The Roman caesars were the rulers of the Roman Empire, beginning in 27 BC with Julius Caesar’s heir Augustus, from whom subsequent caesars took their name, and lasting until around the fall of the Western Empire in 476 AD. The caesars transitioned the Roman Republic to autocratic rule, consolidating vast territories under centralized authority and shaping Western governance, law, and culture. Their reign marked one of history's most influential periods, laying the groundwork for modern empires and enduring legacies in political and architectural innovation.

They also left behind some instructive leadership lessons, in both what and what not to do.

Here to unpack some of the Roman Empire's most significant caesars as both histories and leadership case studies is Barry Strauss, who is a classicist, professor, military historian, fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, and the author of numerous books, including Ten Caesars. Today on the show, Barry shares how Augustus consolidated power by initially cleaning house, a redeeming quality of the otherwise infamous Nero, the strategies Vespasian and Severus used to gain legitimacy as outsiders, why Marcus Aurelius was an insightful philosopher but struggled as an emperor, the emperor under whose rule the empire began its decline, what Constantine understood about the idea that if you want things to stay the same, everything must change, and much more.

• Barry's previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #487 — Leadership Lessons From the 3 Greatest Ancient Commanders
• Barry's forthcoming book: Jews vs. Rome — Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World's Mightiest Empire
• AoM Podcast #346: The Fall of the Roman Republic
• AoM Podcast #969: The Making of a Stoic Emperor

• Barry's website
• Barry's faculty page
• Barry on LinkedIn

When people think about winter, they often focus on the negatives: the cold, the dark, and the seasonal depression the season can bring. But my guest today questions whether winter really has to be so miserable and says that by changing our mindset, we can actually learn to enjoy and even thrive during this season.

Kari Leibowitz is a psychologist and the author of How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days. She spent a year at the northernmost university in the world in Tromsø, Norway, studying why people living in the Arctic, where the sun doesn't rise for two months, don't suffer from seasonal depression at the rates you might expect. Today on the show, Kari explains how our expectations can create a nocebo effect that makes winter feel worse than it needs to, why breaking winter into three distinct sub-seasons can help us appreciate it more, how Nordic practices like hygge can make darkness feel cozy rather than oppressive, and why getting outside and staying social — even when it's cold and dark — are keys to thriving during the season.

• AoM Podcast #856: Befriending Winter
• AoM Article: 8 Things That Can Help You Get More Hygge This Winter
• AoM Podcast #566: How to Have a Hyggely Christmas and a More Memorable New Year
• AoM Article: How Saunas Can Help Save Your Body, Mind, and Spirit
• AoM Podcast #801: The Cold Water Swim Cure
• Sunday Firesides: Contentment Through Contrast
• Sunday Firesides: No Such Thing as Bad Weather

• Kari's website
• Kari on X
• Kari's Substack — Wintry Mix

Feeling overwhelmed by an endless to-do list? Like you're constantly putting out fires but never getting ahead? You're not alone. Many people today feel like they're drowning in urgency — filling every minute with tasks that feel critical in the moment but may not truly matter in the long run.

Here to help us understand how to escape this cycle is Matt Reynolds, a strength coach, business owner, and the author of Undoing Urgency: How to Focus on What Matters Most. Today on the show, Matt explains what creates that feeling of being overwhelmed by urgency, how to distinguish between status and true value, and why you can only effectively pursue 2-3 major goals at once. We discuss using the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to identify what tasks truly matter, how to apply the concept of "minimum effective dose" beyond just fitness, and why sometimes the pursuit of a goal matters more than achieving it. We end our conversation with concrete steps you can take today to start undoing urgency in your life.

• Matt's previous appearances on the AoM podcast:
  • Episode #826: From Novice to Advanced — The Weightlifter’s Journey
  • Episode #302: My Workout Routine & The Benefits of a Strength Coach
  • Episode #154: Strength Training for Everyone
• AoM Article: The Eisenhower Decision Matrix — How to Distinguish Between Urgent and Important Tasks and Make Real Progress in Your Life
• AoM Article: Motivation Over Discipline

• Matt's website
• Barbell Logic
• TurnKey Coach