BONUS | Where Service Meets Stoicism — U.S. Army Lieutenant Joe Byerly & Ryan Holiday

Summary of BONUS | Where Service Meets Stoicism — U.S. Army Lieutenant Joe Byerly & Ryan Holiday

by Daily Stoic | Backyard Ventures

1h 8m•November 13, 2025
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Overview of BONUS | Where Service Meets Stoicism — U.S. Army Lieutenant Joe Byerly & Ryan Holiday

This bonus episode is a long-form conversation between Ryan Holiday (Daily Stoic) and Joe Byerly (host of From the Green Notebook). It blends behind-the-scenes discussion of Ryan’s writing process (and his new book Wisdom Takes Work) with practical lessons about learning, leadership, writing, and the disciplined habits that produce wisdom. Joe brings a military leader’s perspective — experience running a cavalry squadron and producing practical leadership resources — and asks concrete questions about research, note-taking, and how to avoid intellectual pitfalls in the information age.

Key themes & takeaways

  • Wisdom is earned, multifaceted, and always provisional. It’s a byproduct of methodical habits (reading, writing, reflection, testing beliefs).
  • Writing clarifies thought. Putting ideas on paper exposes gaps, forces empathy for the audience, and refines reasoning.
  • Record-keeping matters. Personal “book(s) of wisdom” — notebooks, binders, note cards — are a time-travel gift to your future self.
  • Curiosity + verification: don’t accept the first answer (especially from AI); question, falsify, and seek primary sources.
  • Social intelligence is part of wisdom. How you say something affects whether your point is heard.
  • Shortcuts (instant answers, algorithms, misinformation) can build brittle or false belief systems — “walls” of poor-quality bricks.

Notable people, examples & how they’re used

  • Montaigne — model of unconventional education and ongoing self-education.
  • Abraham Lincoln — exemplar of moral wisdom applied to change the world.
  • Elon Musk — case study of extraordinary intelligence plus pitfalls when wisdom, social judgment, or information diet fail; a cautionary tale about power without tempering wisdom.
  • Thomas Merton & Eisenhower — used to illustrate writing as contemplative thinking; Eisenhower famously thinking in writing (using a typewriter) rather than riffing.
  • General James Mattis & Eric Hoffer — examples of lifelong note-keeping (three-ring binders / note cards) as a repository of wisdom.
  • Da Vinci & Steve Jobs — contrast in longevity/accessibility of records; reminder to favor durable, accessible recording (paper still valuable).
  • Socrates & Ben Franklin — contrast between brilliant but socially abrasive (Socrates) versus brilliant and socially astute (Franklin) — showing the social dimension of influence and wisdom.

Practical habits & actionable recommendations

  • Write to think:
    • Use longhand and transfer notes into a system (note cards, binders, or a searchable digital method). The act of writing exposes gaps and forces precision.
    • Think about audience: framing and empathy make ideas more persuasive and less likely to be dismissed.
  • Keep a “book of wisdom”:
    • Regularly archive interesting quotes, facts, insights, and primary-source excerpts. Revisit them; they become resources for future projects.
  • Test instincts with falsifiable searches:
    • When a hunch suggests there should be evidence, pursue primary sources (archives, newspapers, memos) until you falsify or support the claim.
  • Beware of quick answers and AI hallucinations:
    • Don’t accept polished but incorrect composite answers. Verify numbers and sources; spot unrelated variables combined to look convincing.
  • Limit impulsive publishing:
    • Don’t post or speak the very first thought. Aim for clarity without self-censorship; prioritize effectiveness in communication.
  • Use reading + processing cycle:
    • Read widely, then synthesize by writing, summarizing, and filing for later retrieval. This fights the forgetting curve.

Behind the scenes: books, process & collaboration

  • Ryan’s timeline: Wisdom Takes Work was finished for the publisher in late 2024; he immediately began work on a biography of Admiral James Stockdale with Joe as researcher/coauthor/research assistant.
  • Joe’s role: Joe expands Ryan’s capacity — traveling to archives, locating oral histories, legal papers, and local coverage that are hard to access remotely.
  • Research discipline: Projects overlap (promotion for one book happens while another is in production); durable note systems and briefing books are essential to manage backlog.
  • Research craft: Experienced researchers learn to “smell” where answers are likely to exist and to assign falsifiable tasks to trusted collaborators.

Notable quotes & lines referenced

  • “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” — (E. M. Forster quote referenced)
  • “Writing is a hostile act.” — Joan Didion (meaning: you must make your thoughts persuasive enough for others to concede).
  • “Wisdom takes work.” — central thesis: wisdom is a method and a byproduct of persistent intellectual labor.
  • “Just not being stupid is the first part of getting closer to wisdom.” — practical definition: the avoidance of gullibility and sloppy thinking.

Warnings & modern risks highlighted

  • AI is useful but unreliable — especially as it fabricates plausible-sounding answers by combining unrelated data. Critical thinking and source verification remain indispensable.
  • Algorithms, social feeds, and low-quality “bricks” (hot takes, misinformation) can quietly build distorted belief systems.
  • Intelligence without tempering (social skill, humility, reflection) can become dangerous at scale.

Resources & where to follow

  • Ryan Holiday:
    • Book: Wisdom Takes Work (available in stores)
    • Next project: biography of James Stockdale (in-progress)
    • Daily Stoic: dailystoic.com; Daily Stoic Premium (ad-free feed)
  • Joe Byerly:
    • From the Green Notebook (podcast, newsletter) — podcast on Apple/Spotify/YouTube; Instagram: @fromthegreennotebook
    • Books: The Leader’s 90 Day Notebook; My Green Notebook, Know Thyself Before Changing Jobs
  • Mentioned thinkers/authors: Montaigne, Lincoln, Thomas Merton, Eric Hoffer, Robert Caro, Joan Didion, Isaacson (Da Vinci), Robert Greene, Howard Hughes (case study in Ego Is the Enemy).

(Sponsors and offers were also included in the episode: BetterHelp, Tonal, HelloFresh, Whole Foods Market, GiveWell, Toyota Trucks, and Daily Stoic Premium — listeners can find the episode notes for promo links.)

Quick action list (what to do this week)

  • Start a small notebook or three-ring binder for “wisdom” — record a quote, a surprising fact, and one question you’ll pursue.
  • Next time you get a quick answer from Google/AI, ask: what are the primary sources? Can I falsify this claim?
  • Before posting or replying publicly, take 10 minutes to reframe the message for the audience you want to persuade.
  • Pick one recent reading you enjoyed and write a 200–300 word summary in longhand; note gaps or questions it raises.

This episode is useful for writers, leaders, and anyone who wants a practical blueprint for turning reading and curiosity into durable knowledge and better judgment.