Watch the full video of this episode here.

--

You've quit every hard goal for the same reason — and it's not lack of willpower.

The Stoics figured this out 2,000 years ago. Instead of fighting discomfort with more discipline, they asked a single question that bypasses the willpower battle entirely. In this video I walk through the Stoic framework of virtue, vice, and the "indifferents" — and the one question from Epictetus that replaced willpower in my own life, including the 12-pound cut I'm currently on.

You'll learn:
- Why discipline is a finite resource and willpower always loses
- The Stoic distinction between good, bad, and indifferent
- The single question that reframes hunger, hard conversations, and difficult training
- How to turn discomfort into material for character instead of an enemy to defeat
- The preferred indifferents caveat — why the Stoics weren't masochists

Some mornings the dread arrives before the alarm. A tightness in the chest, a list already forming, a quiet resistance to the day ahead. This guided Stoic practice meets you there — not with forced optimism, but with honest preparation.
You'll practise the ancient Stoic technique of premeditatio malorum: facing what you're afraid of before it has power over you. Not to make yourself anxious — to take the charge out of it. When you name what you're dreading, it shrinks.

This episode is a full lesson from one of the premium courses inside The Stoic Vault — my membership community for people who practise Stoicism, not just read about it.

The lesson comes from the course Stoic Morning Routine: Start Calm and Strong. It covers the dichotomy of control — the single most useful idea in Stoic philosophy, and the one that changes everything when it actually lands.

You'll take one real concern from your day and sort it into two columns: what's mine and what isn't. Outcomes, other people's reactions, delays — not mine. Preparation, breath, tone, when I choose to begin — mine. Then you'll pick one controllable action that matters today and state it clearly.

This isn't theory. You'll feel the difference in the body when you stop carrying what was never yours.

If this resonates, the full course and 9 others are inside The Stoic Vault, alongside guided meditations, weekly practices, live coaching, and a quiet community of 100+ members doing the work.

Join at stoicvault.com

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this lesson, I talk about the three stages of attachment to externals and the 3 ways we can work with desire. 

Read more: https://www.stoichandbook.co/how-to-gain-the-powers-of-a-stoic-god/

This meditation is part of my 10-day course, The Stoic Survival Guide for Navigating Troubled Relationships and Toxic People.

To access the entire course for free, you can sign up here.

-- 

Marcus Aurelius, as emperor of Rome, was the most powerful man in the world. But that did not stop him from having to deal with a difficult son, a lazy co-emperor, and many others who tried to antagonize him or overthrow him. His days were filled with difficult social moments. In this contemplation we practice the exact morning meditation Marcus did each day to prepare his mind for whatever came his way. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this lesson, I explain "impossible desires" and "slave desires" to help you form intentions without suffering unnecessarily along the way.

Further reading:
https://www.stoichandbook.co/impossible-desires-cause-disappointment/

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this talk, I cover what I consider to be the three pillars of skillful communication. These pillars cover poor communication habits, how to simply express yourself well in all circumstances, and the model I use to manage conflict. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this complete Stoic loving-kindness meditation, we take a look at three important areas of compassion: love of people, love of humanity, and love of service. Then we go through each one, with the guidance of the ancient Stoics to increase our compassion and happiness. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Reframing negative events to make them appear more positive and useful is a classic Stoic technique. But can it ever go too far? Is it dangerous to reframe everything into something positive? Stoic writer Donald Robertson answers. 

• Donald's website: https://donaldrobertson.name/
• Donald's Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonJRobertson

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

About this meditation:

This meditation will help you see all of the invisible and magic conditions of life that make everything possible. There is so much going on beneath the surface of existence that we take for granted such as the way our societies are run, the way we get access to food and water, the statistical likelihood of being born, and the way the atmosphere is perfectly attuned to our survival. To allow oneself to become oblivious to the awe of ordinary life is a mistake that we will put right in this lesson. It's time to once again see the beauty of a raindrop and feel the vitality of a single breath of cold air. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

This is an interview I did with the creator of the brilliant WhatIsStoicism blog and podcast. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this episode, I speak to the legendary Stoic writer Donald Robertson and ask him about the Stoic view on exercise. 

More from Donald: https://donaldrobertson.name/

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

About two years ago, I hit a wall.

I'd been teaching Stoicism for years. Writing about it. Making podcasts about it. And I was still losing my temper. Still spiraling over emails. Still lying awake replaying conversations.

I knew the philosophy cold. And I couldn't apply it when it mattered.

That's when I started asking: what would actually help me? Not more books. Not more content. Something with structure. Accountability. Personal guidance. A quiet place to train.

I couldn't find it. So I built it.

In this episode, I'm introducing The Stoic Vault—a training ground for people who've read the books but struggle to apply them. I'll walk you through what's inside, who it's for, and how to join as a founding member.

Learn more: stoicvault.com

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Many of us are interested in philosophy and self-improvement not to become wise, but for the reputation of being wise. Epictetus saw that this pattern of behavior is very counter-productive if one wishes to acquire true wisdom.

After listening to this episode, read the breakdown here:
https://www.stoichandbook.co/do-not-wish-to-appear-wise/

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

"If you want to make progress, drop reflections like: ‘I will end up destitute if I don’t take better care of my affairs,’ or, ‘Unless I discipline my slave, he’ll wind up good for nothing.’ It is better to die of hunger free of grief and apprehension than to live affluent and uneasy. Better that your slave should be bad than that you should be unhappy."
— Epictetus

In this episode, I explore the topic of stress and worry. I begin by looking at the game most of us play, and then offer a Stoic alternative recommended by Epictetus.

✍️ Get the Stoic diagrams for this episode here. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this lesson, I ask Donald Robertson about the difference between reading about Stoicism and practicing it, and we discuss what would happen if Marcus Aurelius time traveled to modern times. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

And when asked what he had learned from philosophy, Diogenes replied, “To be prepared for every fortune.“
— William B. Irvine, A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

Diogenes is the most famous of the Cynics, a branch of philosophy that served as the precursor for traditional Stoicism. Diogenes was a bizarre fellow for a number of reasons. He lived inside a barrel and shunned any form of luxurious living. Diogenes only ate when he was starving hungry and drank when he was gaspingly thirsty. This allowed him to enjoy a simple cup of water as if it was the world’s most expensive wine.

The core of Diogenes' thought was based on his observation that “bad men obey their lusts as servants obey their masters,” and because we are so bad at controlling our desires, we can never find contentment. This is why Diogenes was so intent on being the master of his own lust and attachments.

Perhaps Diogenes' greatest and most memorable display of Stoic superhero strength was in his meeting with Alexander the Great. Alexander was taught by Aristotle and had brilliant admiration for great thinkers. One day when riding through Greece Alexander encountered Diogenes, a philosopher he had heard many great things about. The legend states that upon meeting Diogenes, Alexander asked the philosopher if there was anything he could give him.

Alexander at this point in time was the most powerful man in the world, and he was extremely hot-tempered. There were stories of Alexander having his best friends executed for disrespecting him. So when he offered Diogenes a gift, nobody would have expected the words that would have come out of the strange philosopher’s mouth:

“Yes,” said Diogenes, “stand a little out of my sun.”

Diogenes was so steadfast in his Stoic way of living he even risked the wrath of Alexander the Great to demonstrate it. Diogenes was not someone who just lived his philosophy, he was continuously on the lookout for opportunities to teach it and his meeting with Alexander presented one.

It worked. So taken aback by this reply, and admired the courage and wit of Diogenes so much, he said to his followers laughing, “But truly if I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes.”

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

The "What If" Technique comes from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which is an effective, science-backed therapeutic system inspired by Stoic philosophy and it helps you discover the root of your anxieties.

This meditation is one of over a dozen found in Stoic Anxiety Mastery. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Modern Stoicism says a lot about how to be more resilient and how to "accept things" with equanimity. But what about feelings of joy, awe, and laughter.

Can Stoicism help us live a more joyful life... really?

I ask Stoicism writer Donald Robertson in a new series where I'll be picking his brain about important Stoic ideas. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Order a copy of Verissimus here

Stoic author, philosopher and cognitive behavioural therapist, Donald Robertson, returns to discuss his brand new graphic novel, VERISSIMUS. 

This is the most epic philosophical project that I am aware of to date. 

If Ridley Scott's Gladiator had a baby with Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, you’d get Verissimus.

As you’ll hear in this interview, this project was a massive undertaking, taking nearly 3 years to complete. Detailing the life, times, and philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, the book acts as a historically accurate, action-packed entry point into the Stoic landscape.

In this episode, we cover:

• The process of creating this book
• Why Donald decided to make a graphic novel
• Why many Romans actually opposed Marcus Aurelius
• Marcus’ mission to cultivate natural compassion towards all human beings, even his worst enemies
• The absurdity of Stoicism’s most popular criticism 
• Stoicism’s deep influence on early Christianity
• The relationship between intuition and reason
• Jon's single favourite chapter on Stoicism

Links to Donald's Work:

 Verissimus: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, by Donald Robertson 

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, by Donald Robertson

Donald’s website

Modern Stoicism

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

This is a short clip taken from a much longer workshop on turning adversity to advantage, which is a bonus module in Stoic Anxiety Mastery. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In a new series, I will be giving short lessons on my favorite "Stoic superheroes," both ancient and modern. 

We will begin by talking about James Stockdale and the Stockdale Paradox. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a friend who might benefit from listening. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

If you deeply recognize that life is impermanent, ever-changing and that everything we enjoy is a gift from the Universe, you can no longer suffer in the same way when things are taken from you.

This episode is inspired by the following quote from Epictetus:

“Under no circumstances ever say ‘I have lost something,’ only ‘I returned it.’ Did a child of yours die? No, it was returned. Your wife died? No, she was returned. ‘My land was confiscated.’ No, it too was returned.

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Epictetus didn't write books. He ran a school where students lived for years, practicing responses to insults, hardship, and loss. Marcus Aurelius wrote the Meditations as a daily training regimen—the same ideas, over and over, drilling them into his reflexes. Seneca reviewed his day every single night for decades.

The Stoics weren't building a library. They were building a gymnasium for the soul.

Somewhere along the way, we forgot this. We turned philosophy into content to consume. We read about the exercises instead of doing them.

In this episode, I explore what Stoic training actually looked like, why our modern approach would baffle the ancients, and what practice looks like in daily life—not in theory, but in the specific exercises you can start today.

Plus: I've been working on something to make this kind of structured practice easier. I'll share more soon.

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

“I’ve spent the last 7 or 8 years of my life with the prime objective of healing my anxiety and I have looked at so many different modalities. This course is the one course that I would recommend to anyone who is dealing with anxiety.”
- Nic Stubbs, Interviewer

In this interview, my friend and colleague Nic Stubbs and I  flesh out the details of my new course: Stoic Anxiety Mastery.

• Who is it for? 
• Why I created it. 
• And how it works.

As well as a bunch of other topics around my personal journey with anxiety and how I transformed it from enemy to ally, the reasons why spiritual people shy away from these thoroughly research-backed cognitive healing modalities, and some of Nic's insights from his own struggles with social anxiety.

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

This episode features my breakdown of the following quote: 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Sickness is a problem for the body, not the mind – unless the mind decides that it is a problem. Lameness, too, is the body’s problem, not the mind’s. Say this to yourself whatever the circumstance and you will find without fail that the problem pertains to something else, not to you.
— Epictetus

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this episode, we explore Chapter 8 of the Enchiridion and learn about an approach to accepting events exactly as they are instead of resisting against the will of nature and fortune. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this episode, we explore Chapter 7 of the Enchiridion and learn about an analogy that can help us practice letting go of the things we enjoy in life when it is time to "return" back to our source. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this episode, I talk about a recent tragedy I heard about close to home.  I share some reflections on how I think about death, life, and gratitude in the midst of turmoil. I hope you find it useful.

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Most people have heard of Stoicism.

It’s a philosophy dense with practical wisdom.

But how many Stoics do you know?

I don’t mean people who have read Meditations or Letters from a Stoic, I mean actual Stoics…

Individuals who are comparable to the authors of these books in their tranquility, wisdom, self-discipline, and joy.

This was a question I kept asking myself as I embarked on my study of Stoicism 10 years ago.

One of my passions is learning, or more specifically learning through systems.

I’m the guy who measures every workout at the gym, keeps detailed spreadsheets for the progress of my martial art, and has pretty much every habit tracking app available on his phone. I believe technology if harnessed correctly, can be an incredible tool for wisdom.

This is why, when I first started getting into Stoicism, I was disappointed by most people's answer to “How do you ACTUALLY become a Stoic?”

Most of the time the answer was something like the following:

Read the original Stoic classics multiple times. Reflect on your day by journaling. Do a few visualizations throughout the day. Focus only on the things you can control.

It’s not a terrible answer, but it’s far from great. I needed a roadmap. I needed to know that I wasn’t going to be wasting my precious time focusing on the wrong things. I needed a system.

When I first started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu two years ago I realized the deep value of embodied wisdom. You cannot watch technique videos and expect to beat opponents at grappling. So much of the learning comes when you are faced with challenges you must overcome.

With Stoicism, many people spend time filling their heads with ideas and not putting any of it into practice. This means the time spent reading about the Stoic principles acts more like a distraction from problems than an antidote to them.

So how do we get around this? How do we get actually bridge the gap and put theory into practice and stop wasting time in intellectual la-la-land??

That’s what we discuss on the podcast today. On this episode, I relinquished my usual role as podcast host so I could sit in the hot seat. Fellow collaborator at HighExistence, Mike Slavin wears the interviewer hat and together we explore topics such as:

• How I used Stoicism to overcome my social anxiety
• The exercises I developed for reducing intense fear
• The right and wrong ways to learn Stoicism (and anything else)
• My favorite technique to live with more gratitude
• The key components missing from modern Stoicism
• My thinking process behind my Stoic courses
• And tons more

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Read the Stoic breakdown that accompanies this podcast here:
https://www.stoichandbook.co/it-is-foolish-to-feel-pride-over-externals/

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Note: In this audio, I insert a clip of the great Jocko Willink (channel here), but because this was originally a video with a visual of Jocko including his social accounts, it seems like I didn't credit him in this audio. Someone raised this in a podcast review, and I want to make this clear.

In this episode, I explore 11 quotes by Seneca all about fear and anxiety, then explain some ways we might apply these ideas to our own life. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this Stoic Handbook episode, I answer a question by Mike Slavin, who asked me about ways I implement ancient Stoicism into my life. 

The question prompted me to discuss the best practices I've found for reading Stoic texts. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

A few months ago, I was in a conversation that started to go sideways. I could feel the tension rising—the tightening in my chest, my voice getting sharper. I knew exactly what was happening. I've studied this. I've taught this. I know what Marcus Aurelius would say. And in that moment, it was like I'd never read a word of Stoicism. 

If you've spent any time with this philosophy, you've probably had your own version of this experience. The email lands and you spiral. The criticism stings and you're devastated. Someone cuts you off and you react exactly the way Epictetus said not to. This is the gap between knowing and doing—and it's the central challenge of practicing philosophy. 

In this episode, I explore why the philosophy disappears when we need it most, what Seneca confessed about this exact problem 2,000 years ago, and why more reading isn't the answer. Spoiler: the Stoics weren't building a library. They were building a gymnasium for the soul. 

In this episode:

• The moment I knew exactly what to do—and didn't do it 
• Why intellectual understanding is not the same as embodied skill 
• What Seneca admitted about knowing vs. practicing 
• The difference between studying Stoicism and training as a Stoic 
• A reflection question to sit with after listening

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this episode, Donald gives his account of Derren Brown's book Happy and shares his response to the questions...

Is there a utility to anxiety? Were the Stoics too harsh on the emotion of anxiety?

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this contemplation, I guide you through a series of questions that has you examine your life and your decisions. 

Are you not living up to your potential? Are you wasting time? Are you procrastinating or making excuses? 

Even though this talk may be an uncomfortable listen... that's the point. It's designed as a "wake up" reflection to get you thinking and moving forward.  

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this Stoic training exercise, we take a look at some of the methods the ancient Stoics used to handle insults and verbal sleights. 

Then we immediately put them to use in an audio simulation training, where I insult you and you practice interpreting them with the right frames. 

At first, this process may seem a bit strange or uncomfortable, or humourous, but this is how we learn. We must practice using skills in low-stress situations if we ever hope to have them at our disposal in high-stress situations, i.e. when someone insults us in the world. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Note: This contains powerful imagery that some may find upsetting. If you are very sensitive to challenging imagery, do the other meditations before this one.

This meditation uses the powerful Stoic technique of premeditation of adversity to make you contemplate just how "bad" your life could be. 

By practicing negative visualization, you will see with great clarity how wonderful your life currently is, and also rehearse handling hardship with equanimity and virtue. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

This meditation draws on Epictetus' advice for handling strong feelings of both aversion and desire. Is it wise to avoid things that are not within our control?

And what is the balance when it comes to passionate desire?

We reflect on these questions.

Learn more about the concepts in this lesson here:
https://www.stoichandbook.co/aversion-and-desire/

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In this guided reflection, we look at the Stoic technique of "object deconstruction," which can help us to see our cravings and attachments in a more objective, rational way, and therefore reduce the delusory framing we put around them.

This guided lesson is based on Chapter 3 of the Enchiridion, in which Epictetus states:

"In the case of particular things that delight you, or benefit you, or to which you have grown attached, remind yourself of what they are. Start with things of little value. If it is china you like, for instance, say, ‘I am fond of a piece of china.’ When it breaks, then you won’t be as disconcerted."

By practicing "object deconstruction" regularly, you will learn the skill of not getting wrapped up with the stories you tell yourself about your attachments, which can include relationships, pleasures, possessions, and habits.  

You can read my extended version of the chapter here: https://www.stoichandbook.co/attachment-to-possessions/

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Seneca’s death is legendary because of the way he exhibited his Stoic values right until the end. 

Premeditation of adversity is one of the great Stoic techniques in which you mentally fortify yourself against future misfortunes. Arguably the most powerful variation of this is the contemplation of one’s death. 

In this guided visualization, I put you in the body of Seneca on his last day so you can experience a simulation of what he experienced. 

As you go through this difficult process, pay attention to your emotions and try as best as you can to mimic the thoughts and feelings of this great Stoic. 

Find a quiet place and set aside 15 minutes to give this exercise a go. You will find that your levels of anxiety go down by psychologically exposing yourself to stressors and practicing acceptance of them. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

Stoicism can at first appear rather paradoxical. 

We are told the external world is not within our control and that we should focus all of our energy on our inner world. 

But where do goals factor in? How do we focus on becoming a better Stoic and becoming a better person? 

This is what this audio is all about. 

The Stoics were not against setting goals, but they did warn against aiming at goals that create unnecessary suffering and heartache. 

In this guided visualization, I walk you through the Stoic approach to setting and attaining your goals. 

The Stoic goal-setting method will do two things: 

1. Increase the chances of you attaining your goal 
2. Reduce unnecessary suffering as you progress toward it

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

I used to suffer from very intense anxiety for the better part of a decade. That quest led me down many rabbit holes of personal development and philosophy that I otherwise would have missed. 

Now I help people work with difficult emotions using what I’ve learned, with an emphasis on Stoicism. 

Anxiety is crippling and somewhat inescapable in the modern world.

The mainstream media purposefully make us worry, advertisements increase our performance anxiety and health anxiety, and social media does not make it easier to socialize in the real world. 

In today’s audio lesson, I begin by sharing the 4 scientific models we use for understanding the cause of anxiety. When you learn these, for the first time you’ll have some idea of what’s going on and how to fix it. 

After that, I explain the 3 core Stoic interventions for overcoming our anxiety.

For those who want to go deeper… 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

I was recently asked to give a Stoicism talk by Peter Limberg on The Stoa.

This episode contains that entire talk.

But before I get into the workshop description…

I just want to give a shout-out to Peter, who hosts regular epic workshops and discussions by fascinating thinkers, for free.

Peter describes The Stoa as follows:

"The Stoa is not a school, think tank, clinic, or commune, and it is definitely not a f*****g YouTube channel. The Stoa is a stewarded daemonic fire—on an obscure hill in the noosphere—serving as a beacon to find the others. It is a surprise, for those who have become weary of the endless pressure to know. It is also a portal, to a new world. A world that you might have stopped believing in, but have always been secretly longing for."
— Peter Limberg

In my workshop, I reveal the system I use for both myself and my students in Askesis to learn Stoicism.

Introducing The 4885 System...

Stoicism is quite large, and life is messy. Knowing when to apply Stoicism, how to apply it, and what to focus on is tricky. I call this the complexity problem. 

To overcome that problem, I’ve devised the 4885 System. It’s broken down as follows: 

• 4 Skill Categories 
• 8 Critical Skills 
• 8 Core Principles
• 5 Learning Methods 

When these are all combined and integrated, Stoicism becomes embodied—and this is the goal… embodied Stoicism. Not just concepts.

The more visually inclined, you can also watch the video here with slides.

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

A 15 minute, Yoga Nidra–inspired sleep meditation designed to help your body soften and your mind quiet. We’ll move through a slow, systematic relaxation from head to toe, then drift into a gentle “safe floating” visualization—before fading into spacious silence to support deep sleep.

A subtle Stoic thread runs underneath: release what cannot be changed, and return to the only place you ever rest—this moment.

Just a quick note to let you know that The Stoic Handbook podcast is available on Spotify and all other major podcast platforms.  

Here you can hit follow and get notified whenever a new lesson or meditation gets released. 

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In today’s Stoic Handbook podcast, I explain my approach to dealing with difficult relationships. 

Difficult relationships are a source of suffering in many of our lives, and the Stoics were aware of this. 

Marcus’ Meditations was filled with notes to himself suggesting that he be tolerant and compassionate with others. 

This is a famous example: 

In my personal, Stoicism-inspired approach, I use a 3-code system: 

• Code Yellow = Misaligned Relationships 
• Code Orange = Troubled Relationships 
• Code Red = Toxic Relationships

Each level of a difficult relationship requires a different approach. What will work with a misaligned relationship could spell disaster for a truly toxic one. 

I hope this guide helps, and if you have any questions, I’m always happy to provide further clarity on any of the ideas.

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

In today’s Stoic Handbook podcast I discuss one of my favorite Stoic quotes:

“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.”

– Marcus Aurelius

I’m really inspired by this quote, and it brings up a lot of ideas related to the cultivation of self-discipline and overcoming approval addiction. 

As I explain in the lesson, I find the distinction between “would” vs. “could” to be both a reality check and a motivational device to help us pursue what is most meaningful.