Nir Eyal: Why did you write your book?

Ryan Holiday: Stillness is this timeless idea that appears in almost every religion and every ancient school of philosophy. People have been complaining about how busy and overwhelmed they are for thousands of years–and about the need to slow down. Yet when you say the word stillness, it feels very urgent and timely. I suppose we are actually busier than we’ve ever been before, but it’s a pretty timeless problem. We’re all trying to get to that thing that Cal Newport calls “deep work.” We’re trying to get to a place where, as crazy as things are on the outside, we can be calm and clear on the inside. This allows us to do what’s really important, whether that’s being a father, being an author, or accomplishing whatever it is you are trying to do in this life. READ MORE