The Daily Stoic

Essentialism

Greg McKeown

The speaker learned from the author that when the word 'priority' entered the English language in the 1500s, it was singular, suggesting the modern concept of having multiple priorities contradicts its original meaning.

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I learned from Greg McKeown a few years ago that when the word priority came into the English language in the 1500s, that it was only a singular word.

Top Five Regrets of the Dying

Bronnie Ware

The speaker had a conversation with the author about common regrets people express at the end of their lives, such as wishing they had worked less and spent more time with family.

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And I had a beautiful conversation with Bronnie Ware, the palliative care nurse, on my podcast maybe three years ago. And she wrote the book, The Five Regrets of the Dying.

Meditations

Marcus Aurelius

The speaker discussed the February 23rd entry, which was based on a quote from this book. They noted that Marcus Aurelius often included quotes from other writers in his work as a means of practice and self-reminders.

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You shouldn't give circumstances the power to rouse anger, for they don't care at all.

The Daily Stoic Journal

Ryan Holiday

The book was mentioned as something listeners could grab a copy of to support the podcast and delve deeper into Stoicism.

Discourses and Selected Writings of Epictetus (19th century classics illustrated edition) in modern English

Epictetus

Epictetus' Discourses were cited when discussing how putting off self-improvement means one will live and die as someone quite ordinary.

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Epictetus addresses this directly in his discourses. He says, putting things off and deferring the day to which you will attend to yourself, to which you will get serious about these things. What does this mean? He says, it means you will live and die as someone quite ordinary.

Call Sign Chaos

Jim Mattis

This book was referenced by General Mattis, who stated that if leaders haven't read hundreds of books, they are functionally illiterate because they would be learning through trial and error what others have already documented.

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I love this quote from General Mattis. He says, 'If you haven't read hundreds of books, you're functionally illiterate.'

The War of Art

Steven Pressfield

The speaker stated that this book is essential reading before starting any big creative project, as it helped him understand the constant internal battle against 'the resistance' that prevents creatives from doing what they are meant to do. It was recommended for writers, artists, parents, and entrepreneurs facing any challenging endeavor.

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And yet I don't make a single thing. Every big creative project that I sit down to do, I read this book first. And I don't think my success as a writer or artist or creative or whatever you want to call it would be possible without this book.

A Calendar of Wisdom

Leo Tolstoy

Tolstoy considered this book his best work, even over his classic novels, intending it as a daily study guide for self-improvement composed of wise thoughts from philosophers like Epictetus and Buddha. The speaker noted that the book, which took 17 years to publish and nearly 100 years to appear in English, is meant to provide inner calmness and happiness by communing with great thinkers one page at a time.

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One of the most famous writers of all time, who many consider to be one of the greatest writers of all time. He didn't think that his classic novels were his best work. He thought this was his best work.

Good Inside

Dr. Becky Kennedy

The speaker considered this book fantastic, stating it made him a better parent and human being, and claimed it would be the best parenting book listeners would ever read, even for those without children. A core takeaway was the importance of 'repair'--owning mistakes, apologizing, and finding connection after disconnection.

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And my wife told me to read this book. And I'm very much in her debt. Because it made me a better parent and a better human being.

The Psychology of Money

Morgan Housel

This book was suggested as a potential pairing with 'Die with Zero' for readers interested in personal finance. The speaker noted that it was one of the books that influenced his thinking on money.

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And if you haven't read Morgan Housel's The Psychology of Money and The Art of Spending Money, those are two other books that I might pair with this one.

Gift from the Sea

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Published in 1955, this classic was profoundly impactful when it first came out and is described as a book about stillness and finding perspective amidst the demands of modern life. The author used meditations inspired by seashells found on the beach to explore themes like solitude and contentment.

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This year was one of the bestselling books in the entire country in 1955. It was enormously popular when it came out. It was profoundly impactful for hundreds of thousands of people.

Die With Zero

Bill Perkins

This book significantly changed the speaker's perspective on money, spending, and the value of time by arguing against deferring valuable experiences to the future just to accumulate a large net worth at death. It encouraged being generous now to experience the benefits, rather than waiting until one is too old or passed away.

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What are you trying to live a long time for? And what are you saving up all this money for? And actually, the author says this in the book. He says, if you want to have a big pile of money at the end of your life, well, I guess that's your choice. But he says, I've never seen somebody's net worth posted on their tombstone.