The Daily Stoic – Stop Waiting To Be Chosen | Adam Skolnick

Date: January 17, 2026
Host: Ryan Holiday
Guest: Adam Skolnick
Length: ~85 minutes

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode features a wide-ranging, thoughtful conversation between host Ryan Holiday and writer/journalist Adam Skolnick, centered on themes of power, self-determination, and the challenge of creative and personal authenticity. Ostensibly prompted by the release of Skolnick’s new novel American Tiger (inspired by true events involving a rumored escaped tiger in suburban California), their discussion explores the perennial struggle between external validation versus internal satisfaction, the nature of political and personal power, the archetype of those who seek extreme challenges, and the practical realities of forging a unique path in writing and life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Legacy of Power and Infrastructure

[10:05–18:00]

• Discussion about historical infrastructure—from natural springs to urban design.
• The hosts reflect on how government action once shaped communities (e.g. Barton Springs, Deep Eddy, and Balmorhea pools in Texas).
• Adam: The Works Progress Administration and New Deal era infrastructure; nostalgia for the era’s ambition to build for the common good.
• Ryan: “We just do stuff, and… at the same time that was happening, the Army Corps of Engineers was concreting all the rivers.”
• They discuss unintended consequences of sweeping changes: “It always comes down to political power.” (Ryan, 18:36)

2. Power, Political Will, and Unintended Consequences

[16:08–24:11]

• Ryan introduces The Power Broker and the example of Robert Moses, illustrating how power shapes who wins or loses in society.
• Adam reflects on activism and his personal shift from wanting to build political power to “just observing it and seeing where it goes.”
• Notable: The ongoing tension between activists who believe in good intentions versus the necessity of being a savvy operator, using Lincoln and Eisenhower as examples.

3. External Validation vs. Internal Fulfillment

[31:31–36:35]

• Adam describes his writing career: “I was kind of by nature drawn to the underreported stories… because I couldn’t tell the well-reported stories. Right. That’s a staff person’s job.”
• Ryan: “Most people are kind of sitting around waiting to get picked, or they’re like throwing themselves against this closed door that’s never going to happen. Meanwhile, there’s all these equally fascinating, unknown, undiscovered things. And that’s actually your way in.” (33:04)
• The importance of doing the work, regardless of immediate validation or prestige.

4. Creative Process: The Value of Reps & Iteration

[34:41–38:48]

• The hosts discuss the necessity of “getting the reps”—doing unglamorous work, writing anything to hone their craft.
• Both recall moments of uncertainty, times when their breakthrough work was in fact just a stepping stone for later projects.
• Adam: “It’s weird to go, hey, my first book is… practice for all my future books. And now when I read it… I published this.” (35:58)
• Discussion of revising and rewriting; the inefficiency and value of longhand writing.

5. Writing for Audio vs. Print

[41:48–46:04]

• Detailed exchange on how voicing audiobooks shapes revisions: “Every interaction with the text in a new context forces you to reexamine it.” (Ryan, 42:20)
• Adam: Learning to write for the ear, and the differences between narrating and reading.

6. The Journey: Recognition, Impostor Syndrome, and Acceptance

[61:55–66:36]

• Adam recounts his feeling of struggling to “break in” as a novelist—waiting to be “anointed”:

  “My whole goal was, well, if I write something bulletproof it won’t matter. And so my goal… I thought I had something bulletproof. I didn’t. And it’s a good lesson.” (67:44)

• A pivotal conversation with Julie Piatt:

  “You’re waiting to be anointed. You don’t need to be anointed. You’ll find a way to publish the novel as soon as you decide you’re a novelist.” (68:48)

• Ryan: “Oftentimes the thing we want desperately is actually not better. It’s just safer.”

7. Parallels Between Extremes in Sport, Writing, and Philosophy

[54:53–62:58]

• Adam explains his ongoing interest in ultra athletes and extreme performers:

  “Whether it’s… runners, divers, or wingsuit jumpers… it’s the archetype of the person that needs to find the edge.”

• The “edge” is about more than glory or external achievement—often about “personal power” and a form of self-mastery.
• Reference to Stoic philosophy and the enduring lesson that true power is internal:

  “He is powerful who is under his own power.” (Ryan quoting the Stoics, 62:58)

8. Tigers, Exotic Animals, and the Absurdity of Reality

[74:10–82:22]

• Adam and Ryan trade stories about the real-life prevalence of tigers and exotic animals in the US.
• Adam: The major inspiration for his new novel, American Tiger, and the legal, psychological, and social weirdness of private exotic animal ownership.
• Ryan: “Life is so fucking weird.” (75:16)

9. The Power of Art & Fiction

[84:00–End]

• The hosts contemplate why fiction need not stick to the “rules” of real-life logic:

  “When you’re talking about story and fantasy, why are we attached to keeping the rules the same of our known world?” (Adam, 84:02)

• The magic in art is the transformative, universal exploration of what it means to be alive.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ryan Holiday, on being an outsider:

  “Most people are kind of sitting around waiting to get picked or they're like throwing themselves against this closed door that it's never going to happen. Meanwhile, there's all these equally fascinating, unknown, undiscovered things. And that, that's actually your way in.” [33:04]

• Adam Skolnick, on carving your own path:

  “I was kind of by nature drawn to the underreported stories… because I couldn’t tell the well-reported stories. Right. That’s a staff person’s job.” [31:56]
  “You’re waiting to be anointed. You don’t need to be anointed. You’ll… find a way to publish the novel as soon as you decide you’re a novelist.” [68:48, quoting advice from Julie Piatt]

• Ryan Holiday, on historical cycles of power:

  “History is the unintended consequences of those kinds of decisions.” [23:28]

• Adam Skolnick, on the throughline of his work:

  “All my work ties together with this idea of there’s more to this life, there’s more to yourself than you know, and that you allow yourself to know…” [55:46]

• Ryan Holiday, on the internal locus of power:

  “He is powerful who is under his own power… If you're doing that because you want to be loved or you want to be remembered or whatever you're actually… that's actually not power. You're powerless because like this thing has the power. And also whoever decides whether you get it is the powerful.” [62:58]

• On the creative process:

  “Every interaction with the text in a new context forces you to reexamine it.” (Ryan, 42:20)

• On writing and recognition:

  “It’s a hard thing because I think it's hard in anything to like feel like you've made it or you're part of it. But then it's hard in a profession where anyone can call themselves the thing.” (Ryan, 65:28)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 07:47–12:37 – Pools, public works, infrastructure nostalgia, and lessons from history
• 16:08–18:36 – Power, political will, Robert Moses, and the invisible hand of influence
• 31:31–36:35 – Writing careers, waiting to be chosen, and the value of saying yes to everything
• 41:48–46:04 – Writing/editing for audio, evolution of the creative process
• 54:53–62:58 – Obsession, the archetype of "edge-seekers" in sport and life, parallels to stoic thought
• 66:27–69:06 – The struggle for recognition, impostor feelings, and letting go of needing permission
• 74:10–82:22 – Tigers, the weirdness of private animal ownership, and the making of American Tiger
• 84:00–End – Why fiction doesn’t need to conform to reality; the freedom and purpose of art

Overall Tone and Language

The tone is warm, humorous, and at times reflective or philosophical. Ryan and Adam mix personal anecdotes, historical context, and practical advice, often poking fun at themselves and the existential absurdity of modern life. Both speak plainly, peppering the conversation with literary references, relatable struggles, and a resilient sense of curiosity.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode goes far beyond a simple author interview; it's an exploration of what it really means to forge your own path—whether in politics, sports, writing, or daily life. Through the lens of Adam Skolnick’s unconventional career and the wild true story behind his new novel, Ryan and Adam dissect how we wait, futilely, for someone to give us permission to proceed, and how the real journey is internal: about claiming authority over one's own work and, ultimately, over one’s life. If you’re interested in stoicism, creativity, or finding your place in a complicated world, this conversation will deeply resonate.