In this episode, Matt Van Natta talks about the Stoic view of Virtue. Questions asked and answered:How does Stoicism describe virtue?But what is virtue?How can we be virtuous?

In this episode, Matt Van Natta talks about the Stoic view of Virtue. Questions asked and answered: How does Stoicism describe virtue? But what is virtue? How can we be virtuous?

Episode 19: Virtue

In this episode, Matt Van Natta talks about how Stoics deal with personal conflict. Questions asked and answered:What is the Stoic view of personal conflict?How does a Stoic respond to conflict?How does this radical viewpoint apply to life today?

In this episode, Matt Van Natta talks about how Stoics deal with personal conflict. Questions asked and answered: What is the Stoic view of personal conflict? How does a Stoic respond to conflict? How does this radical viewpoint apply to life today?

Episode 18: Conflict

In this episode, Matt Van Natta talks about why Stoics will sometimes be considered foolish by others. Questions asked and answered:Why would practitioners of philosophy be considered foolish?What benefit is there to being foolish in the Stoic way?How can I be certain I'm being Stoically foolish and not generally foolish?

In this episode, Matt Van Natta talks about why Stoics will sometimes be considered foolish by others. Questions asked and answered: Why would practitioners of philosophy be considered foolish? What benefit is there to being foolish in the Stoic way? How can I be certain I'm being Stoically foolish and not generally foolish?

Episode 17: The Stoic Fool

In this episode, Matt Van Natta addresses progress in Stoic philosophy. Questions asked and answered:How do Stoics define Progress?How does a Stoic practice the philosophy?How can we know if we're missing the point of Stoicism?

In this episode, Matt Van Natta addresses progress in Stoic philosophy. Questions asked and answered: How do Stoics define Progress? How does a Stoic practice the philosophy? How can we know if we're missing the point of Stoicism?

Episode 16: Progress

In this episode, Matt Van Natta addresses Stoic self-care. Questions asked and answered:What does Stoicism advise, when I've had my fill of life's stresses?How can I find personal harmony in a discordant world?Why does Stoicism recommend brief and basic mental renewal?

In this episode, Matt Van Natta addresses Stoic self-care. Questions asked and answered: What does Stoicism advise, when I've had my fill of life's stresses? How can I find personal harmony in a discordant world? Why does Stoicism recommend brief and basic mental renewal?

Episode 15 - Stoic Self-Care

The Good Fortune Handbook consists of the transcripts of thirteen Good Fortune podcast episodes along with additional posts of the past five years from the website, Immoderate Stoic. Whether you read it cover to cover, or use the helpful appendixes to jump to specific questions about Stoic practice, this handbook is a useful companion on your Stoic journey.

Extrasode 14.5 The Good Fortune Handbook

In this episode, Matt Van Natta addresses Stoic self-restraint. Questions asked and answered:Why does Stoicism advise self-restraint?What sort of restraint is advised?Must I reign myself in forever, or can I loosen up eventually?

In this episode, Matt Van Natta addresses Stoic self-restraint. Questions asked and answered: Why does Stoicism advise self-restraint? What sort of restraint is advised? Must I reign myself in forever, or can I loosen up eventually?

Episode 14 - Self-Restraint

In Episode 13 of Good Fortune I tackle death. Death is a huge topic and this podcast tends to come in at around 15 minutes, so please understand that I'll be covering only a glint of a facet of what the philosophy has to say. Also, this episode rests on the foundation of Episode 12, titled "Frightened of Change?" I'd suggest listening to it first. This episode's questions:What is death, to the Stoic?Why should we continuously confront death?How can we come to accept death?

In Episode 13 of Good Fortune I tackle death. Death is a huge topic and this podcast tends to come in at around 15 minutes, so please understand that I'll be covering only a glint of a facet of what the philosophy has to say. Also, this episode rests on the foundation of Episode 12, titled "Frightened of Change?" I'd suggest listening to it first. This episode's questions: What is death, to the Stoic? Why should we continuously confront death? How can we come to accept death?

Episode 13 - Death and an Epitaph for Ourselves

In this episode we discuss the importance of accepting change. The discussion is meant to lay the groundwork for Episode 13 which will concern DEATH. This episode's questions:Exactly how close to nature's heart is change?So the ancient Stoics were really hung up on change, what's it matter?What are the benefits of perceiving and accepting that the universe is ever-changing?

In this episode we discuss the importance of accepting change. The discussion is meant to lay the groundwork for Episode 13 which will concern DEATH. This episode's questions: Exactly how close to nature's heart is change? So the ancient Stoics were really hung up on change, what's it matter? What are the benefits of perceiving and accepting that the universe is ever-changing?

Episode 12 - Frightened of Change?

This episode's questions:What's the Stoic view of fear and do Stoics experience it?The Stoics say that fe.ar is all in my head but, if so, my head is really good at generating fear. What should I do about that?Outside of reigning in my imagination, how can I Stoicially confront fear?In this episode I draw heavily from a Stoic Week 2014 talk given by John Sellars

This episode's questions: What's the Stoic view of fear and do Stoics experience it? The Stoics say that <a href="http://fe.ar" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">fe.ar</a> is all in my head but, if so, my head is really good at generating fear. What should I do about that? Outside of reigning in my imagination, how can I Stoicially confront fear? In this episode I draw heavily from a Stoic Week 2014 talk given by John Sellars

Episode 11 - Uprooting Fear

'Good Fortune' is dedicated to understanding, practicing, and maintaining a Stoic outlook towards life.

Well planned, researched and presented. Keep up the great work!

Excellent introduction to stoicism

Matt, thank you very much...I feel very fortunate to have found this podcast.

Wonderful

Good Fortune

Sometimes we stumble and don't know how to get back on track. In episode 8 I ask what we can do to recover when we fail at our philosophy. This week's questions: How am I supposed to react when I screw up?How can I stop blaming myself (should I stop blaming myself?) when the fact is I really did do something wrong?What exercise can get me back into my Stoic practice?

Sometimes we stumble and don't know how to get back on track. In episode 8 I ask what we can do to recover when we fail at our philosophy. This week's questions: How am I supposed to react when I screw up? How can I stop blaming myself (should I stop blaming myself?) when the fact is I really did do something wrong? What exercise can get me back into my Stoic practice?

Episode 8 - When We Stumble

As you'll hear in today's extrasode, I have a new job! This is a good thing (a prefered indifferent) but this week it gobbled up all my free time. That said, I did not want simply leave the week silent, so my solution is Ep. 5.5. I read a post I wrote in 2011, titled Stoicism and the Blues. In it, I write about using Stoic thought to combat depression. I've learned more since then, but my general approach to depressive episodes is still the same.By the way, if you want a good sense of what living with depression is like, or if you do know and want to feel understood, be sure to read Hyperbole and a Half's Depression Part 2. It's amazing.

As you'll hear in today's extrasode, I have a new job! This is a good thing (a prefered indifferent) but this week it gobbled up all my free time. That said, I did not want simply leave the week silent, so my solution is Ep. 5.5. I read a post I wrote in 2011, titled Stoicism and the Blues. In it, I write about using Stoic thought to combat depression. I've learned more since then, but my general approach to depressive episodes is still the same. By the way, if you want a good sense of what living with depression is like, or if you do know and want to feel understood, be sure to read Hyperbole and a Half's Depression Part 2. It's amazing.

Extrasode 5.5 - Stoicism and the Blues

In this episode I cover the dichotomy of control as found in chapter one of the Enchiridion. I also cover the Stoic practice called "suspension of judgment."

Episode 4 - What We Control

This week I cover the Stoic way to deal with challenging people. I draw from Aurelius' Meditations as we look at a how to think about our situation and as we learn to apply the Stoic Reserve Clause to our future planning.

Episode 7 - When People Are Obstacles

In this episode I look into physical exercises that can enhance Stoic practice. The ancient Stoics believed that confronting discomfort and pain was essential if one was to live the flourishing life. If anything, the modern ability to wrap ourselves in comfort makes these practices all the more relevant.

Episode 10 - Physical Exercises

In this episode I review a common Stoic practice, the Evening (or Retrospective) Meditation. Beginning with the exercise itself, I later cover potential pitfalls if the exercise is misunderstood, and an alternative use that applies to parents.

Episode 5 - A Stoic End to the Day

In this extrasode I read the post How Stoic Treat Jerks, from this blog. Another article, Citizen of the World, is mentioned in passing. How Stoics Treat Jerks bridges the concepts laid out in episode 7 and those that will come up next week in episode 8.

Extrasode 7.5 - How Stoics Treat Jerks

This week I cover the Stoic way to receive bad news. We spend time in Epictetus' Discourses, Book 3, Chapter 28 and talk about the hegemonikon (ruling faculty of the mind) and Stoic indifference. I wrap up by discussing how to use the practice of Physical Definition (as mentioned in Episode 3) to decide what to do in light of distressing events.

Episode 6 - Handling Distressing News

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The best self improvement podcast episodes. From improving productivity, to finding purpose in your life to what constitutes freedom, this topic is on anything and everything that can help people to improve their lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!