What do you think?
Rate this book
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living: Featuring new translations of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius
Where can you find joy? What's the true measure of success? How should we manage anger? Find meaning? Conquer grief? The answers to these questions and more lie at the heart of Stoic philosophy. The Daily Stoic is a compelling, accessible guide to living a good life, offering daily doses of this classic wisdom.
Long the secret weapon of history's great figures, from emperors to artists and activists to fighter pilots, the principles of Stoicism have shone brightly through the centuries as a philosophy for doers. Tested in the laboratory of human experience over the last two thousand years, this timeless knowledge is essential to navigating the complexities of modern life.
The Daily Stoic offers a daily devotional of Stoic insights and exercises, featuring all-new translations from the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the playwright Seneca, and the slave-turned-philosopher Epictetus, as well as diamonds like Zeno, Cleanthes and Musonius Rufus. On each page, one for every day of the year, you'll find one of their pithy, powerful quotations, as well as historical anecdotes and provocative commentary to help you tackle any problem or approach any goal. 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.
417 pages, eBook Kindle
First published October 18, 2016
44100 people are currently reading
124499 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Holiday
98 books18.2k followersRyan Holiday is media strategist for notorious clients like Tucker Max and Dov Charney. After dropping out of college at 19 to apprentice under the strategist Robert Greene, he went on to advise many bestselling authors and multi-platinum musicians. He is the Director of Marketing at American Apparel, where his work in advertising was internationally known. His strategies are used as case studies by Twitter, YouTube, and Google, and have been written about in AdAge, the New York Times, Gawker, and Fast Company. He is the author is *Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator*, which is due out in July. He currently lives in New Orleans, with his rebellious puppy, Hanno.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,085 reviews
July 19, 2018
I’ve read this book already but i still read it everyday. It serves as a book vitamin to me.
❦ It helps me have a positive attitude when i’m feeling down.
❦ It gives me a whole a new perspective.
❦ It helps open my mind and help me understand things.
❦ It helps me find something positive in a negative situation.
❦ It just lifts me.
It may be short but i believe it still served its purpose.
These are just some of the things that this book did to me. I do hope it has the same effect on you. And aside from this book, prayers will definitely work wonders, no doubt about it (other religions, please don’t take offense in this - i apologize if i’ve offended anyone with this, that’s not my intention).
Happy reading!!! :)
❦ It helps me have a positive attitude when i’m feeling down.
❦ It gives me a whole a new perspective.
❦ It helps open my mind and help me understand things.
❦ It helps me find something positive in a negative situation.
❦ It just lifts me.
It may be short but i believe it still served its purpose.
These are just some of the things that this book did to me. I do hope it has the same effect on you. And aside from this book, prayers will definitely work wonders, no doubt about it (other religions, please don’t take offense in this - i apologize if i’ve offended anyone with this, that’s not my intention).
Happy reading!!! :)
May 17, 2017
Read it in just under 6 weeks, rather than a year. Some days are repetitive, but then again so is life, since lessons tend to be repeated until learnt. But as the conclusion says, theory is easy, practice is hard (and never-ending).
___
Stoicism in a nutshell: Virtue (four cardinal virtues of self-control, courage, justice and wisdom) is happiness, and it is our perception of things - rather than the things themsleves - that cause most of our trouble.
The three most essential parts of Stoic philosophy:
Control your perceptions.
Direct your actions properly.
Willingly accept what's outside your control.
When your efforts are not directed towards a cause or purpose, how will you know what to say no to and what to say yes to? How will you know when you have had enough, when you've reached your goal, when you've gotten off track, if you've never defined what those things are?
Serenity and stability are results of your choices and judgment, not your environment. If you seek to avoid all disruptions to tranquility, you will never be successful. Your problems will follow you wherever you run and hide.
External things can't fix internal issues. Money only marginally changes life. It doesn't solve the problems that people without it seem to think it will.
When I see an anxious person, I ask: What do they want? For if a person wasn't wanting something outside their control, why would they be stricken by anxiety?
The next time you find yourself in the middle of a freakout or breakout, stop a moment and ask yourself: Is this helping me feel better?
It is important to connect the so-called temptation with its actual effects. Once you understand that indulging might actually be worse than resisting, the urge begins to lose its appeal.
It is the privilege of the gods to want nothing, and of godlike men to want little. To want nothing makes you invincible, because nothing lies outside of your control.
The more things we desire and the more we have to do to earn or attain these achievements, the less we actually enjoy our lives - and the less free we are.
It's not about avoidance or shunning, but rather not giving any possible outcome more power or preference than is appropriate. This is not easy to do, certainly, but if you could manage, how much more relaxed would you be?
Curb your desire - don't set your heart on so many things and you will get what you need. Train your mind to ask: "Do I need this thing? What will happen if I do not get it? Can I make do without it?"
"The cause of my irritation is not in this person but in me." Our labels, our expectations.
There are two ways to be wealthy, to get everything you want or to want everything you have.
People put a great deal of effort into ensuring that money is real, whereas we accept potentially life-changing thoughts or assumptions without so much as a question. One ironic assumption along these lines: That having a lot of money makes you wealthy. Or that because a lot of people believe something, that it must be true.
At the end of your time on this planet, what expertise is going to be more valuable, your understanding of matters of living and dying, or your knowledge of celebrity lives / intricacies of plot points of your favourite TV series / insert random vice or obsession here?
Everything we do has a toll attached to it. Waiting around is a tax on travelling. Rumours and gossip are the tax that come from acquiring a public persona. Disagreements and occasional frustration are taxes placed on even the happiest of relationships. There are many forms of taxes in life. You can argue with them, you can go to great - but ultimately futile - lengths to evade them, or you can simply pay them and enjoy the fruits of what you get to keep.
"If you don't take the money, they can't tell you what to do." Wanting makes you a servant.
Make character your loudest statement. Do, don't just say.
God laid down this law, saying: if you want some good, get it from yourself. - Epictetus.
Reflect then, that your ancestors set up these trophies, not that you may gaze at them in wonder, but that you may also imitate the virtues of the men who set them up.
Take pleasure in taking the right actions, rather than the results that come from them. Focus on what you can control.
Joy for human beings lies in proper human work. And proper human work consists in: acts of kindness to other human beings, disdain for the stirring of the senses, identifying trustworthy impressions, and contemplating the natural order and all that happens in keeping with it.
The first two things before acting: Don't get upset. And do the right thing.
Succumbing to the self-pity and "woe is me" narrative accomplishes nothing - nothing except sapping you of the energy and motivation you need to do something about your problem.
A trained mind is better than any script. And and far better booster of confidence.
Don't think of how you HAVE to do something, but rather how you GET TO do it. Receive and respond to the will in the world.
Appeal to self-interest, rather than moralise. SHOW how something is bad, rather than just say it is bad.
Remember then, if you deem what is by nature slavish to be free, and what is not your own to be yours, you will be shackled and miserable, blaming both gods and other people. But if you deem as your own only what is yours, and what belongs to others as truly not yours, then no one will ever be able to coerce or to stop you, you will find no one to blame or accuse, you will do nothing against your will, you will have no enemy, no one will harm you, because no harm can affect you.
Anyone who truly wants to be free, won't desire something that is actually in someone else's control, unless they want to be a slave.
Take days off from work, not learning.
Better to trip with the feet than the tongue. Words can't be unsaid.
A virtuous person is generous with assumptions: that something was an accident, that someone didn't know, that it won't happen again. This makes life easier to bear and makes us more tolerant. Meanwhile - assuming malice - the most hasty of judgments - makes everything harder to bear.
Cease to hope and you will cease to fear. The primary cause of both these ills is that instead of adapting ourselves to present circumstances we send out thoughts too far ahead.
Fortune falls heavily on those for whom she's unexpected. The one always on the lookout easily endures.
"I would choose being sick over living in luxury, for being sick only harms the body, whereas luxury destroys both the body and the soul, causing weakness and incapacity in the body, and lack of control and cowardice in the soul. What's more, luxury breeds injustice because it also breeds greediness."
No person hands out money to passersby, but to how many do each of us hand out our lives! We're tight-fisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers.
___
Stoicism in a nutshell: Virtue (four cardinal virtues of self-control, courage, justice and wisdom) is happiness, and it is our perception of things - rather than the things themsleves - that cause most of our trouble.
The three most essential parts of Stoic philosophy:
Control your perceptions.
Direct your actions properly.
Willingly accept what's outside your control.
When your efforts are not directed towards a cause or purpose, how will you know what to say no to and what to say yes to? How will you know when you have had enough, when you've reached your goal, when you've gotten off track, if you've never defined what those things are?
Serenity and stability are results of your choices and judgment, not your environment. If you seek to avoid all disruptions to tranquility, you will never be successful. Your problems will follow you wherever you run and hide.
External things can't fix internal issues. Money only marginally changes life. It doesn't solve the problems that people without it seem to think it will.
When I see an anxious person, I ask: What do they want? For if a person wasn't wanting something outside their control, why would they be stricken by anxiety?
The next time you find yourself in the middle of a freakout or breakout, stop a moment and ask yourself: Is this helping me feel better?
It is important to connect the so-called temptation with its actual effects. Once you understand that indulging might actually be worse than resisting, the urge begins to lose its appeal.
It is the privilege of the gods to want nothing, and of godlike men to want little. To want nothing makes you invincible, because nothing lies outside of your control.
The more things we desire and the more we have to do to earn or attain these achievements, the less we actually enjoy our lives - and the less free we are.
It's not about avoidance or shunning, but rather not giving any possible outcome more power or preference than is appropriate. This is not easy to do, certainly, but if you could manage, how much more relaxed would you be?
Curb your desire - don't set your heart on so many things and you will get what you need. Train your mind to ask: "Do I need this thing? What will happen if I do not get it? Can I make do without it?"
"The cause of my irritation is not in this person but in me." Our labels, our expectations.
There are two ways to be wealthy, to get everything you want or to want everything you have.
People put a great deal of effort into ensuring that money is real, whereas we accept potentially life-changing thoughts or assumptions without so much as a question. One ironic assumption along these lines: That having a lot of money makes you wealthy. Or that because a lot of people believe something, that it must be true.
At the end of your time on this planet, what expertise is going to be more valuable, your understanding of matters of living and dying, or your knowledge of celebrity lives / intricacies of plot points of your favourite TV series / insert random vice or obsession here?
Everything we do has a toll attached to it. Waiting around is a tax on travelling. Rumours and gossip are the tax that come from acquiring a public persona. Disagreements and occasional frustration are taxes placed on even the happiest of relationships. There are many forms of taxes in life. You can argue with them, you can go to great - but ultimately futile - lengths to evade them, or you can simply pay them and enjoy the fruits of what you get to keep.
"If you don't take the money, they can't tell you what to do." Wanting makes you a servant.
Make character your loudest statement. Do, don't just say.
God laid down this law, saying: if you want some good, get it from yourself. - Epictetus.
Reflect then, that your ancestors set up these trophies, not that you may gaze at them in wonder, but that you may also imitate the virtues of the men who set them up.
Take pleasure in taking the right actions, rather than the results that come from them. Focus on what you can control.
Joy for human beings lies in proper human work. And proper human work consists in: acts of kindness to other human beings, disdain for the stirring of the senses, identifying trustworthy impressions, and contemplating the natural order and all that happens in keeping with it.
The first two things before acting: Don't get upset. And do the right thing.
Succumbing to the self-pity and "woe is me" narrative accomplishes nothing - nothing except sapping you of the energy and motivation you need to do something about your problem.
A trained mind is better than any script. And and far better booster of confidence.
Don't think of how you HAVE to do something, but rather how you GET TO do it. Receive and respond to the will in the world.
Appeal to self-interest, rather than moralise. SHOW how something is bad, rather than just say it is bad.
Remember then, if you deem what is by nature slavish to be free, and what is not your own to be yours, you will be shackled and miserable, blaming both gods and other people. But if you deem as your own only what is yours, and what belongs to others as truly not yours, then no one will ever be able to coerce or to stop you, you will find no one to blame or accuse, you will do nothing against your will, you will have no enemy, no one will harm you, because no harm can affect you.
Anyone who truly wants to be free, won't desire something that is actually in someone else's control, unless they want to be a slave.
Take days off from work, not learning.
Better to trip with the feet than the tongue. Words can't be unsaid.
A virtuous person is generous with assumptions: that something was an accident, that someone didn't know, that it won't happen again. This makes life easier to bear and makes us more tolerant. Meanwhile - assuming malice - the most hasty of judgments - makes everything harder to bear.
Cease to hope and you will cease to fear. The primary cause of both these ills is that instead of adapting ourselves to present circumstances we send out thoughts too far ahead.
Fortune falls heavily on those for whom she's unexpected. The one always on the lookout easily endures.
"I would choose being sick over living in luxury, for being sick only harms the body, whereas luxury destroys both the body and the soul, causing weakness and incapacity in the body, and lack of control and cowardice in the soul. What's more, luxury breeds injustice because it also breeds greediness."
No person hands out money to passersby, but to how many do each of us hand out our lives! We're tight-fisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers.
April 11, 2017
The meditations are so short that they cannot satisfy my daily thirst. However, because the texts are not tightly connected, "reading" quickly on one-go feels like drinking too many different beverages at the same time; soon you lose your feeling.
What this book did do is to re-awaken my interest in stoicism and my desire to go back to the actual texts, which are much more thoughtful and profound, and hence significantly more delightful.
What this book did do is to re-awaken my interest in stoicism and my desire to go back to the actual texts, which are much more thoughtful and profound, and hence significantly more delightful.
August 10, 2022
1, 73 din 5.
(Încă) una dintre nenumăratele confecții care gîdilă interesul contemporan pentru stoici.
Autorul e foarte sigur că această revenire a stoicilor în actualitate i se datorează exclusiv (Pierre Hadot și Michel Foucault n-au avut, săracii, nici o contribuție): „În prezent (mai ales după recenta publicare a cărții mele The Obstacle is the Way – Obstacolul este calea), stoicismul și-a găsit un public nou și variat, printre care se numără echipele de antrenori ale celor de la New England Patriots și Seattle Seahawks, rapperul LL Cool J, crainica Michele Tafoya, precum și numeroși alți sportivi profesioniști, directori executivi, manageri de fonduri speculative, artiști, persoane în funcții de conducere și figuri publice” (pp.10-11).
Nu trebuie să-l uităm nici pe generalul NATO, James Mattis, poreclit „Cîinele turbat”, care purta în misiunile sale din Irak și Afganistan - inspirat de Ryan Holiday, desigur - o ediție din Gînduri către mine însumi de Marcus Aurelius (p.12). Așa a procedat odinioară și Alexandru Macedon în expediția din Asia: dormea cu Homer sub pernă. Nu am nici o îndoială că sursa excelentei imagini de sine a autorului cărții de față e stoicismul...
Ryan Holiday a ales 366 de pasaje din scrierile lui Seneca, Epictet și Marcus Aurelius și le-a așezat într-un „calendar al înțelepciunii”. Cititorul e îndemnat să mediteze în fiecare zi la cîte o frază. În 5 ianuarie, e bine să citim cu luare aminte această cugetare a lui Seneca (Despre liniștea sufletului. Către Serenus, 12: 5):
De obicei, Bogdan Ghiurco îi traduce pe Seneca (și pe ceilalți înțelepți) după traducerea engleză aflată în The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations for Clarity, Effectiveness, and Serenity. Dacă verificăm o versiune românească după originalul latin, diferența de sens este considerabilă. Iată fragmentul de mai sus în varianta unui clasicist:
Abia acum fraza lui Seneca e limpede.
Am verificat și alte citate. Toate sînt (și sună) anapoda. Legătura lor cu originalul latin este foarte firavă. Să mai spun că fiecare pasaj din stoici e urmat de un comentariu? Da, Ryan Holiday încearcă să ne ajute să înțelegem ce a vrut să spună filosoful. Din păcate, aceste tentative de explicații sînt nu doar rudimentare, ci și triviale. Autorul are darul de a banaliza orice. Marcus Aurelius se întreabă dacă tiranii, paricizii, tîlharii au simțit vreodată o plăcere și cît de mare a fost ea (Gînduri pentru mine însumi, 6: 34). Este o nedumerire, împăratul nu dă nici un răspuns. Din întrebarea lui nu putem deduce nimic.
Ce a priceput Ryan Holiday: „Nu se cuvine să-i judecăm pe alții, dar merită totuși să analizăm un pic ce înseamnă un trai plin de răsfăț... Uită-te la un dictator și la haremul lui sufocat de urzelile și comploturile ibovnicelor. Uită-te cît de repede petrecerea unei tinere starlete se transformă în dependență de droguri și o carieră stagnantă. Întreabă-te: oare chiar merită? Oare plăcerea este chiar atît de mare?” (p.78).
Dar nu despre asta e vorba în întrebarea împăratului. Marcus Aurelius se referă, pur și simplu, la relația nelegiuiților cu plăcerea. Pot trăi o plăcere au ba? NU pomenește nicăieri de „traiul plin de răsfăț” al ticăloșilor și nici de ibovnice.
Observații critice aș mai avea, dar mă tem că vă țin din treabă...
(Încă) una dintre nenumăratele confecții care gîdilă interesul contemporan pentru stoici.
Autorul e foarte sigur că această revenire a stoicilor în actualitate i se datorează exclusiv (Pierre Hadot și Michel Foucault n-au avut, săracii, nici o contribuție): „În prezent (mai ales după recenta publicare a cărții mele The Obstacle is the Way – Obstacolul este calea), stoicismul și-a găsit un public nou și variat, printre care se numără echipele de antrenori ale celor de la New England Patriots și Seattle Seahawks, rapperul LL Cool J, crainica Michele Tafoya, precum și numeroși alți sportivi profesioniști, directori executivi, manageri de fonduri speculative, artiști, persoane în funcții de conducere și figuri publice” (pp.10-11).
Nu trebuie să-l uităm nici pe generalul NATO, James Mattis, poreclit „Cîinele turbat”, care purta în misiunile sale din Irak și Afganistan - inspirat de Ryan Holiday, desigur - o ediție din Gînduri către mine însumi de Marcus Aurelius (p.12). Așa a procedat odinioară și Alexandru Macedon în expediția din Asia: dormea cu Homer sub pernă. Nu am nici o îndoială că sursa excelentei imagini de sine a autorului cărții de față e stoicismul...
Ryan Holiday a ales 366 de pasaje din scrierile lui Seneca, Epictet și Marcus Aurelius și le-a așezat într-un „calendar al înțelepciunii”. Cititorul e îndemnat să mediteze în fiecare zi la cîte o frază. În 5 ianuarie, e bine să citim cu luare aminte această cugetare a lui Seneca (Despre liniștea sufletului. Către Serenus, 12: 5):
„Orice efort trebuie să aibă un scop, să privească într-o direcție! Nu hărnicia îi tulbură pe cei neliniștiți ca pe niște nebuni, ci părerile false despre lucruri”.
De obicei, Bogdan Ghiurco îi traduce pe Seneca (și pe ceilalți înțelepți) după traducerea engleză aflată în The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations for Clarity, Effectiveness, and Serenity. Dacă verificăm o versiune românească după originalul latin, diferența de sens este considerabilă. Iată fragmentul de mai sus în varianta unui clasicist:
„Orice strădanie a noastră să se îndrepte spre un ţel precis. Pe aceşti oameni fără astîmpăr nu îi frămîntă atingerea unei ținte adevărate, ci nişte pricini închipuite. Nici măcar nebunii nu se agită fără temei, ci îi stîrneşte o închipuire a cărei zădărnicie n-o înţelege mintea lor înfierbîntată” (traducere de Svetlana Sterescu).
Abia acum fraza lui Seneca e limpede.
Am verificat și alte citate. Toate sînt (și sună) anapoda. Legătura lor cu originalul latin este foarte firavă. Să mai spun că fiecare pasaj din stoici e urmat de un comentariu? Da, Ryan Holiday încearcă să ne ajute să înțelegem ce a vrut să spună filosoful. Din păcate, aceste tentative de explicații sînt nu doar rudimentare, ci și triviale. Autorul are darul de a banaliza orice. Marcus Aurelius se întreabă dacă tiranii, paricizii, tîlharii au simțit vreodată o plăcere și cît de mare a fost ea (Gînduri pentru mine însumi, 6: 34). Este o nedumerire, împăratul nu dă nici un răspuns. Din întrebarea lui nu putem deduce nimic.
Ce a priceput Ryan Holiday: „Nu se cuvine să-i judecăm pe alții, dar merită totuși să analizăm un pic ce înseamnă un trai plin de răsfăț... Uită-te la un dictator și la haremul lui sufocat de urzelile și comploturile ibovnicelor. Uită-te cît de repede petrecerea unei tinere starlete se transformă în dependență de droguri și o carieră stagnantă. Întreabă-te: oare chiar merită? Oare plăcerea este chiar atît de mare?” (p.78).
Dar nu despre asta e vorba în întrebarea împăratului. Marcus Aurelius se referă, pur și simplu, la relația nelegiuiților cu plăcerea. Pot trăi o plăcere au ba? NU pomenește nicăieri de „traiul plin de răsfăț” al ticăloșilor și nici de ibovnice.
Observații critice aș mai avea, dar mă tem că vă țin din treabă...
April 25, 2025
Life changing. Reading it over. Every day. Every year.
March 19, 2017
I am a fan of some of Marcus Aurelius' writing so I bought this book looking forward to discovering other ancient Stoic writers. Instead, I found mostly the interpretations of the editor with just small snippets from the Stoic greats. Sometimes it's hard to find the Stoic quotes amidst the simplistic and shallow commentary of the editor.
January 7, 2021
I'd recommend reading the quotes, and ignoring the flawed analysis offered by Holiday. His view of Stoicism is rooted in financial and personal gain, which is antithetical to the true nature of the philosophy. There are many great modern authors attempting to revive Stoicism, and I don't believe Holiday is one of them. In trying to appeal to a wide audience and portray it as a "life hack", it becomes a shell of itself and loses it's credibility. He focuses on success and ignores virtue, arguably changing the philosophy so far as to be unrecognizable. All the ancient Stoics believed eudaimonia (happiness, or flourishing) could be achieved independently of your external circumstances. Epictetus, one of the most influential Stoics, spent most of his life as a slave. Success meant nothing to him. Virtue should be thought of as the only true good, as that is the core of the philosophy, and there is little focus on that in this book.
January 1, 2021
Stoicism is an ancient philosophy. It asserts that virtue (meaning self-control, courage, justice, and wisdom) is happiness. To achieve virtue, and thus live happily, one must master the three Stoic disciplines: perceptions (how you see and understand the world), actions (how you act based on what you see), and will (how you feel when events are outside your control).
The Daily Stoic is an exercise guide, not a history of Stoicism. Its goal is to help you understand the three disciplines - perception, action, and will - and apply lessons from each to your life. Each day, you’re presented with a Stoic lesson, explained in modern language, with advice about how to apply it in everyday life.
When studying Stoicism in the past, I’ve encountered two problems. The original sources can difficult to read. Simply put, we spoke differently 2,000 years ago. Stoicism is full of important lessons, but they can be lost when struggling with the language in Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Letters from a Stoic by Seneca. Books like The Obstacle is the Way and a Guide to the Good Life help by interpreting and summarizing the lessons for a modern audience. But Stoicism contains hundreds lessons about how to live well, and modern summaries can be difficult to remember and apply them all.
This is where The Daily Stoic shines. Not only does it make Stoic lessons easy to understand and apply, it focuses you on just one lesson per day. I find this format - a daily practice guide - the most effective way of reading, understanding, and applying Stoicism.
The Daily Stoic is an exercise guide, not a history of Stoicism. Its goal is to help you understand the three disciplines - perception, action, and will - and apply lessons from each to your life. Each day, you’re presented with a Stoic lesson, explained in modern language, with advice about how to apply it in everyday life.
When studying Stoicism in the past, I’ve encountered two problems. The original sources can difficult to read. Simply put, we spoke differently 2,000 years ago. Stoicism is full of important lessons, but they can be lost when struggling with the language in Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Letters from a Stoic by Seneca. Books like The Obstacle is the Way and a Guide to the Good Life help by interpreting and summarizing the lessons for a modern audience. But Stoicism contains hundreds lessons about how to live well, and modern summaries can be difficult to remember and apply them all.
This is where The Daily Stoic shines. Not only does it make Stoic lessons easy to understand and apply, it focuses you on just one lesson per day. I find this format - a daily practice guide - the most effective way of reading, understanding, and applying Stoicism.
February 5, 2017
It's perfect for it's purpose, a daily dip into stoic wisdom. Those who rated it one star are judging against a standard it's not attempting to meet. The author does not claim to give the best translations, only accessible ones.
I'm probably going to end up buying this and reading it daily for years.
For those looking for deep dives rather than a daily dip, read Long's translation of Meditations (or Hays for a version that's like having the author put his hand on his shoulder and advise you, while standing in a muddy field).
There are a lot of translations, look until you find one you like!
I'm probably going to end up buying this and reading it daily for years.
For those looking for deep dives rather than a daily dip, read Long's translation of Meditations (or Hays for a version that's like having the author put his hand on his shoulder and advise you, while standing in a muddy field).
There are a lot of translations, look until you find one you like!
July 16, 2017
This was a really good collection of quotes from Stoic philosophers such as Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus and daily meditations from the authors Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. I read two meditations a day from December 2016 to July 2017. I enjoyed learning from the wisdom of these philosophers who lived around 2,000 years ago and it amazes me that their words stand the test of time. Big takeaways from the book: Be good, accept the things you can control, realize that the outcome of things is controlled by someone or something bigger than yourself, and finally practice what you preach by living out the wisdom and teachings that you read.
June 11, 2024
Stoicism
In today's world, we are so polarised and disturbed by inequalities and issues often outside our own control, as we are regularly fed misinformation and disinformation. How much do we point a finger and jump to blame someone else before we introspectively assess our own beliefs and actions? Stoicism is an ancient philosophy that teaches the development of self-control and fortitude as a means to overcome destructive emotions. It was initially brought to prominence through the works of great philosophers such as Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus. Their works are still relevant today and are becoming very popular again.
The growing uptake of this philosophical mindset is an excellent reminder that all changes to our beliefs and mindsets start from within - regulate emotion, live by virtue (wisdom, courage, justice and temperance), practice mindfulness for self-examination, control what you can and embrace fate, live in a community that encourages compassion and justice for all. The powerful serenity prayer is an excellent example of this:
I have been reading this for almost a year, and it has been a great way to start each day. The daily lesson is only a few paragraphs. If you like the idea of a daily inspirational message or exploring the philosophy of Stoicism, this is a great starting point. I wouldn't consider myself a Stoic, but I appreciate its value and keep trying to get there.
Maybe that's the point!!!
In today's world, we are so polarised and disturbed by inequalities and issues often outside our own control, as we are regularly fed misinformation and disinformation. How much do we point a finger and jump to blame someone else before we introspectively assess our own beliefs and actions? Stoicism is an ancient philosophy that teaches the development of self-control and fortitude as a means to overcome destructive emotions. It was initially brought to prominence through the works of great philosophers such as Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus. Their works are still relevant today and are becoming very popular again.
The growing uptake of this philosophical mindset is an excellent reminder that all changes to our beliefs and mindsets start from within - regulate emotion, live by virtue (wisdom, courage, justice and temperance), practice mindfulness for self-examination, control what you can and embrace fate, live in a community that encourages compassion and justice for all. The powerful serenity prayer is an excellent example of this:
"Grant me the serenity toRyan Holiday's book is possibly the best way to deliver the lessons on Stoicism as it outlines one unique thought per day with 366 different lessons provided in the book. Hence the title The Daily Stoic. Today's message is "Sweat the Small Stuff" - One does not magically get one's act together, it is a matter of many individual choices - the little things add up. My only issue is that some lessons feel repetitive, and some padding is employed to get to 366 lessons.
accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can, and
the wisdom to know the difference."
I have been reading this for almost a year, and it has been a great way to start each day. The daily lesson is only a few paragraphs. If you like the idea of a daily inspirational message or exploring the philosophy of Stoicism, this is a great starting point. I wouldn't consider myself a Stoic, but I appreciate its value and keep trying to get there.
Maybe that's the point!!!
January 11, 2022
December Non-fiction book of the month!
I came upon this book when a friend posted one of the pages on IG and I thought that I would enjoy the book and the format. I have read a book about stoicism by Holiday and wasn’t the biggest fan -Because of the preachy writing style and not the concept itself- I was looking for a Non-fiction book for December to wrap up the year with and I suddenly found myself reading this too!
The full title is The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations for Clarity, Effectiveness, and Serenity. The book features 366 ideas, each with a quote from one of the leading figures of Stoicism, each is approximately one page long and has the author’s interpretation after the quote.
I think the book formula make it easy to read but I really can’t read one page per day for one year. I am just the type of reader who gets bored easily of seeing the same book for a long time and I am simply a dynamic reader so I read the whole book within the last month of the year. I think it is not formatted to be binged as I did but I would not have been able to finish it otherwise.
I think Stoicism is cool and I don’t agree with all the concepts presented but I agree with the majority of them. I am more convinced that Stoicism is best taken from those figures being quoted here like Seneca, Marcus Aurelius & Epictetus because their writings are not that complex and do not need that much interpretation.
In one page the author discusses anxiety and says: “The pragmatist, the person of action, is too buy to waste time on such silliness,” I had to stop while reading and go over this again and again because I believe the author meant well by it but it rubbed me the wrong way because I do have anxiety and some things are out of my control. I wouldn’t like to be called silly for that! I like the concept of stoicism but some things are just out of our control!
Summary: I think it is a simple book that relies heavily on quoting old philosophers and then interpreting them in a very simple way. Most of the things did not need the interpretation and the format is a little bit tricky. I think if I want to read more about the concept, I will check out the sources used here next time as they are not complex and provide something original!
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
I came upon this book when a friend posted one of the pages on IG and I thought that I would enjoy the book and the format. I have read a book about stoicism by Holiday and wasn’t the biggest fan -Because of the preachy writing style and not the concept itself- I was looking for a Non-fiction book for December to wrap up the year with and I suddenly found myself reading this too!
The full title is The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations for Clarity, Effectiveness, and Serenity. The book features 366 ideas, each with a quote from one of the leading figures of Stoicism, each is approximately one page long and has the author’s interpretation after the quote.
I think the book formula make it easy to read but I really can’t read one page per day for one year. I am just the type of reader who gets bored easily of seeing the same book for a long time and I am simply a dynamic reader so I read the whole book within the last month of the year. I think it is not formatted to be binged as I did but I would not have been able to finish it otherwise.
I think Stoicism is cool and I don’t agree with all the concepts presented but I agree with the majority of them. I am more convinced that Stoicism is best taken from those figures being quoted here like Seneca, Marcus Aurelius & Epictetus because their writings are not that complex and do not need that much interpretation.
In one page the author discusses anxiety and says: “The pragmatist, the person of action, is too buy to waste time on such silliness,” I had to stop while reading and go over this again and again because I believe the author meant well by it but it rubbed me the wrong way because I do have anxiety and some things are out of my control. I wouldn’t like to be called silly for that! I like the concept of stoicism but some things are just out of our control!
Summary: I think it is a simple book that relies heavily on quoting old philosophers and then interpreting them in a very simple way. Most of the things did not need the interpretation and the format is a little bit tricky. I think if I want to read more about the concept, I will check out the sources used here next time as they are not complex and provide something original!
March 29, 2025
"We have two ears and only one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak."
Epictetus, the most Catholic of Roman Philosophers
The Romans had it right - we hear twice as much as we can say. So these days we are snookered if we don't listen.
We can learn of positive mitigators in our interlocutors' naysaying by doing that.
For moral naysaying always trumps the sinful variety!
Did you doubt it? Well, let me try to explain my abhorrent logic...
When a tarnished past president becomes a tarnished president redux, we mostly hear groans around the world.
But the law holds true equally with grace according to scripture.
And Epictetus preached equal mindedness!
Neither one side nor the other is important.
Why retreat to our little corner? Always accentuate the Positive.
What choice do we have?
Simple:
Four years of unhealthy gripes or four years with a clear healthy head?
It's our choice!
And Ours Alone.
Epictetus, the most Catholic of Roman Philosophers
The Romans had it right - we hear twice as much as we can say. So these days we are snookered if we don't listen.
We can learn of positive mitigators in our interlocutors' naysaying by doing that.
For moral naysaying always trumps the sinful variety!
Did you doubt it? Well, let me try to explain my abhorrent logic...
When a tarnished past president becomes a tarnished president redux, we mostly hear groans around the world.
But the law holds true equally with grace according to scripture.
And Epictetus preached equal mindedness!
Neither one side nor the other is important.
Why retreat to our little corner? Always accentuate the Positive.
What choice do we have?
Simple:
Four years of unhealthy gripes or four years with a clear healthy head?
It's our choice!
And Ours Alone.
February 4, 2020
I bought this book because I wanted a page-a-day morning meditation. Instead, I got this: flaccid, trite, ignorant, self-important "advice" with little comprehension of the classical philosophers. Feb 8 actually suggests that if someone is upset, you should taunt them sarcastically. Absolutely lacking in empathy and wisdom. Nothing of value here.
October 23, 2022
I’ve been reading this book of daily readings, for just over a year now. I may have missed an occasional day here and there, but I will be reading it again and again. It’s that good. Every daily reading starts with a short quote from one of the Stoic practitioners, followed by a commentary. I love starting my day with prayers, as well as a few other favorites. I have found that it helps to set the right tone for the rest of my day.
I have many favorite quotes. Here are just a few of them.
Circle of Control
“… a wise person knows what’s inside their circle of control and what is outside of it.
The good news is that it’s pretty easy to remember what is inside our control. According to the Stoics, the circle of control contains just one thing: YOUR MIND. That’s right, even your physical body isn’t completely within the circle. After all, you could be struck with a physical illness or impairment at any moment. You could be traveling in a foreign country and be thrown in jail.
But this is all good news because it drastically reduces the amount of things that you need to think about. There is clarity in simplicity. While everyone else is running around with a list of responsibilities a mile long – things that they’re not actually responsible for – you’ve got just that one-item list. You’ve got just one thing to manage: your choices, your will, your mind.
So mind it.”
Don’t Unintentionally Hand Over Your Freedom
“Instinctively, we protect your physical selves. We don’t let people touch us, push us around, control where we go. But when it comes to the mind, we’re less disciplined. We hand it over willingly to social media, to television, to what other people are doing, thinking, or saying. We sit down to work and the next thing you know, we’re browsing the Internet. We sit down with our families, but within minutes we have our phones out. We sit down peacefully in a park, but instead of looking inward, we’re judging people as they pass by.
We don’t even know that we’re doing this. We don’t realize how much waste is in it, how inefficient and distracted it makes us. And what’s worse – no one is making this happen. It’s totally self-inflicted.
To the Stoics, this is an abomination. They know that the world can control our bodies – we can be thrown in jail or be tossed about by the weather. But the mind? That’s ours. We must protect it. Maintain control over your mind and perceptions, they’d say. It’s your most prized possession.
Just Don’t Make Things Worse
“The first rule of holes, goes the adage, is that ‘if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.’ This might be the most violated piece of commonsense advice in the world. Because what most of us do when something happens, goes wrong, or is inflicted on us is make it worse – first, by getting angry or feeling aggrieved, and next, by flailing around before we have much in the way of a plan.
Today, give yourself the most simple and doable of tasks: just don’t make stuff worse. Whatever happens, don’t add angry or negative emotions to the equation. Don’t react for the sake of reacting. Leave it as it is. Stop digging. Then plan your way out.”
Set the Standards and Use Them
“We go through our days responding and reacting, but it’s rare to really pause and ask: Is this thing I’m about to do consistent with what I believe? Or, better: Is this the kind of thing the person I would like to be should do?
The work of living is to set standards and then not compromise them. When you’re brushing your teeth, choosing your friends, losing your temper, falling in love, instructing your child, or walking your dog – all of these are opportunities.
Not, I want to do good – that’s an excuse. But, I will do good in this particular instance, right now. Set a standard; hold fast to it. That’s all there is.
Two Tasks
“You have two essential tasks in life:
to be a good person
and
to pursue the occupation that you love.
Everything else is a waste of energy and a squandering of your potential.
How does one do that? OK, that’s a tougher question. But the philosophy we see from the Stoics makes it simple enough:
say no to:
Distractions
Destructive emotions
Outside pressure.
Ask yourself:
What is that only I can do?
What is the best use of my limited time on this planet?
Try to do the right thing when the situation calls for it.
Treat other people the way you hope to be treated.
And understand that every small choice and tiny matter is an opportunity to practice those larger principles.
That’s it. That’s what goes into the most important skill of all: how to live.
I have many favorite quotes. Here are just a few of them.
Circle of Control
“… a wise person knows what’s inside their circle of control and what is outside of it.
The good news is that it’s pretty easy to remember what is inside our control. According to the Stoics, the circle of control contains just one thing: YOUR MIND. That’s right, even your physical body isn’t completely within the circle. After all, you could be struck with a physical illness or impairment at any moment. You could be traveling in a foreign country and be thrown in jail.
But this is all good news because it drastically reduces the amount of things that you need to think about. There is clarity in simplicity. While everyone else is running around with a list of responsibilities a mile long – things that they’re not actually responsible for – you’ve got just that one-item list. You’ve got just one thing to manage: your choices, your will, your mind.
So mind it.”
Don’t Unintentionally Hand Over Your Freedom
“Instinctively, we protect your physical selves. We don’t let people touch us, push us around, control where we go. But when it comes to the mind, we’re less disciplined. We hand it over willingly to social media, to television, to what other people are doing, thinking, or saying. We sit down to work and the next thing you know, we’re browsing the Internet. We sit down with our families, but within minutes we have our phones out. We sit down peacefully in a park, but instead of looking inward, we’re judging people as they pass by.
We don’t even know that we’re doing this. We don’t realize how much waste is in it, how inefficient and distracted it makes us. And what’s worse – no one is making this happen. It’s totally self-inflicted.
To the Stoics, this is an abomination. They know that the world can control our bodies – we can be thrown in jail or be tossed about by the weather. But the mind? That’s ours. We must protect it. Maintain control over your mind and perceptions, they’d say. It’s your most prized possession.
Just Don’t Make Things Worse
“The first rule of holes, goes the adage, is that ‘if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.’ This might be the most violated piece of commonsense advice in the world. Because what most of us do when something happens, goes wrong, or is inflicted on us is make it worse – first, by getting angry or feeling aggrieved, and next, by flailing around before we have much in the way of a plan.
Today, give yourself the most simple and doable of tasks: just don’t make stuff worse. Whatever happens, don’t add angry or negative emotions to the equation. Don’t react for the sake of reacting. Leave it as it is. Stop digging. Then plan your way out.”
Set the Standards and Use Them
“We go through our days responding and reacting, but it’s rare to really pause and ask: Is this thing I’m about to do consistent with what I believe? Or, better: Is this the kind of thing the person I would like to be should do?
The work of living is to set standards and then not compromise them. When you’re brushing your teeth, choosing your friends, losing your temper, falling in love, instructing your child, or walking your dog – all of these are opportunities.
Not, I want to do good – that’s an excuse. But, I will do good in this particular instance, right now. Set a standard; hold fast to it. That’s all there is.
Two Tasks
“You have two essential tasks in life:
to be a good person
and
to pursue the occupation that you love.
Everything else is a waste of energy and a squandering of your potential.
How does one do that? OK, that’s a tougher question. But the philosophy we see from the Stoics makes it simple enough:
say no to:
Distractions
Destructive emotions
Outside pressure.
Ask yourself:
What is that only I can do?
What is the best use of my limited time on this planet?
Try to do the right thing when the situation calls for it.
Treat other people the way you hope to be treated.
And understand that every small choice and tiny matter is an opportunity to practice those larger principles.
That’s it. That’s what goes into the most important skill of all: how to live.
January 4, 2017
In one pithy word: rudimentary.
What an affront to the great thinkers of ancient times. Each "daily meditation" is but a tiny drop of water splashing itself into the vast blue sea; nary an impact, nary a difference.
Would not recommend.
What an affront to the great thinkers of ancient times. Each "daily meditation" is but a tiny drop of water splashing itself into the vast blue sea; nary an impact, nary a difference.
Would not recommend.
December 24, 2018
This book is seriously life changing. I couldn't imagine my life without it. I'm on my second, going on a third (surely not the last one) loop.
March 31, 2024
Tengo que reconocer que leer este libro ha sido una experiencia muy enriquecedora.
Está escrito como un diario, con reflexiones diarias, pero yo lo he leído de corrido. En una próxima lectura, lo comenzaré un 1 de enero e iré leyendo solamente una reflexión al día para profundizar aún más sobre ello; porque sí, este libro merece ser leído más de una vez.
Me gusta muchísimo la Filosofía Estoica y me siento muy identificada con sus ideas.
Eso sí, debo reconocer que en muchas de las reflexiones, me ha gustado mucho más leer las citas de Epicteto, Séneca ó Marco Aurelio que la interpretación que hace Ryan. En algunas de sus reflexiones, ni siquiera estoy de acuerdo en que ese pensamiento que él expone sea el más representativo de las citas, pero bueno, en general lo hace muy bien.
Durante la lectura, he resaltado numerosas frases. Aquí van solamente algunas de ellas:
"Tememos quedarnos quietos, por eso buscamos el conflicto y la acción a modo de distracción. Elegimos estar en guerra cuando, de hecho, la paz es una alternativa mucho más honorable y adecuada."
“Las circunstancias no tienen en cuenta tus sentimientos, tus ansiedades o tus emociones. No les importa tu reacción. No son personas. Así que deja de actuar como si exaltarse tuviera algún efecto en las situaciones complicadas. Son inmunes a tus reacciones.”
“En primer lugar, dite a ti mismo quién quieres ser. Y, luego, de acuerdo con eso, haz lo que haces. Y es que en casi todas las demás cosas vemos que sucede así. Los atletas deciden primero quiénes quieren ser y, luego, de acuerdo con eso, obran en consecuencia.” (Epicteto, en Disertaciones por Arriano.)
“Si sigues el proceso en tu vida y realizas las acciones adecuadas en el orden correcto, una después de otra, te irá bien. No solo eso, estarás mejor preparado para superar rápidamente los obstáculos que se te presenten. Estarás demasiado ocupado poniendo un pie delante del otro como para darte cuenta siquiera de los obstáculos.”
Si os atrae la Filosofía Estoica y queréis acercaros a ella de una manera simple y enriquecedora, no dudéis en darle una oportunidad a este libro .
Está escrito como un diario, con reflexiones diarias, pero yo lo he leído de corrido. En una próxima lectura, lo comenzaré un 1 de enero e iré leyendo solamente una reflexión al día para profundizar aún más sobre ello; porque sí, este libro merece ser leído más de una vez.
Me gusta muchísimo la Filosofía Estoica y me siento muy identificada con sus ideas.
Eso sí, debo reconocer que en muchas de las reflexiones, me ha gustado mucho más leer las citas de Epicteto, Séneca ó Marco Aurelio que la interpretación que hace Ryan. En algunas de sus reflexiones, ni siquiera estoy de acuerdo en que ese pensamiento que él expone sea el más representativo de las citas, pero bueno, en general lo hace muy bien.
Durante la lectura, he resaltado numerosas frases. Aquí van solamente algunas de ellas:
"Tememos quedarnos quietos, por eso buscamos el conflicto y la acción a modo de distracción. Elegimos estar en guerra cuando, de hecho, la paz es una alternativa mucho más honorable y adecuada."
“Las circunstancias no tienen en cuenta tus sentimientos, tus ansiedades o tus emociones. No les importa tu reacción. No son personas. Así que deja de actuar como si exaltarse tuviera algún efecto en las situaciones complicadas. Son inmunes a tus reacciones.”
“En primer lugar, dite a ti mismo quién quieres ser. Y, luego, de acuerdo con eso, haz lo que haces. Y es que en casi todas las demás cosas vemos que sucede así. Los atletas deciden primero quiénes quieren ser y, luego, de acuerdo con eso, obran en consecuencia.” (Epicteto, en Disertaciones por Arriano.)
“Si sigues el proceso en tu vida y realizas las acciones adecuadas en el orden correcto, una después de otra, te irá bien. No solo eso, estarás mejor preparado para superar rápidamente los obstáculos que se te presenten. Estarás demasiado ocupado poniendo un pie delante del otro como para darte cuenta siquiera de los obstáculos.”
Si os atrae la Filosofía Estoica y queréis acercaros a ella de una manera simple y enriquecedora, no dudéis en darle una oportunidad a este libro .
May 14, 2019
Ignore this drivel and go read the original source material. 85% of this book is quotes from the meditations of Marcus Aurelius. The author throws in banal commentary after each quote that sounds like something a college freshman would say. It's repetitive, unoriginal, and completely lacking in profundity. He could've just written,"yeah! What Marcus said!" and had the same effect. The only thing I learned from this book is that if I was smarter I'd be making money off derivative garbage like this bullshit con artist.
December 31, 2025
Este livro tem 366 lições diárias baseado em citações de filósofos estóicos sobretudo: Marco Aurélio, Séneca e Epicteto.
Cada citação é seguida de um comentário curto do autor, que tenta trazer o pensamento clássico para o quotidiano atual.
Foi assim que o li no ano de 2025: uma lição por dia.
Aprendi muito e refleti com as citações e meditações dos filósofos.
Obriga a parar, desenvolve consciência sobre pensamentos, expectativas e reações.
Reforça ideias-chave do estoicismo: controlo, responsabilidade pessoal e aceitação.
Nem com todas as reflexões concordei. Algumas parecem demasiado teóricas e difíceis de aplicar na sociedade atual.
Muitas máximas nasceram num mundo sem precaridade moderna, sem redes sociais. Há ideias que funcionam como ideais.
A repetição da ideia de que não podemos mudar o que está à nossa volta, apenas a forma como reagimos, foi uma das mensagens mais fortes.
Esta ideia não resolve tudo mas evita sofrimento desnecessário.
“Não são os acontecimentos que nos perturbam, mas a opinião que temos sobre eles.” Epicteto
“Tens poder sobre a tua mente, não sobre os acontecimentos exteriores. Percebe isto e encontrarás força.” Marco Aurélio
Este diário não muda a vida por si só. Mas pode ajudar a mudar a forma como se olha para ela. É um livro exigente, por vezes distante da realidade atual, mas que convida à reflexão diária e à responsabilidade emocional. Não concordei com tudo — e isso também fez parte do processo.
Por fim, gostava de agradecer a quem acompanhou durante este ano as partilhas diárias.
Feliz Ano Novo 2026!
Cada citação é seguida de um comentário curto do autor, que tenta trazer o pensamento clássico para o quotidiano atual.
Foi assim que o li no ano de 2025: uma lição por dia.
Aprendi muito e refleti com as citações e meditações dos filósofos.
Obriga a parar, desenvolve consciência sobre pensamentos, expectativas e reações.
Reforça ideias-chave do estoicismo: controlo, responsabilidade pessoal e aceitação.
Nem com todas as reflexões concordei. Algumas parecem demasiado teóricas e difíceis de aplicar na sociedade atual.
Muitas máximas nasceram num mundo sem precaridade moderna, sem redes sociais. Há ideias que funcionam como ideais.
A repetição da ideia de que não podemos mudar o que está à nossa volta, apenas a forma como reagimos, foi uma das mensagens mais fortes.
Esta ideia não resolve tudo mas evita sofrimento desnecessário.
“Não são os acontecimentos que nos perturbam, mas a opinião que temos sobre eles.” Epicteto
“Tens poder sobre a tua mente, não sobre os acontecimentos exteriores. Percebe isto e encontrarás força.” Marco Aurélio
Este diário não muda a vida por si só. Mas pode ajudar a mudar a forma como se olha para ela. É um livro exigente, por vezes distante da realidade atual, mas que convida à reflexão diária e à responsabilidade emocional. Não concordei com tudo — e isso também fez parte do processo.
Por fim, gostava de agradecer a quem acompanhou durante este ano as partilhas diárias.
Feliz Ano Novo 2026!
March 23, 2020
I bought this book in hopes to get a modern take of stoic philosophy. The book is intended to start on January 1st which is slightly distracting but that's neither here nor there. Each passage has a snippet of a classic stoic philosopher and a few paragraphs on how that particular snippet can be implemented in modern life.
I personally don't particularly see eye to eye with how the authors choose to implement the philosophy. Without getting to political, there is a typical "American" / neoliberal vibe with the modern implementations which I find ever so slightly grating. That being said, it's not too distracting albeit probably noticeable for those who might not be so fond of said vibe.
I'd recommend the book to those who might want to get a feel of stoicism or at least get a good idea of who the stoics were. I'd also recommend it for people who might be pressed for time but still have the desire to read something introspective daily (notably atheists / non-theists).
I personally don't particularly see eye to eye with how the authors choose to implement the philosophy. Without getting to political, there is a typical "American" / neoliberal vibe with the modern implementations which I find ever so slightly grating. That being said, it's not too distracting albeit probably noticeable for those who might not be so fond of said vibe.
I'd recommend the book to those who might want to get a feel of stoicism or at least get a good idea of who the stoics were. I'd also recommend it for people who might be pressed for time but still have the desire to read something introspective daily (notably atheists / non-theists).
February 13, 2023
Been reading this precious for a year now and maybe i have read this twice. This indeed gave me perspective to silence the anxiety of the uncertainty especially during the pandemic. I am grateful instead of a lot of things that i can accomplish even just to wake up, clean, read and prepare something to eat.
I still read this book daily for this year. You cannot really become by just reading a book once.
I still read this book daily for this year. You cannot really become by just reading a book once.
May 1, 2025
Starting with the ancient Greeks, the Epicureans and the Stoics debated how to live the good life. The stoics believed in “living in accord with nature.” They saw (and attempted to practice) four cardinal virtues: justice, temperance, fortitude and prudence.
Author Holiday had plenty of material to select from and I found his selections, in the main, both interesting and helpful. I will let you judge whether you feel the same. Here is the entry for September 13:
Each begins with a classical quotation (which I will omit here) but you can look up - Epictetus, Discourses, 4.1.85-86 and then there is Holiday’s commentary.
“The Stoics give us a marvelous concept: the Inner Citadel. It is this fortress, they believed that protects our soul. Though we might be physically vulnerable, though we might be at the mercy of fate in many ways, our inner domain is impenetrable….But history teaches us that impenetrable fortresses can still be breached, if betrayed from inside. The citizens inside the walls---if they fall prey to fear or greed or avarice---can open the gates and let the enemy in. This is what many of us do when we lose our nerve and give in to fear.
“You’ve been granted a strong fortress. Don’t betray it.”
Not a bad thing to consult this book on a daily basis. 4.5*
Author Holiday had plenty of material to select from and I found his selections, in the main, both interesting and helpful. I will let you judge whether you feel the same. Here is the entry for September 13:
Each begins with a classical quotation (which I will omit here) but you can look up - Epictetus, Discourses, 4.1.85-86 and then there is Holiday’s commentary.
“The Stoics give us a marvelous concept: the Inner Citadel. It is this fortress, they believed that protects our soul. Though we might be physically vulnerable, though we might be at the mercy of fate in many ways, our inner domain is impenetrable….But history teaches us that impenetrable fortresses can still be breached, if betrayed from inside. The citizens inside the walls---if they fall prey to fear or greed or avarice---can open the gates and let the enemy in. This is what many of us do when we lose our nerve and give in to fear.
“You’ve been granted a strong fortress. Don’t betray it.”
Not a bad thing to consult this book on a daily basis. 4.5*
January 7, 2022
The collection of quotes is truly exceptional. However, I didn't like Ryan's writings accompanying them. Rooted in a Christian notion, with frequently referring back to American/European history that I didn't connect with, I found them odd. Even that could be excused had he focused on explaining what was meant to be conveyed in the quote. However, it is not so. Sometimes, Ryan's commentary seems to be completely random and out of sync with the Stoic sayings. Not to mention that one gets a totally different feel on reading the two together. While the Stoic sayings and quotes bring mental peace and tranquility, Ryan's anecdotes are often violent totally opposite to the sense conveyed in the quote.
Overall, a good book to get overall Stoic ideas arranged accordingly in topics such as courage, duty, practical mindedness, etc. Also, this prompts me to read Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, as the quotes from the book were indeed exceptional.
Overall, a good book to get overall Stoic ideas arranged accordingly in topics such as courage, duty, practical mindedness, etc. Also, this prompts me to read Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, as the quotes from the book were indeed exceptional.
January 17, 2021
Žinot tokias knygas, kurios kasdien tau pameta mintį, kad ją apmąstytum?
Paprastai jos sklando vienokio ar kitokio tikėjimo praktikoje, bandydamos nušviesti kelią sekėjmas. Yra puikių, aukščiausios prabos pavyzdžių – man bene geriausia žinomas atvejis Ignaco Lojolos pratybų įvairios interpretacijos.
Šita knyga iš tos serijos, gal tik žemesnio kalibro. Na bet užtat – geriau subalansuota sekuliariems žmonėms.
Ar siūlau skaityti? Kaip jaunimas sako, 6,53 iš 10.
Jau antri metai iš eilės su šia knyga ir jos audio įrašu pradedu dieną. Nauda įvairiapusė. Prisimenu stoikus. Pamąstau apie tai, kokia spalva ir mintimi nudažysiu dieną. Pasiklausau intelektualesnio angliško žodyno – skaito žavaus balso aktorius. 😉 Kartu su juo praktikuojuosi sudėtingesnių žodžių tarimą.
Jeigu esate stiprus filosofas ir rimtai domitės stoikais – geriau nevarkit. Ne jums.
Bet jeigu tiesiog norite po ranka turėti ne pernelyg banalų standartinių gyvenimo kelio ženklų rinkinį, tai voilà! kitaip sakant, "look there!" Ypač prisiminus, kad dauguma tokio žanro veikalų lėkšti iki tiek, kad juos galima užgerti viktorėlio vandenuku – smegenys struktūrizuosis, bet nepadėkos.
Knyga sudėliota į 365 trumpus pasakojimus (audio įrašas iki 10 min.): pradžioje vieno ar kito filosofo citata, po to autorių interpretacija (tokia lengvai moralizuojanti, jei ką). Tie dienos tekstukai savo ruožtu sujungti į mėnesio temą.
Va dabar jau 17-ta diena gyvenu sausyje, kurio tema Clarity (Aiškumas). Keturis pirmus mėnesius jungia bendra tema „Discipline of perception“ (Suvokimo drausmė).
Ar ateina tas žadamas aiškumas? Be abejo. Kasdien pamąstau, kaip puikiai moku išsisukti nuo svarbių darbų ir tarškėti apie tai, kas man miela. Bet tai juk ir yra gyvenimas, ar ne?
Taigi knyga, kuri ne stoikus įkvepia ginčams su savimi ir Zenonu Kitioniečiu, Seneka, Epiktetu ir net pačiu imperatoriumi Marku Aurelijumi.
Kompanija, kukliai vertinant, puiki. Ypač jeigu moki patylėti ir klausyti.
Paprastai jos sklando vienokio ar kitokio tikėjimo praktikoje, bandydamos nušviesti kelią sekėjmas. Yra puikių, aukščiausios prabos pavyzdžių – man bene geriausia žinomas atvejis Ignaco Lojolos pratybų įvairios interpretacijos.
Šita knyga iš tos serijos, gal tik žemesnio kalibro. Na bet užtat – geriau subalansuota sekuliariems žmonėms.
Ar siūlau skaityti? Kaip jaunimas sako, 6,53 iš 10.
Jau antri metai iš eilės su šia knyga ir jos audio įrašu pradedu dieną. Nauda įvairiapusė. Prisimenu stoikus. Pamąstau apie tai, kokia spalva ir mintimi nudažysiu dieną. Pasiklausau intelektualesnio angliško žodyno – skaito žavaus balso aktorius. 😉 Kartu su juo praktikuojuosi sudėtingesnių žodžių tarimą.
Jeigu esate stiprus filosofas ir rimtai domitės stoikais – geriau nevarkit. Ne jums.
Bet jeigu tiesiog norite po ranka turėti ne pernelyg banalų standartinių gyvenimo kelio ženklų rinkinį, tai voilà! kitaip sakant, "look there!" Ypač prisiminus, kad dauguma tokio žanro veikalų lėkšti iki tiek, kad juos galima užgerti viktorėlio vandenuku – smegenys struktūrizuosis, bet nepadėkos.
Knyga sudėliota į 365 trumpus pasakojimus (audio įrašas iki 10 min.): pradžioje vieno ar kito filosofo citata, po to autorių interpretacija (tokia lengvai moralizuojanti, jei ką). Tie dienos tekstukai savo ruožtu sujungti į mėnesio temą.
Va dabar jau 17-ta diena gyvenu sausyje, kurio tema Clarity (Aiškumas). Keturis pirmus mėnesius jungia bendra tema „Discipline of perception“ (Suvokimo drausmė).
Ar ateina tas žadamas aiškumas? Be abejo. Kasdien pamąstau, kaip puikiai moku išsisukti nuo svarbių darbų ir tarškėti apie tai, kas man miela. Bet tai juk ir yra gyvenimas, ar ne?
Taigi knyga, kuri ne stoikus įkvepia ginčams su savimi ir Zenonu Kitioniečiu, Seneka, Epiktetu ir net pačiu imperatoriumi Marku Aurelijumi.
Kompanija, kukliai vertinant, puiki. Ypač jeigu moki patylėti ir klausyti.
Read
January 11, 2022Probably you should not ingest this like a regular book. Probably you should take it at its word and simply read one entry a day (they're dated, starting Jan. 1st, so there's still time for '22). Reading it as a bookend-to-bookend deal makes for a bit of a slog. Too much of a good thing. A bit repetitive. Still, though, there's no denying that we can all learn a lot from the Stoics.
The set-up goes like so: Each day begins with a quote from a Stoic. Beneath this is author Ryan Holiday's brief comment, putting the quote in perspective, applying it to our times, adding in related quotes from more contemporary sorts.
One quibble I had was the lack of variety in source material. It seemed like 60% of the quotes were Marcus Aurelius from his Meditations and 20% were from a man Marcus read, Epictetus. Add 10% from Seneca and you get a little bit left for a mix.
Representative Entry:
July 26th
WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING
"Often injustice lies in what you aren't doing, not only in what you are doing."
-- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 9.5
"History abounds with evidence that humanity is capable of doing evil, not only actively but passively. In some of our most shameful moments -- from slavery to the Holocaust to segregation to the murder of Kitty Genovese -- guilt wasn't limited to perpetrators but to ordinary citizens who, for a multitude of reasons, declined to get involved. It's that old line: all evil needs to prevail is for good men to do nothing.
"It's not enough to just not do evil. You must also be a force for good in the world, as best you can."
If you want to dip your toe without the book, visit Holiday's related website, DailyStoic.com.
The set-up goes like so: Each day begins with a quote from a Stoic. Beneath this is author Ryan Holiday's brief comment, putting the quote in perspective, applying it to our times, adding in related quotes from more contemporary sorts.
One quibble I had was the lack of variety in source material. It seemed like 60% of the quotes were Marcus Aurelius from his Meditations and 20% were from a man Marcus read, Epictetus. Add 10% from Seneca and you get a little bit left for a mix.
Representative Entry:
July 26th
WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING
"Often injustice lies in what you aren't doing, not only in what you are doing."
-- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 9.5
"History abounds with evidence that humanity is capable of doing evil, not only actively but passively. In some of our most shameful moments -- from slavery to the Holocaust to segregation to the murder of Kitty Genovese -- guilt wasn't limited to perpetrators but to ordinary citizens who, for a multitude of reasons, declined to get involved. It's that old line: all evil needs to prevail is for good men to do nothing.
"It's not enough to just not do evil. You must also be a force for good in the world, as best you can."
If you want to dip your toe without the book, visit Holiday's related website, DailyStoic.com.
December 31, 2019
A life changing book that I read a page a day. I'm now on my second loop.
February 1, 2021
This book should be called "Biased Reflections on Stoicism: out of context quotes". Absolutely terrible.
December 31, 2025
Mijn dagelijkse portie stoïcisme was mijn grootste leesplezier in 2024.
Ik denk dat ik het zal herlezen/herbeleven in 2026.
Om met mijn geweten in het reine te komen verlaat ik deze Amazone en begeef me vanaf morgen naar Storygraph.
Ik denk dat ik het zal herlezen/herbeleven in 2026.
Om met mijn geweten in het reine te komen verlaat ik deze Amazone en begeef me vanaf morgen naar Storygraph.
July 28, 2025
The daily stoic is an amazing read for anyone looking to get a head start with regards to ancient Hellenistic philosophy.
Stoicism,Epicureanism and skepticism forms the foundational pillars of this ancient philosophy.
There is so much to meditate upon while reading this book.Some of the core ideas and teachings to learn from this book are the importance of having gratitude in life,staying in the present,focusing on the controllables rather than the uncontrollables,overcoming obstacles,the universal truth with respect to mortality of all living beings,the importance of being a life long learner by applying the fundamentals of stoic virtues including Wisdom,Justice,Temperance and Courage.
Kudos to Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman for the effort they have put forward for this book.
This book wouldn’t have been possible without the great minds whose words reverberate in this book.A huge sense of gratitude towards Marcus Aurelius,Seneca,Epictetus,Musonius Rufus,Heraclitus,Plutarch,Diogenes Laertius,Zeno,Chrysippus,Cleanthes,Euripides,Plato and all the people who have contributed for the the making of this book and everyone who has contributed towards making this world a better place to live.
Stoicism,Epicureanism and skepticism forms the foundational pillars of this ancient philosophy.
There is so much to meditate upon while reading this book.Some of the core ideas and teachings to learn from this book are the importance of having gratitude in life,staying in the present,focusing on the controllables rather than the uncontrollables,overcoming obstacles,the universal truth with respect to mortality of all living beings,the importance of being a life long learner by applying the fundamentals of stoic virtues including Wisdom,Justice,Temperance and Courage.
Kudos to Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman for the effort they have put forward for this book.
This book wouldn’t have been possible without the great minds whose words reverberate in this book.A huge sense of gratitude towards Marcus Aurelius,Seneca,Epictetus,Musonius Rufus,Heraclitus,Plutarch,Diogenes Laertius,Zeno,Chrysippus,Cleanthes,Euripides,Plato and all the people who have contributed for the the making of this book and everyone who has contributed towards making this world a better place to live.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,085 reviews