Stillness Is the Key

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 book 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.

In this age of manufactured outrage and constant distraction, the ability to choose the focused inner stillness that Ryan champions is more important than ever. -- Mark Manson #1 Bestselling author, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck Ryan's trilogy of The Obstacle is the Way, Ego is the Enemy and Stillness is the Key are for sure must-reads. -- Manu Ginobili, 4x NBA champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Whether you are an athlete, an investor, a writer or an entrepreneur, this little but soulful book will open the door to a healthier, less anxious and more productive life and career. -- Arianna Huffington Some authors give advice. Ryan Holiday distills wisdom. This book is a must read. -- Cal Newport, New York Times bestselling author Digital Minimalism Ryan Holiday is among the most psychologically wise writers I know. I'm a fan of all of his work, including this new gem, Stillness is the Key. If you struggle-as I do-to find your center in the increasingly noisy and frenetic world we live in, then this book is for you. -- Angela Duckworth, bestselling author Grit Don't be fooled. Within the pages of this unassuming little book lie a life-changing idea: that in order to move forward, we must learn to be still. Ryan Holiday has done it again. -- Sophia Amoruso, cofounder and CEO, Girlboss In the world today the dangers are many-most notably, the endless distractions and petty battles that make us act without purpose or direction. In this book, through his masterful synthesis of Eastern and Western philosophy, Ryan Holiday teaches us all how to main tain our focus and presence of mind amid the sometimes over whelming conflicts and troubles of twenty-first-century life. -- Robert Greene, New York Times bestselling author The 48 Laws of Power A timely, vividly realized reminder to slow down and harness the restorative wonders of serenity. -- Kirkus Reviews Ryan Holiday is one of the brilliant writers and minds of our time. In Stillness Is the Key he gives us the blueprint to clear our minds, re charge our souls, and reclaim our power. -- Jon Gordon, bestselling author The Energy Bus Ryan Holiday is a national treasure and a master in the field of self-mastery. In his most compelling book yet, he has mined both the classical literature of the ancient world and cultural touchstones from Mister Rogers to Tiger Woods, and brought his learnings to us in terms that the frantic, distracted, overcaffeinated modern mind can understand and put to use. Highly recommended. -- Steven Pressfield, bestselling author The War of Art Highly recommended. Great read. -- CJ McCollum, Portland Trailblazers Praise for Ryan Holiday: '[Ryan is a] self-help sage, who is now a sought-after guru to NFL coaches, Olympians, hip-hop stars, and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs . . . [he] translates Stoicism, which had counted emperors and states men among its adherents during antiquity, into pithy catchphrases and digestible anecdotes for ambitious, twenty-first-century life hackers. -- Alexandra Alter New York Times The next Malcolm Gladwell. Ryan Holiday's just brilliant. -- Lance Armstrong Holiday is an out-of-the-box thinker who likes to take chances. New York Times Book Review I don't have many rules in life, but one I never break is: If Ryan Holi day writes a book, I read it as soon as I can get my hands on it. -- Brian Koppelman, screenwriter and director, Rounders, Ocean's Thirteen, Billions * Ryan Holiday is one of the most promising young writers of his gen eration. -- George Raveling, Hall of Fame basketball coach, Nike's director of international basketball

Ryan Holiday is the bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way, Ego is the Enemy and The Daily Stoic among other books on marketing, culture and the human condition. His work has been translated into over 30 languages and has appeared everywhere from the New York Times to Fast Company.

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 book 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.

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