This is a classic episode from 2021.
Bryan Hill is a television, film, and comic book writer. His work in comics includes writing for Batman and Buffy's Angel and his work in television includes HBO Max's Titans, and Ash vs. The Evil Dead. He is a practitioner of Stoicism, and has incorporated Stoic ideas into his craft of writing.
In this discussion, Michael Tremblay and Bryan cover how to use Stoicism to overcome the ego, imposter syndrome, and fear of rejection that comes with pursuing any craft.
They talk about learning to commit yourself to process of self-improvement, rather than seeking external validation. They also talk about how to overcome the fear of being bad at something by learning to give yourself permission to be a beginner.
This conversation is a must listen for anyone who has struggled with their own confidence and self-identity, and wants specific strategies to help.
(01:11) Intro
(02:14) The Impact of Stoicism
(15:10) Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
(28:25) Commit to the Process
(36:07) Seeking Excellence
(44:54) What Bryan's Struggled With the Most
(50:29) Stoicism in Bryan's Craft
Stoa Conversations is Caleb Ontiveros and Michael Tremblay’s podcast on Stoic theory and practice.
Caleb and Michael work together on the Stoa app. Stoa is designed to help you build resilience and focus on what matters. It combines the practical philosophy of Stoicism with modern techniques and meditation.
Become more Stoic with the Stoa app.
Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Caleb Ontiveros has a background in academic philosophy (MA) and startups. His favorite Stoic is Marcus Aurelius. Follow him here: https://twitter.com/calebmontiveros
Michael Tremblay also has a background in academic philosophy (PhD) where he focused on Epictetus. He is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His favorite Stoic is Epictetus. Follow him here: https://twitter.com/_MikeTremblay
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations.