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PODCAST

The Strong Stoic Podcast

Brandon Tumblin

The Strong Stoic Podcast is a raw, honest, and unapologetically deep podcast about philosophy and self-improvement. Join your host, Brandon Tumblin, as he breaks down a wide variety of complex and difficult topics while bringing together different philosophies, sciences, and perspectives.

education self-improvement

All Episodes

10:35

#371 - False Progress & Stoic Luck

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/06/17

“Show me that you have your principles in order, not that fortune is currently favoring you.”— EpictetusAs 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

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20:13

#370 - The Necessity of an Inner Circle

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/06/10

“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

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19:55

#369 - Would You Live Forever If You Could?

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/06/03

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

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21:50

#368 - Pleasure vs. Purpose: Finding Balance in...

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/05/27

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

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21:31

#367 - Excuses vs. Truth: Owning Failure in a Stoic Life

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/05/20

As Stoics, we are called to play many roles in life, each with its own set of duties and responsibilities. These roles—whether as professionals, parents, partners, community members, or homeowners—shape our lives and define how we engage with the world. Yet, balancing these roles is a constant challenge. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we fail to meet the demands of one or more of these roles. The important question is: How do we face those failures with honesty, humility, and resolve?This

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17:57

#366 - Embracing Life's Trials - A Stoic Perspective

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/05/13

“You know what, from my experience, what I found out? That God tests you to see how much of this you can take before you say, ‘Let’s just be finished with this.’ He wants to show you something. He wants to see how much you can take, how much you can handle of life. You say you love life? You want to live life? I’m gonna show you life. Life is beautiful, but you have to accept the good and the bad as being beautiful.”– Mike TysonAt first glance, this quote might seem like an emotional reflection on

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18:23

#365 - How Stoicism Helped Me Handle a Car Accident

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/05/06

It was a typical Saturday night. The kind where you’re winding down after a fun outing, and you’re almost home. That was me a few weeks ago. It was around 11 PM, and as I turned right at an intersection, I noticed another car turning left… directly into mine. I stopped, expecting them to notice and adjust. They didn’t. Instead, they drove straight into the front of my car, damaging the fender, blinker, and fog light.The driver, visibly shaken, got out of the car in tears and admitted fault on the

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22:16

#364 - Surviving Orwell’s 1984 as a Stoic

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/04/29

In this episode, we dive deep into the totalitarian world of George Orwell’s 1984 and ask: Could a Stoic survive—and even thrive—there? What does inner freedom look like when the outer world is a prison? And how might Stoic philosophy be the ultimate rebellion in a world where truth is erased, thought is policed, and fear is everywhere?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

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16:37

#363 - Character is What Remains

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/04/22

Last week, I attended the funeral of a man who had worked for our company for 25 years. He was deeply woven into the fabric of our organization—one of those steady presences who quietly held things together. He died too young, and the ceremony was filled with friends, family, coworkers, and members of the community who came to say goodbye.As his manager, I came into the service with the perspective of someone who had worked closely with him. I knew him as a kind, capable engineer—someone always

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54:40

#362 - Joshua W. Bertolotti: Finding Peace in...

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/04/15

Joshua W. Bertolotti is the host of the In Search of Wisdom Podcast and the Perennial Podcast where he talks about all kinds of ancient wisdom and engages in meaningful conversations with modern thinkers. He also manages the Perennial Leader Project, which includes these podcasts along with a weekly newsletter and blog posts. Josh is a regular guest on the podcast.In this conversation, Josh and I explore the concept of imperfectionism, discussing what it means for personal acceptance, relationships,

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19:21

#361 - Should a Stoic Be Vegan?

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/04/08

It’s a compelling question—one I’ve spent years thinking through, not only as someone who once followed a strict vegan diet, but as someone who continually aims to live according to Stoic principles. The deeper I explore Stoicism, the more I realize this philosophy doesn’t often provide simple yes-or-no answers. Rather, it offers a rational, values-based framework to navigate complex ethical dilemmas—including the one around eating animals.Let’s explore. This podcast is listener-supported; if you

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25:40

#360 - Top 10 Daily Habits

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/04/01

Over the years, I have experimented with countless daily habits, each aimed at optimizing my productivity, happiness, and health. Some worked, some didn’t, and some I struggled to implement effectively. However, through trial and error, I have identified ten key habits that have remained consistent in my routine. These habits have stood the test of time and are the ones I would recommend to anyone looking to improve their daily life.Before diving into the list, I want to clarify my priorities. My

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20:27

#359 - On Helping the Homeless

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/03/25

Like many people living in cities, I’ve noticed that the homeless population has grown significantly. In my home province of Nova Scotia, this was hardly an issue in the past, but now it's become much more apparent. The city has taken some steps, such as setting up small shelters—tiny homes that provide a temporary place to stay. While these efforts are positive, they raise a deeper question: What can we as individuals do to help?When you visit larger cities, it’s hard to ignore the reality of

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14:24

#358 - Actions Speak Louder Than Words

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/03/11

In The Handbook of Epictetus, paragraph 46, the Stoic philosopher provides a powerful lesson on humility, wisdom, and the importance of embodying philosophy rather than simply discussing it. His words offer a practical guide on how to conduct oneself in social environments and how true wisdom is demonstrated through actions, not rhetoric.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

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15:58

#357 - Gandalf, Stoicism, and the Wisdom of the...

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/03/04

If we think of wisdom and stoicism as embodied in an elder figure, it’s often someone like a grandfather—calm, patient, slow to anger. Grandparents tend to be forgiving, knowing that life is long and that small mistakes aren’t the end of the world. They let things slide. They slip their grandchildren candy when the parents aren’t looking. They offer guidance without the intensity of immediate responsibility.But before you can become a grandfather, you must first be a father.Fathers (and parents in

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23:09

#356 - The Wisdom of Judgment

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/02/25

In his Handbook, Epictetus offers a profound insight into human suffering“What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about the things. For example, death is nothing dreadful or else it would have appeared dreadful to Socrates. But instead, the judgment about death—that it is dreadful—that is what is dreadful. So when we are thwarted or upset or distressed, let us never blame someone else but rather ourselves. That is, our own judgments. An uneducated person accuses others when

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16:10

#355 - Nobody is Cut Out For This

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/02/18

Hard work and perseverance are not innate qualities—they are carved into a person through experience, struggle, and discipline. The philosophy of Stoicism teaches many things, but at its core, it urges people to become useful.To be useful is to contribute, to be of value to others. This means being courageous, pro-social, disciplined, and willing to take on challenges that others shy away from. However, achieving this usefulness does not happen overnight, nor does it happen without pain.Our society

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20:09

#354 - Tariffs Through a Stoic Lens

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/02/11

Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs. A term that has been the subject of heated debate in North America, particularly in the context of economic policy shifts. While tariffs may not seem like a typical topic for Stoic reflection, the truth is that everything can be examined through a philosophical lens—including trade policies.As a Canadian who has lived in the United States and traveled to Mexico, I see North America as a connected entity, a single people. Historically, the continent embraced the North

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19:26

#353 - Death: Fear & Transcendence

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/02/04

In the face of life’s greatest certainty—death—there exists a paradox of fear and transcendence. It’s a subject both daunting and enlightening, woven deeply into human philosophy, mythology, and even our collective acts of courage. In this exploration, let’s revisit the battlefield cry from The Lord of the Rings—“Death! Death! Death!”—and how it mirrors real-life heroism, like the sacrifices on D-Day. These expressions of defiance, courage, and ultimate purpose invite us to view death not as a

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23:14

#352 - Courage in the Face of Certain Death

The Strong Stoic Podcast ·

2025/01/28

Few scenes in cinematic history manage to capture the raw essence of courage as powerfully as King Théoden’s speech in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. As he rallies his riders before charging into near-certain death, the emotions resonate beyond Middle-earth, connecting deeply to real-world acts of valor.This isn’t just about a fictional battle. It’s a study in human courage—a theme that echoes through history and our own lives.The Strong Stoic Podcast is a raw, honest, and unapologetically

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392 results

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