Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius – To me, this is the greatest book ever written. I’ve read it countless times and have a large passage that I printed out and posted above my desk to look at before I start each day. It is the definitive text on self-discipline, personal ethics, humility, self-actualization and strength. If you read it and aren’t profoundly changed by it, it’s probably because as Aurelius says “what doesn’t transmit light creates its own darkness.” You HAVE to read the Hays translation. If you end up loving Marcus, try Letters from a Stoic by Seneca and Philosophy as a Way of Life by Pierre Hadot. It also inspired my own book, The Obstacle Is The Way.
For more, here is my list on my favorite books on practical philosophy.
Ryan Holiday is the bestselling author of Trust Me, I’m Lying, The Obstacle Is The Way, Ego Is The Enemy, and other books about marketing, culture, and the human condition. His work has been translated into thirty languages and has appeared everywhere from the Columbia Journalism Review to Fast Company. His company, Brass Check, has advised companies such as Google, TASER, and Complex, as well as Grammy Award winning musicians and some of the biggest authors in the world. He lives in Austin, Texas.