Épisodes

  • #375 - Tanner Campbell | How Stoicism Shapes Our Health, Fitness, and Daily Responsibilities

    #375 - Tanner Campbell | How Stoicism Shapes Our Health, Fitness, and Daily Responsibilities
    Jul 15 2025
    If there are no sages, what are we even aiming for?

    That was the quiet undercurrent flowing through my second conversation with Tanner Campbell, host of the Practical Stoicism podcast. We sat down not just to revisit Stoic ethics, but to tangle with a thorny but essential topic: how should a Stoic think about health and fitness?

    This isn’t just a theoretical question. As someone deeply invested in physical wellbeing and Stoic philosophy, I often wonder where the line is between virtue and vanity. Where does discipline end and obsession begin? What’s the Stoic stance when you’ve skipped the gym three days in a row—neglect or appropriate role balancing?

    Who is Tanner Campbell?

    Tanner Campbell is a Stoic philosopher, author, and the host of Practical Stoicism, one of the most popular Stoicism podcasts in the world. With a focus on ethics, role theory, and the original Greek foundations of Stoic thought, Tanner brings clarity and depth to complex philosophical ideas. He’s also a husband, a father, and a thoughtful voice helping modern audiences apply ancient wisdom in practical, grounded ways.

    This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
    Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
    Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
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    1 h et 6 min
  • #374 - The Hidden Cause Behind Your Pain

    #374 - The Hidden Cause Behind Your Pain
    Jul 8 2025
    You may find yourself struggling with certain emotions or having poor reactions to things – anger, for example. You can treat the symptom. Meditation, anger management techniques, deep breathing. Marcus Aurelius had a long list of anger management tools, and using them isn’t a bad thing.

    But as a Stoic, you must dig deeper. You must ask: what is the underlying cause here?

    This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
    Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
    Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
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    14 min
  • #373 - Creating Beauty as a Stoic

    #373 - Creating Beauty as a Stoic
    Jul 2 2025
    This summer has been, for me, the summer of beauty.

    What I mean by that is, this summer in my household, we have focused on making our home beautiful. Painting. Lawn care. Home decorations. Feng shui, if you will. It’s not that we were negligent of these things in the past—though you can listen to my earlier reflections on lawn care and decide for yourself—but this year, we’ve paid extra attention to them.

    And it got me thinking: what role does beauty play in a Stoic life?

    This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
    Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
    Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
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    11 min
  • #372 - Strength Starts Where You Are

    #372 - Strength Starts Where You Are
    Jun 24 2025
    In this episode, we dive into the uncomfortable but necessary truth behind personal growth: you are not where you used to be, and you’re not yet where you want to be—you’re exactly where you are. Drawing on Stoic philosophy, Jungian psychology, and real-world examples like the gym, we explore the two types of gaps between who you are and who you want to become: the flaws you know about and the ones you don’t. We discuss the role of humility, self-awareness, and the value of a strong inner circle in helping you confront your blind spots and move toward your ideal self.

    Strength doesn’t begin in your past or your potential. It begins with the truth of where you stand right now.
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    12 min
  • #371 - False Progress & Stoic Luck

    #371 - False Progress & Stoic Luck
    Jun 17 2025
    “Show me that you have your principles in order, not that fortune is currently favoring you.”
    — Epictetus

    As we get older, life tends to get better in some ways—at least materially. One of the most obvious examples is wealth. Most of us, over time, tend to accumulate more of it. That’s no surprise: if you’re working, saving, investing, and generally being responsible, your financial situation likely improves with age.

    Now, here’s the Stoic question: if you’re practicing detachment from wealth while your wealth is increasing… are you really making philosophical progress? Are you actually becoming more Stoic—or are you just removing discomfort from your life?

    This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
    Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
    Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
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    11 min
  • #370 - The Necessity of an Inner Circle

    #370 - The Necessity of an Inner Circle
    Jun 10 2025
    “Associate with people who are likely to improve you.”
    - Seneca

    In this simple yet powerful statement, Seneca offers a foundational truth of Stoic living. The idea isn’t just about socializing with the right crowd — it’s about deliberately surrounding yourself with people who bring out your best. In today’s language, we might call this the inner circle — a small group of trusted individuals who share your values and help you navigate life’s moral and emotional terrain.

    This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
    Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
    Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
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    20 min
  • #369 - Would You Live Forever If You Could?

    #369 - Would You Live Forever If You Could?
    Jun 3 2025
    The Stoic tradition teaches that death is not to be feared but rather meditated on, accepted, and used as a tool for living virtuously. But what happens when death, once seen as inevitable and natural, becomes optional—perhaps even solvable? As science and technology evolve, the question is no longer purely hypothetical. More voices, like that of entrepreneur Brian Johnson, are challenging death as a technical problem to be overcome. For Stoics, this introduces a fascinating philosophical tension between living in acceptance of fate and maximizing one’s agency.


    This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
    Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
    Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
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    20 min
  • #368 - Pleasure vs. Purpose: Finding Balance in Modern Life

    #368 - Pleasure vs. Purpose: Finding Balance in Modern Life
    May 27 2025
    Viktor Frankl once wrote, “Those who cannot find a deep sense of meaning distract themselves with pleasure.” It’s a quote that resonates deeply within the Stoic tradition. The Stoics, much like Frankl, warned against the unmoderated pursuit of indulgence. Pleasure, entertainment, materialism—these things are not inherently wrong, but when used to fill a void of meaning, they become distractions. And distractions, by their nature, pull us away from our true purpose.

    Yet, there’s an intriguing inversion of this quote—one that opens the door to deeper reflection. Chris Williamson, host of Modern Wisdom, proposed it: “Those who cannot find a deep sense of pleasure distract themselves with meaning.” At first glance, this seems to oppose Stoic thought. But when we dig deeper, we find that it holds an important truth for those of us on the path of self-improvement.


    This podcast is listener-supported; if you would like to support the Strong Stoic (as well as gain access to exclusive content), you can do so on Patreon or Substack:
    Patreon: www.patreon.com/brandontumblin
    Substack: https://strongstoic.substack.com
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    22 min