how to dismantle toxic people

Stoic strategies for dealing with difficult people, family vacation planning insights, three varied workouts to boost your resilience, and wisdom from Marcus Aurelius on handling life's inevitable jerks.

Author

Morgan Tate
August 08, 2025

In partnership with

Hey friends,

Most of us deal with a-holes on a daily basis.

Our mistake is when we act surprised by this fact of life.

Marcus Aurelius wasn't. In fact, he expected people to be rude, manipulative, selfish, or stupid. He framed his worldview around it. One of his morning rituals was reminding himself that he'd encounter "meddlers, ingrates, bullies, cheats, and hypocrites."

*shakes fists at my constant meddlers*

But this isn't cynicism, it's playing offence instead of defence. It's a constant reminder that other people's behavior has nothing to do with you and everything to do with what they haven't worked through themselves.

That's why stoicism (and Marcus especially) can be so useful for founders. Because when you attempt to build something meaningful (business, relationship, fitness) you're going to attract resistance. Sometimes that resistance appears as an overcrowded gym during your workout. Other times it manifests as an unreasonable customer, a complaining employee, or a challenging business partner. The faces change, but the principle is the same:

Welcome adversity. Build with conviction.

But who I am to lecture you? 2,000 year old Stoics already figured this out. Here are 3 ways the Stoic's deal with difficult people when they inevitably show up:

1. Expect jerks

  • Stop acting surprised when they appear. When you anticipate resistance, you'll respond thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally.

2. Don't take the bait

  • You don't need to clap back. Your ability to remain calm and focused is your true advantage.

3. Reframe the insult

  • Most people are simply projecting their own pain. Let them. Your inner peace isn't up for grabs.

Closing thought:

If you're serious about building something that lasts, stop being surprised by friction. Instead, view it as evidence you're on the right path of building something meaningful

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idea of the week 💡

Credit: Idea Browser

  • problem: Most parents waste 30+ hours planning family vacations, pay $10K+ for generic experiences, and still stress about the value.

  • idea: "FamilyEscape" - A platform that connects families with premium resorts offering unsold inventory at 40-60% off retail, paired with curated educational experiences and authentic cultural adventures. Personalized itineraries balance luxury and immersion.

  • how it makes money: $199 for custom planning plus 15% cut of bookings. Additional revenue streams include annual memberships, travel gear partnerships, in-destination concierge services, and content creation.

  • why it might succeed: Solves both financial and complexity barriers of luxury family travel. Exclusive resort partnerships create a competitive moat. Growing market with 14% annual growth in luxury family travel.

  • why it might fail: Challenging to build exclusive resort partnerships. Potential competition from established travel platforms. Scalability issues when expanding beyond initial destinations.

friday fitness

Three different workouts to try this weekend:

at-home workout:

Complete this circuit 5 times:

  • 12 push-up to side plank transitions (alternate sides)

  • 25 bodyweight split squats (12 each leg, 1 extra)

  • 45-second hollow body hold

  • 30 high knees with 2-second pauses every 10 reps

Challenge: Complete each round 5 seconds faster than the previous

gym workout:

  • 4x6 barbell front squats (focus on posture)

  • 3x10 single-arm dumbbell rows (each arm)

  • 4x8 Bulgarian split squats with weights

  • Finisher: 5-minute EMOM - 10 push press + 5 burpees

outdoor workout:

Find a hill and complete:

  • 5 hill sprints (30 seconds up, walk down recovery)

  • At the bottom after each sprint: 15 decline push-ups

  • At the top after each sprint: 20 air squats

  • Final challenge: 2-minute plank with deep breathing, reflecting on your growth mindset

tweet of the week

Bonus section 👀

I’m about 15 years late, but I’m building a YouTube channel. I’ve focus on a real heart-pumping niche: corporate M&A.

If that interests you (even if it doesn't - who knows, you might learn something) check out the first video below + subscribe 🔔 🙏

my plugs

every second counts