#419: Ryan Holiday — How to Use Stoicism to Choose Alive Time Over Dead Time

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Apr 9, 2020

Ryan Holiday dives into Stoic philosophy, revealing how ancient wisdom can help navigate today's uncertainties. He discusses practical Stoic exercises and reflects on managing emotions like anger and fear during crises. The conversation touches on personal growth strategies, including a 21-day no-complaint experiment. Holiday encourages listeners to transform adversity into opportunity and emphasizes the significance of self-reflection and community support. His insights combine historical context with modern challenges, making Stoicism accessible and relevant.

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ADVICE

Focus on Control

Focus on your sphere of control.
Prioritize ensuring the safety and preparedness of your family and close friends.

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ADVICE

Anger's Utility

Evaluate anger's productivity.
Recognize that anger often exacerbates problems, especially in situations like pandemics where it has no impact on the source.

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ADVICE

Reinforce Positive Actions

Reinforce positive actions.
Support politicians and others making good decisions, even if late, rather than focusing solely on criticizing shortcomings.

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Navigating Uncertainty Through Stoic Philosophy

04:00 • 4min

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Navigating Uncertainty with Stoicism

07:54 • 17min

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Navigating Emotions: Anger and Fear in Crisis

24:34 • 29min

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Stoicism and Epicureanism: A Guide Through Uncertainty

53:43 • 10min

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Supporting Relief Efforts and Personal Growth Strategies

01:03:13 • 4min

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Transforming Time in Adversity

01:06:54 • 5min

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Practical Stoic Exercises and Useful Resources

01:12:17 • 4min

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#65

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Ryan Holiday — How to Use Stoicism to Choose Alive Time Over Dead Time | Brought to you by LegalZoom and Trello.

"Anger is often what pain looks like when it shows itself in public." — Krista Tippett

Ryan Holiday (@RyanHoliday) is one of the world’s foremost thinkers and writers on ancient philosophy and its place in modern life. He is a sought-after speaker and strategist and the author of many bestselling books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, and The Daily Stoic. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold more than two million copies worldwide. He lives with his family outside of Austin, Texas. You can subscribe to receive his writing at RyanHoliday.net and DailyStoic.com. Ryan was also the fourth-ever guest on the podcast in the very beginning, and he has written multiple popular guest posts for my blog, which you can find at tim.blog.

His latest book is Stillness Is the Key, which was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller and Wall Street Journal bestseller.

This episode focuses on Stoic philosophy and how to apply it in our current uncertain times.

Please enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by LegalZoom. I've used this service for many of my businesses, as have quite a few of the icons on this podcast, including Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg of WordPress fame.

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