Ryan Holiday

Making money is easier than most people think—knowing why and what for, and not being driven in the wrong direction to get it? Much harder.

It’s never been easier to talk, to distract ourselves, to puff ourselves up.

To look at a sleeping baby, defenseless and pure, and think, ‘How many likes do you think this will get?’ struck us as particularly gross.

I am down on copycats and trend followers. I like podcasting too much and value my own sanity (and the sanity of other awesome people) too much to think that the world needs us to collectively waste time on other people’s self-indulgent personal brand building.

The private diaries of one of Rome’s greatest emperors, the personal letters of one of Rome’s best playwrights and wisest power brokers, the lectures of a former slave and exile, turned influential teacher.

Willing to work for free to prove yourself is a great little distinction. But it’s worthless by itself.

Only assholes recline their seats – When stuck in economy, and craving for a little more space, remember everyone else is stuck in economy too. Treat your fellow man with respect—don’t recline your seat.

Most people are not strategic. They are reactive.

Sports embody the best and the worst of life—our competitive urges, teamwork, grace under pressure, realizing our potential, the agony of defeat.

“Envy is merely the meanest form of admiration, and a man who envies another admits thereby his own inferiority.”

The baffling reality is that when it comes to Trump, it’s difficult to critique him on much besides his personality and (lack of) character — because that is all there is.

How do we prevent ego from “sucking us down like the law of gravity?” The primary answer is simple: awareness. But after that, it’s a matter of hard work.

There is a critical moment that must come in every person’s life—particularly when we’re young. It’s a painful moment, but a necessary one.

The people you choose to surround yourself and spend time with is by far one of the most critical decisions you have to make.

Because just as often, we fail with—no, because of—passion.

I can’t say that this exercise is flawless or that it magically cured me of my jealousy. It’s not supposed to. It’s an exercise—a tool to use when envy appears.

On being a writer: “All the days of his life he should be reading as faithfully as his partaking of food; reading, watching, listening.” John Fante

Because of course the idea is good. Of course there’s something here. Of course the audiences will love what we create. Of course our breakthrough is legitimate. Except that isn’t always true.