26 Stoic rules for 2026

Amazon.com: The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living eBook : Holiday, Ryan, Hanselman, Stephen: Books

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If you want 2026 to be the best year of your life, please listen to these Stoic rules... - YouTube

by Daily Stoic - YouTube (Ryan Holiday)

Here are 26 Stoic rules covered in the video, with a brief explanation for each:

1. Don't have an opinion about everything (0:49): You have the power to choose what to have an opinion on. Don't chase every trend or outrage; focus on what matters.
2. Focus on what is up to you (1:34): Concentrate your energy on what you control—your mind, values, and actions—rather than external chaos or what others do or say.
3. Cut out everything that isn't essential (2:02): Eliminate unnecessary tasks and distractions to free up time and energy for what truly matters and helps you.
4. Wake up early (2:42): Utilize the calm and quiet morning hours, a sacred and productive time, instead of sleeping through them.
5. Reflect at the end of the day (3:24): Practice journaling to process daily events, hold yourself accountable, and review what you did well and what you could improve.
6. Stop giving your time away (4:15): Be protective of your time, as it's a precious resource you can't recover. Spend it on things that matter.
7. Always be challenging yourself (4:58): Embrace discomfort and actively seek challenges to toughen yourself, understand your capabilities, and become more courageous.
8. Do something for the common good every single day (5:47): Contribute positively to the world and help others, as this is a core aspect of Stoicism and living a good life.
9. Silence distractions (6:26): Limit inputs, remove unnecessary devices from your environment, and learn to shut out noise to concentrate and go deep philosophically.
10. Pause before you react (7:00): Take a moment to reflect before acting on emotions or impulses, allowing for a more reasoned response.
11. Put every impression, emotion, and opinion to the test (7:42): Question your thoughts and feelings to determine if they are true, important, and aligned with your values.
12. Reduce your desires (8:40): Seek contentment by reducing your needs and expectations, leading to a richer and more prosperous life regardless of external circumstances.
13. Just do the right thing, the rest doesn't matter (9:34): Stick to your moral code and ethics, focusing on doing what is right regardless of external validation or perceived outcomes.
14. Practice acceptance (10:48): Acknowledge and accept what happens in life, then focus on your response, attitude, and what you will do about it.
15. Don't suffer more than you have to (12:37): Avoid excessive anxiety and dread about potential future problems; be prepared, but don't torture yourself in advance.
16. Talk less, listen more (13:36): Prioritize listening, learning, and connection by speaking less, especially about things that don't require your opinion.
17. Focus on progress, not perfection (14:12): Strive for continuous improvement and small steps forward rather than being paralyzed by the pursuit of an impossible ideal.
18. Be strict with yourself but tolerant with others (15:30): Hold yourself to high standards but show understanding and appreciation for others, recognizing you control only your own actions.
19. Stop complaining (16:25): Complaining is unproductive; instead, focus your energy on what you can do to address problems.
20. Love everything that happens (Amor Fati) (17:04): Embrace all experiences, good or bad, as opportunities for growth, learning, and heroic action, allowing them to shape and strengthen you.
21. Detach your self-worth from outcomes (18:21): Tie your well-being to your effort, process, and standards rather than external results or what others say about you.
22. Take a book with you everywhere you go (19:30): Engage with the wisdom of past philosophers and thinkers through reading to gain perspective and guidance.
23. Say no a lot (20:20): Decline non-essential invitations, requests, and obligations to protect your time and energy for what truly matters to you and your well-being.
24. Ask for help (21:20): Recognize you are not an island; reaching out for assistance strengthens connections and helps you achieve your goals.
25. Stop comparing yourselves to others (22:15): Focus on your own journey and progress, ignoring the perceived successes or paths of others, as external appearances can be deceiving.
26. Think about death every day (Memento Mori) (23:12): Remember your mortality to create urgency, clarity, and meaning, helping you prioritize what truly matters in life.