Practical Stoicism

In this episode, I explore why criticism from other people affects us so deeply—and why, from a Stoic perspective, it often shouldn't.
The episode begins with a chance encounter in a Starbucks that led me to reflect on something many of us experience: the discomfort of feeling judged. Whether it's criticism from a stranger, a colleague, or someone we care about, our first reaction is usually emotional. The Stoics understood this well. They knew that our initial emotional response isn't something we choose—but what we do next absolutely is.
Drawing on Epictetus, I explain the difference between our immediate, instinctive reaction and the rational faculty that follows it. The goal isn't to become emotionally numb. It's to become better at examining criticism before accepting it.
I offer a simple question that has helped me navigate criticism more effectively:
Is this pointing to something I genuinely did badly, or is it simply someone else's verdict on something I believe I handled well?
If the criticism is true, it becomes an opportunity for improvement. If it isn't, then there's no reason to surrender your peace of mind to another person's opinion.
The Stoic isn't indifferent to what others think. Rather, the Stoic refuses to allow unexamined opinions to outweigh honest self-knowledge.
The challenge isn't to stop caring about people. It's to stop auditioning for them.
Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment! I'd love to hear how you handle criticism and whether you've found it difficult to separate useful feedback from mere opinion.
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This podcast is provided for free as a public service. If you’re interested in working with me in a professional capacity (such as engaging me for private coaching, having me teach one of my workshops at your place of business, have me deliver a keynote at your next event, or provide Stoic mentorship sessions to your teen-aged kids) you can learn more about doing so at https://tannerocampbell.com. Enjoy the episode.

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In this episode, I explore what overthinking actually is from a Stoic perspective—and why most advice about it misses the point.
We often think we're "thinking things through" when we're lying awake replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or rehearsing events that haven't happened. But I argue that this isn't really thinking at all. It's rumination: a failure of assent disguised as diligence.
Drawing on Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca, I explain how the Stoics distinguished between a bare impression (phantasia) and the stories we immediately build on top of it. The problem isn't the initial impression. The problem is our habit of treating our imagined conclusions as though they were facts.
I also distinguish careful Stoic deliberation from rumination. Deliberation moves toward a reasoned decision and an available action. Rumination simply replays the same impression, generating anxiety without producing clarity.
To make this practical, I introduce a simple two-question framework you can use whenever you catch yourself overthinking:
What does the bare impression actually say?
Is there an action available to me right now?

If there is, take it. If there isn't, you're probably rehearsing rather than reasoning.
The goal isn't to stop your mind from producing impressions. It's to become better at recognising when your imagination has taken over and returning your attention to reality.
Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment! Share your thoughts.
I am a public philosopher; it is my only job. I am enabled to do this work, in large part, thanks to support from my listeners and readers. You can support my work, keep it independent, and help keep it online at ⁠https://stoicismpod.com/members⁠.
Looking for more Stoic content? Consider subscribing to my 3x/week newsletter, Stoic Brekkie: ⁠https://stoicbrekkie.com⁠.
Mentioned in this episode:
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This podcast is provided for free as a public service. If you’re interested in working with me in a professional capacity (such as engaging me for private coaching, having me teach one of my workshops at your place of business, have me deliver a keynote at your next event, or provide Stoic mentorship sessions to your teen-aged kids) you can learn more about doing so at https://tannerocampbell.com. Enjoy the episode.

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In this episode I'm tackling the thing nobody wants me to tackle: politics. Before you run away, I promise I'm not endorsing anyone or anything. What I'm interested in is how a Stoic engages politically, not who a Stoic votes for. I get into whether Stoics should vote at all (in most cases, yes, because Stoics are pro-social and voting is one way we attempt to benefit the human community), and I share why I've abstained from local US elections since leaving the country in 2023, and why I won't be voting in Scotland right away once we move there.
I also spend a good chunk of this episode on how we talk about our neighbours who vote differently than we do. People assent to the choices they believe are appropriate for them, and flattening someone's reasons into "they must be stupid or evil" is both practically counterproductive and, drawing on Epictetus, deeply un-Stoic, because we cannot truly know the judgements and contexts of minds that aren't our own. From there I look at protest. The Stoic Opposition proved Stoics can stand against tyranny with real force, so protest isn't off the table, but the why matters more than the what. And finally I ask whether we've let politics become a pathos rather than a civic duty, an identity that crowds out our actual identity as Prokoptôn.
Also in this episode: an update on Stoic Brekkie by Post (the 50-person beta filled up fast, thank you), and news that I'm building a little Stoicism educational video game, because apparently your Stoicism guy needed another creative outlet.
Engage. It's your duty. But engage well.
Thanks for listening.
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This podcast is provided for free as a public service. If you’re interested in working with me in a professional capacity (such as engaging me for private coaching, having me teach one of my workshops at your place of business, have me deliver a keynote at your next event, or provide Stoic mentorship sessions to your teen-aged kids) you can learn more about doing so at https://tannerocampbell.com. Enjoy the episode.

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Mentioned in this episode:
Work with me
This podcast is provided for free as a public service. If you’re interested in working with me in a professional capacity (such as engaging me for private coaching, having me teach one of my workshops at your place of business, have me deliver a keynote at your next event, or provide Stoic mentorship sessions to your teen-aged kids) you can learn more about doing so at https://tannerocampbell.com. Enjoy the episode.

In this episode, I talk about parenting, exhaustion, frustration, and the very real challenge of remaining Stoic when your emotional battery is running on empty.
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Using a story from my own 43rd birthday, I walk through a morning that did not go according to plan. What I wanted was a peaceful day. What I got was a very normal morning with a two-year-old child who wanted things his way, struggled to communicate those wants clearly, and repeatedly tested my patience.
The story revolves around a simple trip to a café that gradually became a lesson in expectations, frustration, entitlement, and emotional regulation.
The deeper lesson is not really about toddlers. It's about the stories we tell ourselves.
I had convinced myself that my birthday entitled me to a peaceful day. Rationally, I knew that wasn't true. But emotionally, I had quietly bought into the idea anyway. That expectation became the source of much of my frustration.
From there, I explore several Stoic lessons:
Managing expectations before frustration takes hold.
Recognizing when we're running our emotional batteries too low.
Understanding that self-care is not selfishness.
Appreciating how much children learn from our behavior, especially when we're angry.
Recognizing the difference between discipline and rage.

I spend particular time discussing the impression we leave on our children. Children are constantly watching us. Every outburst, every moment of patience, every act of self-control becomes part of the example we set for them.
A parent losing their temper doesn't just solve a problem poorly in the moment—it can shape how a child understands relationships, authority, safety, and emotional expression for years to come.
I also argue that many parents wait far too long to recharge. We run ourselves into the ground, then expect one special day, one holiday, or one break to somehow restore everything. That's not sustainable.
The Stoic approach is much simpler: maintain the battery before it reaches zero.
Even a single hour each week dedicated to rest, reflection, reading, walking, or simply being alone can dramatically improve our ability to show up well for the people who depend on us.
The central message of the episode is this: parenting is hard, and perfection is impossible. But we can dramatically reduce the likelihood of losing our tempers by managing our expectations, protecting our own wellbeing, and remembering that our children are always learning from how we choose to respond.
Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment! Share your thoughts.
Mentioned in this episode:
Work with me
This podcast is provided for free as a public service. If you’re interested in working with me in a professional capacity (such as engaging me for private coaching, having me teach one of my workshops at your place of business, have me deliver a keynote at your next event, or provide Stoic mentorship sessions to your teen-aged kids) you can learn more about doing so at https://tannerocampbell.com. Enjoy the episode.