A Test of Your Worth

Here’s a question to ask yourself about your work and your life: Do you create value for society or do you extract it? Are you a giver or a taker? Do you make the world better with your choices and actions and lifestyle? When the Stoics talk about sympatheia, they are referring to this idea that we all have a role, that we’re all part of a larger whole. And, of course, the Stoics were not so naive that they didn’t understand some people’s roles were to be shameless, to be evil, to be lazy, or whatever. (Marcus alludes to an idea in Meditations that even people who are sleeping are doing a job of some kind). But just because that is some people’s role, doesn’t mean it’s a good role or that it should be yours. It’s worth taking the time on a regular basis to stop and consider what you’re contributing to this whole crazy system we’ve been born into. Marcus said that we were made to do works for the common good. Well, are you? Are you helping people? Is what you sell actually worth people’s money (and therefore time) or are you such a good marketer that you trick them into thinking so? Decide to create value. Decide to give more than you take. Make the world better by being in it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. 📢 Share | ⚙️ Manage Subscription

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:06Ryan Holiday?

  Welcome to The Daily Stoic, where each day we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living the good life. Each one of these passages is based on the 2,000-year-old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at dailystoic.com.

• 0:28Ryan Holiday?

  A Test of Your Worth. Here's a question to ask yourself about your work and your life. Do you create value for society, or do you extract it? Are you a giver or a taker? Do you make the world better by your choices and actions and lifestyle? When the Stoics talk about "sympathia," they're referring to this idea that we all have a role, that we're all part of a larger whole. And of course, the Stoics are not so naive that they didn't understand that some people's roles in that were to be shameless, to be evil, to be lazy, or whatever. Marcus alludes to an idea in Meditations that even people who are sleeping are doing a job of some kind. But just because that is some people's

• 1:11Ryan Holiday?

  role, that doesn't mean it's a good role, or that it should be yours. It's worth taking the time on a regular basis to stop and consider what you are contributing to this whole crazy system we've been born into. Marcus said that "we are made to do works for the common good." Well, are you? Are you helping people? Is what you sell actually worth people's money and therefore time? Or are you such a good marketer that you trick them into thinking so? Decide to create value. Decide to give more than you take. Make the world better by being in it. Hey, just a quick reminder: Stillness is the key. It's the key to success. It's the key to happiness. It's the key to insight. It's also the title of my next book. You

• 1:55Ryan Holiday?

  can get Stillness is the Key. It comes out October 1, everywhere books are sold. It's currently available for preorder. You can get it in audiobook, ebook, physical. Barnes & Noble even has a few signed copies. If you've gotten anything out of my writing, anything out of this podcast, or my emails over the years, I would love your support. Stillness is the Key. Available everywhere books are sold. You can preorder it now, and it comes out October 1.