What do you need to live a good life?

I'll give you a hint: it's not stuff, money, or power. Learn more about Stoicism and beyond in a podcast interview. And register for my new online course, The Philosopher's Compass!

What’s really needed to live a good life?

Is it more stuff? A great job? A thriving economy? Beauty? Fame? Power?

Stoicism resoundingly says no. This time-tested philosophy helps us combat the conventional wisdom that tells us these externals form the basis of human happiness. That’s one of the reasons why Stoicism is a radical way of thinking in today’s world.

Growing up, we are often taught that the markers of success are to get a high paid job, buy a nice car, get a big home, take a vacation at a luxury resort, maybe even get famous. And the achievement culture tells us if you get perfect grades and win awards, it shows your worth as a human being. But if you adopt Stoicism, your goals are different: to become a more rational and thoughtful person, and to prioritize community-oriented collaboration with other people. In other words, to use your brain well and to live in harmony with others.

The Stoic yardstick to measure if you’re making good choices is virtue. That is, are you pursuing the four primary Stoic virtues—wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation (self-control)? If you are, you’re on the right track. If you’re not, time to re-think.

I shared these ideas and much more in an interview with Christian Gray for The Gray Zone, his podcast. Christian is an incredible coach I met during our Co-Active Coaching training, and his interview style shows just how much wisdom he brings to his conversations. We also talked about my book, Beyond Stoicism: A Guide to the Good Life with Stoics, Skeptics, Epicureans, and Other Ancient Philosophers, (co-authored with Massimo Pigliucci and Greg Lopez, in the UK: Live Like a Philosopher). Check the podcast out on Spotify or watch the video on YouTube!

And while you’re thinking about how Stoicism can help us live better, I’d like to share that we have just a few spaces left for the new online course I’ll be teaching starting this Saturday, April 5, with philosophical writer Brittany Polat. The course is called The Philosopher’s Compass: A Guided Journey to Finding Your Purpose, and it will meet each Saturday in April for 90 minutes. Please consider joining us!

The Philosopher's Compass is a transformative 4-week journey that offers timeless philosophical wisdom to help you discover your life’s purpose and create an authentic life aligned with your values. Through this interactive course, you’ll design and refine your own life’s purpose statement—your personal compass for a life of growth and meaning.

Hope to connect with you via the course, the podcast, or your comments below!