In a story from ancient Greek philosophy, Hercules faces a choice between two paths: one promising pleasure and ease; the other, hardship and struggle — but also growth and greatness. According to today’s guest, this ancient parable is more relevant than ever.Dr. Paul Taylor, a psychophysiologist an
Note: This week’s episode of the podcast referenced an ancient story: “The Choice of Hercules.” If you’ve never read it, it’s really worth doing so.The story was set down by Xenophon (430–354 B.C. ), who was an ancient Greek historian and student of the philosopher Socrates. His Memorabilia is a col
One of my goals this year has been to become a cinephile, so I’ve been working my way through some of the classics that have influenced generations of filmmakers. Recently, I finally got around to watching Seven Samurai.Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 masterpiece has been on my list for a long time. It’s the
Updates: One of our commenters, Brandon Beeson, was kind enough to put this into a Google Doc as a checklist. Click here to access that document and feel free to print and use as needed. And Brett created a Todoist template that you can load into that app. When buying a home, most people probably fi
Where Have All the Trick-or-Treaters Gone? Destination Neighborhoods.Maybe you’ve noticed fewer and fewer trick-or-treaters showing up at your door in recent years. There could be several factors contributing to this. Perhaps trunk-or-treats (a phenomenon I’ve never understood) are siphoning them of
When disaster strikes while you’re away from home — whether it’s a blizzard that strands your car, a citywide blackout, or an earthquake that knocks out cell service — the only thing that really matters is getting safely back home. That’s where a get home bag comes in. Unlike a full bug out bag mean
Halloween is the one time of year when death takes center stage in the West. Skeletons hang from porches, skulls grin from mantelpieces, and giant grim reapers show up in the seasonal aisle at Home Depot. For a few weeks, the thing we spend the rest of the year avoiding becomes incredibly visible.It
Reading in the email newsletter? Click here to listen to this week’s episode We live in a culture that does everything it can to keep death at a distance. We hide it behind hospital curtains, euphemize it in conversation, and hustle through grief like it’s just another item on the to-do list. We do
On September 9, 1965, Navy pilot James Stockdale was flying a mission over North Vietnam when his A-4 Skyhawk took anti-aircraft fire. The cockpit filled with smoke. Warning lights flashed red. He ejected, breaking a leg in the process.As his parachute carried him toward a crowd of villagers armed w
In the modern world, it often seems like it’s harder than ever to accomplish your goals.It seems like everyone has already done the thing you want to do — that your idea is already out there, that your niche is beyond saturated.Thinking about starting a podcast? So is everyone else and their mom. Ho
