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Welcome to the Daily Stoke Podcast, where each day we bring you a passage of ancient

wisdom designed to help you find strength, insight, and wisdom every day life.

Each one of these passages is based on the 2000 year old philosophy that has guided some

of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at DailyStoke.com.

Don't self-determ. The answer is usually obvious. The necessary response is clear, but we

don't do it. Why? Why does the stronger country back down over a matter of principle, giving

the bullie or the strongman what they want? Why does the witness to corruption not try

to put a stop to it? Why does the politician refuse to speak up about the mistake that

they believe their country is about to make? Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, the

courageous whistleblower, and if that weren't enough, a purple heart recipient, he talked

recently on the Daily Stoke Podcast about what he calls self-deturance. Even though

we know what we ought to do, we talk ourselves out of it. We think only of the potential

negative consequences and in the process, forget not only our obligations and duties, but

lose confidence in our abilities to push through and make things work. This was something

that Marcus Aurelius struggled with too. One could argue that much of meditations is his

effort to work through those struggles and make sure he always did what was right. Because

we all have doubts, we all have fears, we all wonder what if. But you have to remind yourself,

he said, that you can meet tomorrow's problems with the same tools you met yesterday's difficulties

with. Remind yourself of what you've been through, he said, and what you've had the

strength to endure. You have to believe in yourself. You have to have courage. Don't

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