Ryan Holiday, author, marketer, and entrepreneur is interviewed on the show this week. After working as, the Director of Marketing for American Apparel, Ryan went on to publish several books including “The Obstacle Is The Way”, which was reportedly read by the New England Patriots during their 2014 Super Bowl Victory over the Seattle Seahawks. In this episode, we will be going into depth about some of the stoic practices highlighted in his books and how they can help you harness present moment awareness, improve your focus, and ultimately improve your athletic performance by teaching you how to reframe obstacles and turn them into opportunities. Ryan is incredibly smart and gifted in the way he presents age-old stoic philosophy. His teachings combined are a way of acting, thinking, and living that helps you overcome life’s adversities. If you haven’t done so already, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of his book. Enjoy the show. Brute Hotline: (801) 449-0503 Want a chance to get featured in a future episode? Call in and leave us a voicemail with some questions regarding training, nutrition, mindset, etc. Topics of discussion:  [2:00] What is stoic philosophy? [4:09] The Obstacle Is The Way [12:00] Perception, Action, and Will [16:30] Harnessing present moment awareness [20:40] Ego Is The Enemy [24:30] The canvas strategy; apprenticeship [27:22] How Ryan handles his own ego & praise [30:30] Stoicism & Sports [39:37] Intense focus [44:25] The study of history   Links: Books To Base Your Life On (Reading list) Official Website Twitter Instagram Books: The Obstacle Is The Way Ego Is The Enemy The Daily Stoic   Reviews: If you LOVE this podcast, please click HERE to leave me a review. It energizes me to keep doing these as well as pushes us higher in the rankings. Thank you all for the support. Follow us on Instagram @brute.strength