Overview of Discipline is Doing It Anyway | The Power of Mantra
This Daily Stoic episode (hosted by Ryan Holiday) connects two practical Stoic practices: discipline as simply “doing it anyway,” and the use of mantras to steady the mind. Using Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations as the anchor, Holiday explains how short, repeatable phrases function like training—helping you resist distraction, stay disciplined, and act in accordance with your values. The episode also includes a brief community call-to-action (the New Year, New You Challenge) and a sponsor message from Fundrise.
Key takeaways
- Discipline = “doing it anyway.” Real discipline shows up when you act despite fatigue, inconvenience, lack of recognition, or small apparent gain.
- Mantras are Stoic tools: short, repeatable phrases that correct false impressions, refocus attention, and build mental habits. Marcus Aurelius used them in his Meditations as reminders to himself, not for an audience.
- Repetition is the point: Stoic writings are deliberately repetitive because they train the mind—what you repeat becomes second nature in stressful moments.
- Practical Stoic mantras to consider: “Is this in my control?”; “Persist and resist”; “Amor fati”; “The obstacle is the way”; “Fight to be the person philosophy tried to make you.”
- Make mantras personal and persistent—write them down, repeat them, tattoo or wear them if helpful—so they activate automatically when needed.
Notable quotes and insights
- Episode title line (summary mantra): “Discipline is doing it anyway.”
- Marcus Aurelius (Meditations 8.29, quoted): “Erase the false impressions from your mind by constantly saying to yourself, I have it in my soul to keep out any evil, desire, or any kind of disturbance. Instead, seeing the true nature of things, I will give them only their due.”
- Ryan Holiday on Meditations: Marcus was writing to himself; the repetition is intentional training rather than literary flourish.
- Practical framing: Stoicism can be understood as a philosophy built from short reminders—aphorisms and mantras—that shape behavior over time.
Practical recommendations (how to use mantras and build discipline)
- Choose a yearly mantra (one phrase that captures the year’s focus) and a handful of daily/use-case mantras for decision points.
- Write them down—journals, wrist, tattoos, notes on your phone—so you encounter them repeatedly.
- Repeat the mantra in moments of distraction or challenge until the response becomes automatic.
- Use Stoic test questions as mantras: “Is this in my control?” or “What is my duty here?”
- Treat mantra practice like training: if it’s difficult to recall, you’re likely pushing yourself enough.
Topics covered
- Definition and practical meaning of discipline.
- Marcus Aurelius’ use of mantras in Meditations.
- The relationship between meditation, mantra, and Stoic practice.
- Examples of Stoic mantras and aphorisms.
- The Daily Stoic New Year, New You Challenge and membership benefits.
- Brief sponsor message (Fundrise) and gratitude to listeners.
Resources & calls to action mentioned
- Daily Stoic New Year, New You Challenge — sign up at dailystoic.com/challenge (Ryan encourages joining; existing Daily Stoic Life members get challenges included).
- Daily Stoic books and leather-bound editions — store.dailystoic.com.
- Sponsor: Fundrise venture portfolio (for investing in private/early-stage companies) — fundrise.com/dailystoic.
- Episode host: Ryan Holiday; the show has over 30 million downloads across episodes.
Why this matters
Mantras compress philosophical practice into actionable micro-habits. When combined with the simple rule of “do it anyway,” they turn Stoic principles from abstract ideas into reliable behavior under pressure. If you want more consistency in action and clarity in thought, adopting and repeating short, meaningful mantras is a high-leverage, low-friction practice.