Stoicism in Practice

The books, in order

1. 1

   Philosophy · 14 min

   Ego Is the Enemy

   Ryan Holiday

   Talking about a plan before you carry it out gives you the same feeling of progress as actually doing it, and that dulls your drive to keep working once the applause is over.

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2. 2

   Philosophy · 15 min

   The Obstacle Is the Way

   Ryan Holiday

   Swapping the question "why did this happen to me?" for "what do I do with this now?" is what separates the people who freeze from the people who keep moving.

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3. 3

   Philosophy · 15 min

   On the Shortness of Life

   Seneca

   We argue over restaurant change and waste an entire afternoon without a second thought, because we treat money as scarce and time as if it were unlimited.

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4. 4

   Philosophy · 16 min

   The Enchiridion

   Epictetus

   For Epictetus, most everyday suffering comes from wanting the world to follow a script we wrote alone, without checking with reality.

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5. 5

   Philosophy · 14 min

   Meditations

   Marcus Aurelius

   According to Marcus Aurelius himself, it was his teacher Rusticus who lent him the lessons of Epictetus: a book lent at the right moment can redirect an entire life.

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6. 6

   Philosophy · 18 min

   The Palliative Society

   Byung-Chul Han

   By turning optimism into a moral obligation, positivity culture makes anyone going through a hard time carry the blame for their own suffering.

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7. 7

   Philosophy · 17 min

   The Daily Stoic

   Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman

   Dividing your daily routine between what is up to us and what belongs to chance dissolves most modern anxieties.

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8. 8

   Philosophy · 17 min

   How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

   Donald Robertson

   For Stoicism, what is under your control are your judgments and your efforts, and that is where your energy is worth investing.

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9. 9

   Philosophy · 14 min

   The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on the Art of Living

   Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman

   Separating what is up to you from what is beyond your control gives back the energy that anxiety used to waste for nothing.

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10. 10

    Philosophy · 14 min

    Stillness Is the Key

    Ryan Holiday

    According to the book, some of our worst decisions come from rushing, and deliberate pauses allow emotions to settle before we act.

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