In a recent episode of the Daily Stoic podcast, Ryan speaks with Molly Bloom in one of the first interviews recorded in the new Daily Stoic podcast studio (see the story behind the table here). The two talk about embracing the beginner's mindset, managing the mind, "constructive paradox," The Stockdale Paradox, and working backwards from your ideal day:
"What I thought about is, what do I actually want my life to look like? What do I want my day to look like? What does a really good day look like and then how close am I to having that day on a consistent basis? I think if you back out success from there, it's easier than putting success on a certain set of accomplishments."
In one of the most-watched videos on the Daily Stoic YouTube Channel, Ryan Holiday shares 10 Stoic quotes that will help you seize the day. The one thing all fools have in common, Seneca said, is that they are getting ready to live. Whatever it is…stop putting it off—as Ryan talks about in the video:
"My friend emailed me on a Friday. I saw it, I told myself I was going to respond on Monday. And by Sunday, he was gone—he'd fallen dead of a heart attack. This is why the Stoics practice Memento Mori. Life is short. You can go at any moment. You could leave life right now, as Marcus said, but also they could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think."
"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again."
YOUR STOIC WEEKEND REMINDER:
Win the morning.
One of the most relatable moments in Marcus Aurelius's Meditations is the argument Marcus Aurelius has with himself in the opening of book 5*. It's clearly an argument he's had with himself many times, on many mornings—as have many of us: He knows he has to get out of bed, but so desperately wants to remain under the warm covers.
It's relatable…but it's also impressive. Marcus didn't actually have to get out of bed. He didn't really have to do anything. One of his predecessors, Tiberius, basically abandoned the throne for an exotic island. Marcus's adopted great-grandfather Hadrian hardly spent any time in Rome at all. The emperor had all sorts of prerogatives, and here Marcus was insisting that he rise early and get to work.
Why? It's because Marcus knew that winning the morning was key to winning the day and winning at life. He wouldn't have heard the expression that "the early bird gets the worm," but he was well aware that a day well-begun is half done. But it begs the question: what does winning the morning actually look like? What should one do after they wake up early? From the Stoics, we glean 3 habits that make the morning a success: Journal. Take a walk. Do deep work. Let's look at each of those individually:
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