Intro: Ancient Rome Called, They Have Advice for Your Twitter Addiction
Ryan Holiday (yes, the guy who also wrote Ego Is the Enemy) teamed up with Stephen Hanselman to create The Daily Stoic — a modern devotional based on Stoic philosophy.
The format: 366 daily entries, each built around a quote from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, or other Stoic heavyweights, followed by a short reflection. It’s like a philosophy-a-day calendar, except instead of Garfield cartoons you get Marcus Aurelius sighing, “Stop being dramatic.”
The big idea? Stoicism isn’t about being emotionless. It’s about mastering your reactions, focusing on what you can control, and living with virtue in a world that constantly tries to knock you off balance.
And let’s be honest: if it worked for Roman emperors and exiled philosophers, it might help us deal with Slack notifications.
Part 1: Stoicism in a Nutshell
Before diving into the book, a quick Stoicism 101:
- Control the controllable. External events? Not up to you. Your attitude and actions? That’s on you.
- Memento mori. Remember you’re going to die. Not to depress you — to remind you to live meaningfully.
- Virtue is the highest good. Wisdom, justice, courage, moderation. If you’ve got those, you’re set.
- Emotions aren’t bad. Being ruled by them is.
The Daily Stoic takes these principles and drip-feeds them, one day at a time.
Part 2: The Structure of the Book
The year is divided into three big themes:
- The Discipline of Perception (how you see the world).
- The Discipline of Action (what you do in the world).
- The Discipline of Will (how you endure the world).
Each day = a quote + a modern reflection. It’s short enough to read before coffee, deep enough to hit you at random moments later.
Part 3: The Wisdom Greatest Hits (With Modern Spin)
Here’s how some of the entries feel when run through a 2025 lens:
1. “You control your mind, not events.” — Marcus Aurelius
Translation: The barista spelling your name wrong doesn’t ruin your day. Your reaction does.
2. “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” — Seneca
Translation: Stop rehearsing bad outcomes like mental Netflix. The meeting might not be that bad.
3. “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” — Epictetus
Translation: Tweet less, live better.
4. “Remember you’re mortal.”
Translation: Put down your phone, hug your kid, maybe don’t waste two hours doomscrolling.
5. “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” — Epictetus
Translation: Amazon Prime is not fulfillment. Chill on the impulse buys.
Part 4: Why a Daily Format Works
You don’t master Stoicism by reading a big book once. You master it by repetition. The daily drip matters because:
- Philosophy is like exercise: daily reps beat yearly marathons.
- Short entries = you actually read them.
- Each day’s theme feels like a horoscope, except instead of vague cosmic vibes it’s ancient dudes yelling “stop whining.”
In a world of endless content, The Daily Stoic functions like a mental push notification from history.
Part 5: Stoicism in Action (a.k.a. How Not to Lose Your Mind)
Holiday doesn’t just quote dead philosophers. He shows how the principles apply to today:
- Control: Can’t control traffic → listen to a podcast instead of raging.
- Discipline: Gym closed? Push-ups at home. Excuse removed.
- Mortality: Deadlines feel less terrifying when you zoom out to “we’re all dust anyway.”
- Virtue: Integrity is free; lies get expensive.
It’s everyday philosophy, not ivory-tower fluff.
Part 6: Why This Resonates Now
In a culture of hot takes, anxiety, and constant distraction, Stoicism feels refreshing. It doesn’t promise hacks. It promises perspective.
And Ryan Holiday’s genius is repackaging Marcus Aurelius like a self-help coach for knowledge workers.
- Ancient Rome: plague, war, political corruption.
- Us: pandemic, politics, TikTok.
Turns out, not that different.
Part 7: Criticisms & Caveats
Some philosophers roll their eyes. They say The Daily Stoic oversimplifies Stoicism into Instagram quotes. Fair.
But Holiday’s goal isn’t academic rigor. It’s accessibility. Better millions of people read Marcus Aurelius in bite-size doses than nobody read him at all.
Part 8: How to Actually Use It
- Read one page in the morning.
- Reflect briefly (journal, even one sentence).
- Return to it later when stress hits.
- Apply. (Don’t just highlight — actually practice.)
Like exercise, consistency > intensity.
Part 9: Stoicism vs. Self-Help Hype
Most self-help says: “Crush goals, dominate, hustle 24/7.”
Stoicism says: “Calm down. Control yourself. You’re mortal anyway.”
That’s why The Daily Stoic has become a quiet counterweight to hustle culture. It’s not about more. It’s about enough.
TL;DR (For the Doomscrollers)
- Core idea: Daily Stoic wisdom applied to modern life.
- Three themes: Perception, Action, Will.
- 366 entries: bite-sized Marcus/Seneca/Epictetus quotes + reflections.
- Takeaway: You don’t control events, but you control your response.
Or, meme version:
Me: “Life is chaos.”
Marcus Aurelius: “Yes, but so are you. Calm down.”
Closing Thought
The Daily Stoic isn’t meant to be read once. It’s meant to be lived. It’s a reminder that even 2,000 years ago, humans were anxious, overworked, annoyed at politics, and trying to find peace.
The wisdom that carried emperors and exiles through plagues and wars can carry us through email overload and existential dread.
Because in the end, Stoicism isn’t about being emotionless. It’s about being unshakable.
And who couldn’t use a little more of that, daily?