Keeping Your Cool

In this episode, I talk about heat, irritability, anger, and why being physically uncomfortable can quietly erode our Stoic practice if we’re not paying attention.

First, an announcement: after years of being asked, I’m officially opening applications for 1:1 Stoic mentoring and life coaching. This is a six-month mentorship for people who are serious about applying Stoicism deeply and consistently in their lives. It includes weekly calls, structured curriculum, support between sessions, and a small accountability group. I explain who it’s for, what’s included, and how to apply.

Apply for 1:1 mentoring here: https://tannerocampbell.com/apply

The core topic of the episode, though, is anger — specifically how heat and physical discomfort make anger far more likely.

I draw heavily from Seneca’s On Anger, where he describes anger as a kind of temporary madness: a passion that overrides reason, destroys judgment, and pushes people toward destructive choices they later regret. I connect this to modern psychological research showing that heat increases irritability, hostility, and aggression.

The basic point is straightforward: when we’re physically uncomfortable, our threshold for frustration lowers dramatically. Small provocations escalate faster. We become less patient, less reflective, and more likely to lash out.

But rather than treating this as an excuse, I frame it as a call for preparation.

A Stoic does not pretend the body doesn’t matter. The Stoic prepares rationally for predictable challenges. If you know extreme heat affects your mood and judgment, then planning ahead becomes part of your moral responsibility.

I walk through some practical examples from my own life living in the UK during a heatwave:

• Buying bags of ice in advance.
• Staying hydrated constantly.
• Having contingency plans for cooler environments.
• Saving for a long-term cooling solution.
• Refusing to indulge self-pity or dramatics about discomfort.

The point is not “be tough.” The point is “be prepared.”

I argue that failing to prepare for predictable discomfort is itself a failure of Stoic practice because it unnecessarily increases the risk that we’ll act irrationally toward ourselves or others.

The Sage would not ignore heat to prove toughness. The Sage would plan, prepare, adapt, and endure intelligently.

That’s the real lesson of the episode: Stoicism isn’t about pretending external conditions don’t affect us. It’s about anticipating their effects and choosing wisely despite them.

---

Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment! Share your thoughts.

---

I am a public philosopher, it is my only job. I am enabled to do this job, in large part, thanks to support from my listeners and readers. You can support my work, keep it independent and online, at ⁠https://stoicismpod.com/members⁠

---

Subscribe to A Little Wiser, a newsletter which explores philosophy more broadly than Stoicism and publishes multiple times a week.

Mentioned in this episode:

Work with me

This podcast is provided for free as a public service. If you’re interested in working with me in a professional capacity (such as engaging me for private coaching, having me teach one of my workshops at your place of business, have me deliver a keynote at your next event, or provide Stoic mentorship sessions to your teen-aged kids) you can learn more about doing so at https://tannerocampbell.com. Enjoy the episode.