Discipline Is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control (The Stoic Virtues Series)

by Ryan Holiday

We are meant for more than simply existing. We are here for more than just lying around and seeking pleasure. We have been given incredible gifts by nature. We are an apex predator, a freakishly elite product of millions of years of evolution.

Life is filled with all sorts of difficulties and challenges. Work will not always go well. But working out? Working

out is in our control. It is a contained space in which the only potential obstacle is our determination and commitment. Swim. Lift weights. Train in jujitsu. Take long walks. You can choose the means, but the method is a must: You must be active. Get your daily win. Treat the body rigorously, as Seneca tells us, so that it may not be disobedient to the mind. Because as you’re building muscle, you’re also building willpower.

Most happy people don’t need you to know how happy they are—they aren’t thinking about you at all.