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Stillness Is the Key Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Ryan Holiday (Author, Narrator), Penguin Audio (Publisher)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 10,112 ratings
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Instant number one New York Times best seller and Wall Street Journal best seller

In The Obstacle Is the Way and Ego Is the Enemy, best-selling author Ryan Holiday made ancient wisdom wildly popular with a new generation of leaders in sports, politics, and technology. In his new book, Stillness Is the Key, Holiday draws on timeless Stoic and Buddhist philosophy to show why slowing down is the secret weapon for those charging ahead.

All great leaders, thinkers, artists, athletes, and visionaries share one indelible quality. It enables them to conquer their tempers. To avoid distraction and discover great insights. To achieve happiness and do the right thing. Ryan Holiday calls it stillness - to be steady while the world spins around you. In this audiobook, he outlines a path for achieving this ancient, but urgently necessary way of living. Drawing on a wide range of history's greatest thinkers, from Confucius to Seneca, Marcus Aurelius to Thich Nhat Hanh, John Stuart Mill to Nietzsche, he argues that stillness is not mere inactivity, but the doorway to self-mastery, discipline, and focus.

Holiday also examines figures who exemplified the power of stillness: baseball player Sadaharu Oh, whose study of Zen made him the greatest home run hitter of all time; Winston Churchill, who in balancing his busy public life with time spent laying bricks and painting at his Chartwell estate managed to save the world from annihilation in the process; Fred Rogers, who taught generations of children to see what was invisible to the eye; Anne Frank, whose journaling and love of nature guided her through unimaginable adversity. More than ever, people are overwhelmed. They face obstacles and egos and competition. Stillness Is the Key offers a simple but inspiring antidote to the stress of 24/7 news and social media. The stillness that we all seek is the path to meaning, contentment, and excellence in a world that needs more of it than ever.

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  1. Listening Length
    6 hours and 56 minutes
  2. Author
    Ryan Holiday
  3. Narrator
    Ryan Holiday
  4. Audible release date
    October 1, 2019
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Penguin Audio
  7. ASIN
    B07QR7LMXR
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 6 hours and 56 minutes
Author Ryan Holiday
Narrator Ryan Holiday
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date October 01, 2019
Publisher Penguin Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B07QR7LMXR
Best Sellers Rank #1,842 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#18 in Stress Management (Audible Books & Originals)
#23 in Stress Management Self-Help
#155 in Personal Success

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
10,112 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They find the content insightful, practical, and inspiring. The pacing is described as steady and peaceful, leaving readers feeling calm and uplifted. Many readers describe the book as an enjoyable, thought-provoking read that pulls them in from the start. They appreciate the thoughtful writing style and consider it a worthwhile investment. However, opinions differ on the content's depth and breadth.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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ReadabilityInsightPacingEnjoymentThought provokingValue for moneyContent
183 customers mention "Readability"168 positive15 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They appreciate the well-developed chapters with brief introductions. The content is presented in simple terms, which readers find relatable. Readers praise the author's talent and ability to write this series.

"...connections and ties ideas and provides keen insights in an easy to understand (and tangibly compact) manner...." Read more

"...you either love because it fills a personal need or want to read for more intellectual reasons...." Read more

"...Holiday’s book is a well written “how to” book on creating a better life not only for you but also for the people that surround you that you love..." Read more

"...a no-nonsense approach to finding some peace of mind, this book is worth a read." Read more

157 customers mention "Insight"152 positive5 negative

Customers find the book insightful and useful. They appreciate the modern interpretation of life guiding tenets and their application in today's world. The advice on how to live better and deal with situations is inspiring and practical. Readers say the book has impacted them deeply and fills a personal need.

"...Many books preach inner peace, enlightenment, and self improvement, but it's rare to find a book that distills the elements of these pursuits as..." Read more

"...This is a book that dissects ancient scripts and lessons from history, that makes connections and ties ideas and provides keen insights in an easy..." Read more

"This is the sort of book you either love because it fills a personal need or want to read for more intellectual reasons...." Read more

"The book was clear in its delineation of states of philosophy, and was a quiet pleasure to read." Read more

74 customers mention "Pacing"70 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it helpful for finding stillness in their hearts and minds, with practical ways to create it. The book helps them stay calm and focused in a busy world. It is a quiet pleasure to read, helping readers grow and relax.

"...Inner stillness is a very human need and a very valuable pursuit, and this book proves that...." Read more

"...that dissects ancient scripts and lessons from history, that makes connections and ties ideas and provides keen insights in an easy to understand..." Read more

"...clear in its delineation of states of philosophy, and was a quiet pleasure to read." Read more

"...fully present, limiting inputs to prevent information overload, cultivating silence, turning off your cell-phone, and embracing the Stoic virtues of..." Read more

14 customers mention "Enjoyment"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it engaging, thought-provoking, and a great read from Ryan Holiday. The book provides useful tips and wisdom in an accessible format.

"...I thoroughly enjoyed The Obstacle Is the Way. Then Ego Is the Enemy. Then The Daily Stoic. Then Perennial Seller...." Read more

"...it being super deep in any of the areas to keep the book small and approachable. Now I can pick and choose where to go deeper on my own." Read more

"Holiday never disappoints! From the very first word, this book pulls you in...." Read more

"Another great read from Ryan Holiday, the third book of his I’ve read this month...." Read more

10 customers mention "Thought provoking"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and beautifully written. They describe it as an easy read with artful prose. The book offers a collection of aphorisms, anecdotes, and practical advice.

"...This book is an inspiring, super-practical look at WHY "stillness" is such an essential component to peak performance in every..." Read more

"Great way to reboot and not only look but see !" Read more

"...Never proselytizing. Really solid writing and thoughtful work." Read more

"This is a marvelous book, compact, insightful, beautifully conceived and written...." Read more

9 customers mention "Value for money"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book worth reading. They appreciate the author's writing style and value he brings to each page.

"...The great value from this book and this school of philosophy in general is not derived from its words or what it preaches, but through the practical..." Read more

"...It's a small book. The content is accessible. And it's relatively inexpensive. I say 'go buy it'." Read more

"...specific action items in some chapters but none the less this book was worth it." Read more

"I enjoy Ryan’s writing style and the value he brings to every page. His relationship with the ancient stoic philosophers is amazing...." Read more

7 customers mention "Content"4 positive3 negative

Customers have different views on the book's content. Some find it covers many aspects of life, including historical details and body, mind, and spirit in detail. Others feel it's a collection of platitudes strung together, chaotic, and full of contradictions.

"...I appreciate the breadth of the information without it being super deep in any of the areas to keep the book small and approachable...." Read more

"It started like a chaotic recount of stories of philosophers and slowly (because all depth is to be approached with caution) Ryan takes us through..." Read more

"...This book covers a lot of different facets of life, all under the main topic of being "still" to help us to become better people...." Read more

"Full of contradictions and history manipulations just to make a non-practical point of view. 90% of it are quotes with no real added value." Read more

Ryan's best work yet!
5 out of 5 stars
Ryan's best work yet!
Holiday never disappoints! From the very first word, this book pulls you in. Stillness is the Key entices you to reexamine your life and meditate on what stillness really means, how to use it, and most importantly why you need it. The 3 sections "Spirit, Mind, and Body" illustrate the three main pieces of your being, and the key to using stillness to concur them. Stillness is the Key is a must read for anyone who wishes to live a successful, fulfilling, tranquil life.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Harry
    5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for today, and always
    Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Essential reading for today's times, but is as timeless as ever. Many books preach inner peace, enlightenment, and self improvement, but it's rare to find a book that distills the elements of these pursuits as effectively or pragmatically as this one. In today's world we have smartphones, social media, and the outrage news cycle all feeding off our time and attention, but this book begins by reminding us that as far back as 2,000 years, human being have struggled to block out the noise and find a sense of peace. Inner stillness is a very human need and a very valuable pursuit, and this book proves that.

    The great value from this book and this school of philosophy in general is not derived from its words or what it preaches, but through the practical application of its teachings in our day to day lives. We all constantly struggle, whether that's with self doubt, anxiety, personal relationships, family issues, or health problems, and life will continually provide us with challenges to overcome. We don't need another book reminding us how hard life is, or a set of steps to overcome whatever is currently challenging us. What we need is a set of values and priorities to apply regularly and repeatedly, so we can rise above the noise, focus on what matters, face our inner demons and make the best use of this vessel we call our body until our death ultimately arrives. That's the greatest strength of Stillness is the Key, it's preachy at times, and it may get too detailed and talkative in its historical examples, but every time it does it quickly gets back to what matters - how you can apply these lessons in your own life, regularly, and be reminded of them to make the most of the things that actually matter.

    I highly I recommend this book, as well as the other two books in this trilogy, which I've also read. They're meant to be read and felt deeply, and few books will provide such a practical application to battling the inherent challenges of life.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Tyler Cannon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Clear, Concise, and Essential Reading for our Modern Life-- Holiday Kills it Yet Again
    Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Ryan Holiday is killing it, and everyone needs to pay attention.

    He's killing it for our benefit.

    This is a book that dissects ancient scripts and lessons from history, that makes connections and ties ideas and provides keen insights in an easy to understand (and tangibly compact) manner. The idea of "Stillness" seems foreign to most people (even myself), as we can think of some ancient and wise person sitting in a garden with a coy pond, mist hovering just above the ground, chimes sounding in the far distance. The reality is that the idea of "Stillness" come from inside of us all, and it is within our choices to find it, and use it.

    Ryan paints this idea masterfully. Here is a book that is small in physical size, but carries immense wisdom. For those who subscribe to his reading list, as well as Daily Stoic and Daily Dad, we see familiar concepts throughout all of his writing, based in Stoicism, but also delves into ancient Eastern philosophy, as well as Western philosophy. As always, Ryan is interested in what will help us to live -and thus die- in the best way possible. Dozens of anecdotes from historical figures (both those whom we admire and those whom serve as a lesson of what not to be) he is instrumental at illustrating these points.

    If you're looking for a deep-study, getting into the molecular structure of "Stillness" and philosophy, this is not the place. The chapters are small and digestible four our understanding and our benefit. For something to be profound it doesn't have to be gigantic and full of four-syllable words. This is palatable, easy-to-understand-but-difficult-to-apply type stuff. It requires work. It's a challenge. It's also okay to disagree with what he writes, as long as it prompts the reader to seek the right answer (if only for themselves) to live better.

    This is (another one of) Ryan's gift to the world, and we are all better off having read it. I know I am.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Alexandra Mark
    4.0 out of 5 stars Just get the balance right - too much of anything is not good.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is the sort of book you either love because it fills a personal need or want to read for more intellectual reasons. Or because you are familiar with the author and loved his last book. I came at it with an open mind and was doing fine in the beginning until I was jarred by a gratuitous criticism of President Donald Tump that simply left me wondering what it was doing there, in an otherwise apolitical book with a message of hope, presumably. That one sentence did not advance his argument and ought to come out. Unless of course it was a sop to the myriad Trump haters among his readers.

    The second criticism, if you can call it that, comes at the end of the book where he talks about how we must think "rationally and clearly," and here is what I can quarrel with: "Death brings an end to everything, to our minds, our souls, and our bodies, in a final, permanent stillness." It does no such thing. I have it on good authority (personal experience) that death liberates our souls, and opens up another world far more splendid than anything we can imagine here on earth. And while cynics and agnostics and atheists can quarrel about the existence of God, let them have their fun. Our purpose, it's true, is to find "spiritual meaning and goodness" - each time around!
    14 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Claudia
    5.0 out of 5 stars ¿Que si me gustó?
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Jajajaja… Ya compré otros 2 libros de este autor. Son libros para la vida. Para leerlos una y otra vez…
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  • Lucie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Zeer aan te bevelen boek!
    Reviewed in Belgium on October 24, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Boeiend, goed uitgelegd, leest vlot. Om te lezen en te herlezen!
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  • Reggie
    1.0 out of 5 stars Many American examples,
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on October 4, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    not suitable for Europeans and others.
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  • Lena H.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mega!
    Reviewed in Germany on September 15, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Sehr interessantes Buch
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  • edbradyslink
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very good read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Easy to read and grasp all the concepts covered. Appropriate level of detail and depth. Would recommend highly. Some key life lessons in this book.
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