Practical Stoicism

Fill out the survey, get free stuff: https://stoicismpod.com/survey
Apply for private coaching: https://stoicismpod.com/apply
Support this podcast financially: https://stoicismpod.com/members
In this episode, I explore what it actually means to relax from a Stoic perspective, and why so much of the advice we're given about relaxation misses the mark.
I begin by questioning the common idea that relaxation is something we can simply decide to do. We often tell ourselves to "just relax," but anyone who has ever sat on a beach while worrying about work, money, or family knows it doesn't work that way. I also push back on the Stoic idea—at least as it is often presented—that we should be able to relax anywhere, regardless of our surroundings. While that's true in theory, none of us are Stoic Sages, and our environment does influence how easily we settle our minds.
From there, I argue that the real obstacle to relaxation isn't tension in the body but rumination in the mind. We don't fail to relax because we're busy. We fail to relax because we carry unresolved judgments with us wherever we go. The constant internal dialogue about uncertain futures, unfinished work, and imagined disasters prevents us from ever being fully present.
I explain that the Stoic solution isn't to eliminate the things worth worrying about. Rather, it's to distinguish between the appropriate actions we should take and the outcomes we cannot control. Once we've reasoned through a problem and made the best choices available to us, continuing to rehearse those same worries serves no purpose. At that point, rumination becomes a choice rather than preparation.
Using the example of potential job loss, I show how Stoicism encourages us to prepare well, fulfill our roles responsibly, and then allow ourselves to return our attention to the present moment. Relaxation isn't pretending problems don't exist. It's knowing you've responded to them appropriately and refusing to let imagined futures rob you of the life that's unfolding right now.
Ultimately, I argue that relaxation is another expression of Stoic practice. It isn't found by escaping life's difficulties, but by learning to trust your own reasoning, accept what lies beyond your control, and remain fully present with the roles that require your attention today.
Mentioned in this episode:
Fill out the survey
https://stoicismpod.com/survey

Apply for private coaching: https://stoicismpod.com/apply
Support this podcast financially: https://stoicismpod.com/members
Episode Summary:
In this episode, I explore why so many of us stay stuck for years—even when we genuinely want to change—and why Stoicism, while powerful, is often only one part of the solution.
I begin by sharing an update on my coaching practice and explain why one-on-one philosophical coaching has become the most rewarding work I've ever done. Working directly with people has reinforced something I've long believed: lasting change rarely comes from information alone. It comes from changing the way we habitually choose.
From there, I examine how our early experiences shape our patterns of judgment and behavior. Children learn quickly, but they also absorb unhealthy habits before their rational faculties are mature enough to question them. Those habits can become deeply ingrained ways of navigating the world, remaining with us well into adulthood.
I argue that overcoming these patterns usually requires more than willpower. Therapy can help us understand where our habits came from. Stoicism provides a framework for deciding what to do with that understanding. In some cases, appropriate medical treatment may also be an important part of recovery. Rather than competing with one another, these approaches can work together.
The central message is simple: if you've been struggling with the same problem for years without making meaningful progress, it may not be because you're incapable of change. It may simply be that your current strategy is incomplete.
Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment! I'd love to hear which ideas resonated with you most.

In this episode, I explore procrastination from a Stoic perspective and argue that it isn't a problem of laziness—it's a problem of judgment.
Drawing on Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and my own experience with ADHD, I explain why we often mistake temporary discomfort for a good reason to delay action. We tell ourselves we'll start when we feel ready, but readiness is rarely something we possess before beginning. More often, it's something we discover after we've already started.
I discuss Seneca's reminder that time is the only thing we truly possess, and Marcus Aurelius' advice to stop waiting for motivation and instead remember what we are made to do as human beings. The Stoics didn't believe motivation came first. They believed right judgment came first.
I also talk about procrastination and ADHD. While ADHD can make starting tasks significantly more difficult, it doesn't remove our capacity to choose well. It simply means some of us have a denser forest to cut through before we can begin moving. That reality calls for better strategies, not despair.
Finally, I share the surprisingly simple tool that has helped me overcome procrastination in my own life: externalising the consequences of inaction. By making the impact of procrastination visible, I stop seeing the task as something that's merely uncomfortable for me and start seeing how my delay affects the people I'm trying to serve.
To make that process easier, I've built a free interactive procrastination tool that walks you through the same decision-making process I use myself. You can find it at https://procrastination.tannerocampbell.com
Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment! I'd love to know what causes you to procrastinate and what strategies have helped you overcome it.
I am a public philosopher; it is my only job. I am enabled to do this job, in large part, thanks to support from my listeners and readers. You can support my work, keep it independent and online, at ⁠https://stoicismpod.com/members⁠
Looking for more Stoic content? Consider my weekly newsletter Stoic Brekkie: ⁠https://stoicbrekkie.com⁠
Overcome decision-making anxiety in 14-days: https://anxiety.tannerocampbell.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Fill out the survey
https://stoicismpod.com/survey

In this episode, I explore why criticism from other people affects us so deeply—and why, from a Stoic perspective, it often shouldn't.
The episode begins with a chance encounter in a Starbucks that led me to reflect on something many of us experience: the discomfort of feeling judged. Whether it's criticism from a stranger, a colleague, or someone we care about, our first reaction is usually emotional. The Stoics understood this well. They knew that our initial emotional response isn't something we choose—but what we do next absolutely is.
Drawing on Epictetus, I explain the difference between our immediate, instinctive reaction and the rational faculty that follows it. The goal isn't to become emotionally numb. It's to become better at examining criticism before accepting it.
I offer a simple question that has helped me navigate criticism more effectively:
Is this pointing to something I genuinely did badly, or is it simply someone else's verdict on something I believe I handled well?
If the criticism is true, it becomes an opportunity for improvement. If it isn't, then there's no reason to surrender your peace of mind to another person's opinion.
The Stoic isn't indifferent to what others think. Rather, the Stoic refuses to allow unexamined opinions to outweigh honest self-knowledge.
The challenge isn't to stop caring about people. It's to stop auditioning for them.
Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment! I'd love to hear how you handle criticism and whether you've found it difficult to separate useful feedback from mere opinion.
I am a public philosopher; it is my only job. I am enabled to do this job, in large part, thanks to support from my listeners and readers. You can support my work, keep it independent and online, at ⁠https://stoicismpod.com/members⁠
Looking for more Stoic content? Consider my 3x/week newsletter Stoic Brekkie: ⁠https://stoicbrekkie.com⁠
Mentioned in this episode:
Fill out the survey
https://stoicismpod.com/survey

Get the archives: https://www.stoicismpod.com/the-archive/
In this episode, I explore what overthinking actually is from a Stoic perspective—and why most advice about it misses the point.
We often think we're "thinking things through" when we're lying awake replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or rehearsing events that haven't happened. But I argue that this isn't really thinking at all. It's rumination: a failure of assent disguised as diligence.
Drawing on Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca, I explain how the Stoics distinguished between a bare impression (phantasia) and the stories we immediately build on top of it. The problem isn't the initial impression. The problem is our habit of treating our imagined conclusions as though they were facts.
I also distinguish careful Stoic deliberation from rumination. Deliberation moves toward a reasoned decision and an available action. Rumination simply replays the same impression, generating anxiety without producing clarity.
To make this practical, I introduce a simple two-question framework you can use whenever you catch yourself overthinking:
What does the bare impression actually say?
Is there an action available to me right now?

If there is, take it. If there isn't, you're probably rehearsing rather than reasoning.
The goal isn't to stop your mind from producing impressions. It's to become better at recognising when your imagination has taken over and returning your attention to reality.
Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment! Share your thoughts.
I am a public philosopher; it is my only job. I am enabled to do this work, in large part, thanks to support from my listeners and readers. You can support my work, keep it independent, and help keep it online at ⁠https://stoicismpod.com/members⁠.
Looking for more Stoic content? Consider subscribing to my 3x/week newsletter, Stoic Brekkie: ⁠https://stoicbrekkie.com⁠.
Mentioned in this episode:
Fill out the survey
https://stoicismpod.com/survey