Ryan Holiday - A Stoic Life & Death

Ryan Holiday - A Stoic Life & Death

From The Imperfects by Hugh van Cuylenburg, Ryan Shelton & Josh van Cuylenburg

May 31, 2026 · 1h 15m · Season 8 · Episode 18

About this episode

Ryan Holiday discusses the practical applications of Stoic philosophy in dealing with life's challenges and appreciating the present moment.

We can’t control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. At least, that’s what the Stoic’s say. 💌Join 7,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter -  http://bit.ly/45NyQDy Today we are joined (deep breath Hugh) by Stoic philosopher Ryan Holiday. Using the wisdom of the past to appreciate the present, Ryan’s work is dedicated to communicating how the practicalities of stoic philosophy can help us lead more present, mindful and resilient lives today. In this incredible chat, Hugh, Josh and Ryan (our Ryan), each present Ryan Holiday with something they have been struggling with in their own lives. Through the lens of Stoic philosophers Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus, Ryan Holiday talks to how stoicism can really help us to live into our values, prioritise presence, and deal with existential dread. We discuss with Ryan the importance of understanding what will actually make you happy (spoiler: it’s not a billion dollars), and how to reframe death as a reminder that we must appreciate every moment (or not waste anymore with shame and guilt). This episode, and its practical…

People in this episode

Hosts: Hugh van Cuylenburg, Josh van Cuylenburg

Guest: Ryan Holiday

Topics covered

  • Stoicism
  • mindfulness
  • resilience
  • existential dread
  • happiness
  • self-improvement

Keywords

  • Stoicism
  • Ryan Holiday
  • mindfulness
  • existential dread
  • happiness
  • self-improvement
  • Marcus Aurelius
  • Seneca
  • Epictetus

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