This book is a 300 page pep talk from Ryan Holiday about temperance, using stories of temperate people from history. It is pleasant, but simple.

The book doesn't give steps for how to get better at being disciplined in your everyday life. It says what to do, like wake up early, but not how to make that happen if you struggle with it. In other words, it tells you "be temperate" without explaining how to be temperate.

People already know what's right and wrong. Hearing it again doesn't change things. What would be helpful is a plan that shows how to build habits little by little. Better, a plan based on research, not just stories. Without a plan, the book feels like common sense, telling us things we already know. If you are really lost and don't know where to start in life, this book could give you some ideas. But if you want something that helps you grow and change, pick a different book.

Some parts of the book are good. The part about Antoninus Pius shows how he took responsibility and was a calm leader. The chapter on boundaries talks about being strong enough to not vomit your problems on everyone else. The flexibility chapter talks about being able to change and adapt. 

The writing is also easy to understand.