Overview of This is the Day You Start | What Does Living A Virtuous Life Look Like?
Ryan Holiday (Daily Stoic) frames the episode around two linked ideas: start now — don’t postpone the life you want — and what it practically means to live a virtuous life today. The conversation reframes Stoicism as an active, public-facing philosophy (not a retreat into private resignation), emphasizing courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom as drivers of constructive action. Holiday mixes personal anecdotes, historical examples, and contemporary cases (e.g., Stacey Abrams) to show how Stoic practice turns setbacks into opportunities to build and lead.
Key themes
- Stoicism as action, not escape
- Stoics were politically and socially engaged—running for office, leading troops, speaking against injustice—not passive observers.
- Start now
- The “best time was 20 years ago; the next best time is now” idea: stop deferring the person you want to be.
- Control and response
- Distinguish what’s in your control (your actions, responses, character) from what isn’t; focus on the former.
- The obstacle-as-opportunity
- Adverse circumstances are occasions to practice virtue and to create good where you can.
- Wisdom via humility and curiosity
- True learning requires intellectual humility: you can’t learn what you think you already know.
Historical and contemporary examples highlighted
- Zeno — Stoicism’s origin story: shipwrecked and penniless; philosophy forged from loss and necessity.
- Seneca — on missed opportunities and days: wasted days are gone; start now.
- Marcus Aurelius — reframing fortune: good fortune is created by good actions and intentions; do good where you can.
- Epictetus — exiled under Emperor Domitian; his teaching influenced later figures.
- James Stockdale — POW who relied on Epictetus in Vietnam as a practical guide to endurance.
- Domitian — example of a ruler banning philosophers, illustrating how politically potent Stoicism could be.
- Stacey Abrams — after losing an election she didn’t passively accept defeat; she built voter-outreach infrastructure that changed outcomes later. Presented as a Stoic-style response: accept reality, then act to change what you can.
Notable quotes and lines
- “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago… the next best time is now.”
- “This is the day.” (Steven Pressfield / frame for starting now)
- “You could be good today, but instead you choose tomorrow.” (attributed to Marcus Aurelius in the episode’s framing)
- Epictetus: “Remember, it is impossible to learn that which you think you already know.” (used to emphasize intellectual humility)
- Marcus Aurelius (paraphrased): Good fortune is created through good actions and intentions.
Practical takeaways & action items
- Start immediately: don’t wait for the “right” day or a perfect circumstance.
- Focus on what you control: your choices, actions, and character.
- Treat setbacks as material to work with: obstacles can reveal opportunities to practice virtue.
- Be publicly engaged: virtue in private only is incomplete—participate in civic, cultural, or organizational life rather than ceding it to less virtuous actors.
- Build, don’t only fight: respond to loss or failure by constructing institutions, networks, or systems (e.g., voter outreach, community work).
- Cultivate curiosity and humility: assume you can learn more and be open to revision.
Recommended next steps & resources
- Join the Daily Stoic “New Year, New You” challenge (DailyStoic.com/challenge) — Holiday mentions cohorts and community accountability.
- Read core Stoic texts: Marcus Aurelius (Meditations), Epictetus (Discourses / Enchiridion), Seneca (Letters).
- Practice daily micro-actions: small, consistent good deeds and disciplined habits compound into meaningful change.
- If interested in live events: Holiday mentioned upcoming appearances (dailystoiclive.com).
Final takeaway
Stoicism is a practical ethics for turbulent times: it asks you to accept reality but not be passive about it. Start today, do the small and steady things within your control, engage in public life, and cultivate intellectual humility. Over time, those choices create the “good fortune” that defines a virtuous life.