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Richard Taylor and Greg Broadmore, Wētā Workshop — Untapping Creativity, Stories from The Lord of the Rings, The Magic of New Zealand, Four Tenets to Live By, and The Only Sentence of Self-Help You Need (#799)

“The thing we love to make today is other makers. We’ve had a lovely and amazing career, and we are continuing to do fun and wonderful things every day. But it’s an imperative, and I actually feel that it’s beholden on us to try and introduce as many people as possible, specifically children, into the love of making and creating because it is slipping out of our fingers.”
— Richard Taylor

“What is art about? It is more than just drawing pictures and making stories — it is finding truth.”
— Greg Broadmore

Richard Taylor is the co-founder and creative lead at Wētā Workshop, which he runs with his wife and co-founder Tania Rodger. Wētā Workshop is a concept design studio and manufacturing facility that services the world’s creative and entertainment industries. Their practical and special effects have helped define the visual identities of some of the most recognizable franchises in film and television, including The Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes, Superman, Mad Max, Thor, M3gan, and Love, Death, and Robots.

Greg Broadmore is an artist and writer who has been part of the team at Wētā Workshop for more than 20 years. His design and special-effects credits include District 9, King Kong, Godzilla, The Adventures of Tintin, and Avatar, and he is the creator of the satirical, retro-sci-fi world of Dr. Grordbort’s. He is currently working on the graphic novel series One Path, set in a brutal prehistoric world where dinosaurs and cavewomen are locked in a grim battle for supremacy.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform. The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

This episode is brought to you by Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic broad spectrum 24-strain probiotic + prebiotic; Our Place’s Titanium Always Pan® Pro using nonstick technology that’s coating-free and made without PFAS, otherwise known as “Forever Chemicals”; and AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercastRichard Taylor and Greg Broadmore, Wētā Workshop — Untapping Creativity, Stories from The Lord of the Rings, The Magic of New Zealand, Four Tenets to Live By, and The Only Sentence of Self-Help You Need

This episode is brought to you by AG1! I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG1 further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.

Right now, you’ll get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit DrinkAG1.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive your 1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive daily, foundational nutrition supplement that supports whole-body health.

This episode is brought to you by Our Place’s Titanium Always Pan® Pro. Many nonstick pans can release harmful “forever chemicals”—PFAS—into your food, your home, and, ultimately, your body. Teflon is a prime example—it *is* the forever chemical that most companies are still using. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to major health issues like gut microbiome disruption, testosterone dysregulation, and more, which have been correlated to chronic disease in the long term. This is why I use the Titanium Always Pan Pro from today’s sponsor, Our Place. It’s the first nonstick pan with zero coating. This means zero “forever chemicals” and a durability that will last a lifetime. That’s right—no degradation over time like traditional nonstick pans.

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This episode is brought to you by Seed’s DS-01 Daily Synbiotic! Seed’s DS-01 was recommended to me months ago by a PhD microbiologist, so I started using it well before their team ever reached out to me. Since then, it’s become a daily staple and one of the few supplements I travel with. I’ve always been highly skeptical of most probiotics due to the lack of science and the fact that many do not survive digestion. But after incorporating two capsules of Seed’s DS-01 into my morning routine, I have noticed improved digestion, skin tone, and overall health. Why is it so effective? For one, it’s a 2-in-1 probiotic and prebiotic formulated with 24 clinically and scientifically studied strains that have systemic benefits in and beyond the gut. And now, you can get 25% off your first month of DS-01 with code 25TIM.

Want to hear another podcast episode with a prolific artist? Listen to my first conversation with Todd McFarlane, in which we discussed the art of compelling storytelling, meeting deadlines, Todd’s voluminous library of rejection letters, how the industry status quo led to the founding of Image Comic Books, the happy accident that brought Venom to life, spaghetti webbing, competitive bladdering, and much more.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Richard Taylor:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Connect with Greg Broadmore:

Website | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Richard Taylor’s Four TenetsLove of oneself.Love of what you do.Love of who you do it with.Love of who you do it for.(Unofficial bonus tenet) Don’t be a dickhead.Institutions, Companies, and PlacesWētā Workshop: Special effects and design company founded by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger.Wētā Caves: Retail stores associated with Wētā Workshop.Wellington, New Zealand: Where Wētā was founded and is headquartered.Sichuan Earthquake Relief Fund: Fund to support earthquake victims.Gibson Group: Production company, Public Eye.Procreate: Australian art app company.Nintendo: Video game company, creator of the DS.Colors!: The DS art app created by Jens Andersson.Auckland, New Zealand: Where Weta Unleashed! is based.Mad Cave Studios: Publisher of Greg Broadmore’s One Path.Magic Leap: Augmented reality company, collaborated with Weta Workshop on games.Photoshop: Adobe’s classic raster graphics editor.Dungeons & Dragons: The fantasy tabletop role-playing game by which all others are measured.Magic: The Gathering: The world’s premier trading card game.National Geographic: A global non-profit organization committed to exploring, illuminating, and protecting the wonder of our world.Movies and Entertainment MediaThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Rise of the Planet of the Apes Dawn of the Planet of the Apes War for the Planet of the Apes Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Superman Mad Max: Fury Road Thor: Love and Thunder M3GAN Love Death + Robots King Kong Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire The Adventures of Tintin Avatar: The Way of Water Thunderbirds Are Go Gremlins 2 Harry and the Hendersons The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad The Golden Voyage of Sinbad Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger Jason and the Argonauts Public Eye Spitting Image Heavenly Creatures Evangelion Meet the Feebles Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Xena: Warrior Princess American Beauty Star Wars Flash Gordon (Serials)Buck Rogers (Serials)District 9 Alive in Joburg Halo Sin City Alita: Battle Angel The Manchurian CandidateBooks and Recommended ReadingThe Rent Collection Courtyard: Sculptures of Oppression and Revolt by Foreign Languages PressOne Path Book One by Greg Broadmore, Andy Lanning, and Nick BoshierBooks by David DeutschDungeons & Dragons Worlds & Realms: Adventures from Greyhawk to Faerûn and Beyond by Adam Lee2000 AD Judge Dredd Sláine: The Horned God A.B.C. Warriors The Art of Simon Bisley by Simon BisleyHeavy Metal Lobo Simon Bisley’s Illustrations From The Bible: A Work in Progress by Simon BisleyThe Coming of Conan the Cimmerian: The Original Adventures of the Greatest Sword and Sorcery Hero of All Time! by Robert E. HowardThe Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill WattersonThe Sovereign Child: How a Forgotten Philosophy Can Liberate Kids and Their Parents by Aaron StuppleFiend Folio: Tome of Creatures Malevolent and Benign by Don Turnbull and Chris BakerDr. Grordbort’s Bestiary of the Cosmos by Greg BroadmoreExpedition: Being an Account in Words and Artwork of the 2358 A.D. Voyage to Darwin IV by Wayne Douglas BarloweAfter Man: Expanded 40th Anniversary Edition by Dougal DixonRelevant ResourcesAura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky | Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping ComplexGreg’s Albertosaurus Skull | InstagramThunderbirds Are Go Behind-the-Scenes Tour Experience | TV One BreakfastThe Garden of Earthly Delights Triptych by Hieronymus Bosch | Museo Nacional del PradoThe Rent Collection Courtyard at 50 Years | USC Pacific Asia MuseumDick Smith Special FX Makeup Training Richard Sculpting in Margarine | InstagramRichard Taylor and Laura Daniels Sculpting in Tinfoil | InstagramCreative Workshops | Wētā WorkshopAlif: The Mobility Pavilion | Wētā WorkshopTraditional Chinese Medicine Technology and Creativity Museum | GMTCM ParkWētā Workshop Unleashed! | AucklandThe DS Can Do Naked Ladies Slipping on Banana Peels Rather Well | Kotaku99 DS: 99 Dodgy Slips by Greg Broadmore and 99 Deadly Sleds by Christian Pearce | Civic Square, Wellington (2009)Greg’s 60-Meter-Long Unleashed Mural | InstagramQueens of the Stone Age Motörhead The (Failed) Neon Genesis Evangelion Live Action Movie Series | EvaWikiDavid Deutsch and Naval Ravikant — The Fabric of Reality, The Importance of Disobedience, The Inevitability of Artificial General Intelligence, Finding Good Problems, Redefining Wealth, Foundations of True Knowledge, Harnessing Optimism, Quantum Computing, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #662Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War | Te PapaANZAC Day WWI Gallipoli Exhibition Designed and Built by Sir Richard Taylor and Wētā Workshop | YouTubeMilitary History of New Zealand During World War I | WikipediaThe Bug Lab | Wētā WorkshopRichard Wields Sting from Lord of the Rings | YouTubeThings We Believe Make Us Kiwi | The New Zealand HeraldRocket Lab | WikipediaDr. Grordbort’s Infallible Aether Oscillators — Where Science Meets Violence Brandon Sanderson on Building a Fiction Empire, Creating $40M+ Kickstarter Campaigns, Unbreakable Habits, The Art of World-Building, and The Science of Magic Systems | The Tim Ferriss Show #794The Film That Never Was – Halo | Pop Culture ManiacsMore Legends of Varlata World-Building Concept Art | FacebookImages from Simon Bisley’s Bible | Simon Bisley ArtSilver Warrior by Frank Frazetta | InstagramSwamp Demon by Frank Frazetta | Frazetta Art MuseumEver Wished That Calvin and Hobbes Creator Bill Watterson Would Return to the Comics Page? Well, He Just Did. | I’m Too Stupid to TravelNaval Ravikant and Aaron Stupple — How to Raise a Sovereign Child, A Freedom-Maximizing Approach to Parenting | The Tim Ferriss Show #788PeopleTania Rodger Ri Streeter Gilbert Bayes Steve Wang Rick Baker Hieronymus Bosch Zhao Shutong Ray Harryhausen Dick Smith Clive Memmot Warren Beaton Peter Jackson Jay Chou Jens Andersson Christian Pearce Salvador Dali Josh Homme Lemmy Kilmister David Deutsch Naval Ravikant Elijah Wood Bertrand Russell J.R.R. Tolkien Annette Bening Brandon Sanderson Rony Abovitz Andy Lanning Nick Boshier Neill Blomkamp Sharlto Copley David Meng Adam Lee Simon Bisley Frank Frazetta Richard Corben Robert Rodriguez James Cameron N.C. Wyeth J. C. Leyendecker Norman Rockwell Howard Pyle Bill Watterson Aaron Stupple Wayne Barlowe Dougal DixonSHOW NOTES[00:08:51] Albertosaurus vs. bear.[00:10:10] The Richard Taylor office tour.[00:12:27] How Richard was inspired to begin sculpting.[00:15:42] Being influenced by — and meeting — stop-motion legend Ray Harryhausen.[00:18:08] Connecting with Dick Smith, the ‘grandfather’ of makeup effects.[00:19:17] Sculpting in margarine and breaking into the industry.[00:23:57] Tinfoil sculpting and teaching creativity to kids.[00:28:00] Wētā’s evolution from a small team to a 400-person creative hub.[00:35:57] 99 Dodgy Slips and 99 Deadly Sleds.[00:41:43] Greg’s artistic education and unique process.[00:46:11] The art must flow! But how does Greg make it happen?[00:47:54] The Auckland mural: when flow goes too far and Lemmy has to be replaced.[00:48:42] How Greg boarded the Wētā Workshop train after years on the dole.[00:51:59] The David Deutsch influence: curiosity, fun, and learning.[00:53:05] Philosophizing around art and creative problem-solving.[00:54:45] How Wētā’s Gallipoli exhibition makes WWI relevant to modern museumgoers.[00:59:04] The challenges of clothing giants and hitting deadlines.[01:03:33] How Wētā attacked the massive scale of the Lord of the Rings project with a can-do attitude.[01:11:23] Richard’s four tenets (plus one bonus tenet).[01:13:39] The unique advantages of operating in New Zealand.[01:16:42] The unwavering self-belief of Peter Jackson’s leadership style.[01:20:10] Richard’s advice for anyone seeking to cultivate their own creativity.[01:23:03] Artistic immortality: leaving a creative legacy.[01:24:13] Greg explains the retro sci-fi angle behind his Dr. Grordbort’s and ray gun projects.[01:28:55] The metaphysics of creative direction.[01:36:09] How Greg’s new book, One Path, came about.[01:40:02] Tools Greg used for conceptualizing One Path.[01:41:55] Where the curious can see more of Greg’s work.[01:43:18] How many destinations does Greg imagine One Path will reach?[01:45:02] Why working on District 9 was often frustrating, but ultimately rewarding.[01:50:39] How can an artist maintain a healthy detachment from their own work?[01:57:35] Greg’s inspirations.[02:06:20] What’s Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes) up to these days?[02:08:53] What is art really about for Greg?[02:10:10] How Aaron Stupple changed Greg’s life.[02:13:13] Bestiaries, folios, and fondly remembered library books.[02:15:39] Parting thoughts.MORE QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“I have four very simple tenets that I operate by and four tenets that I try and operate our company by. … Love of oneself, love of what you do, love of who you do it with, and love of who you do it for.”
— Richard Taylor

“The first 300 commercial sculptures I did in the film industry were sculpted in margarine.”
— Richard Taylor

“If you think about who are the true immortals in the world, they’re teachers and parents, people that pass information to others to carry on into the next generation. But I do think about artists and craftspeople as being creatively immortal.”
— Richard Taylor

“The thing we love to make today is other makers. We’ve had a lovely and amazing career, and we are continuing to do fun and wonderful things every day. But it’s an imperative, and I actually feel that it’s beholden on us to try and introduce as many people as possible, specifically children, into the love of making and creating because it is slipping out of our fingers.”
— Richard Taylor

“Grit is an important component in the journey, not the accolades at the end. It’s the task of getting there that is seen as equal in accomplishment as winning baubles.”
— Richard Taylor

“I realized you need to care about the work deeply. It is your baby. You have to care about it. And if you don’t care about it, the work won’t be any good. So you cannot become cynical to the work, you have to love it, and you have to be able to let go of it.”
— Greg Broadmore

“I love learning by doing. It’s the only way. The act of illustrating or being creative, in general, I find most interesting when you don’t actually know where you’re going exactly, and you don’t really know how to do it. You just throw yourself into it and do your best, and I love that process.”
— Greg Broadmore

“Why choose any creative direction? This is a whole big metaphysical thing. There’s actually, I think, two distinct directions in which people create stories and narratives and worlds. One way is directed where you know where you’re going to go, you know the ending. The other way, which I’ve discovered I do, more often than not, is I’m just chasing these ‘why?’ questions.”
— Greg Broadmore

“What is art about? It is more than just drawing pictures and making stories — it is finding truth.”
— Greg Broadmore

The post Richard Taylor and Greg Broadmore, Wētā Workshop — Untapping Creativity, Stories from The Lord of the Rings, The Magic of New Zealand, Four Tenets to Live By, and The Only Sentence of Self-Help You Need (#799) appeared first on The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss.

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Published on March 13, 2025 07:10

Terry Real – Breaking the Rules of Traditional Couples Therapy for Superior Results, A Few Frameworks That Work (#798)

For this episode, I’m doing something a bit different. I’m featuring five chapters from the audiobook Fierce Intimacy by Terry Real. What you will hear in this episode will help you identify both your and your partner’s losing strategies in relationships and help you move from disharmony to repair. Terry is the creator of Relational Life Therapy, or RLT, which underpins all his books, courses, and teachings and equips people with the powerful relational skills they need to make love work. He is also the author of five books, including the New York Times bestseller Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship.

And if you’d like an extra dose of calm, I recommend checking out Henry Shukman, a past podcast guest and one of only a few dozen masters in the world authorized to teach Sanbo Zen. Henry’s app, The Way, has changed my life. I’ve been using it daily, often twice a day, and it’s lowered my anxiety more than I thought possible. For 30 free sessions, just visit thewayapp.com/tim. No credit card required.

Excerpted from Fierce Intimacy: Standing Up to One Another with LOVE by Terry Real (Sounds True, 2018). Used with permission.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercastTerry Real - Breaking the Rules of Traditional Couples Therapy for Superior Results, A Few Frameworks That Work

Want to hear another podcast episode that deals with overcoming relationship obstacles? Listen to my conversation with psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author Esther Perel, in which we discussed the challenges of therapizing couples in pandemic quarantine, the rewards of reframing our self-image, maintaining connection in long-distance relationships, coping with loneliness, the importance of maintaining personal rituals during trying times, and much more.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Terry Real:

Website

Fierce Intimacy: Standing Up to One Another with Love by Terry Real | AmazonUs: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship by Terry Real | AmazonWhat is Relational Life Therapy (RLT)? | Relational Life InstituteZen Master Henry Shukman — 20 Minutes of Calm, Plus the Strange and Powerful World of Koans | The Tim Ferriss Show #560Henry Shukman — Zen, Tools for Awakening, Ayahuasca vs. Meditation, Intro to Koans, and Using Wounds as the Doorway | The Tim Ferriss Show #531Meditation Training Program | The WayThe “Still Face” Experiment by Dr. Ed Tronick | UMass Chan Psychiatry & Behavioral SciencesJames Framo on the First Day of Your Real Marriage | Terry Real, InstagramIt’s Time For a Relational Reckoning | Terry Real, YouTubeMy Big Fat Greek Wedding | Prime VideoBringing Down an Empire: Gandhi and Civil Disobedience | Teach DemocracyReleasing the Pressure: A Dive into Freud’s Hydraulic Model of the Mind | Ezra BrandOffending from the Victim Position | Center for Relationship and Sexual WellnessDoes Withdrawing Ever Work in Relationships? | Terry Real, YouTubeFrom Withdrawal to Reconnection: A Step-by-Step Guide | Terry Real, YouTubeTerry Real’s Five Losing Strategies & Five Winning Strategies | Moonstone CounselingSHOW NOTES[00:03:11] Harmony, disharmony, and repair: The rhythm of all intimate human relationships.[00:06:27] Harmony: Love without knowledge.[00:07:01] Disharmony: Knowledge without love.[00:10:01] Repair: Knowing love.[00:10:35] Stay or go? A relational reckoning.[00:12:04] Five losing strategies for getting from disharmony to repair.[00:13:21] Being right: Objective reality has no place in personal relationships.[00:16:35] Trying to control your partner: No one likes being controlled.[00:21:35] Unbridled self-expression: The barf bag approach to intimacy.[00:27:33] Retaliation: Offending from the victim position.[00:32:13] Withdrawal: Provacative distance-taking.[00:35:58] Shaking hands with your adaptive child — your losing strategy profile (LSP).[00:38:08] Lessons learned by comparing your partner’s LSP with your own.PEOPLE MENTIONED

Pia Mellody
Kevin Rose
Peter Attia
Henry Shukman
Edward Tronick
Sigmund Freud
Ethel Person
James Framo
Belinda Berman-Real
Mahatma Gandhi

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Published on March 06, 2025 06:50

Dr. Keith Baar, UC Davis — Simple Exercises That Can Repair Tendons (Tennis Elbow, etc.), Collagen Fact vs. Fiction, Isometrics vs. Eccentrics, JAK Inhibitors, Growth Hormone vs. IGF-1, The Anti-RICE Protocol, and How to Use Load as an Anti-Inflammatory (#

Dr. Keith Baar is a Professor at the University of California, Davis in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology.

During his Ph.D. studies, his research revealed that mechanical strain on muscle fibers activates the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, a crucial regulator of muscular hypertrophy.

Subsequently, he studied the molecular dynamics of skeletal muscle adaptation to endurance training under the guidance of Dr. John Holloszy, a legend in the field of exercise physiology, considered the father of modern exercise biochemistry.

Building on all of this experience, he conducted research into tendon health and the potential for engineering ligaments, which could have implications for treatment and recovery from injuries.

Dr. Baar now runs the Functional Molecular Biology Lab at UC Davis. His lab’s work ranges from studying molecular changes in our cells to conducting studies to effect real-world improvements in people’s health, longevity, and quality of life.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This episode is brought to you by Cresset prestigious family office for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs; AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement; and Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercastDr. Keith Baar, UC Davis — Simple Exercises That Can Repair Tendons (Tennis Elbow, etc.), Collagen Fact vs. Fiction, Isometrics vs. Eccentrics, JAK Inhibitors, Growth Hormone vs. IGF-1, The Anti-RICE Protocol, and How to Use Load as an Anti-Inflammatory

This episode is brought to you by Cresset Family Office! Listeners have heard me talk about “making before you manage” for years. And for me—as a writer and entrepreneur—I definitely gravitate toward making. So it’s important that I find the right people who are great at managing. That’s why I trust this episode’s sponsor, Cresset Family Office.

Cresset is a prestigious family office for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs. They handle the complex financial planning, uncertain tax strategies, timely exit planning, bill pay and wires, and all the other parts of wealth management that would otherwise pull me away from doing what I love most: making things, mastering skills, and spending time with the people I care about. Experience the freedom of focusing on what matters to you with the support of a top wealth management team. Schedule a call today at cressetcapital.com/tim to see how Cresset can help streamline your financial plans and grow your wealth.

I’m a client of Cresset. There are no material conflicts other than this paid testimonial. All investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

This episode is brought to you by Shopify! Shopify is one of my favorite platforms and one of my favorite companies. Shopify is designed for anyone to sell anywhere, giving entrepreneurs the resources once reserved for big business. In no time flat, you can have a great-looking online store that brings your ideas to life, and you can have the tools to manage your day-to-day and drive sales. No coding or design experience required.

Go to shopify.com/Tim to sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. It’s a great deal for a great service, so I encourage you to check it out. Take your business to the next level today by visiting shopify.com/Tim .

This episode is brought to you by AG1! I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG1 further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.

Right now, you’ll get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit DrinkAG1.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive your 1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive daily, foundational nutrition supplement that supports whole-body health.

Want to hear another episode that explores the possibilities of rapamycin? Have a listen to the conversation I had with Peter Attia, David M. Sabatini, and Navdeep S. Chandel at the source of this miraculous compound: Easter Island. Here, we discuss how one of the most important discoveries of medical science was almost lost, why metabolism (along with longevity) research is key to treating a long list of diseases, intermittent dosing of rapamycin, parenting advice from scientists on confidence and conflict, the necessary failures of good science, good fonts versus bad fonts, “non-potato” relationships, and much more.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Dr. Keith Baar:

Website | Bluesky | LinkedIn

Physiology & Biology
Strength Physiology

Muscle Hypertrophy Force Transfer Connective Tissue Adaptation Tendon vs. Ligament Stress Shielding Collagen Synthesis Lysyl Oxidase (LOX)Mitochondrial Biogenesis Mitochondrial Function Mitophagy Refractory Period Minimum Effective Dose Systemic Inflammation

Molecular Biology

mTOR (Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin)IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1)Growth Hormone Receptor JAK-STAT Pathway (Janus Kinase-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription)Super Amino Acids: Glycine and Proline Ketones/Ketogenesis PGC1-Alpha Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)

Exercise Physiology

Isometric Contractions (Yielding vs. Overcoming)Eccentric vs. Concentric Contractions Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)Load Duration Rest Intervals Jerk Tempo Static vs. Dynamic Stretching

Injury & Recovery

Tendinopathy Alfredson Protocol Scar Tissue Formation Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Rupture/Repair RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)Immobilization Pain Management Debridement

Training & Rehabilitation Methods

Shockwave Therapy Hangboard Training Isometric Holds The Alphabet Exercise Eccentric Loading Strength Training Thera-Band Flexbar

Substances & Interventions

Supplements

Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Vitamin C Whey Protein Gelatin Bone Broth

Pharmaceuticals

Rapamycin Metformin JAK-STAT Inhibitors (ending in -NIB, e.g., Itacitinib, Vorasidenib)Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics (e.g., Ciprofloxacin)AT1 Receptor Drugs (Sartan drugs)Resorbable vs. Non-Resorbable Sutures Testosterone Estrogen Nandrolone Liothyronine (Cytomel)Relaxin

Orthobiologics (Critiqued)

BPC-157 PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)Prolotherapy Stem Cells

Diets

Ketogenic Diet One Meal A Day (OMAD)

Institutions & Places

The UK Sports Institute Rapa Nui (Easter Island)UC Davis Aspetar Finland University of Illinois, Chicago Maastricht NFL NCAA

Movies

Lorenzo’s Oil

Research

Minimizing Injury and Maximizing Return to Play: Lessons from Engineered Ligaments | Sports MedicineAcute Resistance Exercise Activates Rapamycin-Sensitive and -Insensitive Mechanisms That Control Translational Activity and Capacity in Skeletal Muscle | Journal of PhysiologyEffects of Stress Shielding on the Mechanical Properties of Rabbit Patellar Tendon | Journal of Biomechanical EngineeringA 1-Month Ketogenic Diet Increased Mitochondrial Mass in Red Gastrocnemius Muscle, but Not in the Brain or Liver of Middle-Aged Mice | NutrientsIngestion of a Whey Plus Collagen Protein Blend Increases Myofibrillar and Muscle Connective Protein Synthesis Rates | Medicine & Science in Sports & ExercisePentadecapeptide BPC 157 Enhances the Growth Hormone Receptor Expression in Tendon Fibroblasts | MoleculesACE-II Receptor Antagonists Are Associated with Achilles Tendon Rupture | University of Eastern FinlandEffect of Estrogen on Musculoskeletal Performance and Injury Risk | Frontiers in PhysiologyKetogenic Diets and Mitochondrial Function: Benefits for Aging But Not for Athletes | Exercise and Sport Sciences ReviewsDo Inflammatory Cells Influence Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy? | Frontiers in Bioscience-Elite

Relevant Resources

Tendon and Ligament Health | SinewUSRE: Tim Seeks Tennis Elbow Relief | TwitterHow this Climber Went from V0 to V15 in 5 Years | Josh RundleMy Life Extension Pilgrimage to Easter Island | The Tim Ferriss Show #193Work Medium, Play Medium | Pretty Alright GoodsFree Weights vs. Machine Weights? Here’s How to Choose. | GoodRxOrthopaedics in the Dawn of Civilisation, Practices in Ancient Egypt | International OrthopaedicsThe Characteristics of Valter Longo’s “Longevity Diet” | USC Leonard DavisSHOW NOTES[00:07:12] How I discovered Keith’s work through a tweet about tennis elbow and rock climbing.[00:07:54] Emil Abrahamsson’s hangboard training protocol.[00:09:20] The fundamental principles of strength training and connective tissue adaptation.[00:10:36] mTOR complex 1 and its role in muscle growth.[00:12:06] Engineered ligaments and the discovery of minimal effective doses for tendon adaptation.[00:13:50] The refractory period between optimal tendon loading sessions.[00:16:42] Rapamycin’s effects on muscle hypertrophy.[00:18:49] Protocols for tennis elbow rehabilitation.[00:20:28] Why isometrics work better than eccentrics for tendon healing.[00:22:14] Stress shielding and how load distribution affects tendon healing.[00:29:07] The misconception about eccentric loading for tendon injuries and why velocity matters.[00:29:58] Ideal duration for isometric holds (10-30 seconds) based on injury status.[00:33:50] My elbow issues and current rehab approach.[00:36:02] Overcoming vs. yielding isometrics and optimal loading strategies.[00:47:11] Dr. Barr’s movement prescription for my tennis elbow.[00:52:18] Loading timing post-surgery and RICE protocol criticism.[00:56:58] Achilles tendon rehabilitation after surgery.[01:00:18] Critique of orthopedic suturing techniques and recommendation for resorbable sutures.[01:04:02] Multiple position isometrics for tennis elbow rehabilitation.[01:07:26] Collagen synthesis, supplementation, and vitamin C timing.[01:12:59] Critique of BPC-157 and other injectable peptides for tendon healing.[01:18:19] Evaluation of orthobiologics’ (PRP, prolotherapy, stem cells) effectiveness.[01:21:37] JAK-STAT inhibitor drugs and their effects on tendon growth.[01:25:35] Drugs that increase risk of tendon ruptures (fluoroquinolones, AT-1 receptor drugs).[01:29:33] How estrogen affects tendon stiffness and injury risk in women.[01:32:48] Testosterone’s opposite effects on tendon compared to estrogen.[01:35:31] Protein intake recommendations and timing.[01:40:11] Ketogenic diet effects on mitochondrial biogenesis and longevity.[01:41:57] Comparison of ketogenic diet, low protein diet, and rapamycin for longevity.[01:47:19] Inflammation’s role in adaptation and when to reduce it.[01:51:17] Timing of ice baths relative to training for optimal recovery.[01:52:33] Parting thoughts.MORE DR. KEITH BAAR QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“The number one cost to the US medical system is actually musculoskeletal sprains, strains and tears, the back and the neck, as well as the rest of the body. It’s more than diabetes and heart disease combined.”
— Dr. Keith Baar

“If passive flexibility was really important for decreasing tendon injury, then the women’s gymnasts who have the most passive flexibility wouldn’t be the NCAA sport with the highest rate of Achilles tendon rupture.”
— Dr. Keith Baar

“Injury related to flexibility is a U-shaped curve. So our injuries are really high when we’re very inflexible. When we get into that sweet spot where we have good mobility, we can do the full range of motion, actually the injury rate is very low. If we become hyper-mobile, we actually have that injury rate go up as well.”
— Dr. Keith Baar

“We don’t use a ketogenic diet if we want to go fast, but if we’re training for life, we see that it increases longevity, that the ketones themselves are really good for brain function.”
— Dr. Keith Baar

“The first recorded immobilizer for an ankle or a leg is from Egyptian hieroglyphs where they showed pictures 4,500 years ago. If I took you and you said you had cancer, you would not want a treatment that was developed 4,500 years ago. You would hope that something new has been developed in the last 4,500 years. That is where we are for our orthopedic situations.”
— Dr. Keith Baar

“The reality is that there are especially certain athletes like climbers where they’re doing all kinds of heavy lifts, they’re doing all kinds of heavy work, they’re doing all kinds of really dynamic moves. And what happens, what breaks down is they break down in their finger tendons and they break down in the little pulleys within the tendons.”
— Dr. Keith Baar

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

The post Dr. Keith Baar, UC Davis — Simple Exercises That Can Repair Tendons (Tennis Elbow, etc.), Collagen Fact vs. Fiction, Isometrics vs. Eccentrics, JAK Inhibitors, Growth Hormone vs. IGF-1, The Anti-RICE Protocol, and How to Use Load as an Anti-Inflammatory (#797) appeared first on The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss.

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Published on February 26, 2025 08:20

L.A. Paul — On Becoming a Vampire, Whether or Not to Have Kids, Getting Incredible Mentorship for $250, Transformative Experiences, and More (#796)

Illustration via 99designs

“You can read all the theory in the world, but when you experience it, it gives you a different way of understanding. And that’s what I’m saying. Just like seeing red for the first time. You can hear all about red, but when you see it, you’re like, whoa, wait, there’s something there that’s more. The theory, the words aren’t sufficient to express all of the content.”
— L.A. Paul

L.A. Paul (lapaul.org) is the Millstone Family Professor of Philosophy and Professor of Cognitive Science at Yale University, where she leads the Self and Society Initiative for the Wu Tsai Institute. Her research explores questions about the nature of the self and decision-making and the metaphysics and cognitive science of time, cause, and experience.

She is the recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Humanities Center, and the Australian National University. She is the author of Transformative Experience and coauthor of Causation: A User’s Guide, which was awarded the American Philosophical Association Sanders Book Prize. Her work on transformative experience has been covered by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, NPR, and the BBC, among others. And in 2024, she was profiled by The New Yorker.

She is currently working on a book, under contract with Farrar, Straus and Giroux, about self-construction, transformative experience, humility, and fear of mental corruption.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

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Want to hear an episode with someone who applies philosophy to his daily life? Listen to my most recent conversation with Derek Sivers in which we discussed Emirati coffee, cuddly rats, Brian Eno, John Cage, practical applications of simplicity, traveling to inhabit philosophies, and much more.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with L. A. Paul:

Website

Concepts

Transformative Experience: A central theme in L. A. Paul’s work, referring to life-changing experiences that fundamentally alter one’s identity and preferences, making it difficult to make rational decisions about them beforehand. Analytic Philosophy: A style of philosophy that emphasizes clarity, rigor, and logical analysis, often with close ties to science and mathematics. Causation: The relationship between cause and effect, and how we understand the forces that drive the world forward. Rational Choice Theory: The framework for understanding how individuals make decisions based on maximizing their expected value. Identity: How we understand ourselves and our persistence through time. The Mind-Body Problem: A philosophical problem concerning the relationship between thought and consciousness in the human mind and body. Epistemology: The theory of knowledge, dealing with questions about how we know what we know and the nature of understanding. Logic: The science of the formal principles of reasoning. Chain of Thoughts (CoT): In LLMs, chain of thought (CoT) mirrors human reasoning, facilitating systematic problem-solving through a coherent series of logical deductions. The Vampire Problem: A thought experiment used by Paul to illustrate transformative experience. Stockholm Syndrome: A psychological response that causes survivors of abuse to sympathize with their abuser. The Knowledge Argument: Analytic philosopher Frank Jackson’s thought experiment intended to argue against physicalism. Act-State Independence: A principle in rational choice theory that assumes the act of making a choice does not change the decision-maker’s preferences. Metaphysics: The branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality. Gravimetric Analysis: A set of methods used in analytical chemistry for quantitative determination based on mass. Counterfactuals: Statements about what could have been, but wasn’t. Nihilism: A philosophical viewpoint that suggests life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Quantum Physics: The study of matter and energy at the most fundamental level. Time: The nature of time, both as a physical phenomenon and as a subjective experience. Free Will: The capacity or ability to choose between different possible courses of action. Fatalism: The view that we are powerless to do anything other than what we actually do. Existentialism: A family of philosophical views that study existence from the individual’s perspective. Continental Philosophy: A tradition of philosophy originating in mainland Europe. Phenomenology: A philosophical approach that focuses on the study of subjective experience and consciousness. Bioethics: A field of study that examines the ethical implications of advancements in biology and medicine. Metaethics: The attempt to understand the presuppositions of moral thought and practice. Ineffability: The inability to fully describe or express certain experiences through language.

Books and Recommended Reading

Transformative Experience by L. A. Paul Causation: A User’s Guide by L. A. Paul and Ned Hall Being and Time by Martin Heidegger What You Can’t Expect When You’re Expecting by L. A. Paul The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse The Felt Meanings of the World: A Metaphysics of Feeling by Quentin Smith Counterfactuals by David K. Lewis Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang Exhalation by Ted Chiang The Garden of Forking Paths by Jorge Luis Borges The Aleph by Jorge Luis Borges The Autobiography of Charles Darwin: 1809-1882 by Charles Darwin Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll The Oxford Handbook of Epistemology by Paul K. Moser The Paradox of Empathy by L. A. Paul The View from Nowhere by Thomas Nagel Seven Nights by Jorge Luis Borges Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life by Agnes Callard Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming by Agnes Callard Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Movies

Arrival Primer La Jetée 12 Monkeys Back to the Future Interstellar Tenet

Institutions

Antioch College Harvard Business School Princeton University Yale University

People

Quentin Smith Martin Heidegger Ludwig Wittgenstein René Descartes Gideon Rosen Thomas Nagel Saul Kripke David Hume Agnes Callard Count Dracula Alice Gregory Paul Sagar Hermann Hesse Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Ted Chiang David Lewis Jorge Luis Borges Johann Sebastian Bach Charles Darwin Lewis Carroll Jennifer Nagel Marcel Proust Michel Foucault Jacques Derrida Slavoj Žižek Bertrand Russell Aristotle Pandora Joseph Conrad

Relevant Resources

The Philosopher Tarski on Truth | Big Think The Philosopher L. A. Paul Wants Us to Think About Our Selves | The New Yorker Philosophy and Its Role in Society | American Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Development From Task Structures to World Models: What Do LLMs Know? | Trends in Cognitive Sciences The Vampire Problem: A Brilliant Thought Experiment | The Marginalian Eleanor Nelsen: Mary’s Room: A Philosophical Thought Experiment | TED-Ed What Is It Like to Be a Bat? | The Philosophical Review Paul Sagar: Diary of a Punter | Substack Is Having a Child a Rational Decision? | NPR Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy If You Don’t Understand Quantum Physics, Try This! | Domain of Science Determinism vs. Free Will | Crash Course Philosophy L. A. Paul AMA on Transformative Experience | r/Philosophy Understanding Ontological Shock | Dian Griesel, Ph.D. Psychedelics 101 | Tim Ferriss Nine Buddhist Teachers Explain Suffering | Lion’s Roar 61 Zen Koans with Commentary | TricycleSHOW NOTES[00:05:55] The role of Quentin Smith.[00:09:56] Early philosophy class disasters.[00:13:34] How is philosophy relevant to the average person?[00:20:17] A correspondence experiment with philosophers.[00:25:29] The role of philosophy in modern times.[00:27:50] The vampire problem.[00:39:31] What you can’t expect when you’re expecting.[00:42:36] When transformative experiences happen without our consent.[00:48:12] Choosing between potentially transformative experiences.[00:52:09] How Laurie made the choice to have children.[00:56:34] What galvanized Laurie’s trajectory from hard sciences to philosophy?[01:01:14] Recommended reading for the novice philosopher.[01:02:59] An aside defining counterfactuals.[01:07:15] What makes understanding analytic philosophy a worthwhile endeavor?[01:10:29] What readers can expect of Laurie’s book, Transformative Experience.[01:12:30] Epistemology.[01:13:15] How to maintain a passion for philosophy.[01:17:21] Commonly misrepresented philosophical concepts.[01:19:59] Continental philosophy.[01:21:48] Philosophy beyond the academic.[01:23:46] Laurie vs. Agnes Callard.[01:25:34] Aristotle vs. drugs.[01:32:01] Thoughts on life’s final transformative experience: death.[01:35:48] Forgiving the philosophers and other parting thoughts.MORE L. A. PAUL QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“I care very much about the nature of how we live our lives, the kinds of struggles that individual people have. I’m fascinated by the fact that all of us have these internal worlds, and then there’s some way in which we all have these internal worlds, and then these internal worlds have to kind of coexist with the external world, and we have to try to make sense of everything, and try to understand other people.”
— L. A. Paul

“Nobody ever argues someone into religious belief or losing it. It’s all about occupying a different conceptual space, and that just foundationally changes the way you understand the world.”
— L. A. Paul

“When we’re walking around being our skin-encapsulated ego, there’s a lot we take for granted.”
— L. A. Paul

“Using the examples of time travel, it can draw out first how we have to think about time in the ordinary sense, because we can contrast it to the possibility of time as having either another dimension or branching, or in some sense, us being able to move against the arrow of time from the past to the future.”
— L. A. Paul

“I think it’s super important to distinguish between our experience of time and time itself. … The easiest way to see the difference is [to] imagine you’re in a really boring lecture and you’re just sitting there like, ‘Oh, this is lasting forever.’ And you look at the clock and you realize you’re only 15 minutes in.”
— L. A. Paul

“You can read all the theory in the world, but when you experience it it gives you a different way of understanding. And that’s what I’m saying. Just like seeing red for the first time. You can hear all about red, but when you see it you’re like, whoa, wait, there’s something there that’s more. The theory, the words aren’t sufficient to express all of the content.”
— L. A. Paul

The post L.A. Paul — On Becoming a Vampire, Whether or Not to Have Kids, Getting Incredible Mentorship for $250, Transformative Experiences, and More (#796) appeared first on The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss.

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Published on February 21, 2025 07:08

For Less Anxiety and More Life, Treat Your To-Do List Like a Diner Menu

Several years ago, Cal Newport of Deep Work fame recommended that I read Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.

The first few chapters hooked me, and I devoured it over 48 hours or so, capturing hundreds of Kindle highlights in the process. It’s quite unlike anything I’ve ever read, and one of my favorite chapters is titled “Cosmic Insignificance Therapy,” which Oliver graciously permitted me to share on the blog and on the podcast.

In August 2023, Oliver wrote a piece for his newsletter titled “Lists are menus” that stuck with me, and I have thought about it since. You can find it below.

For more Oliver, subscribe to his newsletter here. In case you missed it, also check out his newest Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts.

Enjoy!

Enter Oliver Burkeman

More and more, I think my issues with conventional productivity advice – indeed, with the very notion of productivity – boil down to this: Spending your days trying to get through a list of things you feel you have to do is a fundamentally joyless and soul-destroying way to live, and most productivity problems, like distraction or procrastination or a lack of motivation, can be understood as internal rebellions against a life spent so dispiritingly. And yet most of what passes for expert advice just involves organizing the list differently, or getting through the list more efficiently. Whereas the real trouble lies in the whole underlying idea of life as a matter of slogging your way through a list.

I realize, of course, that you may not be a “list person” like me, with my long and somewhat ridiculous history of experimenting with lists in notebooks, digital lists, lists organized by context or project or priority, and so on (and so on and so on). But if you adopt a sufficiently broad definition of a to-do list – ie., as any set of things you feel you need to get done – then it’s clear that really, lists are everywhere. Your “to read” pile is a list. A morning routine is a list (of things you think you need to do each morning). That nagging collection of home improvements you keep meaning to get around to? That constitutes a list, too.

Or maybe you’re one of the many people who go through life with a vague sense that there are several important milestones you need to hit before you can truly deem things to be in full working order – to start exercising, find a relationship, work through your childhood issues, sort out your finances? Well, that’s a list, too, in the sense I’m using the word here: a set of tasks you believe you need to get through, in order to feel that everything’s OK.

As every productivity geek knows, there’s a certain pleasure in crossing things off lists. (Some of us have been known to add tasks we’ve already completed, so as to cross those ones off, too.) But in the long run, I don’t think this can make up for the basic joylessness of a life spent doing things in order to have them done – and spent, moreover, in the belief that true peace of mind can only come once they’re all out of the way. Which of course they never are.

All of which leads to a question I’ve found powerful to reflect on: what if we understood our lists as menus instead?

For many years I lived in New York – where, as anyone familiar with the city knows, there’s a kind of diner you can visit at which you’ll be handed a huge menu, bound in fake leather, with perhaps eight or nine laminated pages featuring every imaginable permutation of egg-based dishes, sandwiches, burgers, waffles and salads that the kitchen is capable of conceiving. I love these menus for the sense of crazy abundance they impart. And they help clarify a critical way in which a menu differs from a to-do list: picking just one or two items from a menu is something you get to do, not something you have to do. It’s not a problem that there are so many more things you could order than you’d ever be able to consume in a single visit. It isn’t the case that in an ideal world you’d eat them all, but because you’re not efficient enough at eating you’ve got to settle for just one or two of them, and feel like a failure. That would be ridiculous! The abundance is the point. And the joy is in getting to eat at the restaurant at all.

I take it you can see where this is going when it comes to to-do lists: increasingly, I find myself treating my other lists as menus, too. Your “to read” pile or digital equivalent, for example, is most certainly best understood as a menu – a list of things to pick from, rather than one you have to get through. But the same applies to my list of work projects. Sure, the contents of the menu is constrained by various goals and long-term deadlines. But the daily practice is just to pick something appetizing from the menu, instead of grinding through a list.

Maybe it’ll come as no surprise to learn I’ve been getting more done this way, too – not least because I’m harnessing the energy of what I feel like doing, rather than suppressing it in order to push onwards through a list.

And here’s the kicker: aren’t all to-do lists really menus anyway, whether I choose to think of them that way or not? After all, if there are vastly more things I could do with any given hour or day than I actually can do – if there are a million ways to build a business, to be a better parent, spouse or citizen, live healthily, and so on, yet only time for a handful of them – then in fact we’re always picking from a menu, even if we delude ourselves that what we’re doing is getting through a list.

One great benefit of doing this more consciously – of facing up to the fact that lists are menus – is that it shifts the source of gratification. The reward of pleasure in your work, or a sense of meaning, no longer gets doled out stingily, in morsels, en route to some hypothetical moment of future fulfillment when the list is complete and you can finally feel fully satisfied. Instead, the real reward comes from getting to pick something from the menu – from getting to dive in to one of the vast range of possibilities the world has to offer, without any expectation of getting through them all, just like the pleasure of sitting down to a good meal. Which means you get to have the reward right now.

Oliver Burkeman is the New York Times bestselling author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals (2021) and Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts (2024). He lives in Yorkshire in England.

The post For Less Anxiety and More Life, Treat Your To-Do List Like a Diner Menu appeared first on The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss.

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Published on February 20, 2025 07:40

The 4-Hour Workweek Revisited — The End of Time Management (#795)

This time around, we have a bit of a different format, featuring the book that started it all for me, The 4-Hour Workweek. Readers and listeners often ask me what I would change or update, but an equally interesting question is: what wouldn’t I change? What stands the test of time and hasn’t lost any potency? This episode features one of the most important chapters from the audiobook of The 4-Hour Workweek. It includes tools and frameworks that I use to this day, including Pareto’s Law and Parkinson’s Law.

The chapter is narrated by the great voice actor Ray Porter. If you are interested in checking out the rest of the audiobook, which is produced and copyrighted by Blackstone Publishing, you can find it on Audible, Apple, Google, Spotify, Downpour.com, or wherever you find your favorite audiobooks.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

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Want to hear another episode that features content straight from The 4-Hour Workweek? Listen here for the three chapters preceding this one that cover how to get uncommon results by doing the opposite, aiming with precision, and aiming for the unrealistic.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss | Amazon The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry | Amazon How to Use Occam’s Razor without Getting Cut | Farnam Street George’s Hack for Looking Busy at Work | Seinfeld The 4-Hour Workweek DEAL Framework | Steady Compounding Tim Ferriss: Are You Being Effective or Efficient? | Modern Wisdom with Chris Williamson What Gets Measured Gets Managed? | MOPs and MOEs Manual of Political Economy by Vilfredo Pareto | Amazon 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle) | Investopedia 5 ChatGPT Prompts to Implement The 4-Hour Workweek in Your Business | Forbes Why the 9-to-5 Schedule Has Lost Its Place in the Workplace | Fast Company Ed Zschau — The Polymath Professor Who Changed My Life | The Tim Ferriss Show #380 Parkinson’s Law: The ‘Law’ That Explains Why You Can’t Get Anything Done | BBC How to Use Parkinson’s Law to Get More Done in Less Time | Lifehack Fear-Setting: The Most Valuable Exercise I Do Every Month | Tim Ferriss Jim Rohn: You’re the Average of the Five People You Spend the Most Time With | Business Insider How to End a Friendship | Verywell Mind Fully Automated Time-Tracking Software | RescueTime Multitasking and the Brain | Brighter Minds A Simple Countdown Timer | E.ggTimer Comfort Challenge #2: Learn to Propose | Tim FerrissSHOW NOTES[00:05:27] E is for Elimination.[00:05:46] The end of time management.[00:07:57] How you will use productivity.[00:10:36] Being effective vs. being efficient.[00:12:12] Pareto and his garden: 80/20 and freedom from futility.[00:24:01] The 9-5 Illusion and Parkinson’s Law.[00:31:41] A dozen cupcakes and one question.[00:34:47] Questions and actions.[00:35:05] Define a to-do list and a not-to-do list.[00:35:41] If you had a heart attack and had to work two hours per day, what would you do?[00:36:33] If you had a second heart attack and had to work two hours per week, what would you do?[00:36:42] If you had a gun to your head and had to stop doing 4/5 of different time-consuming activities, what would you remove?[00:37:21] What are the top-three activities that you use to fill time to feel as though you’ve been productive?[00:37:45] Who are the 20% of people who produce 80% of your enjoyment and propel you forward, and which 20% cause 80% of your depression, anger, and second-guessing?[00:40:16] If this is the only thing you accomplish today, will you be satisfied with your day?[00:41:47] Are you inventing things to do to avoid the important?[00:42:25] Do not multitask.[00:43:17] Use Parkinson’s Law on a macro and micro level.[00:44:45] Comfort challenge: Learn to propose.[00:45:39] Lifestyle design in action.PEOPLE MENTIONEDRay Porter Bruce Lee Antoine de Saint-Exupéry William of Ockham Peter Drucker Vilfredo Pareto Léon Walras Steven Wright Ed Zschau Seneca the Younger Oprah Winfrey Derek Sivers Victor Johnson

The post The 4-Hour Workweek Revisited — The End of Time Management (#795) appeared first on The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss.

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Published on February 14, 2025 08:44

Brandon Sanderson on Building a Fiction Empire, Creating $40M+ Kickstarter Campaigns, Unbreakable Habits, The Art of World-Building, and The Science of Magic Systems (#794)

Brandon Sanderson (@BrandSanderson) is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Stormlight Archive series and the Mistborn saga; the middle-grade series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians; and the young-adult novels The Rithmatist, the Reckoners trilogy, and the Skyward series. He has sold more than 40 million books in 35 languages, and he is a four-time nominee for the Hugo Awards, winning in 2013 for his novella The Emperor’s Soul. That same year, he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series, culminating in A Memory of Light.

Brandon cohosts (with fellow author Dan Wells) the popular Intentionally Blank podcast and teaches creative writing at Brigham Young University.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This episode is brought to you by Cresset prestigious family office for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs; Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic broad spectrum 24-strain probiotic + prebiotic; Wealthfront high-yield cash account.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercast#794: Brandon Sanderson on Building a Fiction Empire, Creating $40M+ Kickstarter Campaigns, Unbreakable Habits, The Art of World-Building, and The Science of Magic Systems

This episode is brought to you by Cresset Family Office! Listeners have heard me talk about “making before you manage” for years. And for me—as a writer and entrepreneur—I definitely gravitate toward making. So it’s important that I find the right people who are great at managing. That’s why I trust this episode’s sponsor, Cresset Family Office.

Cresset is a prestigious family office for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs. They handle the complex financial planning, uncertain tax strategies, timely exit planning, bill pay and wires, and all the other parts of wealth management that would otherwise pull me away from doing what I love most: making things, mastering skills, and spending time with the people I care about. Experience the freedom of focusing on what matters to you with the support of a top wealth management team. Schedule a call today at cressetcapital.com/tim to see how Cresset can help streamline your financial plans and grow your wealth.

I’m a client of Cresset. There are no material conflicts other than this paid testimonial. All investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

This episode is brought to you by Seed’s DS-01 Daily Synbiotic! Seed’s DS-01 was recommended to me months ago by a PhD microbiologist, so I started using it well before their team ever reached out to me. Since then, it’s become a daily staple and one of the few supplements I travel with. I’ve always been highly skeptical of most probiotics due to the lack of science and the fact that many do not survive digestion. But after incorporating two capsules of Seed’s DS-01 into my morning routine, I have noticed improved digestion, skin tone, and overall health. Why is it so effective? For one, it’s a 2-in-1 probiotic and prebiotic formulated with 24 clinically and scientifically studied strains that have systemic benefits in and beyond the gut. And now, you can get 25% off your first month of DS-01 with code 25TIM.

This episode is brought to you by Wealthfront! Wealthfront is a financial services platform that offers services to help you save and invest your money. Right now, you can earn 4.00% APY—that’s the Annual Percentage Yield—with the Wealthfront Brokerage Cash Account through its network of partner banks. That’s nearly ten times more interest than a savings account at a bank, according to FDIC.gov as of December 16, 2024. It takes just a few minutes to sign up, and then you’ll immediately start earning 4.00% APY interest on your short-term cash until you’re ready to invest. And when new clients open an account today, they can get an extra fifty-dollar bonus with a deposit of five hundred dollars or more. Visit Wealthfront.com/Tim to get started.

Tim Ferriss receives cash compensation from Wealthfront Brokerage, LLC for advertising and holds a non-controlling equity interest in the corporate parent of Wealthfront Brokerage. See full disclosures here.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

Note from Tim’s team: The below will be updated with the final list of links and timestamps shortly.

Books

Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly: A middle-aged woman and her husband go on a quest to kill a dragon and save the kingdom.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson: A fantasy novel with a hard magic system where characters can use metal to enhance their abilities.
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien: An epic fantasy novel centered around the One Ring and a magic system based on the powers of Gandalf.
by Patrick Rothfuss: A fantasy novel that Brandon Sanderson considers a brilliant first novel.
On Writing by Stephen King: A book about the craft of writing that emphasizes the importance of finding your own way as a writer.
How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card: A guide to writing fantasy and science fiction that emphasizes the importance of world-building.
Writing to Sell by Scott Meredith: A guide to writing that focuses on the business side of publishing.
Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need by Blake Snyder: A book about screenwriting that provides a structured approach to storytelling.
Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies by Blake Snyder: A book about screenwriting that examines different genres within the field.
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson: A fantasy novel with a hard magic system where characters can use metal to enhance their abilities.
The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson: A series of epic fantasy novels with a complex magic system and a focus on character development.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch: A fantasy heist novel that is more focused on the heist genre than Sanderson’s Mistborn series.
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan: An epic fantasy series that was finished by Brandon Sanderson after Robert Jordan’s death.
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay: A standalone fantasy novel that is slower-paced than modern fantasy but digs deep into one world.
Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay: A standalone fantasy novel that is slower-paced than modern fantasy but digs deep into one world.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman: A fantasy novel that is fun and whimsical, but doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson: A standalone fantasy novel that is a good starting point for readers new to Sanderson’s work.

Movies

Avatar : A science fiction film that features a conlang created specifically for the movie.
Sneakers : A heist film that Brandon Sanderson cites as one of his favorites.
The Sting : A heist film that Brandon Sanderson cites as one of his favorites.
Ocean’s Eleven : A heist film that Brandon Sanderson cites as one of his favorites.
The Italian Job : A heist film that Brandon Sanderson cites as one of his favorites.
The Princess Bride : A fantasy film that is fun and whimsical, but doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid : A classic film written by William Goldman, the author of The Princess Bride.

Shows

Writing Excuses (Podcast) : A podcast about the craft of writing, featuring Brandon Sanderson and other authors.
Whose Line Is It Anyway? : An improv comedy show that Brandon Sanderson uses as inspiration for his writing exercises.
Game of Thrones : A fantasy TV series based on the books by George R.R. Martin, known for its complex characters and unpredictable plot.
Arcane : A fantasy TV series that features a magepunk aesthetic, where magic is combined with technology.
The Colbert Report : A satirical news show that once featured Brandon Sanderson’s picture in a segment about Zeppelins.
The History Channel : A TV channel that Brandon Sanderson’s former editor, Moshe, used to watch as a form of self-medication.

Institutions

Brigham Young University : The university where Brandon Sanderson currently teaches a creative writing class.
UC Irvine : The university where Brandon Sanderson’s 8th-grade English teacher, Ms. Reader, wanted to be a professor.
The Hugo Awards : The Academy Awards of science fiction and fantasy, where Brandon Sanderson once received a pin from Cory Doctorow.

Concepts

Conlang : A constructed language, such as Klingon or Elvish, that is created specifically for a fictional world.
World Builder’s Disease : The tendency for fantasy writers to get bogged down in world-building at the expense of the story.
The Hero’s Journey : A common narrative structure in fantasy, where a hero goes on a quest, faces challenges, and ultimately triumphs over evil.
Three Act Play : A common narrative structure in plays and films, where the story is divided into three acts: setup, confrontation, and resolution.
Magepunk : A subgenre of fantasy where magic is combined with technology, such as in the TV series Arcane.
Sanderson’s Laws of Magic : Three rules that Brandon Sanderson follows when creating magic systems for his fantasy novels.

Companies

Dragonsteel : Brandon Sanderson’s company, which handles the production and distribution of his books and merchandise.
Random House Audio : The audiobook publisher that Brandon Sanderson works with.
Tor : Brandon Sanderson’s primary publisher for his fantasy novels.
Macmillan : The parent company of Tor, which was involved in a dispute with Amazon over ebook pricing.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints : The religious organization that Brandon Sanderson is a member of, which influenced his decision to go on a mission to Korea.
Celsius : A science fiction and fantasy convention in Spain that Brandon Sanderson has attended.
USA Today : A national newspaper that once featured a story about Zeppelins, which led to Brandon Sanderson’s picture appearing on The Colbert Report.
Discord : A social media platform that Brandon Sanderson uses to communicate with his beta readers.
Book Talk : A book review website that has helped drive sales of Brandon Sanderson’s book, Tress of the Emerald Sea.
Steam : A digital distribution platform for video games, which Brandon Sanderson uses to play games in his free time.
Kickstarter : A crowdfunding platform that Brandon Sanderson has used to successfully fund the publication of his books.

Additional helpful items:

“Brandon Sanderson’s BYU Lectures on Writing Fantasy” : This YouTube playlist contains Brandon Sanderson’s lectures on writing fantasy, which cover topics such as worldbuilding, magic systems, and character development.
“ King Sejong the Great “: This Wikipedia article provides information on King Sejong the Great, the Korean king who created the Korean writing system.
“ Hangul “: This Wikipedia article provides information on the Korean writing system, including its history and structure.
“ How to Read Korean in 15 Minutes “: This webcomic provides a basic introduction to the Korean writing system.
“ Esperanto “: This Wikipedia article provides information on Esperanto, a constructed language that is intended to be easy to learn and use as a universal second language.
“ Writing Excuses “: This website provides information on the Writing Excuses podcast, which features Brandon Sanderson and other authors discussing the craft of writing.
“ Brandon Sanderson’s First Law of Magic “: This blog post explains Brandon Sanderson’s First Law of Magic, which states that an author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader1 understands said magic.
“ The Death Spiral in Publishing “: This article explains the concept of the death spiral in publishing, where a book’s sales decline with each subsequent printing, leading to fewer copies being ordered and less visibility in bookstores.
“ The Cosmere “: This Coppermind page provides information on the Cosmere, the shared universe that connects many of Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy novels.
“ Sanderson’s Three Laws of Magic “: This blog post explains Brandon Sanderson’s Three Laws of Magic, which are guidelines that he follows when creating magic systems for his fantasy novels.

Timestamps:

00:00 Meet Brandon Sanderson

07:10 Soundcheck Fun and Memory Skills

11:21 Brandon’s Writing Journey and Creative Process

25:35 Teaching Creative Writing and Publishing Insights

38:08 Brandon’s Early Reading Experience

44:18 Discovering the Magic of Storytelling

45:32 A Journey from C Student to A Student

47:02 The Influence of a Great Teacher

48:51 Understanding Narrative and Plot

56:42 The Art of Character Development

01:09:42 Balancing Writing and Personal Life

01:24:04 Meeting Editors and Early Struggles

01:24:30 First Book Sale and Financial Realities

01:25:28 The Danger of the Second Book

01:25:49 Hitting the Bestseller List

01:26:34 Amazon and the Changing Market

01:29:03 Entrepreneurial Shift and Direct Sales

01:36:45 Building a Team and Crowdfunding

01:42:50 Kickstarter Success and Lessons Learned

01:52:22 COVID and Creative Freedom

02:02:53 Brandon Sanderson’s Colbert Report Cameo

02:03:48 Kickstarter Success and Subscription Boxes

02:09:01 Test Readers and Feedback Process

02:14:16 Warbreaker and Creative Commons Experiment

02:22:50 Navigating Publishing Deals and Platforms

02:33:26 The Wheel of Time Opportunity

02:42:36 The Call to Finish The Wheel of Time

02:43:10 Negotiating the Deal

02:43:56 The Struggles of Mistborn

02:45:02 The Cosmere and Building an Audience

02:48:25 The Death Spiral in Publishing

02:52:29 Magic Systems and Their Importance

03:00:39 Sanderson’s Three Laws of Magic

03:14:35 The Zero Law and Final Thoughts

The post Brandon Sanderson on Building a Fiction Empire, Creating $40M+ Kickstarter Campaigns, Unbreakable Habits, The Art of World-Building, and The Science of Magic Systems (#794) appeared first on The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss.

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Published on February 05, 2025 12:08

Seth Godin on Playing the Right Game and Strategy as a Superpower (#792)

Seth Godin is the author of 21 internationally bestselling books, translated into more than 35 languages, including Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip, and Purple Cow. His latest book, This Is Strategy, offers a fresh lens on how we can make bold decisions, embrace change, and navigate a complex, rapidly evolving world. Seth is the founder of the altMBA and The Akimbo Workshops, transformative online programs that have helped thousands of people take their work to the next level.

His blog (seths.blog) is one of the most widely read in the world. Seth is also the creator of The Carbon Almanac, a global initiative focused on climate action.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This episode is brought to you by Cresset prestigious family office for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs; AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement; and Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercast#792: Seth Godin on Playing the Right Game and Strategy as a Superpower

This episode is brought to you by Cresset Family Office! Listeners have heard me talk about “making before you manage” for years. And for me—as a writer and entrepreneur—I definitely gravitate toward making. So it’s important that I find the right people who are great at managing. That’s why I trust this episode’s sponsor, Cresset Family Office.

Cresset is a prestigious family office for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs. They handle the complex financial planning, uncertain tax strategies, timely exit planning, bill pay and wires, and all the other parts of wealth management that would otherwise pull me away from doing what I love most: making things, mastering skills, and spending time with the people I care about. Experience the freedom of focusing on what matters to you with the support of a top wealth management team. Schedule a call today at cressetcapital.com/tim to see how Cresset can help streamline your financial plans and grow your wealth.

I’m a client of Cresset. There are no material conflicts other than this paid testimonial. All investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

This episode is brought to you by AG1! I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG1 further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.

Right now, you’ll get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit DrinkAG1.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive your 1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive daily, foundational nutrition supplement that supports whole-body health.

This episode is brought to you by Shopify! Shopify is one of my favorite platforms and one of my favorite companies. Shopify is designed for anyone to sell anywhere, giving entrepreneurs the resources once reserved for big business. In no time flat, you can have a great-looking online store that brings your ideas to life, and you can have the tools to manage your day-to-day and drive sales. No coding or design experience required.

Go to shopify.com/Tim to sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. It’s a great deal for a great service, so I encourage you to check it out. Take your business to the next level today by visiting shopify.com/Tim .

Want to hear the last time Seth Godin was on the show? Listen to our conversation here in which we discussed why hiding behind words like “quality” or “perfection” as a means of postponing action to avoid risk is a cop-out, what Isaac Asimov and Gary Gilmore can teach us about writer’s block and other common procrastinations, the selfishness of authenticity, how to sharpen attitudes, the futility of reassurance, separating genre from generic, and much more.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Seth Godin:

Website | Seth’s Blog | Instagram | Facebook

This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans by Seth Godin | Amazon Other Books by Seth Godin | Amazon “Nobody Gets Fired For Buying IBM.” But They Should. | Forbes Yahoo’s Billion-Dollar Blunders with Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Netflix | YourStory Howard Schultz: The King of Coffee Who Transformed Starbucks | Quartr Thinking in Systems by Donella H. Meadows | Amazon Time Travel: A History by James Gleick | Amazon The Time Machine by H.G. Wells | Amazon Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ Letters to Shareholders | Peter Fisk 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly | The Technium All Chocolate Bars | Askinosie Chocolate How 20 Years of Google’s AdSense Changed the Internet | Fast Company Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player by Robert Rodriguez | Amazon El Mariachi | Prime Video Negative and Positive Feedback Loops | HubSpot What Is the Network Effect? | Wharton Online How Krispy Kreme Became a National Treasure | Smithsonian Channel The Big Lebowski | Prime Video The World’s Premier Trading Card Game | Magic: The Gathering “These Go to 11.” | Spinal Tap Richard Garfield | Think Like a Game Designer Podcast Middlemarch by George Eliot | Amazon The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger | Amazon The Dakota | Wikipedia NASCAR Game of Thrones | HBO The Official Home of Harry Potter | Wizarding World Tina Brown Shares Her Lean in Story. | Lean In Alcoholics Anonymous Netflix and Binge: How the Streaming Giant Got Us Hooked | Future Platforms Succession | HBO Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear | Amazon The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss | Amazon The KJV Holy Bible | Amazon Find Volunteer Firefighter Jobs | Make Me a Firefighter Community Platform, Courses, and Memberships | Mighty Networks “Time to Make the Donuts” Commercial | Dunkin Donuts 2015-2024 | altMBA Facts. Connection. Action. | The Carbon Almanac A Community of Practice | Purple Space How Did Google Scale? The Untold Story. | LinkedIn Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara | Amazon Madison Square Garden Uses Facial Recognition to Ban Its Owner’s Enemies | The New York Times Eleven Madison Park Restaurant How Scaffolding Transforms Barriers into Stepping Stones | Career Insight Studio Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant | Amazon 3D CAD, CAM, CAE, & PCB Cloud-Based Software | Autodesk The Strategy Deck | Porchlight Book Promotions Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts by Annie Duke | Amazon Seahawks’ Pete Carroll Explains Ill-Fated Call In Super Bowl XLIX | NFL What Is Claude AI, and How Does It Compare to ChatGPT? | Pluralsight AI-Powered Answer Engine | Perplexity Too Big to Care. Enshittification Is a Choice. by Cory Doctorow | MediumSHOW NOTES[00:06:08] A home run for Seth?[00:06:35] What the word “strategy” means to Seth.[00:08:33] Real-world examples of good business strategies.[00:11:31] The core ingredients of enacting a successful strategy.[00:12:21] Systems.[00:19:00] Time.[00:23:06] Games.[00:27:30] Empathy.[00:33:04] Don’t try to burn big logs if you only have a little bit of kindling.[00:35:09] Systems don’t start out selfish, but resilient ones often end up that way.[00:40:40] Shortcut shortcomings.[00:43:30] Feedback loops.[00:45:52] The network effect.[00:52:15] Tension.[00:53:40] Affiliation status.[01:00:43] How early successes make later successes more likely.[01:06:05] Volunteer firemen.[01:07:05] Expanding the circle of now and circle of us.[01:09:41] Freedom from the feeling of fear.[01:11:02] Picking customers and competitors.[01:14:24] Guaranteeing attendance while building community.[01:20:45] Community leadership.[01:27:32] Perspective-changing exercises and scaffolding.[01:32:16] The Strategy Deck.[01:35:06] Good decisions vs. good outcomes.[01:39:51] How Seth avoids false proxies in the hiring process.[01:42:10] Gauging acceptance of feedback.[01:45:27] How Seth uses AI.[01:50:25] Enshittification.[01:52:41] Parting thoughts.MORE SETH GODIN QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“When you pick your customers, you pick your future, and when you pick your competitors, you pick your future.”
— Seth Godin

“You don’t get better clients by doing a good job for bad clients, you get better clients by becoming the freelancer good clients want to hire.”
— Seth Godin

“Systems don’t start out selfish, but resilient ones often end up that way.”
— Seth Godin

“If you do average work for average pay, AI is going to be able to do it cheaper than you.”
— Seth Godin

“If you want to make change happen, you have to create tension on purpose. Not stress. Stress is bad. Stress is you’re trapped. Stress is life is bad. Stress is you want to leave, but you can’t. Tension is what happens if I pull a rubber band back and then let go.”
— Seth Godin

PEOPLE MENTIONEDBill Gates Howard Schultz Marissa Mayer Donella Meadows James Gleick H.G. Wells Stephen Breyer Sergey Brin Jeff Bezos Jack Welch Shawn Askinosie Ilana Glazer Robert Rodriguez Richard Garfield Helene Godin Taylor Swift Tim Cook Stephen King Elmore Leonard Tina Brown Ted Sarandos James Clear Gina Bianchini Jim Killoran Ayn Rand Ray Kroc Henry Ford Frederick Winslow Taylor Larry Page Will Guidara James L. Dolan Annie Duke Pete Carroll Chip Kidd Cory Doctorow

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Published on January 30, 2025 07:21

Chris Sacca — How to Succeed by Living on Your Own Terms and Getting into Good Trouble (#790)

Chris Sacca is the co-founder of Lowercarbon Capital and manages a portfolio of countless startups in energy, industrial materials, and carbon removal. If it’s unf**king the planet, he’s probably working on it. Previously, Chris founded Lowercase Capital, one of history’s most successful funds ever, primarily known for its very early investments in companies like Twitter, Uber, Instagram, Twilio, Docker, Optimizely, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Stripe. But you might just know him as the guy who wore those ridiculous cowboy shirts for a few seasons of Shark Tank.

To purchase Chris’s ranch, schedule a viewing at FivePondsRanch.com.

Please enjoy!

P.S. This episode features a special, one-of-a-kind introduction that Chris recorded of yours truly.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This episode is brought to you by MUD\WTR energy-boosting coffee alternative—without the jitters, Helix Sleep premium mattresses, and AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement.

The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercast#790: Chris Sacca — How to Succeed by Living on Your Own Terms and Getting Into Good Trouble

This episode is brought to you by MUD\WTR! With only a fraction of the caffeine found in a cup of coffee, MUD\WTR gives me all the energy I need without the jitters or crash. Their original blend contains four different mushrooms: lion’s mane for focus, cordyceps to promote energy, and both chaga and reishi to support a healthy immune system. And it’s delicious—like cacao and chai had a beautiful child. I drink MUD\WTR in the morning, and I’ll also sometimes add milk and ice for a 2 p.m. iced latte pick-me-up. I also love that they make monthly donations to support psychedelic therapeutics and research, including organizations such as the Heroic Hearts Project and The UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP).

Now you can get 15% off plus a free rechargeable frother and free shipping by going to mudwtr.com/tim. Enjoy MUD\WTR and get a better morning routine.

This episode is brought to you by AG1! I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG1 further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.

Right now, you’ll get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit DrinkAG1.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive your 1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive daily, foundational nutrition supplement that supports whole-body health.

This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep! Helix was selected as the best overall mattress of 2024 by Forbes, Fortune, and Wired magazines and many others. With Helix, there’s a specific mattress to meet each and every body’s unique comfort needs. Just take their quiz—only two minutes to complete—that matches your body type and sleep preferences to the perfect mattress for you. They have a 10-year warranty, and you get to try it out for a hundred nights, risk-free. They’ll even pick it up from you if you don’t love it. And now, Helix is offering 20% off all mattress orders at HelixSleep.com/Tim.

Want to hear the first time Chris Sacca was on this show? Listen to our conversation here, in which we discussed early-stage investing advice, traits of successful founders, two differentiators that shifted the nature of Chris’ business, what Chris looks for when hiring, and much more.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Chris Sacca:

Website | Instagram | Five Ponds Ranch

Chris Sacca on Being Different and Making Billions | The Tim Ferriss Show #79 Chris Sacca on Shark Tank, Building Your Business, and Startup Mistakes | The Tim Ferriss Show #132 Fixing the Planet Is Just Good Business | Lowercarbon Capital Among the Best Funds Ever | Lowercase Capital Shark Tank | ABC.com City of Lockport, New York Polarization, Democracy, and Political Violence in the United States: What the Research Says | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Boiler Room | Prime Video Trading Places | Prime Video Venture Capitalist (VC) | Investopedia WarGames | Prime Video What Is the Stochastic Oscillator and How Is It Used? | Investopedia Money Never Sleeps | Quotron Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money — That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki | Amazon Charms Blow Pops, Assorted Flavors | Amazon Meet the Mafia: Celebrating Bills Fanatics | WGRZ The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness by Eric Jorgenson How is the Democratic Party Different from the Republican Party? | Britannica Five Teachings from the Japanese Wabi-Sabi Philosophy That Can Drastically Improve Your Life | Omar Itani Another Seattle Power Couple Commits to Giving Away Their Fortune as Part of the Giving Pledge | GeekWire Creating Hope for People in Despair | Barton Family Foundation Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: The Secret Word to Avoid Spoiling Your Kids | Mommybites Kevin Rose: “Sadly Lost Everything…” | Instagram Spotlight on Wilson, Wyoming | Jackson Hole Traveler How Super Angel Chris Sacca Made Billions, Burned Bridges, and Crafted the Best Seed Portfolio Ever | Forbes The Jerk | Prime Video Zillow | Saturday Night Live The Latest Wild Zillow Listings | Zillow Gone Wild The Big Lebowski | Prime Video Amy Schumer Talks Being an Introvert | People The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer | Amazon The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel | Amazon The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko | Amazon Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)A Brief History of Forest Schools Around the World | Growing Wild Forest School What Is a 360 Review in the Workplace? | The Balance Careers Hang In There, Baby | Know Your Meme Kiss Off | Violent Femmes Gen X on the Edge: Surviving Childhood | Bridgeworks ‘It’s 10 P.M. Do You Know Where Your Children Are?’ | Fox 5 New York Why Gen Z Needs to Learn How to Negotiate | AACSB Stranger Things | Netflix H-1B Program | US Department of Labor I Didn’t Think I Was a ‘Free-Range’ Parent…Until the Police Called | Today Class C: The Only Game in Town | Montana PBS Why Do Cattle Produce Methane, and What Can We Do About it? | CLEAR Center America Has a Loneliness Epidemic. Here Are 6 Steps to Address It | NPR The Addictiveness of Social Media: How Teens Get Hooked | Jefferson Health ‘Rawdogging’: A Wildly Obscene Term’s Path to Mainstream Usage | The New York Times Rivers and Tides | Prime Video Leaning into the Wind — Andy Goldsworthy | Prime Video The Apprentice | IMDb I Seem to Be a Verb by R. Buckminster Fuller | Amazon A New Kind of AI Copy Can Fully Replicate Famous People. The Law Is Powerless. | Politico The Moth Podcast Mother American Night: My Life in Crazy Times by John Perry Barlow and Robert Greenfield | Amazon Gambledore: The Wizard Who Conquered Poker | PokerNews Podcast #866 The Godmother of AI on What AGI Means for Humanity | Possible Will We Reach the Singularity by 2035? | Longevity Technology Scientists Use AI to Create Completely New Anti-Venom Proteins | Popular Science The Broken Social Contract | Harvard Magazine The 2008 Housing Crisis | Center for American Progress Companies Will Do Almost Anything to Stop Workers Unionizing | Time Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) | Bob Marley & The Wailers What White-Collar Jobs Are Safe from AI — And Which Professions Are Most at Risk? | Forbes Jobs of the Future: Jobs Lost, Jobs Gained | McKinsey Vinod Khosla: 12 Predictions for the Future of Technology | TED Talk The Real Human Network | World The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Part 1 | Wait But Why The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Part 2 | Wait But Why The Race to Q>1 | Lowercarbon Capital Claude AI | Anthropic The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss | Amazon Interview: Tyler Cowen, Economist and Public Intellectual | Noahpinion We Tried a $60 Massage Done By AI Robots — It Felt Surprisingly Human | Fortune Magazine We’re Engineering the Humanoid to Make Humans Capable of More | Figure Is It Cancer? Artificial Intelligence Helps Doctors Get a Clearer Picture | AAMC Autonomous Vehicle Ride-Hailing | Waymo The First AI Legal Assistant, Made for Lawyers | CoCounsel Automatic Bullseye, Moving Dartboard | Mark Rober Eight Best Listening Bars in Tokyo for Vinyl Music | Time Out Five Key Findings from the 2022 UN Population Prospects | Our World in Data Yacht Rock | Spotify Billy Billy Billy Scene | Caddyshack “Old Tony’s” | Tony’s on the Pier Prefered Nomenclature (Clip) | The Big Lebowski The Extremely Offline Joy of the Board Game Club | The New York Times The Montana State Runout | Big Sky Conference What Makes TikTok so Addictive?: An Analysis of the Mechanisms Underlying the World’s Latest Social Media Craze | Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health GLP-1 Agonists | Cleveland Clinic CrossFit is for You | CrossFit How Copenhagen Became a Cycling City | Tools of Change We (Used to) Do It Late | Restaurant Barabba Homemade Limoncello | Justin Bariball via ARK Media Butlerian Jihad | Dune Wiki The Medium is the Massage by Marshall McLuhan and Quentin Fiore | Amazon Unfuck the Planet | Lowercarbon Capital A Guide to Talking to the Climate Change Deniers, Skeptics, Worriers, and Newbies in Your Life  | Rare Protesters Throw Soup at Da Vinci Painting | BBC Protester Glues Himself to Floor at US Open | Newsweek Russia Tries to Use California Fires to Discredit Ukraine | NPR After the Fires: How to Rebuild Los Angeles | Council on Foreign Relations Not Your Typical Chemical Company | Solugen Wildfire Risk Reduction Solutions | BurnBot What is Prescribed Fire and Why is it Important for Forest Health? | National Forest Foundation Protecting the Grid Today, Preparing the Grid for Tomorrow | Gridware California Utility’s Role in Wildfires Under Scrutiny | CNN California Insurers Will Survive Fires — But FAIR Plan Faces Big Questions | Newsweek Rams Paid Tribute to Los Angeles While Taking over State Farm Stadium in Arizona | Sports Illustrated We Protect and Insure High-Value Property | Stand Insurance The AI Platform for Insuring Uncovered Flood Risk | Floodbase Jon Stewart Calls Out GOP Hypocrisy with L.A. Wildfire Disaster Relief | The Daily Show A Messy History of Egging and Toilet-Papering Houses | Mel Magazine Car Thief Gets Instant Karma (The Final Glitterbomb 6.0) | Mark Rober Martial Arts Supplies | AWMA McLovin Scene | Superbad Abandoned Places in Nevada: The Sundowner Motel | Living in Las Vegas Player’s Ball (Official HD Video) | Outkast Never Lose a Game of Rock Paper Scissors Again! | Abstract Away The Hangover | Prime Video Four Easy Magic Card Tricks for Kids | AboutMagic Seven Easy Magic Tricks for Kids | About Magic The Rise of the Rest: How Entrepreneurs in Surprising Places are Building the New American Dream by Steve Case | Amazon GOP Gets 85% of the Benefit of Climate Law. Some Still Hate It. | Investigate Midwest The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt | Amazon The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt | Amazon Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents — And What They Mean for America’s Future by Jean M. Twenge | Amazon The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman and Michael Bhaskar | Amazon The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization by Peter Zeihan | Amazon We Are in a “Fourth Turning.” What Does That Mean? | Van Neistat The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy — What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America’s Next Rendezvous with Destiny by William Strauss and Neil Howe | Amazon Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism by Jeffrey Toobin | Amazon Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention — And How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari | Amazon Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman | Amazon Rejection: Fiction by Tony Tulathimutte | Amazon The Every: A Novel by Dave Eggers | Amazon Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey | Amazon Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Johann Hari | Amazon Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression — And the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari | Amazon Jon Ronson Four Books Bundle Collection Set | Amazon Moonbound: A Novel by Robin Sloan | Amazon Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan | Amazon Silo | Apple TV+Wool: Book One of the Silo Series by Hugh Howey | Amazon Hugh Howey, Author of Silo and Wool — A Masterclass on Writing, Unorthodox Self-Publishing, and Living in The AI Age | The Tim Ferriss Show #726 Kelly Corrigan Wonders Podcast The Pirates! Series by Gideon Defoe | Amazon Stone Paper | Karst Goods The Elevated Aperitivo | Doladira Luxury Tequila, Refined | Tequila Komos Mullet Wigs | Amazon The Property | Five Ponds Ranch ZZ’s Clam Bar | Major Food Group Lord of the Flies by William Golding | AmazonSHOW NOTES[00:06:47] Chris introduces me.[00:11:07] Some Sacca background.[00:18:32] Raising pre-teen gamblers and tailgating troublemakers.[00:19:54] Conscious changes and rethoughts since our first interview.[00:26:12] The personal and professional influence of Rich and Sarah Barton.[00:30:18] Property management and the Zen of Kevin Rose.[00:35:12] Zillow Gone Wild.[00:36:58] Simplifications.[00:45:03] Remaining optimistic despite being in the business of saying no.[00:51:33] Living in the finite without +1 obligations.[00:56:54] “Wait, what’s hustle culture?”[00:59:48] The (lack of) trouble with kids today.[01:09:53] Raising kids to solve problems and eschew smartphones.[01:14:15] Rawdogging? You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.[01:16:05] An Andy Goldsworthy aside.[01:16:30] Taking advice from R. Buckminster Fuller GPT.[01:19:13] Assigned reading.[01:20:10] Humans vs. AI.[01:26:20] What happens to people stuck between AI job displacement and a broken social contract?[01:42:38] Counting on the human craving to convene and connect.[01:56:30] What kind of business would a younger Chris start today?[02:00:44] The prescience of The Medium is the Massage.[02:01:39] What does Lowercarbon Capital do?[02:08:44] Projects Chris is most excited about.[02:18:59] Youthful mischief and flim-flammery.[02:24:51] The premise for Chris’ upcoming No Permanent Record.[02:35:25] Cultivating the ability to face (and maybe win over) a tough crowd.[02:39:19] Chris expresses some concerns about this episode.[02:40:24] Recommended reading.[02:45:07] A worthwhile purchase of $100 or less.[02:48:03] Deez Crocs.[02:50:48] Sabotaging potential dates with authenticity.[02:59:11] Parting thoughts.MORE CHRIS SACCA QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“I feel very lucky to have grown up in a place where I had opportunities to commit small misdemeanors. And I had more than one detention. I definitely appeared before the principals on many occasions. Just some light mischief.”
— Chris Sacca

“The American social contract is that if you show up, you will get yours. And when you don’t give somebody that opportunity or you take it away from them and you take that ownership away from them and you take their house or you take their store and you take their farm, then you get the pitchforks.”
— Chris Sacca

“The number one thing you can be in this business is unpredictable. … I am known as mercurial. I burn bridges. I will not hesitate to fucking fight you. I wear the stupid shirts. I don’t give a shit about much. I’ve been known to just light it on fire. And guess what? People take me seriously as a result.”
— Chris Sacca

“Most climate investing and green investing … had been basically charitable, concessionary … But we started to actually see the math change to where the unit economics of making shit in climate, making shit clean, were starting to pay off.”
— Chris Sacca

“I think the biggest danger of raising kids with privilege is that they turn out to be assholes.”
— Chris Sacca

“The shit you own does own you. Every single object, at some point, has commanded some of your attention.”
— Chris Sacca

“I’m starting to believe more and more that trouble is actually one of those things that informs all the other things that we do.”
— Chris Sacca

“It just turns out that digging up and burning old dinosaur bones is fucking expensive, and using the sun to power the economy is just fucking cheaper. And that’s not a political statement.”
— Chris Sacca

“Clean, abundant power that is almost free is single digit years away, so that’s fucking great. I don’t even bother fighting with the oil and gas people. It doesn’t fucking matter. In fact, I actually want them to work with us more on carbon capture and sequester, putting more carbon back into the ground. Because they’ve got the trucks and they’ve got the pipes and they’ve got the engineering know-how, and they’re great at it. And so we do a lot of work with oil and gas companies going in reverse. I don’t have political battles with those guys.”
— Chris Sacca

“When you take away agency from somebody, you back them into a corner. So now do that for all the fucking white collar employees. Do that for everyone who stayed in and did their fucking homework and went to college and took out all those fucking student loans and who feel like they have played by the rules. They are the pride and joy of their families, who actually got their degree—in some cases, a master’s degree—who saw their career path laid out for them. And now they see that their life’s work is obviated by a machine that’s just better than them this fucking fast and costs $20 a month.”
— Chris Sacca

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Published on January 23, 2025 14:52

Chris Sacca — How to Succeed by Living on Your Own Terms and Getting Into Good Trouble (#790)

Chris Sacca is the co-founder of Lowercarbon Capital and manages a portfolio of countless startups in energy, industrial materials, and carbon removal. If it’s unf**king the planet, he’s probably working on it. Previously, Chris founded Lowercase Capital, one of history’s most successful funds ever, primarily known for its very early investments in companies like Twitter, Uber, Instagram, Twilio, Docker, Optimizely, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Stripe. But you might just know him as the guy who wore those ridiculous cowboy shirts for a few seasons of Shark Tank.

To purchase Chris’s ranch, schedule a viewing at FivePondsRanch.com.

Please enjoy!

P.S. This episode features a special, one-of-a-kind introduction that Chris recorded of yours truly.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

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Want to hear the first time Chris Sacca was on this show? Listen to our conversation here in which we discussed early-stage investing advice, traits of successful founders, two differentiators that shifted the nature of Chris’ business, what Chris looks for when hiring, and much more.