Ryan Holiday

Even if they are serious opportunities, even if it will only take 15 minutes, even if it’s something that everyone else does, I’d like to avoid it.

Be inspired by the people who truly changed the world for the better, and learn lessons from the writers and thinkers who have deeply studied the topics and personalities and problems of the past.

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.