The Strong Stoic Podcast

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to improve the quality of The Strong Stoic. Recently, I realized I wasn’t entirely sure what I meant by “quality.”

Better cameras. Better audio. Tighter editing. These things can improve an episode—but what might they leave behind?

In this open solo reflection, I explore the tension between polish and authenticity, the difference between communicating efficiently and letting an idea carry weight, and how improving our craft can leave us fixated on things our audience barely notices.

There’s an uncomfortable question on either side: am I c...

What does a champion learn when someone else’s growth becomes the priority?

Spencer Moorman is a five-time national weightlifting champion, former US national team athlete, and the coach behind Iron Hex. He began lifting at eight years old under his father’s guidance and went on to train at California Strength. Today, he brings that experience to coaching athletes, including young Canadian lifting standout Rory van Ulft.

I joined Spencer at his home in Ottawa to explore the transition from competitor to coach—and the judgment it takes to know when to push, when to hol...

Before serving in Vietnam, Jim MacKay entered a Franciscan monastery at seventeen. Across those very different paths, his desire to help people remained.

I joined Jim at his home in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, to talk about brotherhood, fear, rescuing wounded men, responsibility, and what he wishes people understood about those who return from war.

What struck me most was his kindness. I went to hear about his life and left feeling like I’d made a friend.

I encourage you to watch the video version if you can. Jim’s expressions and the...

We like to believe that difficulty inevitably makes us stronger. Sometimes it does. But some chapters simply ask us to survive with whatever pieces of ourselves we can protect.

Through the life of Marcus Aurelius, this episode explores the limits of turning suffering into growth, the difference between acceptance and passivity, and why philosophy can help us carry what we cannot fix.

You don’t have to turn every tragedy into a lesson. You don’t have to be grateful for every scar. Sometimes making it through without losing all of yourself is enough.

Nobody starts as a master.

When we see someone who is strong, skilled, or exceptionally good at what they do, we see the finished product. We don’t see all the years they spent being bad at it.

Recently, after more than six years of podcasting, I found myself spending an hour and a half learning a basic audio-editing skill I probably should have learned years ago. I had no idea what I was doing.

And maybe that’s exactly the point.

If you want to become good at something, you need...

JP Primeau is a strength coach, former university football player, and Olympic weightlifting coach in Nova Scotia.

But this conversation isn't really about lifting.

It's about what happens when the identity you've spent years building begins to change.

JP and I talk about his transition from football into Olympic weightlifting and eventually coaching, what it feels like to go from being good at something to becoming a beginner again, and the difficult process of accepting that some of our ambitions may not turn out the way we imagined.

That leads us...

Jocko Willink’s philosophy of Extreme Ownership teaches leaders to take responsibility for everything that affects their mission. If something goes wrong, don’t make excuses. Own it and fix it.

It is a powerful leadership doctrine—but is everything that happens truly your fault?

In Episode 433, I examine Extreme Ownership through a Stoic lens. We explore why the philosophy works, how it restores agency, and why ownership builds trust. We also consider where it becomes incomplete by confusing fault, responsibility, influence, and control.

The Stoic correction is not to abandon ownership. It is to...

What if you worked hard at something for years and nobody noticed? Would the work still be worth doing?

I've been wrestling with that question lately as I've become more focused on views, analytics, and growing The Strong Stoic.

There's nothing wrong with wanting success, recognition, or influence. The danger begins when being noticed becomes the reason we do the work.

Marcus Aurelius reminds us that doing the good thing is already the reward. And much of what makes a good life happens without applause anyway.

Train. Build. Lead. Keep your...

Many of our emotional patterns were formed before we were old enough to understand what was happening.

We learned what love, conflict, trust, danger, and security looked like by watching the people around us. Those early experiences helped build our internal alarm systems—but not every alarm remains properly calibrated.

Anger may tell us that we perceive an injustice. Fear may tell us that we sense danger. Sadness may tell us that something meaningful feels threatened. These emotions deserve our attention, but they do not always deserve our obedience.

In Episode #432 of The St...

We have a tendency to postpone happiness.

Once I get the promotion, I’ll be happy. Once I make more money, buy the new car, find the right relationship, or reach the next goal—then I’ll finally be satisfied.

But eventually, you get some of those things. And something strange happens:

You’re still you.

In this Strong Stoic Unscripted, I talk about my own experience of upgrading from a Honda Accord to the truck I wanted—and realizing that changing what was sitting in my driveway didn’t change what was hap...

If you attain something without integrity, the thing you attain will always have power over you.

In The Hobbit, Gollum’s relationship with the Ring begins with murder. Bilbo’s begins with pity and mercy. Both possess the same corrupting object, but it does not shape them in the same way.

In this episode, I use Bilbo and the Ring to explore the Stoic concept of preferred indifferents: money, power, status, health, and possessions. These things may be worth pursuing, but they cannot make us good—and how we acquire them matters far more than whethe...

A former Anthropic researcher recently went on CNN and made a startling claim: AI could pose an existential threat to humanity within the next few years.

I’m not an AI researcher, and I’m not here to tell you whether that prediction is right.

What interests me is the much older—and much more human—problem underneath it:

Human beings have a habit of developing power before developing the wisdom necessary to wield it.

We did it with nuclear weapons. We’ve done it with countless technologies throughout history. And now, perha...

Ryan Holiday has introduced millions of people to Stoicism. But is what he teaches about success actually consistent with what the ancient Stoics taught?

In this episode, I take a closer look at several of Holiday’s claims about success—not to tear him down, but to test those ideas against the philosophy itself.

We explore why Stoic success cannot be measured purely by outcomes, what the Stoics actually meant by preferred indifferents, why making more money isn’t necessarily the Stoic choice, and a revealing passage from Seneca’s Letter 95that rai...

If someone could hear your thoughts for a week, who would they expect you to become?

Marcus Aurelius wrote that “the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” But not every thought stains us. An unwanted impulse is not character. The danger lies in the thoughts we repeatedly entertain, rehearse, defend, and eventually act upon.

In Episode 429, Brandon explores how thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits, and habits become character. He examines why our speech reveals what the mind has been soaking in, how our closest relationships influence our inner live...

David Goggins believes in scheduled suffering, rejecting motivation and refusing to stop before the work is done. His philosophy has helped millions confront comfort, excuses and unrealized potential.

But is Goggins actually a Stoic—and when does relentless discipline become self-punishment?

In this episode, Brandon examines eight of Goggins’ central ideas through a Stoic lens, including the 40% Rule, voluntary discomfort, accepting help, recovery, permanent change and the difficult decision to quit something meaningful.

Goggins gets several things profoundly right: motivation is unreliable, confidence must be earned, and a comfortable life can quietly become a sm...

Living intentionally does not mean avoiding regret. It means deciding which regrets you are willing to carry.

In this episode, Brandon is joined by Joshua Bertolotti for an honest conversation about busyness, rest, vulnerability and the difficult work of examining your own life. They discuss why we often plan ordinary tasks more carefully than our futures, how constant activity can conceal exhaustion, and why slowing down is sometimes the most responsible thing we can do.

The conversation also explores emotional honesty, the relationship between vulnerability and toughness, and the courage required to acknowledge when we...

Why do certain insults stay with us while others have no effect at all?

In this episode of The Strong Stoic Podcast, I examine what our emotional reactions reveal about us—and how to respond to difficult people without becoming passive, cruel, or emotionally numb.

Sometimes anger exposes an insecurity. Sometimes contempt points toward a version of ourselves we fear becoming. Sometimes we suffer because we decided another person owed us respect, recognition, affection, or fairness.

The Stoic response is not to pretend that pain is unreal. It is to examine the judgment, ta...

Resentment often begins where an important boundary remains unspoken.

In Episode 425, we examine why boundaries exist in every healthy relationship—and why setting one is not necessarily an act of rejection. A clear boundary tells another person what matters, what you are willing to participate in, and what you will do if the line is crossed.

We also explore the difference between boundaries and preferences, the discomfort of receiving someone else’s boundary, and the danger of becoming so rigid that healthy limits turn into walls.

The goal isn’t to create relationships where...

Have you ever stopped enjoying something that once gave your life meaning?

Maybe it's the guitar that now gathers dust. The running shoes that haven't left the closet. The books you used to devour but can't seem to pick up anymore.

In this episode, I explore why our interests naturally change throughout life, why there's nothing wrong with losing a passion, and what Stoicism has to teach us about work, play, gratitude, and non-attachment.

Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do isn't force ourselves back into an old hobby—it's to le...

Have you ever looked in the mirror and realized you’ve become someone you don’t respect?

I have.

In this deeply personal episode, I share a chapter of my life I’ve rarely talked about—the years after university when I slowly drifted into complacency. What began as well-earned rest became laziness, comfort, and eventually shame. One day I looked at the man I was becoming… and I didn’t like him.

This episode is about the long, humbling process of rebuilding your character.

We explore:

Most people believe they know their limits.

The truth is, they only know where they’ve chosen to stop.

In this episode, I explore one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves—that discomfort equals incapability. Whether it’s grief, parenthood, illness, failure, or unexpected responsibility, history shows that ordinary people repeatedly rise to challenges they once believed impossible.

Like the reserve tank in your vehicle, human beings often have far more left than they realize.

Drawing from Stoic philosophy, personal stories, and everyday examples, this episode explores why suffering often reveal...

Most of us don’t wake up wanting to be selfish, impatient, or unkind.

So why is being good so difficult?

In this conversation, I sit down once again with Corey to explore one of the oldest questions in philosophy, faith, and everyday life. Beginning with Rudyard Kipling’s timeless poem If—, we unpack what it really means to choose goodness when life becomes uncomfortable.

We discuss why ego fights humility, why justice feels so personal, why suffering can either harden us or deepen us, and why character is built in the ordinary moment...

Most people hear Walk on the Moon and think about astronauts.

I think about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

The father holding his newborn.
 The recovering alcoholic walking into their first meeting.
 The woman rebuilding her life after divorce.
 The man finally leaving the job that’s been draining him for years.

We all have a “walk on the moon.”

In this episode, I use one of my favorite songs as a lens to explore courage, regret, fear, Stoicism, and what it really means to chase the life that’s ca...

We all know we should learn from our mistakes.

But somewhere along the way, many of us confuse self-reflection with self-punishment.

In this episode, I explore the difference between shadow work and self-loathing. Drawing from Stoicism, Carl Jung, Seneca, Dostoevsky, and Tolkien, I examine why looking honestly at our flaws is necessary—and why beating ourselves up for them isn’t.

The goal isn’t to ignore your mistakes.

The goal is to face them honestly, learn from them, and move forward without carrying unnecessary suffering.

Because grace is a para...

As we grow stronger, wiser, healthier, and more disciplined, a subtle danger emerges: contempt.

It's easy to celebrate strength. It's much harder to remain compassionate toward weakness—especially the weaknesses we once saw in ourselves.

In this episode, I explore a paradox at the heart of Stoicism: how to pursue excellence without developing disdain for those who are still struggling.

From the gym floor to leadership, from courage to cowardice, the Stoics remind us that virtue should produce humility, not superiority. After all, everything we possess—including our strength—is borrowed.

A remi...

What happens when someone you love dies?

In this conversation, I sit down with a returning guest shortly after the loss of his father. We explore grief, mortality, legacy, and the strange reality that every person we meet was once a child, a son, a daughter, and a dream in someone else’s mind.

We discuss Stoic perspectives on death, why history remembers some people and forgets others, the danger of judging people without understanding their circumstances, and what it means to leave something meaningful behind.

This isn’t a conversation about having all...

Sometimes the hardest part isn’t the workout, the meeting, the difficult conversation, or the grieving process.

It’s the first step.

In this episode, Brandon reflects on a lesson shared by Jeff Nippard following the tragic loss of his partner and explores how a simple idea—just take the first step—can help us navigate grief, fear, depression, and resistance.

Drawing on personal experiences from the isolation of the COVID lockdowns and the Stoic understanding of courage, Brandon explains why momentum matters, why action often comes before motivation, and why being gentle with you...

Most extraordinary people are never famous.

History remembers a few names — Marcus Aurelius, Churchill, Dostoevsky — but civilization itself is carried forward by ordinary people doing small things faithfully. Good fathers. Loyal friends. Honest workers. Men and women who plant trees whose shade they will never sit under.

In this episode, I reflect on anonymous greatness, mortality, forgotten ancestors, war, courage, and why being forgotten may actually be one of the most beautiful truths about being human.

We talk about:

Most people think the worst thing in the world is being alone.

But the Stoics made an important distinction between loneliness and solitude.

Loneliness is the painful feeling of disconnection — the sense that you do not belong, that no one truly sees you, understands you, or stands beside you. Solitude, however, is something entirely different. Solitude is peace within yourself. It is the ability to sit quietly in your own company without needing distraction, validation, or noise.

In this episode, I explore why human beings fear loneliness so deeply, how our evolutionary history sh...

Most people are trying to fix symptoms instead of causes.

You miss the gym and think you lack discipline.

You eat poorly and think you have weak willpower.

You feel exhausted and think you’ve become lazy.

But what if those aren’t the real problem?

In this episode, I talk about root causes — the foundational issues underneath the visible struggles in our lives. I use my recent work travel and disrupted sleep routine as an example of how one weak pillar can quietly affect everything else: mood, discipline, diet...

Most people think Stoicism means being friends with everyone.

It doesn’t.

In this episode, we break down a hard truth:
 not everyone is meant to be your friend.

Some people, by their nature, won’t align with you.
 Others, by their roles, can’t.

And trying to force those relationships doesn’t make you more virtuous—it makes you more confused.

We talk about:

You’re busy. Life is good. Things are flowing.

And that’s exactly when you’re most likely to forget something critical:

You’re going to die.

In this episode, I break down why thinking about death—especially when life feels good—is one of the most practical Stoic tools you have.

We talk about:

Why feeling good doesn’t mean you’re living well

You’re not overwhelmed—you’re unprioritized.

In this episode, I break down why the feeling of overwhelm isn’t always about having too much to do, but about trying to hold everything to the same standard.

We talk about:

This is about precision, n...

You start something new—and it feels wrong.

Not clearly wrong. Just… off.

In this episode, I break down why that happens and why it’s not a signal to quit—but a signal to stay.

Your nervous system is still calibrated to your old environment. And if you’re not careful, you’ll try to reshape your new life to match the one you left.

We talk about:

Most advice for your 20s is designed to comfort you—not prepare you.

In this episode, I break down 12 lessons that don’t sound good… but hold up when life gets difficult.

We talk about:

This isn’t motivation.

It’s preparation.

Most of your life is going to feel… repetitive.

Wake up. Work. Eat. Train. Sleep. Repeat.

And if you’re not careful, you’ll start to believe something is wrong with that.

In this episode, I break down why that feeling exists—and why it’s misleading.

We talk about:

Why movies distort your expectations of life

This isn’t about forcing positivi...

Marcus Aurelius wrote, “The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.”

In this episode, we break down what that really means — and why it’s more psychological than poetic.

Your character isn’t shaped by random thoughts. It’s shaped by repeated ones.

The ones you rehearse.

The ones you circulate.

The ones you give attention to daily.

We explore:

How repeated thoughts build identity

Money stresses almost everyone.

But Stoicism doesn’t tell us to ignore wealth — it tells us to rank it correctly.

In this episode, I break down:

Why money isn’t arbitrary (it represents reciprocity and contribution)

Wealth is a preferred indifferent.

But mismanaging it is not neutral.

Receive prosperity without arrogance.

Be ready to let it go without collapse.

Every man has his excuses.

And the more vile the man becomes, the more touching the story has to be.

In this episode of The Strong Stoic, we explore a brutal truth: no one thinks they’re the villain. From The Blade Itself to Game of Thrones to Breaking Bad, we examine how the human mind protects itself with narrative.

We talk about:

In this episode of The Strong Stoic, I sit down with an active-duty Navy submarine officer to explore Stoicism through the lens of military leadership, conflict, and responsibility.

We discuss:

Why Stoicism isn’t emotional suppression

This is not a romanticized conversation about war.

It’s a grounded exploration of responsibility under pressure.

If you’ve...