The philosophy & stoicism books recommended on Diary of a CEO’s podcast

#1 · Man's Search for Meaning

The endorsement here comes from Pierre Poilievre, on Joe Rogan Experience #2470 - Pierre Poilievre in 2026. Pierre is Leader of Canada's Conservative Party and Leader of the Official Opposition, a self-described free-market 'prime minister in waiting' who has campaigned since 2022 on making Canada the freest country on earth. In total it earned 16 separate on-air endorsements across 4 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, Tim Ferriss).

“my favorite psychologist is u Victor Frankle Victor Frankl and he developed this um logos treatment which was basically giving people a sense of meaning” — Pierre Poilievre 00:15:39

#2 · Meditations

Recommended by Ivanka Trump on Ivanka Trump: Most People Can’t Tell Signal From Noise. Ivanka is Businesswoman, former real estate and fashion executive, and ex-White House senior advisor. Daughter of Donald Trump, she built a fashion line doing close to $800M in annual sales before shutting it down to serve in government. In total it earned 16 separate on-air endorsements across 5 different shows (Andrew Huberman, Diary of a CEO, Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman).

“I think like Marcus Aurelius's meditations is so informative on so many levels.” — Ivanka Trump 00:26:38

What it is: Meditations is a collection of personal reflections and notes by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (reigned 161 to 180 AD), offering a profound look into the philosophy of Stoicism. It was never intended for publication, making it a raw and intimate self-help manual for the emperor during his campaigns and rule. The central theme revolves around living a good, rational, and virtuous life in harmony with nature and the cosmos. Aurelius continually reminds himself that everything in the universe is constantly changing and fleeting, urging the reader to accept the impermanence of life and the inevitability of death.

#3 · Why We Sleep

Andrew Huberman brought this up on How to Heal From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | Dr. Victor Carrión (2024-09-23). That episode features Dr. Victor Carrion, Professor and vice chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford and director of the Stanford Early Life Stress and Resilience Program. A leading expert on childhood PTSD and the developer of Cue-Centered Therapy. In total it earned 13 separate on-air endorsements across 4 different shows (Andrew Huberman, Diary of a CEO, Lex Fridman, Tim Ferriss).

“I really have to tip my hat to Dr Matthew Walker from UC Berkeley for writing the book why we sleep ... he deserves such a token of praise” — Andrew Huberman 00:51:52

What it is: "The first sleep book by a leading scientific expert--Professor Matthew Walker, Director of UC Berkeley's Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab--reveals his groundbreaking exploration of sleep, explaining how we can harness its transformative power to change our lives for the better. Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why we suffer such devastating health consequences when we don't sleep.

#4 · The Real Anthony Fauci

The endorsement here comes from Joe Rogan, on Joe Rogan Experience #2472 - Jeff Ross in 2026. That episode features Jeff Ross, Stand-up comedian known as the 'Roastmaster General,' famous for Comedy Central and Netflix roasts. Releasing his Netflix special 'Take a Banana for the Ride' the night of this taping. In total it earned 12 separate on-air endorsements across 3 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman).

“if you read RFK Jr.'s book, The Real Anthony Fouchy, it'll open your mind. It'll open your eyes.” — Joe Rogan 01:54:34

#5 · Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Recommended by Norman Ohler on Norman Ohler: Hitler, Nazis, Drugs, WW2, Blitzkrieg, LSD, MKUltra & CIA | Lex Fr. Norman is German novelist and non-fiction author of Blitzed, Tripped, and The Bohemians. He researches the role of drugs in history using primary archival sources and is working on a new book, Stoned Sapiens, about human civilization through the lens of drugs. In total it earned 9 separate on-air endorsements across 4 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, Tim Ferriss).

“Like Sapiens by Harari, which is a great book, he also misses that.” — Norman Ohler 03:04:44

What it is: From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a 1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.” One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one—homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us? Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr.

#6 · How to Change Your Mind

Tim Ferriss brought this up on Q&A with Tim — The Upcoming AI Tsunami and Building Offline Advantage (2026-03-26). Tim is Author, podcaster, and early-stage investor; solo Q&A host answering pre-submitted and live audience questions about AI, careers, creativity, and life. In total it earned 7 separate on-air endorsements across 3 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Joe Rogan, Tim Ferriss).

“people who have been doing this since before Michael Pollan's exceptional book, How to Change Your Mind” — Tim Ferriss 00:48:18

What it is: When Michael Pollan set out to research how LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are being used to provide relief to people suffering from difficult-to-treat conditions such as depression, addiction and anxiety, he did not intend to write what is undoubtedly his most personal book. But upon discovering how these remarkable substances are improving the lives not only of the mentally ill but also of healthy people coming to grips with the challenges of everyday life, he decided to explore the landscape of the mind in the first person as well as the third.

#7 · Four Thousand Weeks

The endorsement here comes from Tim Ferriss, on The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck — Mark Manson on Writing, Career Reinvention in 2022. That episode features Mark Manson, Three-time #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (~20 million copies sold), longtime personal-development blogger at MarkManson.net, and co-author of Will Smith's memoir 'Will'. In total it earned 6 separate on-air endorsements across 3 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Joe Rogan, Tim Ferriss).

“it's Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, which I thought was a fantastic book and there are a number of chapters that really stuck out as counterintuitively helpful” — Tim Ferriss 01:46:56

What it is: The average human lifespan is absurdly, outrageously, insultingly brief: if you live to 80, you have about four thousand weeks on earth. How should we use them best? Of course, nobody needs telling that there isn't enough time. We're obsessed by our lengthening to-do lists, our overfilled inboxes, the struggle against distraction, and the sense that our attention spans are shrivelling. Yet we rarely make the conscious connection that these problems only trouble us in the first place thanks to the ultimate time-management problem: the challenge of how best to use our four thousand weeks.

#8 · Mastery

Recommended by Andrew Huberman on A Process for Finding & Achieving Your Unique Purpose | Robert Greene. That episode features Robert Greene, Bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Laws of Human Nature, The Art of Seduction, and Mastery. Trained at UC Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin-Madison; writes about psychology, strategy, and human nature rooted in history. In total it earned 5 separate on-air endorsements across 3 different shows (Andrew Huberman, Diary of a CEO, Tim Ferriss).

“I first learned about Robert's work from reading the book Mastery which to my mind is a brilliant exploration and a practical tool for how to think about and pursue one's purpose” — Andrew Huberman 00:00:30

What it is: Robert Greene, the "modern Machiavelli" debunks the prevailing mythology of success and presents a radical new way to greatness.

#9 · Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach

guest brought this up on Anca Dragan: Human-Robot Interaction and Reward Engineering | Lex Fridman Podcas (2020-03-19). That episode features Anca Dragan, A professor at UC Berkeley working on human-robot interaction and reward engineering algorithms, who also consults at Waymo. She studies how robots can generate behavior that accounts for coordinating with people. In total it earned 3 separate on-air endorsements across 2 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Lex Fridman).

“I got my hands on a PDF copy in Romania of Russell Norvig a I modern approach... it was so captivating” — guest 01:26:44

#10 · Good to Great

The endorsement here comes from James Watt, on Brewdog Founder: The Untold Story Of One Britain’s Fastest Growing Companies: Ja in 2022. James is Co-founder and CEO of BrewDog, the Scottish craft beer company he started in 2007 with friend Martin Dickie and a dog. In total it earned 3 separate on-air endorsements across 2 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Tim Ferriss).

“it's actually in the book good to see by jim collins which is a fantastic business book” — James Watt 00:10:56

#11 · The Anxious Generation

Recommended by Chris Sacca on Chris Sacca — How to Succeed by Living on Your Own Terms. Chris is Billionaire venture capitalist, early backer of Twitter and Uber, founder of climate fund Lower Carbon Capital, and former Shark Tank investor. In total it earned 3 separate on-air endorsements across 4 different shows (Andrew Huberman, Diary of a CEO, Joe Rogan, Tim Ferriss).

“ready book list yeah you didn't ask me well I did for your syllabus but you dodged and gave me poetry anxious generation and coddling of American mind” — Chris Sacca 02:35:05

What it is: After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures. Why? In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt (pronounced "height") lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults.

#12 · Flow

Louisa Nicola brought this up on Cognitive Decline Expert: The Disease That Starts in Your 30s but Kills You in Y (2026-02-05). Louisa is Australian-born neurophysiologist and brain health clinician-academic based in New York whose doctoral work focuses on women and Alzheimer's disease. She advises elite performers and works alongside leading neurosurgeons. In total it earned 3 separate on-air endorsements across 3 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Lex Fridman, Tim Ferriss).

“The book that changed my mind on that was Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, which actually speaks about the flow state.” — Louisa Nicola 01:55:33

What it is: Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's famous investigations of "optimal experience" have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state called flow. During flow, people typically experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life. In this new edition of his groundbreaking classic work, Csikszentmihalyi demonstrates the ways this positive state can be controlled, not just left to chance. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience teaches how, by ordering the information that enters our consciousness, we can discover true happiness and greatly improve the quality of our lives.

#13 · The 4-Hour Workweek

The endorsement here comes from James Smith, on James Smith: Become Confident In 100 Minutes | E174 in 2022. James is British personal trainer turned online fitness entrepreneur and author of Not a Diet Book, Not a Life Coach, and a new book on confidence; returning Diary of a CEO guest. In total it earned 2 separate on-air endorsements across 2 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Tim Ferriss).

“he recommended the book four hour by week and i got home and i read through it and there were some things that just didn't apply” — James Smith 01:25:42

What it is: The New York Times bestselling how-to and why-to guide to throwing out the old tools and methods for success and replacing them with a whole new way of living Tim Ferriss has trouble defining what he does for a living.

#14 · Happy Sexy Millionaire

Recommended by Ali Abdaal on Productivity Expert: How To Finally Stay Productive: Ali Abdaal | E93. Ali is Doctor-turned-YouTuber, entrepreneur, and productivity expert; a Cambridge medicine graduate with millions of subscribers who teaches productivity and self-improvement. It has been genuinely recommended 2 times on the show.

“And if anyone's listening to this who hasn't read the book, would recommend. Or the audiobook in particular, which is narrated by you.” — Ali Abdaal 01:35:27

#15 · Stolen Focus

Chris Sacca brought this up on Chris Sacca — How to Succeed by Living on Your Own Terms (2025-01-23). Chris is Billionaire venture capitalist, early backer of Twitter and Uber, founder of climate fund Lower Carbon Capital, and former Shark Tank investor. In total it earned 2 separate on-air endorsements across 2 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Tim Ferriss).

“stolen focus by Jonathan Harari you know that one just amazing I think it's like the best like digital detox” — Chris Sacca 02:36:39

What it is: Is your ability to focus and pay attention in free fall? You are not alone. The average office worker now focuses on any one task for just three minutes. But it's not your fault. Your attention didn't collapse. It has been stolen. Internationally bestselling author Johann Hari shows twelve deep factors harming our focus. Once we understand them, together, we can take back our minds.

#16 · Losing My Virginity

The endorsement here comes from Tim Ferriss, on Q&A with Tim — PR and Marketing Lessons, Time Dilation, Selling to the Affluent, in 2022. Tim is Author of The 4-Hour Workweek, 4-Hour Body and 4-Hour Chef, host of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, early-stage startup investor and advisor to companies including Shopify, Uber and TaskRabbit. In total it earned 2 separate on-air endorsements across 2 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Tim Ferriss).

“this is chronicled quite a bit in Losing My Virginity, which was one of the books that had a huge impact on me when I was in my early twenties.” — Tim Ferriss 01:10:22

#17 · Destined for War (the Thucydides Trap)

Recommended by Pierre Poilievre on Pierre Poilievre: Why America Is Quietly Abandoning Its Allies (& What Comes Nex. Pierre is Leader of Canada's Conservative Party and the official opposition (His Majesty's Loyal Opposition). A long-serving free-market conservative MP seen as a likely contender for prime minister. In total it earned 2 separate on-air endorsements across 2 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Lex Fridman).

“there is an incredible book called Thusidities Trap which a professor named Allison said that throughout history he took I think 20 occasions” — Pierre Poilievre 01:17:16

#18 · Tao Te Ching

Ivanka Trump brought this up on Ivanka Trump: Most People Can’t Tell Signal From Noise (2026-04-09). Ivanka is Businesswoman, former real estate and fashion executive, and ex-White House senior advisor. Daughter of Donald Trump, she built a fashion line doing close to $800M in annual sales before shutting it down to serve in government. In total it earned 2 separate on-air endorsements across 2 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Tim Ferriss).

“I love lu and the taq ching is an amazing it kind of reminds me of like the philosophy of of jiujitsu” — Ivanka Trump 01:27:14

#19 · The Doors of Perception

The endorsement here comes from Alex O'Connor, on Atheist vs Christian vs Spiritual Thinker: Is Not Believing In God Causing More in 2025. That episode features Alex O'Connor, Greg Koukl & Dr. Alok Kanojia (Dr. K), Alex O'Connor is an agnostic philosopher and YouTuber (CosmicSkeptic); Greg Koukl is a Christian apologist and author of 'The Story of Reality'; Dr. Alok Kanojia is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and founder of Healthy Gamer who blends neuroscience with Hindu/yogic spiritual practice. In total it earned 2 separate on-air endorsements across 2 different shows (Diary of a CEO, Tim Ferriss).

“Aldus Huxley writes in the in the doors of perception essential reading to anybody interested in consciousness by the way” — Alex O'Connor 02:26:29

#20 · Start with Why

Recommended by Bobby Hundreds on Bobby Hundreds — Building an Iconic Streetwear Brand and Much More | The Tim Fer. Bobby is Artist, designer, and storyteller; co-founder and chief creative officer of streetwear brand The Hundreds, and author of 'This Is Not a T-Shirt' and 'NFTs Are a Scam / NFTs Are the Future.'.

“Simon Sy next stuff is like very easy to understand start with why that with why and Leaders Eat laugh” — Bobby Hundreds 03:11:07

What it is: The most important question for any organization There's a naturally occurring pattern shared by the people and organizations that achieve the greatest long-term success. From Martin Luther King Jr. to Steve Jobs, from the pioneers of aviation to the founders of Southwest Airlines, the most inspiring leaders think, act, and communicate the exact same way—and it's the complete opposite of everyone else.The common thread, according to Simon Sinek, is that they all start with why.

#21 · The 48 Laws of Power

Ryan Holiday brought this up on How to Use Stoicism to Choose Alive Time Over Dead Time — Daily Stoic Author Rya (2020-04-09). Ryan is Author of bestselling books on Stoicism including The Obstacle Is the Way and the Daily Stoic. A former marketing director at American Apparel turned writer who popularizes ancient Stoic philosophy for modern audiences.

“Then The 48 Laws of Power do a great job of explaining that... Those are three fantastic uh books for the for the quiver.” — Ryan Holiday 00:49:30

What it is: Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this piercing work distills three thousand years of the history of power in to forty-eight well explicated laws. As attention--grabbing in its design as it is in its content, this bold volume outlines the laws of power in their unvarnished essence, synthesizing the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun-tzu, Carl von Clausewitz, and other great thinkers.

#22 · Lifespan: Why We Age - and Why We Don't Have To

The endorsement here comes from Russell Kane, on Russell Kane: How To Build Confidence & Stay Young | E79 in 2021. Russell is Multi-award-winning British stand-up comedian, presenter, actor, author and scriptwriter, host of the Evil Genius podcast.

“david sinclair's the guy you want to read if you read one book it will change your life it's why we age and why we don't have to” — Russell Kane 01:24:28

#23 · $100M Leads

Recommended by Chris Williamson on 800k Q&A - Diary Of A CEO, Iman Gadzhi & Body Positivity. Chris is Host of the Modern Wisdom podcast, former club promoter and Love Island contestant turned long-form interviewer known for evolutionary-psychology and self-development conversations.

“read 100 million dollar offers 100 million dollar deals which is going to be out soon there you go” — Chris Williamson 01:35:15

#24 · $100M Offers

Chris Williamson brought this up on 800k Q&A - Diary Of A CEO, Iman Gadzhi & Body Positivity (2023-04-17). Chris is Host of the Modern Wisdom podcast, former club promoter and Love Island contestant turned long-form interviewer known for evolutionary-psychology and self-development conversations.

“homozy's books bloody hell read those and read 100 million dollar offers 100 million dollar deals which is going to be out soon” — Chris Williamson 01:35:15

#25 · Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life

The endorsement here comes from Arthur Brooks, on Arthur Brooks — Finding The Meaning of Your Life in 2025. Arthur is Harvard professor, behavioral scientist, and bestselling author of 15 books on happiness, including 'Build the Life You Want' (with Oprah), 'From Strength to Strength,' and 'The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness.'.

“he has a book called awe, A W E. It's a great book” — Arthur Brooks 01:10:58