Timothy Ferriss's Blog, page 50

Sam Harris — Psychedelics, Meditation, and The Bigger Picture (#433)

Photo by Christopher Patey

“Nothing’s changed, but yet, on some level, everything has changed, and I feel like I’m in a spaceship where at any moment, the leak or the breach in the wall can be catastrophic. It’s a very bizarre feeling, which I know everyone is sharing to one or another degree.”  — Sam Harris

Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) is a neuroscientist, philosopher, and author of five New York Times bestsellers. His work covers a wide range of topics—neuroscience, moral philosophy, religion, meditation practice, human violence, rationality—but generally focuses on how a growing understanding of ourselves and the world is changing our sense of how we should live. His books include The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, Lying, Waking Up, and Islam and the Future of Tolerance (with Maajid Nawaz).

Sam hosts the popular Making Sense podcast and is also the creator of the Waking Up app, which offers a modern, rational approach to the practice of meditation. Sam has practiced meditation for over 30 years and has studied with many Tibetan, Indian, Burmese, and Western meditation teachers, both in the United States and abroad. He holds a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This podcast is brought to you by FreshBooks and “5-Bullet Friday.” More on both below. 

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#433: Sam Harris — Psychedelics, Meditation, and The Bigger Picture
https://rss.art19.com/episodes/084844f6-7026-43e6-8e4e-2d2fab01f3cd.mp3Download

This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. I’ve been talking about FreshBooks—an all-in-one invoicing + payments + accounting solution—for years now. Many entrepreneurs, as well as the contractors and freelancers that I work with, use it all the time.

FreshBooks makes it super easy to track things like expenses, project time, and client info, and then merge it all into great-looking invoices. FreshBooks can save users up to 200 hours a year on accounting and bookkeeping tasks. Right now FreshBooks is offering my listeners a free 30-day trial, and no credit card is required. Go to FreshBooks.com/tim and enter “Tim Ferriss” in the “How did you hear about us?” section!

This episode is also brought to you by “5-Bullet Friday,” my very own email newsletter, which every Friday features five bullet points highlighting cool things I’ve found that week, including apps, books, documentaries, gadgets, albums, articles, TV shows, new hacks or tricks, and—of course—all sorts of weird stuff I’ve dug up from around the world.

It’s free, it’s always going to be free, and you can subscribe now at tim.blog/friday.

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

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear Sam’s previous appearance on the show? Check out this episode in which Sam discusses guided meditation, the optic blind spot, the distinction between meditation and psychedelics as tools, Sam’s post-MDMA perspective of spirituality, and much more.

#342: Sam Harris, Ph.D. — How to Master Your Mindhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/68f17387-c3a7-48c4-8d2e-7326283fa300.mp3Download

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Sam Harris:

Website | Waking Up (App) | Making Sense (Podcast) | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Sam’s first, second, and third appearances on this podcast.
Books by Sam Harris
SXSW Conference & Festivals
Is the Protestant Work Ethic Real? (#360) | Freakonomics
“I Think We Have to Take Peyote and Speak to the Pangolin” | Twitter
The Amygdala in 5 Minutes | Big Think
How to Meditate | Sam Harris
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC
Apple iPad
The Work of Byron Katie
How to Debunk COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories | The Verge
What You Need to Know About Climate Change (#95) | Making Sense Podcast
Electric Cars, Solar Panels, and Clean Energy Storage | Tesla
Psychedelic Science (#177) | Making Sense Podcast
A DMT Trip ‘Feels Like Dying’ — and Scientists Now Agree | BBC Three
Time Is Speeding Up — Terence McKenna | After Skool
What Do Scientists and Philosophers Say About LSD? Here’s 4 Great Minds on Acid | Big Think
Sam’s Mushroom Trip | Sam Harris
2-Minute Neuroscience: Serotonin | Neuroscientifically Challenged
MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy | MAPS
Zendo Project
Burning Man
Triscuit
Heat Stroke (Hyperthermia) | Harvard Health
What Do We Know About the Risks of Psychedelics? | Michael Pollan
Psychedelics — Microdosing, Mind-Enhancing Methods, and More (#377) | The Tim Ferriss Show
Is Ecstasy An Empathogen? Determinants of Drug Preference in Humans | MAPS
Frontiers | Ego-Dissolution and Psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI) | Human Neuroscience
My Hellishly Bad Acid Trip, and What I Learned in the Aftermath | Vice
Spirit Rock
Messiah Complex | Wikipedia
What an Ayahuasca Retreat Showed Me About My Life | Vox
Drug Scheduling | DEA
Official Site Of The Grateful Dead
9 Reasons Why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Is The Perfect Martial Art | Evolve Daily
The Dark Web | Investopedia
Some Thoughts on Coronaviruses and Seatbelts | The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss
Flexport.org
Operation Masks
The Ready State
September 11 Attacks: Facts, Background & Impact | History
Did Ayn Rand Receive Social Security Benefits? | Snopes
Coronavirus Is Causing a Huge PPE Shortage in the US | Time
Elon Musk Says He Sent Ventilators to California Hospitals, They Say They Got Something Else Instead | CNN
Drugs and the Meaning of Life (#1) | Making Sense Podcast

SHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Timestamps will be added shortly.
In the midst of a pandemic, is the time nigh for meditation, psychedelics, pangolins, musings on nuclear annihilation, and other dangerous ideas? Let’s see if Sam’s commitment to making the worst episode of the Tim Ferriss Show ever aired pays off.
Three things Sam has learned about fear.
A situation in which Sam was experiencing acute anxiety or fear and used mindfulness as an intervention.
How long does it take to clean and reassemble the gun of mindfulness?
What has Sam changed his mind about recently?
Is there anything Sam has been particularly surprised or excited to learn about in the past year?
Where can curious listeners find out more about Sam’s recent mushroom trip? Where can twisted listeners find out more about crocodile rape?
Did Sam notice any persistent changes to his perception or behavior after the immediate effects of the mushrooms wore off? How does it compare to other psychedelic experiences he’s endured?
Navigating time and in-between spaces on different psychedelics — in different increments — and returning to planet Earth and its delicious Triscuits.
Can psychedelics kill you? Why does Sam prefer to err on the side of more over less when it comes to taking them?
Is MDMA a psychedelic? What constitutes I? Another consequence to consider when underdosing without a sitter.
In his youth, Sam’s LSD experiences were free from the famous “bad trips” everyone warned him about — until they weren’t.
What we hope to see in the future for the use of psychedelics and empathogens as therapy.
The Messiah complex in novice users of psychedelics: You’re not Jesus. You’re not even Woody Allen. And against all instincts telling you otherwise, your grandma, nephew, and Sunday school teacher probably don’t need to do ayahuasca. Here are some great reasons to hold off on being a psychedelic evangelist after only trying these powerful compounds once or twice.
Is self-quarantining an ideal time for an introductory experience with psychedelics? Well…
Honestly, you couldn’t be blamed for wanting to do crazy amounts of drugs of every variety right now. These are trying times that make all of us question everything we know.
What methods of relief would Sam recommend to people who are scared and suffering right now? What’s the best thing we can each do to make things easier for all of us?
Worthwhile nonprofits and the most important four-word sentence you can be asking in abundance right now.
Why it’s worth remembering how disruptive this emergency really is and why the stress you’re feeling is not a character flaw, but something everyone on the planet is enduring at some level right now.
Stray bullets and silver linings.
Parting thoughts.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Jocko Willink
Byron Katie
Donald Trump
Roland Griffiths
Terence McKenna
Jesus
Woody Allen
Rick Doblin
Kelly Starrett
Ayn Rand
Elon Musk

Books I’ve Loved — Kevin Kelly (#432)

Photo by Christopher Michel (@chrismichel)

Welcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is my job to sit down with world-class performers of all different types—from startup founders and investors to chess champions to Olympic athletes. This episode, however, is an experiment and part of a shorter series I’m doing called “Books I’ve Loved.” I’ve invited some amazing past guests, close friends, and new faces to share their favorite books—the books that have influenced them, changed them, and transformed them for the better. I hope you pick up one or two new mentors—in the form of books—from this new series and apply the lessons in your own life.

Kevin Kelly (@kevin2kelly) might be the real-life most interesting man in the world. Kevin is Senior Maverick at Wired magazine. He co-founded Wired in 1993, and served as its executive editor for its first seven years. His most recent book is The Inevitable, which is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller. His other books include the best-selling New Rules for the New Economy, the classic Out of Control, and his summary theory of technology in What Technology Wants. From 1984–1990 Kelly was publisher and editor of the Whole Earth Catalog. He co-founded the Hackers’ Conference, and was involved with the launch of the WELL, a pioneering online service started in 1985. He also founded the popular Cool Tools website in 2003.

Recomendo is his free, weekly newsletter that gives you six brief personal recommendations of cool stuff.

Note from the editor: This episode was recorded in late 2019.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform. 

This podcast is brought to you by Audible. 

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#432: Books I've Loved — Kevin Kelly
https://rss.art19.com/episodes/688817e4-8d4d-4311-9a54-c835b6d4627b.mp3Download

“Books I’ve Loved” on The Tim Ferriss Show is brought to you by Audible! I have used Audible for many years now. I love it. Audible has the largest selection of audiobooks on the planet. I listen when I’m taking walks, I listen while I’m cooking… I listen whenever I can. Audible is offering The Tim Ferriss Show listeners a free audiobook with a 30-day trial membership. Just go to Audible.com/tim and browse the unmatched selection of audio programs. Then, download your free title and start listening! It’s that easy. Simply go to Audible.com/tim or text TIM to 500500 to get started today.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Kevin Kelly:

kk.org | Twitter | Recomendo

Open Borders by Bryan Caplan, illustrated by Zach Weinersmith

How Buildings Learn by Stewart Brand

The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen

Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse

Howard Marks on the US Dollar, Three Ways to Add Defense, and Good Questions (#431)

“Move forward but with caution.” — Howard Marks

Howard Marks (@HowardMarksBook) is co-chairman and co-founder of Oaktree Capital Management, a leading investment firm with more than $125 billion in assets under management. He is the author of the books Mastering the Market Cycle: Getting the Odds on Your Side and The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor, both critically acclaimed bestsellers.

Warren Buffett has written of Howard Marks: “When I see memos from Howard Marks in my mail, they’re the first thing I open and read. I always learn something.” Marks holds a BSEc degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a major in finance and an MBA in accounting and marketing from the University of Chicago.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This podcast is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs and “5-Bullet Friday.” More on both below. 

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#431: Howard Marks on the US Dollar, Three Ways to Add Defense, and Good Questions
https://rss.art19.com/episodes/679391c5-c2db-4640-af95-710dc3afd09e.mp3Download

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Whether you are looking to hire now for a critical role or thinking about needs that you may have in the future, LinkedIn Jobs can help. LinkedIn is an active community with more than 675 million members worldwide. LinkedIn screens candidates for the hard and soft skills you’re looking for and puts your job in front of candidates looking for job opportunities that match what you have to offer.

With LinkedIn, you can hire the right person quickly when you need them. And if you need to hire for healthcare or essential services, you can post your jobs for free. When it’s time to find and hire that right person, LinkedIn is here to help. Just visit LinkedIn.com/Tim to get started! Terms and conditions apply.

This episode is also brought to you by “5-Bullet Friday,” my very own email newsletter, which every Friday features five bullet points highlighting cool things I’ve found that week, including apps, books, documentaries, gadgets, albums, articles, TV shows, new hacks or tricks, and—of course—all sorts of weird stuff I’ve dug up from around the world.

It’s free, it’s always going to be free, and you can subscribe now at tim.blog/friday.

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

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear Howard’s first time on the show? — Check out our 2018 conversation, in which we discuss risk tolerance, patience, cryptocurrency, mental models for investing, superior judgment, getting along with a business partner, and much more.

#338: Howard Marks — How to Invest with Clear Thinkinghttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/5016cc2c-3e67-449f-8b53-f06d488e5baf.mp3Download

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Howard Marks:

Website | Oaktree Capital Management | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook

Howard Marks — How to Invest with Clear Thinking, The Tim Ferriss Show #338
Mastering the Market Cycle: Getting the Odds on Your Side by Howard Marks
The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor by Howard Marks
All of Howard Marks’ Memos at Oaktree
Memo to: Oaktree Clients, Re: You Bet! From: Howard Marks, Oaktree
Citibank
The University of Chicago
What Was the Nifty 50?, Investopedia
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
What Does Investment Grade Mean?, Investopedia
Junk Bond Definition, Investopedia
Compare: 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic Versus COVID-19, Biospace
What Was the Great Depression?, Investopedia
Oil Collapse and COVID-19 Create Toxic Geopolitical Stew, The New York Times
A Guide to COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Relief, CFPB
Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts by Annie Duke
Decisions Under Uncertainty: Drilling Decisions By Oil and Gas Operators by C. Jackson Grayson Jr.
Memo to: Oaktree Clients, Re: Knowledge of the Future From: Howard Marks, Oaktree
Fed Is ‘Not Going to Run Out of Ammunition,’ Powell Vows, Bloomberg
Treasury Bills — T-Bills Definition, Investopedia
Star Wars
US GDP Declined in First Quarter, With Worse Economy to Come, The New York Times
5 Reasons The Market Is Rising While Unemployment Is Skyrocketing, The Motley Fool
Here’s Why You Really Need a Flu Shot, NPR
Confirmation Bias in 5 Minutes, Thought Monkey

SHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Timestamps will be added shortly. 

Howard opens with the story of arriving at First National Citibank in May of 1968 and how it contrasted with what he then did in 1978.
If Howard were to look at our current circumstances as a game and perhaps compare it to 2008, what are the games we’re looking at now?
How is Howard navigating the unprecedented uncertainties of 2020?
What does Howard think the unintended consequences of instating stimulus packages designed to offset COVID-19-related economic disruption might be, and is this solution better or worse than others we might have tried instead?
How does the Fed’s stimulus strategy affect Howard’s playbook regarding crowded versus uncrowded opportunities? How does he implement defense?
Does Howard believe the Fed is truly operating, as Chair Jay Powell says, with “infinite” ammunition? What does he see as the possible outcomes and probabilities if this kind of spending continues for a long period of time?
If the American economy is on life support, by what metrics could we determine that the patient is ready to be taken off of life support?
What types of questions are the wise asking these days? Are any particular types of thinking or questions present in those people Howard admires as good thinkers right now?
What are some of the higher-signal sources of information that Howard’s paying attention to these days?
What does Howard think people perhaps aren’t thinking about as much as they should?

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Michael Milken
Malcolm Gladwell
Annie Duke
Marc Lipsitch
C. Jackson Grayson Jr.
Bruce Karsh
Jay Powell
Justin Quaglia
Sam Rotondo

Elizabeth Gilbert’s Creative Path: Saying No, Trusting Your Intuition, Index Cards, Integrity Checks, Grief, Awe, and Much More (#430)

“We live in a culture that says you should be able to power through anything. Life will very generously remind you that you cannot, and it will very generously break you at times and very generously show you.”  — Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert (@GilbertLiz) is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Magic and Eat, Pray, Love, as well as several other internationally bestselling books. She has been a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the PEN/Hemingway Award. Her latest novel, City of Girls, was named an instant New York Times Best Seller and is a rollicking, sexy tale of the New York City theater world during the 1940s.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This podcast is brought to you by Thrive Market and Athletic Greens. More on both below. 

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#430: Elizabeth Gilbert’s Amazing Creative Toolkit: Saying No, Trusting Intuition, Seeking Awe, Bathing in Grief, and Index Cardshttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/ffc0cbb0-8202-4d8d-9ada-0e80fe4146f2.mp3Download

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market, which saves me a ton of money and is perfect for these crazy times. Thrive Market is a membership-based site on a mission to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone. You can find all types of food, supplements, nontoxic home products, clean wine, dog food—just about anything. Members earn wholesale prices every day and save an average of $30 on each order. I personally saved $39 on my most recent order. 

Go to  ThriveMarket.com/tim to give Thrive Market a try! You can choose the membership model that best fits your lifestyle.

They have affordable one-month and 12-month options. When you go to ThriveMarket.com/tim, you can receive up to $20 in shopping credit. Start a risk-free membership today, as you can cancel for any reason within your first 30 days for a full refund.

This podcast is also brought to you by Athletic Greens.  I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually Athletic Greens, 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 AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

As a listener of The Tim Ferriss Show, you’ll get a free 20-count travel pack (valued at $79) with your first order at  AthleticGreens.com/tim .

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

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear an episode with another author who fearlessly follows her own path? Listen to my conversation with Cheryl Strayed in which we discuss books as religion, writing prompts and processes, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and much more.

#231: Cheryl Strayed — How to Be Creative Like a Motherf*ckerhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/4044eed1-cbe1-4a85-a237-e827c9457b26.mp3Download

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Elizabeth Gilbert:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

City of Girls: A Novel by Elizabeth Gilbert
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Alpha Wolf by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Moth
Sid & Nancy
The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), CDC
An Interview with Elizabeth Gilbert, Read It Forward
Breaking Bad
East Coker by T.S. Eliot
Song of Myself by Walt Whitman
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Godfather
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part III
Little, Big by John Crowley
Eat, Pray, Love, Get Rich, Write a Novel No One Expects, The New York Times
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)
Diana, Herself: An Allegory of Awakening by Martha Beck
DIY Integrity Cleanse Kit by Martha Beck
The School for The Work by Byron Katie
What an Ayahuasca Retreat Showed Me about My Life, Vox
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
The Artist’s Way Morning Pages Journal by Julia Cameron
The Artist’s Date Book by Julia Cameron
A Walk on the High Line, The New Yorker
The High Line, New York
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
Daisy Miller by Henry James

SHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Timestamps will be added shortly. 

Elizabeth shares who Rayya Elias was and how she’s remembered her in story at The Moth.
The truth has legs.
What did Elizabeth learn about her own grieving process through this experience?
Why finding humor in the most difficult of times is crucial if we want to make it through “earth school.”
How did Elizabeth come to know writing as her “source of light?”
What kind of stories and storytellers make Elizabeth break out in applause?
Seeking the edges of human imagination, using the word “interesting” to defuse drama and trauma, and counteracting co-dependence with sappy love songs.
When working on a new project, what method of organizing and planning does she use — as learned from her ninth-grade teacher Mr. Kisco? How did it come in handy when doing research for City Of Girls, her latest book?
The things present Liz endures for future Liz.
What percentage of Liz’s research makes it into the final draft of a book? Does she feel what’s left over is a waste?
What does Elizabeth take from the lessons of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations?
What has Elizabeth learned from Martha Beck?
On staying true to one’s inner compass before making commitments, and how Elizabeth phrases her “No” answers without remorse.
The power of the simple no and other lessons learned from Byron Katie — or how to say no to even the most persistent and avoid negotiation when your inner compass tells you it’s the right thing to do.
Elizabeth’s perspective on psychedelics, and words of caution for anyone hoping to use them as a quick and easy fix to complex problems.
Using The Artist’s Way to recover your creativity from its trauma.
Elizabeth shares an example of how she made an artist’s date.
How closely did the book proposal for Eat, Pray, Love match the ultimate book, and were there other titles Elizabeth considered?
Elizabeth’s take on City of Girls as a rebuttal to the cautionary tale (usually written by a man) of the woman who lives a free and open sexual life and suffers terrible consequences as a result.
Are there any aspects or portions of anything Elizabeth has written that she wishes more people would notice more often?
Parting thoughts.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Rayya Elias
Neil Gaiman
Catherine Burns
José Nunes
Mary Karr
T.S. Eliot
Walt Whitman
Hilary Mantel
Henry VIII
Kurt Vonnegut
John Crowley
Martha Beck
Marcus Aurelius
Cincinnatus
George Washington
Michael Mithoefer
Annie Mithoefer
Oprah Winfrey
Byron Katie
Julia Cameron
Brené Brown
Brian Koppelman
Gloria Vanderbilt
Tom Sawyer
George Saunders

Elizabeth Gilbert’s Amazing Creative Toolkit: Saying No, Trusting Intuition, Seeking Awe, Bathing in Grief, and Index Cards (#430)

“We live in a culture that says you should be able to power through anything. Life will very generously remind you that you cannot, and it will very generously break you at times and very generously show you.”  — Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert (@GilbertLiz) is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Magic and Eat, Pray, Love, as well as several other internationally bestselling books. She has been a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the PEN/Hemingway Award. Her latest novel, City of Girls, was named an instant New York Times Best Seller and is a rollicking, sexy tale of the New York City theater world during the 1940s.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This podcast is brought to you by Thrive Market and Athletic Greens. More on both below. 

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#430: Elizabeth Gilbert’s Amazing Creative Toolkit: Saying No, Trusting Intuition, Seeking Awe, Bathing in Grief, and Index Cards
https://rss.art19.com/episodes/ffc0cbb0-8202-4d8d-9ada-0e80fe4146f2.mp3Download

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market, which saves me a ton of money and is perfect for these crazy times. Thrive Market is a membership-based site on a mission to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone. You can find all types of food, supplements, nontoxic home products, clean wine, dog food—just about anything. Members earn wholesale prices every day and save an average of $30 on each order. I personally saved $39 on my most recent order. 

Go to  ThriveMarket.com/tim to give Thrive Market a try! You can choose the membership model that best fits your lifestyle.

They have affordable one-month and 12-month options. When you go to ThriveMarket.com/tim, you can receive up to $20 in shopping credit. Start a risk-free membership today, as you can cancel for any reason within your first 30 days for a full refund.

This podcast is also brought to you by Athletic Greens.  I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually Athletic Greens, 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 AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

As a listener of The Tim Ferriss Show, you’ll get a free 20-count travel pack (valued at $79) with your first order at  AthleticGreens.com/tim .

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

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear an episode with another author who fearlessly follows her own path? Listen to my conversation with Cheryl Strayed in which we discuss books as religion, writing prompts and processes, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and much more.

#231: Cheryl Strayed — How to Be Creative Like a Motherf*ckerhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/4044eed1-cbe1-4a85-a237-e827c9457b26.mp3Download

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Elizabeth Gilbert:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

City of Girls: A Novel by Elizabeth Gilbert
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Alpha Wolf by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Moth
Sid & Nancy
The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), CDC
An Interview with Elizabeth Gilbert, Read It Forward
Breaking Bad
East Coker by T.S. Eliot
Song of Myself by Walt Whitman
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Godfather
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part III
Little, Big by John Crowley
Eat, Pray, Love, Get Rich, Write a Novel No One Expects, The New York Times
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)
Diana, Herself: An Allegory of Awakening by Martha Beck
DIY Integrity Cleanse Kit by Martha Beck
The School for The Work by Byron Katie
What an Ayahuasca Retreat Showed Me about My Life, Vox
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
The Artist’s Way Morning Pages Journal by Julia Cameron
The Artist’s Date Book by Julia Cameron
A Walk on the High Line, The New Yorker
The High Line, New York
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
Daisy Miller by Henry James

SHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Timestamps will be added shortly. 

Elizabeth shares who Rayya Elias was and how she’s remembered her in story at The Moth.
The truth has legs.
What did Elizabeth learn about her own grieving process through this experience?
Why finding humor in the most difficult of times is crucial if we want to make it through “earth school.”
How did Elizabeth come to know writing as her “source of light?”
What kind of stories and storytellers make Elizabeth break out in applause?
Seeking the edges of human imagination, using the word “interesting” to defuse drama and trauma, and counteracting co-dependence with sappy love songs.
When working on a new project, what method of organizing and planning does she use — as learned from her ninth-grade teacher Mr. Kisco? How did it come in handy when doing research for City Of Girls, her latest book?
The things present Liz endures for future Liz.
What percentage of Liz’s research makes it into the final draft of a book? Does she feel what’s left over is a waste?
What does Elizabeth take from the lessons of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations?
What has Elizabeth learned from Martha Beck?
On staying true to one’s inner compass before making commitments, and how Elizabeth phrases her “No” answers without remorse.
The power of the simple no and other lessons learned from Byron Katie — or how to say no to even the most persistent and avoid negotiation when your inner compass tells you it’s the right thing to do.
Elizabeth’s perspective on psychedelics, and words of caution for anyone hoping to use them as a quick and easy fix to complex problems.
Using The Artist’s Way to recover your creativity from its trauma.
Elizabeth shares an example of how she made an artist’s date.
How closely did the book proposal for Eat, Pray, Love match the ultimate book, and were there other titles Elizabeth considered?
Elizabeth’s take on City of Girls as a rebuttal to the cautionary tale (usually written by a man) of the woman who lives a free and open sexual life and suffers terrible consequences as a result.
Are there any aspects or portions of anything Elizabeth has written that she wishes more people would notice more often?
Parting thoughts.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Rayya Elias
Neil Gaiman
Catherine Burns
José Nunes
Mary Karr
T.S. Eliot
Walt Whitman
Hilary Mantel
Henry VIII
Kurt Vonnegut
John Crowley
Martha Beck
Marcus Aurelius
Cincinnatus
George Washington
Michael Mithoefer
Annie Mithoefer
Oprah Winfrey
Byron Katie
Julia Cameron
Brené Brown
Brian Koppelman
Gloria Vanderbilt
Tom Sawyer
George Saunders

Nick Kokonas on Resurrecting Restaurants, Skin in the Game, and Investing (#429)

“It remains to be seen, of course, whether or not this works. But what I didn’t want to do was wait to see what happened.” — Nick Kokonas

Nick Kokonas (IG: @nkokonas, TW: @NickKokonas) is the co-owner and co-founder of The Alinea Group of restaurants, which includes Alinea, Next, The Aviary, Roister, St. Clair Supper Club, and The Aviary NYC.

Alinea has been named the Best Restaurant in America and Best Restaurant in The World by organizations and lists as diverse as the James Beard Foundation, World’s 50 Best, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Gourmet magazine, and Elite Traveler. His restaurants have won nearly every accolade afforded to them.

Nick has been a subversive entrepreneur and angel investor since 1996. He spent a decade as a derivatives trader, has co-written three books, and believes in radical transparency in markets and business. As an outsider to the restaurant industry, Nick’s approach to the business of restaurants is markedly innovative, and he has been featured in Businessweek, Fast Company, the New York Times, Forbes, and Crain’s Chicago Business, among other publications. He has given talks on innovation, entrepreneurship, and experience design across the country.

He is also the founder and CEO of Tock, Inc., a reservations and CRM system for restaurants, serving more than 10M diners and clients in more than 30 countries. Tock also recently launched a to-go platform, which has helped restaurants pivot to fulfill pickup and delivery orders.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This podcast is brought to you by Helix Sleep and ShipStation. More on both below. 

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#429: Nick Kokonas on Resurrecting Restaurants, Skin in the Game, and Investing
https://rss.art19.com/episodes/5a2ba86a-5c0f-4287-b7e1-9679d8e6e1ff.mp3Download

This episode is brought to you by ShipStation. Do you sell stuff online? Then you know what a pain the shipping process is. Whether you’re selling on eBay, Amazon, Shopify, or over 100 other popular selling channels, ShipStation was created to make your life easier. ShipStation lets you access all of your orders from one simple dashboard, and it works with all of the major shipping carriers, locally and globally, including FedEx, UPS, and USPS. The Tim Ferriss Show listeners get to try ShipStation free for 60 days by using promo code TIM. There’s no risk, and you can start your free trial without even entering your credit card info. Just visit ShipStation.com, click on the microphone at the top of the homepage, and type in TIM!

This podcast episode is also brought to you by Helix Sleep! Helix was selected as the #1 best overall mattress pick of 2020 by GQ magazine, Wired, Apartment Therapy, and many others. With Helix, there’s a specific mattress for each and everybody’s unique taste. 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, to my dear listeners, Helix is offering up to 200 dollars off all mattress orders plus two free pillows at HelixSleep.com/TIM.

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

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear Nick’s first time on this podcast? Listen to our nearly three-hour conversation in which we discuss behavioral economics, talent-spotting, cocktails, misleading averages, resources for aspiring entrepreneurs, and much more.

#341: Nick Kokonas — How to Apply World-Class Creativity to Business, Art, and Lifehttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/c23d1aee-571f-4e87-ae41-4026a5a5e92d.mp3Download

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Nick Kokonas:

The Alinea Group | Tock | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Nick Kokonas — How to Apply World-Class Creativity to Business, Art, and Life, The Tim Ferriss Show #341
Asymmetrical Risk/Reward, Asymmetry Observations
How Ford Avoided the Meltdown that Hit GM, Chrysler, CNBC
Restaurateur Nick Kokonas Isn’t Waiting for Congress to Come to His Rescue, Fast Company
Fyre Festival: How a 25-Year-Old Scammed Investors Out of $26 Million, Make It, CNBC
Clearing, Investopedia
Molecular Gastronomy — The Food Science, Splice
Chef’s Table with Grant (Volume 2, Episode 1)
The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life by Timothy Ferriss
Locked In, Investopedia
Nick’s March 8th Warning Tweet to the Hospitality Industry, Twitter
Coronavirus Unemployment Guide: What to Do If You Get Laid Off or Furloughed, The Washington Post
Illinois Governor Orders All Restaurants and Bars Closed for Two Weeks, Eater Chicago
MoMA
My Alinea Experience — 3 Michelin Star Restaurant in Chicago, KamanGround
Beef Wellington, Foods of England
Seven X Ranch
Tock To Go
How a Restaurant Entrepreneur Helped Fine Dining Restaurants Transition to Takeout During the Covid-19 Crisis, Robb Report
Recapitalization, Investopedia
Details Of The Coronavirus Relief Bill, The CARES Act, NPR
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), SBA
Trading Places
Franklin Barbecue
What Is Distressed Debt?, Bankrate
Pebble Beach
Addo
Will the Post-Pandemic Roaring Twenties Happen? by Aaron Schnoor, Lessons from History, Medium
Dining Bonds Are The New War Bonds…The Restaurant Industry Hopes, LAist
‘Taking Advantage of This Crisis’: Why Some Restaurateurs Are Lashing Out at Yelp, GoFundMe, TODAY
Groupon
World Central Kitchen
Dune by Frank Herbert
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The Black Swan: Second Edition: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
A Bob Rubin Trade, Fundamental Finance Playbook
Nick’s Tweets About Airline Bailouts, Twitter
Lambda School
Zoom
Skype
Google Hangouts
Tock Founder Nick Kokonas Is Trying to Hit OpenTable Where It Hurts, Eater
TikTok
Canlis

SHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Timestamps will be added shortly.

Nick expands on the idea of asymmetric risk-taking and its opportunities that he presented in his first appearance on this podcast.
During the mandatory shutdowns required for containing COVID-19, no sector has been so swiftly decapitated as the arena of restaurants. But when did Nick start assessing the risk of this as a serious possibility, and how did he begin to piece together a plan for salvation?
Who is Grant Achatz?
How did Nick’s floor-trading experience inform his strategy for the potentially hard times ahead?
After assessing the situation, how did Nick break the news to staff in advance of things going sideways, and what steps were immediately put in place for their safety and the safety of their customers?
With the Tock startup and his restaurants in peril, what plans did he have in place if a shutdown became mandatory, and how did the unique way the restaurants were already running perhaps give them a better chance than most to get through the crisis?
How does a company that specializes in fancy, fine-dining experiences with servers who can pull over $150,000 a year (without tips) pivot to an affordable carryout/delivery option for people under quarantine?
How did the first round of the experiment go?
How does a high-volume restaurant meet demand while ensuring its staff is maintaining social distance from one another (when it’s open to customers and when it’s not)?
How does recapitalization work?
How are the kitchens utilized, and do they involve use of induction stovetops?
Is Nick running into supply chain disruptions?
What types of restaurants does Nick see weathering this pandemic? Of the strategies he sees being used in the hospitality industry, which ones seem most effective — and which seem counterproductive? What opportunities might present themselves to aspiring restauranteers during this time and in the aftermath?
How has Nick avoided the trap so many other restaurants have fallen into — of buying today’s food with tomorrow’s revenues?
Nick’s dad’s three-shoebox business finance model.
It’s not too late. But what comes next?
Books and resources Nick suggests for people trying to improve themselves during this time, and thoughts on corporate responsibility and bailouts.
What companies does Nick particularly admire right now?
How did Nick and the Tock team create the Tock To Go platform in a matter of days instead of months?
Parting thoughts.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Grant Achatz
Stephen Bernacki
Alex Hayes
Pablo Picasso
Eddie Murphy
Eric Rivera
José Andrés
Robert Rubin
Austen Allred

Jim Jefferies on Comedy, Life Lessons, and the Magic of Filling Out Customs Forms (#428)

“The rise is always better than the peak.” — Jim Jefferies

Sydney native Jim Jefferies (@jimjefferies) is one of the most popular and respected comedians of his generation, entertaining audiences across the globe with his provocative, belief-challenging, and thought-provoking comedy. He created and starred in the sitcom Legit and the Comedy Central late-night show The Jim Jefferies Show. Jim was honored as Stand-Up Comedian of the Year at the Just for Laughs Festival in summer 2019. At the end of 2019, he embarked on his new tour Oblivious, performing all around Europe and North America. He is currently working with NBC on a multi-camera pilot that he will star in from writer-producer Suzanne Martin, Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner’s Hazy Mills Productions, and Universal TV.

Jim’s new podcast I Don’t Know About That will debut on Tuesday, May 5th, and his ninth stand-up special will be released later this year on Netflix.

Please enjoy! 

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can also watch the conversation on YouTube.

This podcast is brought to you by Laird Superfood and “5-Bullet Friday.” More on both below. 

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#428: Jim Jefferies on Comedy, Life Lessons, and the Magic of Filling Out Customs Forms
https://rss.art19.com/episodes/ccbb433e-f5a4-4785-9b34-5a4787a23cc9.mp3Download

This episode is brought to you by Laird Superfood. Founded by big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton and volleyball champion Gabby Reece, Laird Superfood promises to deliver high-impact fuel to help you get through your busiest days. Laird Superfood offers a line of plant-based products designed to optimize your daily rituals, from sunrise to sunset.

My favorite two products are their Turmeric Superfood Creamer and Unsweetened Superfood Creamer. I put one of them in practically everything. Both can really optimize your daily coffee or tea ritual, and a $10 bag will last you a long time. For a limited time, Laird Superfood is offering you guys 20% off your order when you use code TIM at checkout. Check out lairdsuperfood.com/tim to see my favorite products and learn more.

This episode is also brought to you by “5-Bullet Friday,” my very own email newsletter, which every Friday features five bullet points of cool things I’ve found that week, including apps, books, documentaries, gadgets, albums, articles, TV shows, new hacks or tricks, and—of course—all sorts of weird stuff I’ve dug up from around the world. 

It’s free, it’s always going to be free, and you can subscribe now at tim.blog/friday.

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

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear another episode with a standup comedian? — Listen to my conversation with Whitney Cummings in which we discuss emotional intelligence, how to overcome workaholic tendencies, managing instant gratification, and much, much more.

#84: Whitney Cummings on Turning Pain Into Creativityhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/166c9135-8f0d-47fd-b301-75fe4ae65bba.mp3Download

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Jim Jefferies:

Website | Podcast | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Legit
The Jim Jefferies Show
INXS
Enmore Theater, Sydney
St Ives High School, Sydney
Woolloomooloo Area Guide, Time Out
Clever Cockatoos Learn to Open Sydney Wheelie Bins and Drink from Bubblers, The Guardian
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
Slip! Slop! Slap! The Original Sid the Seagull Video, Cancer Council Victoria
Bondi Beach, Sydney
The Skin Cancer Foundation
The Comedy Store, Sydney
Serial Killer: The Claremont Killer, Crime Junkie Podcast
The Flying Dutchman (Der Fliegende Holländer), Opera Online
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
Kalgoorlie
‘Skimpies’ Night: The Western Australia Pub Tradition That Refuses to Die, The Guardian
Punchline
Strathfield Car Radios
When the Towers Fell, National Geographic
The Comedy Store, London
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Just For Laughs Montreal Festival
The Scotsman
The Telegraph
The Comedy Store, Manchester
Jim Jefferies Attacked on Stage at Manchester Comedy Store, 2007, Reddit
Seinfeld
Friends
Cheers
Where J.K. Rowling Wrote Harry Potter in Edinburgh, Independent Travel Cats
The Elephant House
Harry Potter Complete Boxed Set by J.K. Rowling
Fleabag
How Phoebe Waller-Bridge is ‘Spicing Up’ James Bond, BBC News
Monty Python’s Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Life of Brian
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
Monty Python And The Holy Grail
Jabberwocky
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Gun Control According to Jim Jefferies, Netflix Is A Joke
Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, Wikipedia
Jim Jefferies: ‘Life of Brian Taught Me More about Religion than Sunday School’, The Guardian
Eddie Murphy — Delirious
Discover Los Angeles
Los Angeles Crips and Bloods: Past and Present, EDGE

SHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Dear listeners, the timestamps will be added shortly.

Contrary to popular Australian belief, I’ve never played guitar for INXS. Here’s Jim’s Tim Farriss story.
Beautiful birds, awful sounds, and the unforgiving sun and currents down under.
When Jim had to perform his comedy set under parental supervision, and how a serial killer’s murder spree turned out to be a big break.
If comedy didn’t work out, what was Jim’s plan B at age 17?
Why Jim wound up leaving Australia for the UK (after a stint as a terrible car stereo salesman).
Why Jim would argue that those early days as an expatriate comedian in the UK were the happiest in his life, and how the British and American comedy scenes differ.
When did Jim first notice he was achieving some level of success as a comedian?
On getting punched in the head by a heckler in Manchester, traveling the world for free, and the fleeting nature of fame and fortune.
What keeps Jim going these days?
J.K. Rowling, the beauty of Edinburgh, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The time Jim had John Cleese over for dinner, and where someone curious but inexperienced with Monty Python should start.
How a story about taking a friend with muscular dystrophy to a brothel became the seed of Jim’s two-season sitcom Legit.
The story behind Jim’s gun control piece, a peek into his writing process, and how new material gets tested.
What is it about Monty Python’s Life of Brian that makes it a perfect movie in Jim’s estimation?
What comics does Jim see as inspiring and formative to his own development as a comic?
Does Jim plan on calling L.A. home for the foreseeable future?
To what does Jim credit his longevity in comedy?
Today, what might give Jim a high comparable to the first time he was able to write “standup comedian” as the occupation on his customs form?
How does Jim know when he’s being a good dad?
What can we expect from Jim’s upcoming I Don’t Know About That podcast?
Parting thoughts.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Tim Farriss
Michael Hutchence
Elli Overton
Rich Thompson
Forrest Shaw
Richard Gill
Richard Wagner
Hugh Jackman
Gary Who
Tom Hanks
David Spade
Kevin Nealon
J.K. Rowling
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Stephen Fry
Hugh Laurie
John Cleese
Whitney Cummings
Bryan Callen
John Ratzenberger
George Carlin
Anthony Morgan
Eddie Murphy
Richard Pryor
Johnny Carson

Michael Lewis — Inside the Mind of the Iconic Writer (#427)

“The secret to doing good research is always to be a little underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste hours.”
— Amos Tversky

Michael Lewis is the best-selling author of many books, including Liar’s Poker, Moneyball, The Blind Side, The Big Short, The Undoing Project, and The Fifth Risk. Both of his books about sports became movies nominated for Academy Awards, as did The Big Short, his book about the 2008 financial crisis. He lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife and three children.

His critically acclaimed podcast, Against The Rules, returns with season two on Tuesday, May 5. Last season, Michael explored the attack on referees in sports, financial markets, newsrooms, courts of law, and the art world.

This time around, Michael focuses on coaches: why the role of coach has expanded beyond sports in American life and why everyone seems to love coaches. Each episode examines a different kind of coach. From money coaches and voice coaches to college coaches and even the one who changed his own life, Michael delves deep inside the vast world of the coach. Can a good coach level the playing field? What is the secret to effective coaching? What role do coaches have in creating unfairness? Can everyone be coached or are some people beyond help?

Please enjoy! 

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This podcast is brought to you by UCAN and Readwise. More on both below. 

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#427: Michael Lewis on the Crafts of Writing, Friendship, Coaching, Happiness, and Morehttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/c8351f56-d9e0-4ae4-babd-5ae66145a60d.mp3Download

This episode is brought to you by UCAN. I was introduced to UCAN and its unique carbohydrate SuperStarch by my good friend—and listener favorite—Dr. Peter Attia, who said there is no carb in the world like it. I have since included it in my routine, using UCAN’s powders to power my workouts, and the bars make great snacks. Extensive scientific research and clinical trials have shown that SuperStarch provides a sustained release of energy to the body without spiking blood sugar. UCAN is the ideal way to source energy from a carbohydrate without the negatives associated with fast carbs, especially sugar.  

You avoid fatigue, hunger cravings, and loss of focus. Whether you’re an athlete working on managing your fitness or you need healthy, efficient calories to get you through your day, UCAN is an elegant energy solution. My listeners can save 25% on their first UCAN order by going to ucan.co and using promo code TIM. U.S. orders will also be shipped for free.

This episode is also brought to you by Readwise! Readwise is an app that helps you remember significantly more of what you read. How often do you read a book or an article and then look back a couple of weeks later to realize you barely remember anything from it? Readwise solves this problem by integrating with Kindle, Pocket, iBooks, Instapaper, and more to send you a daily digest of all your highlights. On average, their users report remembering 84% more of what they’ve read and highlighted.

It helps you build a fun, daily habit of reviewing and actually using the hundreds of highlights that are just sitting in your reading devices, collecting cyber-dust, and doing nothing for you. This simple habit of reviewing your highlights daily can dramatically improve how much information you retain through the scientifically proven process of spaced repetition. Sign up at readwise.io/tim for a two-month free trial offered exclusively to Tim Ferriss Show listeners. 

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

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear an episode with another iconic writer? Listen to my conversation with Malcolm Gladwell in which we discuss routines, habits, and tools, how to make your stories relatable, and why he eats as little as possible in the morning. 

#168: Dissecting the Success of Malcolm Gladwellhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/9ad9500f-1dd0-44c5-9a39-4d64dee7d6a6.mp3Download

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Michael Lewis:

Website | Podcast

The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy by Michael Lewis
Liar’s Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis
The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis
Silicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs
Princeton Alumni Network
Isidore Newman School
Johnny Tremain: A Story of Boston in Revolt by Esther Forbes
Bestselling Author Michael Lewis Has It All Figured Out, Forbes
Princeton University Department of Art & Archaeology
The Census of Antique Works Known to Renaissance Artists
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
Bowery Mission
The Economist
London School Of Economics
Ochsner Medical Center
Updating a Classic Princeton Course (Physics for Poets), Princeton Alumni Weekly
The New Republic
The Wall Street Journal
Michael Lewis on Writing, Money, and the Necessary Self-Delusion of Creativity, Brain Pickings
Salomon Brothers, Wikipedia
Simon & Schuster
The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams
The Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Goldman Sachs
Paul Stuart
A Whole New World by Lea Salonga & Brad Kane, Aladdin
Let It Go by Idina Menzel, Frozen
Chthonian Definition and Meaning, Collins English Dictionary
John McPhee, The Art of Nonfiction No. 3, The Paris Review
Draft No. 4 by John McPhee
A Sense of Where You Are by John McPhee
Oakland A’s
Becoming Michael Lewis by Walter Isaacson, The Washington Post
Pushkin Industries
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey
Peloton
Alcatraz Island, NPF
Bikram Yoga, Wikipedia
The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson
A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel by Amor Towles
Hotel Metropol, Moscow
Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown-Ups by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight
Unreliable Memoirs by Clive James
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
The Innocent Anthropologist: Notes from a Mud Hut by Nigel Barley

SHOW NOTES

A story about the first time I was (kindly) rejected by Michael Lewis. [08:06]
How handing in a book report almost got Michael kicked out of middle school. [09:35]
What Michael’s thesis advisor at Princeton thought about his writing as an undergrad. [12:39]
How did Michael develop the ability to write without studying it directly? [16:38]
What was it about writing that got Michael hooked enough to keep submitting content to various publications even when he’d get more rejections than acceptance? [23:24]
Was it a hard decision for Michael to give up a high-paying job at Salomon Brothers to gamble on a career as a first-time author in 1989? [25:46]
Unintended consequences: Michael wrote Liar’s Poker as a cautionary tale with humorous overtones, but a lot of young people entering the workforce read it as a how-to book. [33:57]
In his own life, how does Michael think about ambition? By what metric does he measure success? [36:45]
Maximizing self-satisfaction, optimizing the writing process, and learning to sing. [41:00]
When you’re a developing writer, there’s no underestimating the value of having an honest, earnest editor on your side who isn’t afraid to give you impolite feedback — whether it’s Michael Kinsley or John McPhee. [45:45]
On the merits of productive laziness. [53:20]
One good question Michael asks himself to help determine if a potentially worthwhile project should proceed. [58:37]
An example of how feeling an obligation to the material resulted in a project that grew from an idea for a few pages in a magazine about baseball to a book about the way markets value people: Moneyball. [1:00:38]
How has Michael self-consciously cultivated the narrative that he’s “one of the happiest people” anybody knows (including fellow writer Walter Isaacson), and how does this direct his interactions with others? [1:06:37]
Since Michael’s perpetually cheerful disposition disarms conversations that invite complaints before they even begin, what conversational prompts emerge instead? [1:11:53]
Who are Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky — the subjects of Michael’s book The Undoing Project — and what has he taken away from studying their somewhat tempestuous relationship? [1:14:15]
Among the small group of friends with whom Michael shares his work in progress, how does he phrase his requests for feedback? [1:21:01]
Michael gives us a sneak peek of what we can expect from the upcoming episode of his Against the Rules podcast in which he interviews The Inner Game of Tennis author Timothy Gallwey and delves into why the coaching methods outlined there can be applied across disciplines — from playing tuba to hitting a softball. [1:24:48]
Now that he’s dipped his toes in the waters of podcasting, are we going to see a decrease in Michael’s literary output? [1:33:39]
What does Michael’s exercise regimen look like? How does pandemic exercise differ from non-pandemic exercise? [1:38:56]
Books Michael has gifted most. [1:44:08]
What would Michael’s billboard say? [1:49:05]
Parting thoughts. [1:51:07]

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Diana Monroe Lewis and John Thomas Lewis
Donatello
William A.P. Childs
E.B. White
William Strunk Jr.
Matt Ridley
Maria Popova
Michael Kinsley
Ned Chase
Chevy Chase
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Johnny Cash
John McPhee
Ed Zschau
Bill Bradley
Amos Tversky
Billy Beane
Scott Hatteberg
Barry Zito
Paul DePodesta
Walter Isaacson
Daniel Kahneman
Jacob Weisberg
Timothy Gallwey
Malcolm Gladwell
Frans Bengtsson
Amor Towles
Clive James
Gerald Durrell
Nigel Barley
Billy Fitzgerald
Laird Hamilton

Michael Lewis on the Crafts of Writing, Friendship, Coaching, Happiness, and More (#427)

“The secret to doing good research is always to be a little underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste hours.”
— Amos Tversky

Michael Lewis is the best-selling author of many books, including Liar’s Poker, Moneyball, The Blind Side, The Big Short, The Undoing Project, and The Fifth Risk. Both of his books about sports became movies nominated for Academy Awards, as did The Big Short, his book about the 2008 financial crisis. He lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife and three children.

His critically acclaimed podcast, Against The Rules, returns with season two on Tuesday, May 5. Last season, Michael explored the attack on referees in sports, financial markets, newsrooms, courts of law, and the art world.

This time around, Michael focuses on coaches: why the role of coach has expanded beyond sports in American life and why everyone seems to love coaches. Each episode examines a different kind of coach. From money coaches and voice coaches to college coaches and even the one who changed his own life, Michael delves deep inside the vast world of the coach. Can a good coach level the playing field? What is the secret to effective coaching? What role do coaches have in creating unfairness? Can everyone be coached or are some people beyond help?

Please enjoy! 

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This podcast is brought to you by UCAN and Readwise. More on both below. 

Listen onApple Podcasts
Listen onSpotify
Listen onOvercast

#427: Michael Lewis on the Crafts of Writing, Friendship, Coaching, Happiness, and More
https://rss.art19.com/episodes/c8351f56-d9e0-4ae4-babd-5ae66145a60d.mp3Download

This episode is brought to you by UCAN. I was introduced to UCAN and its unique carbohydrate SuperStarch by my good friend—and listener favorite—Dr. Peter Attia, who said there is no carb in the world like it. I have since included it in my routine, using UCAN’s powders to power my workouts, and the bars make great snacks. Extensive scientific research and clinical trials have shown that SuperStarch provides a sustained release of energy to the body without spiking blood sugar. UCAN is the ideal way to source energy from a carbohydrate without the negatives associated with fast carbs, especially sugar.  

You avoid fatigue, hunger cravings, and loss of focus. Whether you’re an athlete working on managing your fitness or you need healthy, efficient calories to get you through your day, UCAN is an elegant energy solution. My listeners can save 25% on their first UCAN order by going to ucan.co and using promo code TIM. U.S. orders will also be shipped for free.

This episode is also brought to you by Readwise! Readwise is an app that helps you remember significantly more of what you read. How often do you read a book or an article and then look back a couple of weeks later to realize you barely remember anything from it? Readwise solves this problem by integrating with Kindle, Pocket, iBooks, Instapaper, and more to send you a daily digest of all your highlights. On average, their users report remembering 84% more of what they’ve read and highlighted.

It helps you build a fun, daily habit of reviewing and actually using the hundreds of highlights that are just sitting in your reading devices, collecting cyber-dust, and doing nothing for you. This simple habit of reviewing your highlights daily can dramatically improve how much information you retain through the scientifically proven process of spaced repetition. Sign up at readwise.io/tim for a two-month free trial offered exclusively to Tim Ferriss Show listeners. 

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

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear an episode with another iconic writer? Listen to my conversation with Malcolm Gladwell in which we discuss routines, habits, and tools, how to make your stories relatable, and why he eats as little as possible in the morning. 

#168: Dissecting the Success of Malcolm Gladwellhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/9ad9500f-1dd0-44c5-9a39-4d64dee7d6a6.mp3Download

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Michael Lewis:

Website | Podcast

The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy by Michael Lewis
Liar’s Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis
The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis
Silicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs
Princeton Alumni Network
Isidore Newman School
Johnny Tremain: A Story of Boston in Revolt by Esther Forbes
Bestselling Author Michael Lewis Has It All Figured Out, Forbes
Princeton University Department of Art & Archaeology
The Census of Antique Works Known to Renaissance Artists
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
Bowery Mission
The Economist
London School Of Economics
Ochsner Medical Center
Updating a Classic Princeton Course (Physics for Poets), Princeton Alumni Weekly
The New Republic
The Wall Street Journal
Michael Lewis on Writing, Money, and the Necessary Self-Delusion of Creativity, Brain Pickings
Salomon Brothers, Wikipedia
Simon & Schuster
The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams
The Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Goldman Sachs
Paul Stuart
A Whole New World by Lea Salonga & Brad Kane, Aladdin
Let It Go by Idina Menzel, Frozen
Chthonian Definition and Meaning, Collins English Dictionary
John McPhee, The Art of Nonfiction No. 3, The Paris Review
Draft No. 4 by John McPhee
A Sense of Where You Are by John McPhee
Oakland A’s
Becoming Michael Lewis by Walter Isaacson, The Washington Post
Pushkin Industries
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey
Peloton
Alcatraz Island, NPF
Bikram Yoga, Wikipedia
The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson
A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel by Amor Towles
Hotel Metropol, Moscow
Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown-Ups by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight
Unreliable Memoirs by Clive James
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
The Innocent Anthropologist: Notes from a Mud Hut by Nigel Barley

SHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Dear listeners, the timestamps will be added shortly.

A story about the first time I was (kindly) rejected by Michael Lewis.
How handing in a book report almost got Michael kicked out of middle school.
What Michael’s thesis advisor at Princeton thought about his writing as an undergrad.
How did Michael develop the ability to write without studying it directly?
What was it about writing that got Michael hooked enough to keep submitting content to various publications even when he’d get more rejections than acceptance?
Was it a hard decision for Michael to give up a high-paying job at Solomon Brothers to gamble on a career as a first-time author in 1989?
Unintended consequences: Michael wrote Liar’s Poker as a cautionary tale with humorous overtones, but a lot of young people entering the workforce read it as a how-to book.
In his own life, how does Michael think about ambition? By what metric does he measure success?
Maximizing self-satisfaction, optimizing the writing process, and learning to sing.
When you’re a developing writer, there’s no underestimating the value of having an honest, earnest editor on your side who isn’t afraid to give you impolite feedback — whether it’s Michael Kinsley or John McPhee.
On the merits of productive laziness.
One good question Michael asks himself to help determine if a potentially worthwhile project should proceed.
An example of how feeling an obligation to the material resulted in a project that grew from an idea for a few pages in a magazine about baseball to a book about the way markets value people: Moneyball.
How has Michael self-consciously cultivated the narrative that he’s “one of the happiest people” anybody knows (including fellow writer Walter Isaacson), and how does this direct his interactions with others?
Since Michael’s perpetually cheerful disposition disarms conversations that invite complaints before they even begin, what conversational prompts emerge instead?
Who are Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky — the subjects of Michael’s book The Undoing Project — and what has he taken away from studying their somewhat tempestuous relationship?
Among the small group of friends with whom Michael shares his work in progress, how does he phrase his requests for feedback?
Michael gives us a sneak peek of what we can expect from the upcoming episode of his Against the Rules podcast in which he interviews The Inner Game of Tennis author Timothy Gallwey and delves into why the coaching methods outlined there can be applied across disciplines — from playing tuba to hitting a softball.
Now that he’s dipped his toes in the waters of podcasting, are we going to see a decrease in Michael’s literary output?
What does Michael’s exercise regimen look like? How does pandemic exercise differ from non-pandemic exercise?
Books Michael has gifted most.
What would Michael’s billboard say?[00:00]
Parting thoughts.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Diana Monroe Lewis and John Thomas Lewis
Donatello
William A.P. Childs
E.B. White
William Strunk Jr.
Matt Ridley
Maria Popova
Michael Kinsley
Ned Chase
Chevy Chase
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Johnny Cash
John McPhee
Ed Zschau
Bill Bradley
Amos Tversky
Billy Beane
Scott Hatteberg
Barry Zito
Paul DePodesta
Walter Isaacson
Daniel Kahneman
Jacob Weisberg
Timothy Gallwey
Malcolm Gladwell
Frans Bengtsson
Amor Towles
Clive James
Gerald Durrell
Nigel Barley
Billy Fitzgerald
Laird Hamilton

The Random Show: Boozy Quarantine Edition! (#426)

Technologist, serial entrepreneur, world-class investor, self-experimenter, and all-around wild and crazy guy Kevin Rose (@KevinRose) rejoins me for another episode of “The Random Show.” In this one we explore fine (and not-so-fine) wines, dog adoption, great fiction and non-fiction reads, anniversary celebration during quarantine, exotic meats and decadent desserts, skiing accidents, and much more.

Please enjoy!

NOTE: This episode was recorded on April 2nd on Caffeine.tv. Thanks to everyone who joined this special live edition!