I’m a big fan of Ryan Holiday’s writing. I’ve read every book he’s published. All ten of them. I just ordered his eleventh.

That doesn’t mean I’m a big fan of Ryan Holiday the man. During the Covid pandemic he hid away (literally) from the public while demonizing anyone who questioned Fauci, pharmaceutical companies and pretty much anyone deemed as “experts.” He said we “have been empowered by technology to infect others with their ignorance and conspiracy theories.”

Well excuse me, Ryan, if I ask questions and do not blindly trust the pharmaceutical industry after my mother died of an opioid overdose. You know, those completely safe and non-addictive opioids. I don’t expect Ryan to know that about me, but how about show a little bit of empathy for those who disagree with you as I did when I wore my mask around elderly folks?

So I find it odd he releases a book on courage with chapter titles such as Stand Your Ground, You Can Always Resist and Speak Truth To Power. That’s what many of us did and he attacked us for it.

That doesn’t make his writings in this book wrong. He’s 100% correct. Fear is what keeps most people from going out of their comfort zone and doing big things. When you tackle fear you begin crushing life. He explains how to do it.

When I take Holiday’s hypocrisy out of the equation I still love his writings, particularly his series on stoic virtues. Like those before it, Courage Is Calling is a fantastic book you should read.