When he was 19, Ryan Holiday dropped out of college, apprenticed under Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power and Mastery, and asked Dr. Drew for a book recommendation. Dr. Drew’s recommendation would be Stoic philosophy, particularly Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. Marcus Aurelius (best known as the good emperor from the movie Gladiator) is commonly referred to as Rome’s last good emperor. He was also one of the Ancient World’s most enduring philosophers. While waging war to hold the Empire together, Aurelius crafted a little book of philosophy specifically for his own use. That book inspired Ryan Holiday’s latest book: The Obstacle is The Way. In this episode, Ryan guides us through stoic philosophy and uses modern examples to reconnect with wisdom that is perhaps even more important today than it was in the age of Ancient Rome. You can follow Ryan Holiday on twitter @ryanholiday and read his blog at http://www.ryanholiday.net/. His latest book The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph is available everywhere. Be sure to rate and comment in iTunes. Also, you can find the show on Stitcher.