“At some time during the process, [of writing] I came up with a therapeutic device. After each draft I would tear up the pages and feed the paper to a worm compost I keep in my garage. A few months later, those painful pages were dirt that nourished my yard, which I could walk with bare feet. It was a real and tangible connection to that larger immensity. I liked to remind myself that the same process is going to happen to me when I'm done, when I die and nature tears me up...”

American marketer and author

Ryan Clark Holiday is an American marketer and author. He became known for presenting Stoicism as a practical philosophy for modern life, especially through the teachings associated with the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. His work centers on making Stoicism accessible to contemporary readers and on marketing ideas about disciplined, reflective living. He is known for promoting that tradition in a way that connects ancient philosophy with present-day concerns.