th: A SIMPLE WAY TO MEASURE OUR DAYS December 16th: EVERLASTING GOOD HEALTH December 17th: KNOW THYSELF—BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE December 18th: WHAT COMES TO US ALL December 19th: HUMAN SCALE December 20th: FEAR THE FEAR OF DEATH December 21st: WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SHOW FOR YOUR YEARS? December 22nd: STAKE YOUR OWN CLAIM December 23rd: WHAT ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF LOSING? December 24th: MEANINGLESS . . . LIKE A FINE WINE December 25th: DON’T BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS December 26th: LIFE IS LONG—IF YOU KNOW HOW TO USE IT December 27th: DON’T LET YOUR SOUL GO FIRST December 28th: ON BEING REMEMBERED December 29th: GIVE THANKS December 30th: TAKING THE BITE OUT OF IT December 31st: GET ACTIVE IN YOUR OWN RESCUE STAYING STOIC A MODEL OF LATE STOIC PRACTICE AND GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS AND PASSAGES A WORD ON THE TRANSLATIONS, REFERENCES, AND SOURCES SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING