Ep 190 – Temperance: Mastering Yourself First

Meta Description: Temperance is self-command, not self-denial. Scott Smith explores how Stoic restraint creates freedom, focus, and strength in leadership and life.🎙️ Episode Summary“No man is free who is not master of himself.” — EpictetusTemperance isn’t restriction. It’s control.In this episode, Scott Smith unpacks the Stoic virtue of temperance as the discipline of knowing when enough is enough. Without self-command, ambition turns into excess and freedom into dependency.Temperance shows up in restraint before burnout, moderation before collapse, and pause before impulse.Self-mastery is quiet power.🧠 What You’ll Learn Today • Why temperance is about control, not denial • Epictetus on self-mastery • How excess weakens leadership • Why restraint creates freedom • Where temperance applies in daily life🔍 Tags: Stoicism, Temperance, Self-Control, Leadership, Discipline, Habits, Personal Growth, Inner StrategySupport the show—The Stoic Inner Strategy is a leadership podcast for founders, executives, and other leaders who carry significant responsibility, even when they have a capable team around them.Hosted by Scott Smith, Principal Advisor and founder of Akhada Consulting, each episode explores the judgment, discipline, and leadership capacity required to make sound decisions under pressure, develop stronger people, and build organizations that do not depend on one person carrying everything.Stoic wisdom provides the foundation, but the focus is practical: how to lead yourself, strengthen the people around you, and meet responsibility with clarity, courage, and character.New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with occasional interviews and special episodes.If this episode helped you see your leadership more clearly, subscribe to the show and share it with another leader who carries the weight.Connect with Scott:Akhada Consulting: akhadaconsulting.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott8smithEmail: [email protected] Mori. Time is limited. Lead accordingly.