The What Is Stoicism? Podcast

This episode brings haiku and Stoicism into conversation, showing how both traditions teach us to savor fleeting moments while also meeting life with energy and purpose. Bashō’s delicate images remind us to slow down...

This episode turns the Stoic lens toward the illusions of power and wealth, as Epictetus and Cicero expose the tyranny of desire and the poverty of excess. Through the figure of the boastful ruler and the self-satisfied...

In this episode, I talk to Shermin Kruse, a globally recognized negotiation consultant, law professor, author, and TEDx producer. In her latest book, Stoic Empathy, Shermin blends neuroscience, philosophy, and her own...

This episode weaves together the wisdom of Michel de Montaigne and Seneca—two thinkers separated by centuries yet united in their answer to life’s oldest question: how should we live? For Montaigne, the key was freedom...

In this episode, we look at the beauty of balance through Seneca’s counsel on plain living and Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata. Seneca reminds us that philosophy calls for simplicity, not self-punishment—a life both modest and...

This episode explores Epictetus’s radical vision of strength—one rooted not in anger or domination, but in mastery of the self. Through his reflections on thieves, insults, and injustice, the former slave turned...

This episode traces the Stoic lineage back to Socrates, whose probing questions revealed that health, wealth, and reputation are not inherently good or bad—their value lies in how we use them. From Xenophon’s dialogues...

This episode shines a light on Temperance—the often-overlooked Stoic virtue that quietly anchors all the rest. Far from being dull restraint, Temperance is freedom: the ability to enjoy life without being ruled by...

This episode turns to two of the Stoics’ deepest insights: that everything outside us is in constant motion, and that within us lies a freedom nothing can touch. Using Zeno’s vision of happiness as “a good flow of...

This episode explores the quiet courage it takes to ask for help—and the deeper Stoic truth that vulnerability is not weakness but strength. From Marcus Aurelius’s reminder that “there is no shame in being helped” to...

This episode is a welcome return to the podcast for my friend Jon Brooks, creator of the Stoic Handbook. Jon and I had a great conversation, and he shared a lot of really valuable insights and practical guidance on the...

In this episode, we follow Epictetus and Musonius Rufus as they dismantle the illusion that we can control anyone—or anything—outside ourselves. Through the story of a man desperate to end his brother’s anger and...

This episode explores the timeless bond between mentors and students, drawing on Plutarch’s portraits of statesmen and Marcus Aurelius’s personal inventory of gratitude. We trace how wisdom flows not through rivalry but...

This episode explores how Cicero and Marcus Aurelius both emphasized kindness, service, and integrity as essential parts of human nature. We look at Cicero’s call to strengthen society through generosity and Marcus’s...

In a world where “more” is sold as the shortcut to happiness, the Stoics stood in stubborn, refreshing opposition. They argued that wealth, status, and praise, far from guaranteeing joy, often entangle us in new...

This episode begins by exploring Jiddu Krishnamurti’s reflections on life, death, and daily renewal, and then weaves them together with Stoic wisdom from Seneca and the battlefield lessons of Sparta. Through vivid...

Mentioned in this episode: First Pour Coffee, Seneca Edition. You can find it here: and get 10% off with the discount code whatisstoicism10 Ayo Disu is the co-founder of a company called Octillion Capital Partners, a...

What’s the point of philosophy, and why does it matter to the way we live each day? In this episode, we explore philosophy as a companion, a practice, and a framework that shapes our choices—whether we notice it or not...

This episode explores how the daily practice of Stoicism can transform the way we respond to challenges, drawing on the story of Andrew Overby from Massimo Pigliucci’s How to Be a Stoic. We look at how Andrew used Stoic...

In this episode, I look at how Stoicism teaches us not to suppress our emotions but to master our responses to them through mindful assent. With a practical focus, we examine how the Stoic distinguishes between...

This episode explores how Stoicism is not just about inner strength, but about cultivating virtue through community and just interaction with others. Guided by the examples of Zeno, Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, and the...

What does it mean to live the ideal life — and who gets to decide what “ideal” really means? In this episode, we explore wisdom from the Stoics and Goethe on how striving for purpose and meeting each moment fully might...

In this episode, we explore the timeless Stoic lesson that true freedom lies in accepting what we can’t control—echoed powerfully in the life and art of Frida Kahlo. Drawing parallels between Epictetus’s teachings and...

The Stoic philosophers understood something timeless about human nature: we spend much of our lives outside the present moment. We worry about the future, regret the past, and overlook the only time we ever truly...

In this episode, we look at what Stoicism has to say about resisting the urge for revenge and reclaiming our inner freedom. With help from Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Diogenes, we examine why retaliation degrades us...