Timothy Ferriss's Blog, page 104
June 18, 2014
The Tim Ferriss Show, Episode 14: Sam Harris, PhD on Spirituality, Neuroscience, Meditation, and More
Sam Harris, Ph.D.
Listen on iTunes, download, or stream it in the below player now:
This episode of The Tim Ferriss Show is sponsored by Bluehost, which I used for my first WordPress blog, and I still use them for sites today. Click here for a special offer!
Now, on to our guest… Sam Harris.
Sam Harris is a neuroscience Ph.D. and the author of the bestselling books, The End of Faith, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, and Lying. His work have been discussed in The New York Times, Time, Scientific American, Nature, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and many other journals.
In this episode, we explore the science of lying, uses and types of meditation, psychedelic drug uses and risks, spiritual experiences, and more. It’s really a discussion of the human experience, and how to optimize it without harming others.
Click here to subscribe/listen to the show on iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the show via RSS (non-iTunes feed).
If you have a second, please leave me an honest rating and review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the show tremendously, including my ability to bring on more incredible guests. Thanks!
Once you’ve listening to this episode, let Sam (@samharrisorg) know on Twitter what you found most valuable or compelling.
Enjoy!…
Show Notes and Select Links (Resources, Books, Etc.) from Ep 14
Where Tim and Sam first met, and why shaking hands was not required…or really an option.
What are fMRI machines, and how does Sam use them for his studies of belief, disbelief, and uncertainty?
The faults of traditional lie detectors and the future of belief detectors.
Why “micro-expression” analysis is probably overstated.
Using meditation or pharmacology (drugs) to help present-state awareness and well-being.
What types of meditation Sam recommends and why.
Sam’s most controversial beliefs (or perhaps positions) of the last several years.
Why Malala Yousafzai should have won the Nobel Peace Prize…but why it’s probably a good thing she didn’t.
Are self-righteous but guilt-ridden white males ruining freedom of speech?
Examining self-transcendence and love.
Psychedelic drugs as an important rite of passage for human beings.
Which psychedelic drugs Sam has found most therapeutically valuable.
What are the powers and liabilities (or risks) of psychedelic drugs?
Why the only way to ensure you don’t have a bad trip is not to take a trip at all…
Debated by Tim and Sam — Is it only possible to truly hit the center of the spirituality bullseye through meditation (a.k.a. “try rugs, not drugs”)?
SOME LINKS FROM EPISODE 14:
Who is Lucius Annaeus Seneca?
Paul Ekman’s work on Micro Expressions
Who is Malala Yousafzai?
Who is Ayann Hirsi Ali?
Brandeis University controversy with regards to Ayann Hirsi Ali
On the “freedom to offend an imaginary god” blog post
How to meditate – blog post
Drugs and the Meaning of life – blog post
6 Health Benefits of Yerba Mate Tea
The Riddle of the Gun – blog post
BOOKS FOR BRAINSTORMING, MENTIONED IN EPISODE 14:
Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion – by Sam Harris
Mindfulness in Plain English – by Bhante Gunaratana
The Experience of Insight – by Joseph Goldstein
Wherever You go, There You are – by Jon Kabat-Zinn
June 16, 2014
Not-To-Do Lists, Drugs, and Other Productivity Tricks
This is a short post of things you may have missed.
First, three short (
The 9 Habits to Stop Now — The Not-To-Do List (iTunes or stream below)
Drugs and the Meaning of Life (iTunes or stream below)
Productivity” Tricks for the Neurotic, Manic-Depressive, and Crazy (Like Me) (iTunes or stream below)
Second, I’ve put up about a dozen highlights from other episodes — 1-3-minute clips on my YouTube page. If you enjoy them, I’ll put up more, so let me know in the comments!
Here are a few to start with:
Third, below are some podcasts with friends. I had a blast on all of them, and all of them are different:
Bryan Callen interviews me
James Altucher interviews me
Robb Wolf interviews me
Dave Asprey (Bulletproof Radio) interviews me
Pat Flynn (Smart Passive Income) interviews me
June 10, 2014
The Tim Ferriss Show, Episode 12: Dr. Rhonda Patrick on Life Extension, Performance, and Much More
Dr. Rhonda Patrick
This episode of The Tim Ferriss Show is sponsored by Bluehost, which I used for my first WordPress blog, and I still use them for sites today. Click here for a special offer!
Now, on to our guest…
My guest this episode is Rhonda Perciavalle Patrick, Ph.D., who works with Dr. Bruce Ames, the 23rd most-cited scientist across ALL fields between 1973 and 1984 (!).
Dr. Patrick also conducts clinical trials, performed aging research at Salk Institute for Biological Studies, and did graduate research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she focused on cancer, mitochondrial metabolism, and apoptosis.
What does that all mean? Time is precious, right? Long podcast needs to be worth it, right? Here you go…
Whether you want to extend life, inexpensively buy a stem-cell “insurance policy” (hint: related to the Tooth Fairy), or guard against cancer, she will have a surprise insight for you.
In this episode, we cover a lot:
Are there simple methods for extending lifespan? What looks most promising?
What are the easiest ways to minimize your risk of cancer?
What are the dangers of taking certain common supplements? What’s worth it and what isn’t?
How can diet change the expression of your genes? How can this can be passed on to offspring?
…and much more.
Click here to subscribe to the show on iTunes. This is most helpful to me and the podcast, even if you listen elsewhere!
Click here to subscribe to the show via RSS (non-iTunes feed).
Or stream the show in the player below:
If you have a second, please leave me an honest rating and review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the show tremendously, including my ability to bring on more incredible guests. Thanks!
Show notes and links are below, and please find Rhonda on Twitter to say hello or ask questions. She’s very responsive.
Enjoy!…
Select Links and Resources for Episode 12
SOME LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:
George Carlin – http://www.georgecarlin.com
Dr. Bruce Ames – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Ames
St. Jude’s donation link – https://shop.stjude.org/GiftCatalog/donation.do?cID=14262&pID=24671
Bluehost offers – http://www.bluehost.com/tim
Wellness FX – http://www.wellnessfx.com
Vitamix 5200 Blender
StemSave.com – http://www.stemsave.com/index.aspx
National Pulp Dental Laboratory – http://www.ndpl.net
Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s homepage – http://foundmyfitness.com
Rhonda on Twitter – @foundmyfitness
Rhonda on Facebook – facebook.com/foundmyfitness
A FEW BOOKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration – Weston Price
Wild Fermentation – Sandor Katz and Sally Fallon
Spark – Eric Hagerman
The Paleo Solution – Robb Wolf
Click here to see ALL free episodes of The Tim Ferriss Show, including world-class filmmakers, chess prodigies, investors, and many more.
June 4, 2014
The Tim Ferriss Show, Episode 10: Brian Koppelman, Co-writer/Producer of Rounders, The Illusionist, Ocean’s Thirteen
The writing duo: David Levien and Brian Koppelman
This episode of The Tim Ferriss Show is sponsored by Bluehost, which I used for my first WordPress blog, and I still use them for sites today. Click here for a special offer!
Now, on to our guest…
“Everyday, it’s about building a practice that enables you to try and forget that you’re afraid.”
- Brian Koppelman
My guest in this episode is Brian Koppelman.
Brian is a screenwriter, novelist, director, and producer. He is best known as the co-writer of Ocean’s Thirteen and Rounders, as well as a producer of The Illusionist and The Lucky Ones. He has directed films including Solitary Man, starring Michael Douglas.
In this episode, we explore how he got started, how he handles rejection, his big breaks, his creative process, and much, much more.
How does Hollywood work for writers?
How did he finally break through?
How did he discover singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman?
Will there be a movie for The 4-Hour Workweek?!?
His lessons and principles can be applied almost anywhere.
Click here to subscribe/listen to the show on iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the show via RSS (non-iTunes feed).
Or stream the show in the player below:
If you have a second, please leave me an honest rating and review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the show tremendously, including my ability to bring on more incredible guests. Thanks!
Show notes and links are below, and please let Brian (@briankoppelman) know on Twitter what you found most valuable or hilarious. He’s a good dude and loves to teach.
Enjoy!…
Show Notes for Episode 8 (Thanks, Ian!)
Tips on starting as a writer and moving into production and directing
The origins of the movie Rounders and what it took to create the screenplay
The writing routine of David Levien and Brian Koppelman while writing Rounders
The story of selling their first screenplay
Strategies for working with a writing partner
Making the decision to become a producer
The connections needed to create The Illusionist with Edward Norton
How an “option” agreement works for a writer when selling a screenplay
Tips on creating empowering relationship when representing an artist
How to secure rights to stories for film adaptation
On the disruptive force that is Tracy Chapman, and how they faced rejection together
How to cultivate mastery of screenwriting as a craft
“Hollywood is a land of self-invention.” – Brian Koppelman
SOME LINKS FROM EPISODE 8
Listen to Brian Koppelman’s podcast, The Moment
As mentioned in the interview, listen to John Hamburg on The Moment
The Con-Men, Gurus and the Screen Writing Instruction Industrial Complex
Listen to screen writing podcast Script Notes
Learn about and get a copy of What Makes Sammy Run by Budd Schulberg. The “legendary book about making your way in Hollywood”
Free download of Tony Gilroy’s screenplay of Michael Clayton
Learn about morning creativity rituals: The Morning Pages by Julia Cameron, Daily Rituals (schedules of 150+ creatives) by Mason Currey
The War of Art – Stephen Pressfield
Connect with Brian Koppelman : Website | Twitter | Podcast
We all struggle to get it right. Six second screenwriting lessons. No. 274. #sixsecondscreenwriting https://t.co/S7UBcc0sAY
— Brian Koppelman (@briankoppelman) June 4, 2014
A Few Quotes of Many:
“For artists, there’s a very fine line between delusion and belief.” – Brian Koppelman
“What unifies every part of my journey is I always lead with my curiosity, obsession, or fascination.” – Brian Koppelman
“The step that a lot of people miss is a dispassionate evaluation of the reasons [for rejection]. If you can dispassionately evaluate the reasons for rejection and find them with merit, you can address them; if without merit, you can ignore them.” - Brian Koppelman
“If you are rigorous in your own R&D in whatever your area is, you do your own testing, and you really stress-test the thing that you do, I think that gives you a tremendous amount of inner fortitude when you come up against the monolith.” – Brian Koppelman
June 3, 2014
Need to Borrow Some Strength Today? Watch This.
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People often ask me, “Who inspires you? Who do you look up to?” One immediate answer is Kyle Maynard.
I’ve been blessed to spend time with Kyle, who encourages you — in the most powerful, unspoken of ways — to do more, be more, and help more.
How do you compete in wrestling or MMA without arms or legs? How on earth do you climb Kilimanjaro on, not your hands and knees, your elbows and knees? How do you face the challenges no one thinks you can?
Life can be overwhelming. Hope can be lost. Whether you’re facing a little self-doubt, an extended depression, or the darkest of thoughts, I suggest you watch the above video.
Thank you to BJJ Caveman for reminding me to put this up. Damn, it’s powerful stuff.
Good luck, everyone, with whatever battles you’re fighting inside or outside of you.
You are not alone.
May 26, 2014
The Tim Ferriss Show, Episode 8: Chase Jarvis, Master Photographer
This episode of The Tim Ferriss Show is sponsored by HipDial. I use them personally, and you should check them out.
“Art is a subset of creativity.” – Chase Jarvis
Now, on to our amazing guest, Chase Jarvis!
Chase is a master photographer and the CEO of CreativeLIVE.com, where this episode was filmed.
Chase is the youngest person ever to be named a Hasselblad Master, Nikon Master, and ASMP Master. Since opening his own studio, Chase has photographed for Nike, Apple, Columbia Sportswear, REI, Honda, Subaru, Polaroid, Lady Gaga, Red Bull, and many more. He is known for a hyper-kinetic style and an emphasis on sports and portraiture.
CreativeLIVE, where he is CEO, is an online learning platform that broadcasts live, high-definition classes to more than 2 million students in 200 countries (!). All classes are free to watch while live and can be purchased for later viewing. They are amazing. Teachers include Pulitzer Prize winners, business luminaries, and beyond. Check them out here.
This is my first video podcast test, and I’ve also included a transcript of this episode for my hearing-impaired friends (Click here: Chase Jarvis – Tim Ferriss Show – Transcript). Hope you enjoy!
In this episode, we explore:
Chase’s personal story
The most important choices he’s made
Common mistakes of “creative” professionals (or people in general)
How he reached the pinnacle of his industry
And much, much more…
His lessons and principles can be applied almost anywhere.
Click here to subscribe/listen to the show on iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the show via RSS (non-iTunes feed).
If you have a second, please leave me an honest rating and review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the show tremendously, including my ability to bring on more incredible guests. Thanks!
Show notes and links are below, and please let Chase (@ChaseJarvis) know what you found most interesting or valuable. He’s a good dude and would love to hear from you.
Enjoy!…
Show Notes and Select Links from Episodes 8 (Thanks, Ian!)
A little about CreativeLIVE studios
Chase Jarvis growing up, the making of a madman
Transitioning from artist to entrepreneur, where so many creatives fail
The amazing story of how Chase started taking pictures
The story of his first sale in the photography game
Main tipping points that led to him traveling the world with the greatest athletes… all while getting paid handsomely
How to monetize your craft at the highest level
Understanding negotiating skills, myths and realities
The most consistent mistakes in the world of creative entrepreneurship
How sharing his experiences of coming up as an artist was a tactic for differentiation
The importance of looking outside ones industry to glean tactics you can use
What it’s like shooting the top tennis players of all time, including Roger Federer and Serena Williams
Dissecting the value and capacity to become an empowered polymath in today’s world
How iteration is the key to navigating the transition from successful solopreneur to building out a company
About the vision for CreativeLIVE and himself
The top priorities for fulfillment/happiness for Chase Jarvis
On the fascinating power of meditation and how Chase practices
Chase’s catastrophic self-inflicted wound
SOME LINKS FROM EPISODE 8
Check out Chase’s YouTube Channel
Andy Warhol – Pop Art hacker
Jean-Michel Basquiat – Taking graffiti off the streets and into the gallery
Ramit Sethi negotiation techniques
Learn more about Red Bull BC One
In this show, Chase talks a little about Marc Ecko. Here’s a post on this blog by Marc himself: “10 Rules for Getting ‘Influencer’ Attention.”
Learn more about Isaac Asimov
Charlie Hoehn – CharlieHoehn.com | Play it Away
Kelly Starrett – MobilityWOD.com
The Power of Vulnerability by Brene Brown
Learn more about Chase’s CreativeLIVE
BOOKS FOR BRAINSTORMING, MENTIONED IN EPISODE 8
22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout
Blue Ocean Strategy by Chan Kim
Business Model Generation
Steal Like an Artist & Show your Work by Austin Kleon
Crush It, Thank You Economy, Jab Jab Jab Right Hook – Gary Vaynerchuk
The Rise of Superman by Stephen Kotler
Self-Inflicted Wounds by Aisha Tyler
Connect with Chase Jarvis: Website | YouTube | Twitter | Facebook | G +
NO ITUNES? NO PROBLEM
Just listen on Stitcher, or you can listen using the player below –
May 19, 2014
The Tim Ferriss Show, Episode 7: Stephen Dubner, Co-Author of Freakonomics
Stephen J. Dubner (@Freakonomics) is an award-winning author, journalist, and radio and TV personality.
He is best-known for writing, along with the economist Steven D. Levitt, Freakonomics (2005), SuperFreakonomics (2009), and Think Like a Freak (2014), which have sold more than 5 million copies in 35 languages.
In this podcast, we discuss dozens of topics, including: his writing process, religion, parenting, favorite documentaries, and much, much more.
I recommend checking out his new book, Think Like a Freak. If you liked the assumption-busting, myth-testing stories of Freakonomics or any of my books, you’ll enjoy it.
Click here to subscribe/listen to the show on iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the show via RSS (non-iTunes feed).
If you have a second, please leave me an honest rating and review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the show tremendously, including my ability to bring on more incredible guests. Thanks!
I didn’t have time to create show notes this time around, but here’s the usual deal: If you’re the first to leave good shows notes (including links) in the comments, I’m happy to thank you in this post and link to your site. If I don’t get it by 4pm EST today, I’ll put them up early next week, so read the comments if you’re curious.
Hope you like the ep!
Please let Stephen (@Freakonomics) know what you enjoyed most.
May 18, 2014
Why Not Hug Strangers? – A Video Experiment
What happens when you hug strangers?
Andrew Hales of LAHWF wanted me to find out.
The above video took place in Dolores Park in San Francisco last Thursday, around 5:30pm. All people hugged are complete strangers.
Andrew challenged me to make the awkward even more awkward:
Could I score a hug by simply standing like a zombie with my arms out? (He’s good at this)
Could I go for the “long hold” and hug someone for 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or more?
Could I hug without saying anything? (Not my strong suit, it turns out)
To make things more interesting, Andrew accidentally–or purposefully?–started the filming at the famously gay southwest corner of Dolores.
Oh, boy…
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In other news, if you’re looking for a short essay to jumpstart your week, this might be what the doctor ordered: “6 Formulas for More Output and Less Overwhelm.”
May 14, 2014
The Tim Ferriss Podcast, Episode 5: Filmmaker Jason Silva
My guest this episode is the incredible Jason Silva.
Jason has been called the “Timothy Leary of the viral video age” by The Atlantic.
He is also host of Brain Games on National Geographic Channel. The show set a record as the highest-rated series launch in Nat Geo’s history, with an average of 1.5 million viewers for the first two episodes.
In this episode, we discuss his career, his skills, TV, his influences and tools, and much more.
QUICK FAVOR – If you haven’t already, can you pretty please:
1) Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, even if you listen to it elsewhere? This is critical for ranking and recruiting future guests.
2) Leave a review of the podcast on iTunes here? Even one sentence would be extremely helpful.
Hope you enjoy the episode!
Would you like to sponsor the podcast (more than $5K per episode, less than $25K)? Please let me know by filling out this short form.
Below are the show notes, links to resources, and non-iTunes download options…
Select Show Notes for Episodes 5 (Thanks, Ian!)
Learn about epiphany addiction
How Jason uses flow states to create astonishing wordplay
The power of being open to “rhapsody”
Cognitive ecstasy and wonder junkies
Exploring discursive environments
What does the first hour of Jason Silva’s day look like?
The crappiest job Jason ever had
Why Chris Anderson, the curator of TED, is Jason’s ideal of a successful person
Why Jason would dream of working with director Danny Boyle
Advice for his younger self
SOME LINKS FROM EPISODE 5
Shots of Awe – Jason Silva’s web series
Brain Games – National Geographic’s hit series that Jason hosts
The Rise of Superman – Steven Kotler
Flow Genome Project - Learn more about flow
Hans Zimmer – Time
“I think cinema is the last alter left…” – Jason Silva
FILMS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 5
Inception
The Matrix
The Truman Show
Existenze
Vanilla Sky
Memento
Maiden Trip – About a 14 year old girl who sailed around the world by herself
Connect with Jason Silva: Twitter | Shots of Awe | Facebook | Personal Site
NO ITUNES? NO PROBLEM:
Just download the MP3 here, or you can stream it below:
May 8, 2014
The Obstacle Is The Way — The Tim Ferriss Book Club, Book #4
This post is about the fourth book in the Tim Ferriss Book Club, which is limited to books that have dramatically impacted my life. All previous selections can be found here. Enjoy!
“Would you have a great empire? Rule over yourself.” — PUBLILIUS SYRUS
The last two weeks have been disaster after disaster for me:
A dear friend died unexpectedly, only miles from my home. (RIP, Seth Roberts)
A seven-figure business deal fell apart at the last minute.
Only days ago, Turner Broadcasting let me know that the May 27th digital launch of The Tim Ferriss Experiment has been canceled. Some (not all) of the higher-ups want to try selling it to traditional outlets. (Sidenote: If you bought an iTunes season pass, definitely request a refund)
Over the last 14 days, I have carried one book in my backpack to cope, all day and every day: The Obstacle Is The Way.
It has helped me to turn problems upside-down, become the calm within the storm, and even uncover unique opportunities.
“Philosophy” gets a bad rap.
Most of us know a turtleneck-wearing pseudo-intellectual who’s spent countless hours studying obscure details of Wittgenstein or post-structural lesbian feminism. And for what? More often than not, to posture as a holier-than-thou jerk off. To argue over semantics that don’t matter.
Fortunately, there are a few philosophical systems that produce dramatic real-world results…without the nonsense. In other words, all substance instead of smoke.
The Obstacle Is The Way, penned by Ryan Holiday, is a collection of stories and principles about Stoicism, which I consider to be the ultimate personal “operating system” for entrepreneurs…or anyone who wants high performance under high stress.
Ryan became Director of Marketing at American Apparel at age 21 (!). He gets more heat, makes more high-stakes decisions, and take more risks in a given week than most people experience in any given quarter. He also happens to be a die-hard Stoic and incredible at putting the principles into practice.
If you want to be “anti-fragile” like Thomas Jefferson, Marcus Aurelius, and many of most dominant soldiers and investors in history, Stoicism offers the playbook. If you want to make better decisions, if you want to smile when other people cower, it offers real tools.
To quote Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel, “Bad companies are destroyed by crisis. Good companies survive them. Great companies are improved by them.”
What if you could be a person who is improved by crisis? That would give you opportunities no one else can see, let alone grasp.
It will also make you a happier human being.
Check out The Obstacle Is The Way today:
Audiobook (I licensed the rights and produced it with Ryan)
Kindle
I’m not the only one who loves it. Here are just a few of many:
“Follow these precepts and you will revolutionize your life. Read this book!”
—Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art and Gates of Fire
“A book for the bedside of every future–and current–leader in the world.”
—Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power and Mastery
“Ryan Holiday has written a brilliant and engaging book, well beyond his years…It is invaluable.”
—Honorable Frederic Block, Judge, U.S. District Court
Seriously, check out the book.
If you’d like to hear more of Ryan’s ideas, you might enjoy the podcast interview I recorded with him recently, which has gone nuts on social media:
The best podcast epi I've listened to this year. RT @tferriss The Tim Ferriss Podcast, Episode 4: Ryan Holiday http://t.co/nRU4f8IttP
— Mary Shenouda (@paleochef) May 8, 2014
Question of the day: What philosophies, guiding tenets, or quotes have you found most helpful in your own life? Please share in the comments!
