How Fortune Favors the Brave
Michael Goldberg • October 15, 2021
Podcast Interview by Lewis Howes with Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday - one of my favorite writers and creator of the podcast The Daily Stoic- is a regular go-to of mine. In this episode, he sits down with Lewis Howes, host of another one of my favorite podcasts, The School of Greatness, to discuss Ryan’s new book, “Courage is Calling.”
It is striking
how so many of our concepts and themes from WIT are part of the conversation! Their conversation touches on such topics as:
- Habits
- Discipline
- Not doing it alone
- Showing up
- How fear is actually a good thing and how it’s a sign you are on the right track
- Why people struggle to find courage and how they overcome it by facing challenges
- Putting ourselves out there
They discussed concepts like how each person’s program MUST be personal and how, for some, their program may be to do less. They also talked about how one’s program can often be a paradox and how we need the wisdom of others to see what’s really needed for ourselves.
I would also highly recommend Ryan’s book, “Courage is Calling,” which I am reading right now and find incredible in how much of it ties so perfectly into WIT! In the book, Ryan goes into vivid detail about many of the concepts we banter about in WIT, such as:
- How fighting for each other leads to incredible heroism
- The courage and unity of the Spartans (perfect timing for our Phalanx!)
- How great courage can often mean some time spent in the Wilderness
Ryan describes the incredible feats that the bond and brotherhood held by Admiral Stockdale and his fellow prisoners in captivity made possible. They would tap the code “US” to each other (short for “Unity over Self”) to help them overcome and persevere their many years as POWs. Amazingly, this exact subject came up just yesterday
in our group’s meeting where one of our members was describing the power of the Phalanx and how it has been key to helping him keep his own program intact in previous WITs!
I hope this powerful talk inspires you on your journey. We are stronger together!
Here is a link to the Podcast and the show notes:
Does your program have a compass? How to keep your direction through the hard stretches of a 90-day accountability cycle.
Halfway through the cycle, pause and reflect: are you ahead of where you expected, or finding it harder? Questions to reset your program.
The holidays can bring joy or strain. Ways to protect your program and take care of yourself through the season.
Shadow work in WIT: how to spot the hidden motivations behind your actions, from self-sabotage near the finish to qualities you overlook.
At the heart of WIT is community. Why change is easier with the support of an accountability group than going it alone.
The holidays can stir up old wounds. A reminder that your program was created to care for yourself, and how to stay on track.
Four weeks from the finish, it’s easy to coast. How to stay awake at the wheel and finish your 90-day program strong.
Why we magnify setbacks and miss our gains, and how to check in honestly on your progress during a 90-day accountability cycle.
Life is full of stressors. How honesty and a supportive accountability group help keep your program on track when things get hard.
Why service matters for personal growth: how putting others first builds perspective and connection in the last week of a WIT cycle.