Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday Summary
Overview of Right Thing, Right Now
In "Right Thing, Right Now," bestselling philosopher Ryan Holiday reveals how moral courage transforms lives through timeless Stoic wisdom. With 6 million books sold in 40+ languages, Holiday's practical guide asks: What would Marcus Aurelius or Gandhi do in your toughest ethical dilemmas today?
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Key takeaways
When No One Is Watching
A train steward provides poor service. Most of us would complain, demand compensation, perhaps get someone fired. But when Clarence Darrow's son asked if he would report the man, the famous attorney simply said: "No, no, son. Never hurt a man who is working for his living." This moment-small, quiet, witnessed by almost no one-reveals more about character than any courtroom victory ever could. It's in these unguarded moments that we discover who we really are. Justice isn't performed on grand stages or captured in headlines. It happens in the space between stimulus and response, when we choose decency over convenience, integrity over advantage. The question isn't whether we can be good when cameras are rolling. It's whether we can be good when absolutely no one would ever know the difference. When Darrow discovered a promoter was making little profit from his speaking tour, he voluntarily reduced his own fee-"just the decent thing to do." In a world where flight attendants face assault and service staff endure abuse, ordinary decency stands out like a small light in darkness. As Albert Camus wrote, "It seems ridiculous, but the only way to fight the plague is with decency." Everyone wants dignity, security, respect. We're all pressed for time and insecure. Let's treat people accordingly.
The Four Pillars and the Courage to Keep Your Word
The Ordinary People Who Changed History
The Courage to Be Good Instead of Great
The Candle That Lights Another
Right Now, Not Tomorrow
We Are All One
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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