Host Saber Mashirian cracks open the pantry of ancient wisdom in this essential fifth installment of The Failure Chronicles.

If the previous episode on failure was the appetizer, this is the main course: a deep dive into the philosophy of Stoicism—the secret sauce repeatedly referenced by Alain de Botton.

We’re not just sampling history; we're sitting at the table with the ultimate chef of self-control, Marcus Aurelius, the Roman philosopher-emperor. Aurelius didn't just rule an empire; he wrote the ultimate cookbook for resilience, Meditations, often penned in a tent behind the battlefield.

This episode explores his four key ingredients for a life of inner peace:

• Controlling Your Cuts: Focusing only on what you can control (your thoughts and actions).

• Accepting the Recipe: Coming to terms with unavoidable realities like the Antonine Plague and the loss of eleven children.

• Virtue as the Main Dish: Believing that good ethics and right behavior are the only true good.

• The Power of the Present Plate: Letting go of the past and the future to only savor the moment you are in.

Discover the mental fortitude that allowed the emperor to face immense personal failure—from war to chronic illness—with "justice, moderation, and humanity." Tune in to learn how to plate your own problems and transform them from overwhelming challenges into a digestible, logical feast.

Recommended Pairing: A good cup of coffee and an unshakeable will.

[Music Credit] The background music for this episode is "Ancient Rite" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)