In 2015, Donald Trump said that the only reason people say Senator John McCain was a war hero was because he was captured. And he doesn't like people who are captured.

In this episode, I’m going to tell you why the late Senator McCain earned the title of war hero. 

But why am I bringing this up now? 

This episode isn't about politics. It's about character. Living a life of good character and finding mentors who live up to those standards. 

This week I read, “Courage Under Fire,” an essay by Admiral James Stockdale, another war hero who was captured and tortured for years during the Vietnam War.

He credits Stoicism with helping him survive, and the words of Epictetus in particular. 



The Stoics believed that it was very important to have mentors, who can be people you know, or ancient philosophers.

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Galen, the doctor of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, was writing about this. As I’ve mentioned before on this podcast, modern therapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy, has its roots in Stoicism. Galen talked about the importance of finding mentors who are living the life that you want to live from a moral perspective. People you admire who can help guide your life.