Stillness Is the Key

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About this listen

Throughout history, there's been one indelible quality that great leaders, makers, artists and fighters have shared. The Zen Buddhists described it as inner peace, the Stoics called it ataraxia and Ryan Holiday calls it stillness: the ability to be steady, focussed and calm in a constantly busy world.

This quality, valued by every major school of thought from Buddha to Seneca, John Stuart Mill to Nietzsche, is urgently necessary today. And, Holiday shows, it is entirely attainable. Just as Winston Churchill used bricklaying as a time to recharge and reflect, or Oprah Winfrey learned deep empathy from her quiet childhood, we can all benefit from stillness to feed into our greater ambitions - whether winning a battle, building a business, or simply finding happiness, peace and self-direction.

Filled with wisdom and examples from historical and contemporary figures, this audiobook shows how to cultivate this quality in your own life. Because stillness is not merely inactivity, but the doorway to the self-mastery, discipline and focus necessary to succeed in this competitive, noisy world.

Ryan HolidayRyan HolidayProfile Audio

Management

Management & Leadership

Personal Development

Business

Stoicism

Inspiring

Leadership

Thought-Provoking

Winston Churchill

Management Management & Leadership Personal Development Business Stoicism Inspiring Leadership Thought-Provoking Winston Churchill

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If you're familiar with Ryan Holiday's books, ezine and podcasts there will be little to surprise you in this book. The content is largely excellent and drawn from a variety of different disciplines and cultures. Examples from Stoicism and other philosophical disciplines are among Ryan's specialities, though he doesn't overwork stories he has used elsewhere. The American note sounds a little too loud on this side of the Atlantic, where examples drawn from US sports and entertainment lose their context (though the lessons are still valuable). One of the drawbacks with this audiobook is Ryan's narration. His reading is on the stiff side, though it is possible that his genuine connection with the text is better than a disconnected actor reading his words (as is the case for some of Robert Greene's books). His voice can also sound rather irascible, which emphasises the often hectoring tone of the text. I increased the speed to 1.2x to make him sound a bit more natural. This is a worthwhile listen, but the print edition might be a better investment.