Timothy Ferriss's Blog, page 77

The Alien of Extraordinary Ability

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“Just because you use your eyes, doesn’t mean you see what’s actually there.”

– Murray Carter

Murray Carter (@CarterCutlery) is a Canadian craftsman like no other. At eighteen, he fell into an apprenticeship with a sixteenth generation Yoshimoto bladesmith that lasted six years — and was asked to take the position of number seventeen in the Sakemoto family tradition (perhaps the only Caucasian ever to have the honor and privilege of this position).

Murray continued forging blades in Japan for twelve more years, and in June 2001, he was awarded the rating of Mastersmith by the American Bladesmith Society, thus proving the highest degree of competency by Western standards. In 2005, he moved to the United States (as an Alien of Extraordinary Ability, no less) to start Carter Cutlery; he has continued forging blades in Oregon.

This is a fascinating episode on many levels, so please enjoy!

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”

Want to hear another podcast about a unique art? — Listen to this episode with Marie Kondo. In it, we discuss how her practice of organization can improve your state of mind, Shintoism, specific details of her method, and much more (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by Headspace, the world’s most popular meditation app (with more than four million users). It’s used in more than 150 countries, and many of my closest friends swear by it. Try Headspace’s free Take10 program — 10 minutes of guided meditation a day for 10 days. It’s like a warm bath for your mind. Meditation doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive, and it’s had a huge impact on my life. Try Headspace for free for a few days and see what I mean.

This podcast is also brought to you by Four Sigmatic. I reached out to these Finnish entrepreneurs after a very talented acrobat introduced me to one of their products, which blew my mind (in the best way possible). It is mushroom coffee featuring chaga. It tastes like coffee, but there are only 40 milligrams of caffeine, so it has less than half of what you would find in a regular cup of coffee. I do not get any jitters, acid reflux, or any type of stomach burn. It put me on fire for an entire day, and I only had half of the packet.

People are always asking me what I use for cognitive enhancement right now — this is the answer. You can try it right now by going to foursigmatic.com/tim and using the code Tim to get 20 percent off your first order. If you are in the experimental mindset, I do not think you’ll be disappointed.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Murray Carter:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Portrait of a Bladesmith – Murray Carter
Jeremiah Johnson
The history of Chito-ryu karate.
Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts
13 Secrets for Speaking Fluent Japanese by Giles Murray
Japanese Verbs & Essentials of Grammar by Rita Lampkin
Carter Cutlery and the History of the Yoshimoto Bladesmiths
Mugicha (Barley Tea) Is the Flavor of Summer in Japan by Maki, Just Hungry
Die Hard
Everything You Need to Know About Japanese Honorifics by Maile Proctor, TakeLessons
The Karate Kid
Forge Welding POV with Murray Carter
The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life by Timothy Ferriss
Kill Bill
Blacksmith Basics Episode 2 – How to Start a Coke Forge
Murray’s bladesmithing courses
Hire by Auditions, Not Resumes by Matt Mullenweg, Harvard Business Review
What Is a Granton Edge on a Knife? by Mariette Mifflin, The Spruce
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
Bladesmithing with Murray Carter: Modern Application of Traditional Techniques by Murray Carter
101 Knife Designs: Practical Knives for Daily Use by Murray Carter

Show Notes

A fantasy realized. [08:56]
How did Murray go from class clown to Yoshimoto bladesmith in Japan? [10:01]
Our shared fascination with Japan. [12:55]
An around-the-world indulgence in wanderlust interrupted by karate injuries and an introduction to the Japanese language. [14:54]
The life-changing opportunities and appreciation for culture discovered by acquiring a new language. [23:59]
A happenstance introduction to bladesmithing and Japanese hospitality. [31:47]
On knocking out four years of academic course load in twelve months. [41:01]
Apprenticing for Sakemoto Yasuyuki, traveling the country to learn everything about bladesmithing, and being asked to take over the family business. [51:55]
What makes Japanese bladesmithing unique? How does it differ from western bladesmithing? [56:09]
Murray explains the benefits of a laminate blade and the process of forge welding one from scratch. [59:38]
What can Murray teach you in a week that he’s learned over eighteen years? [1:11:04]
What attributes make a good bladesmith potentially great? [1:15:20]
How does Murray test for aptitude in aspiring bladesmiths? [1:16:48]
What is the function of the “dimples” found on the side of some Japanese style knives (and what does Murray have against them)? [1:19:34]
Favorite Japanese proverbs. [1:23:42]
Most gifted books. [1:28:57]
What is Murray’s go-to gift knife? [1:30:08]
What would Murray’s billboard say? [1:32:05]
Parting thoughts and advice for people who get a new piece of cutlery. [1:34:26]

People Mentioned

Jeremiah Johnson
Rolf Potts
Chitose Tsuyoshi
Sakemoto Yasuyuki
Matsuo Soga
Matt Mullenweg

Dorian Yates on High Intensity Training, Injury Prevention, and Building Maximum Muscle

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“Freedom is not giving a f*ck.”

– Dorian Yates

Dorian Yates (@dorian_yates) is a six-time Mr. Olympia who took the extreme sport of bodybuilding to a new level. He’s one of my adolescent heroes whose innovations in training influenced what I later put into The 4-Hour Body (e.g., Occam’s protocol).

In this particular conversation, we dig into all sorts of topics that I’ve been dying to ask Dorian since I was a teenager. We discuss specific workouts, how he warms up, the realities of PEDs, common mistakes, his relationship to pain, self-talk when setting records (or bouncing back), his favorite books, and much more.  We don’t dodge controversy and get into plenty of details.

Enjoy!

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”

Want to hear another episode about building muscle and strength? — Listen to this interview with Charles Poliquin. In this episode, we discuss, muscle-building techniques, how to become stronger, warmup routines, why people struggle to lose fat, and more (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by Soothe.com, the world’s largest on-demand massage service. Because I’ve been broken so many times, I have body work done at least once a week — so I have a high bar for this stuff. I do not accept mediocrity, and I wouldn’t expect you to, either.

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Whether for personal use or business, you’re in good company with WordPress — used by The New Yorker, Jay Z, FiveThirtyEight, TechCrunch, TED, CNN, and Time, just to name a few. A source at Google told me that WordPress offers “the best out-of-the-box SEO imaginable,” which is probably why it runs nearly 30 percent of the Internet. Go to WordPress.com/Tim to get 15% off your website today!

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Dorian Yates:

DY Nutrition | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

A former inmate describes what life was like at Whatton Detention Centre in the ’70s, where Dorian wound up after a youthful indiscretion.
Dorian Yates: Inside the Shadow documentary at London Real
Portrait of Dorian Yates: A Warrior’s Story by Dorian Yates and Peter McGough
The old “Dungeon” Temple Gym in Birmingham vs. the new Temple Gym.
Dorian Yates Workout Routine, Diet Plan and Training Philosophy by James Gold, Born to Workout
Dorian Yates — The Most Insane Train via BodybuildersforLife
Dorian Yates Legs Day in the Temple Gym via World Bodybuilder Workout
DY HIT (Dorian Yates High Intensity Training) Bodybuilding Certification
Dorian Yates demonstrating a bent-over barbell row.
This is what Dorian Yates’s Christmas tree looks like.
1990 IFBB Night Of The Champions results
Lee Haney vs. Dorian Yates — The Greatest Olympia Rivalry That Never Was by Peter McGough, Muscular Development
The Nautilus Bulletins by Alan Stuart Radley and Arthur Jones
If You Like Exercise…Chances Are You’re Doing It Wrong: Proper Strength Training for Maximum Results by Gary Bannister
Lee Haney vs Dorian Yates Posing, Mr. Olympia 1991 via Fitness Trainer
Dorian Yates Talks Yoga via London Real
Dorian Yates Mr. Olympia 1993
Gentlemen Prefer Body-builders! Pictures Reveal How Marilyn Monroe Kept Her Iconic Figure in Shape with Weights and a Bizarre Diet by Ashley Collman, The Daily Mail
The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
Dorian Yates — Effects of Steroids & Health via London Real
Testosterone & Ageing — Dorian Yates on Steroids via London Real
Chris Bell’s Bigger, Stronger, Faster documentary
The Handbook of the Navigator: What is God, the Psychic Connection to Spiritual Awakening, and the Conscious Universe by Eric J. Pepin
Meditation within Eternity: The Modern Mystics Guide to Gaining Unlimited Spiritual Energy, Accessing Higher Consciousness and Meditation Techniques for Spiritual Growth by Eric J. Pepin
Freedom Is Not Giving a F*ck — Inside the Shadow Teaser 
The Truman Show
Help Tim Ferriss Fund Research for the Treatment of Major Depression at Johns Hopkins

Show Notes

My first encounter with Dorian. [08:35]
Dorian takes us on his journey from farm boy to urban juvenile delinquent — and how he discovered a passion for weightlifting. [10:02]
Why is it hard to find pictures of Dorian smiling prior to 1997? [14:03]
How did Dorian get the nickname “The Shadow?” [15:32]
Dorian describes the gym (aka “The Dungeon”) in Birmingham where he built his physique. [17:02]
What did Dorian’s workout look like during his peak? [19:02]
Dorian describes a leg day workout. [21:01]
What it takes to get results. [25:53]
How much rest does Dorian take between sets? [27:52]
What is the right way to do a bent row, and what compelled Dorian to focus on this technique? [29:50]
On the role of tempo in lifting and the difference between weightlifting and bodybuilding. [33:53]
How did Dorian connect with high intensity training pioneer Mike Mentzer? [36:32]
Thoughts on Nautilus inventor and eccentric Arthur Jones. [37:15]
What are the most common misconceptions and mistakes Dorian observes in newcomers to high intensity training? [40:56]
Dorian explains what his life was like in 1990 when he placed second in his professional debut at IFBB Night of the Champions. [42:46]
What was Dorian’s self-talk like when he didn’t place first? [46:01]
On competing with personal hero Lee Haney, and what it takes to change from a mindset of reverence to rivalry. [48:53]
What was Dorian’s relationship with pain while competing from ’92 to ’97? [50:56]
How much water weight would Dorian lose in twenty-four to forty-eight hours prior to a competition? [53:01]
Did dehydration ever play a role in Dorian’s injuries? [53:58]
On setting goals: “Instead of saying something, get a pen, get a piece of paper, and write it down. It just makes it a hundred times more powerful.” [54:47]
For Dorian, what occurs between having a plan and putting that plan into action? [57:54]
What has Dorian changed his mind about since his competition days? [1:00:31]
Dorian talks about including yoga and how he feels better at 55 than he did at 35. [1:03:19]
What does Dorian wish he could change about his competition-era training program? [1:09:23]
What was Dorian’s Plan B if bodybuilding hadn’t panned out? [1:12:43]
What is the best way for women to build beautiful, lean muscle: higher reps with light weights, or lower reps with heavy weights? [1:13:56]
Differences in training and nutrition for steroid-enhanced vs. natural lifters. [1:19:55]
On dealing with clinical depression when injuries forced him into retirement. [1:29:25]
What helped Dorian emerge from this dark period? [1:32:08]
What is Dorian reading these days? [1:33:47]
What would Dorian’s billboard say? [1:39:44]

People Mentioned

Dan Gable
Brian Rose
Peter McGough
Mohammed Benaziza
Lee Haney
Mike Mentzer
Arthur Jones
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Casey Viator
Robby Robinson
Marilyn Monroe
Gal Ferreira Yates
Chris Bell
Mark Bell
Eric Pepin
Bruce Lee

Marie Kondo — The Japanese Tidying Master

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“You could say that tidying orders the mind while cleaning purifies it.”

– Marie Kondo

Marie Kondo (@MarieKondo, also known as “KonMari”) is a Japanese organizing consultant, author, and entrepreneur.

She developed a revolutionary method of organizing known as the KonMari Method, which consists of gathering together everything you own, one category at a time, and then keeping only those things that “spark joy” — as well as choosing a dedicated place to store them. Going far beyond a typical tidying how-to, her method is a way of life and a state of mind.

Marie captured the findings in her mega-best-selling books, including The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing and its follow-up, Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up. Her books have sold more than seven million copies and have been published in more than forty countries.

Kondo’s methods have become so famous that her last name has become a verb, ‘Kondo-ing,’ and people who share her specific values are referred to as ‘Konverts.’ She has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people.

Marie is also the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of KonMari Media Inc. (“KMI”), a US-based startup with a mission to “Organize the World” by combining the power of technology and a network of Konverts and partner organizations. KMI also recently launched a KonMari Consultant Training Program and certification process.

We dig into Shintoism, Marie’s upbringing, specific details of her method, and much more.

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”

Want to hear another podcast about changing your state of mind and increasing happiness? — Listen to this episode with Pete Adeney, AKA “Mr. Money Mustache.” Learn how Pete accomplished early retirement by optimizing all aspects of his lifestyle for maximal fun at minimal expense, and how he used basic index-fund investing to live off a mere $25-27,000 per year, and not feel in want of anything. (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. I have used them for years to create some amazing designs. When your business needs a logo, website design, business card, or anything you can imagine, check out 99Designs.

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If you don’t love your first pair of MeUndies, they’ll hook you up with a new pair or a refund. If you love the product, they have a subscription offer where you can save up to 33% after your first pair. Check out MeUndies.com/Tim to see all the different options.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Marie Kondo:

KonMari Media Inc. | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering by Marie Kondo
Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
What is Shinto?
The Origin Story of Marie Kondo’s Decluttering Empire by Barry Yourgrau, The New Yorker
Is It Possible to Declutter When You Have Kids? See Why Minimalism Expert Marie Kondo Says Yes by Lauren Levy, Popsugar
Marie Kondo: Basic Folding Method
Nyanko Aruaru
Hira Shimizu Yaki

Show Notes

Marie shares her background story: where and how she grew up. [08:02]
Marie has always had a fascination with organizing — even arranging books in the classroom during recess when her classmates went outside to play. Where did this fascination originate? [10:01]
We discuss Marie’s time as an attendant maiden at a Shinto shrine. [11:53]
How did Marie switch from “a discarding machine” to saving only things that give joy? [15:02]
When did tidying turn from hobby to livelihood? [19:47]
What is so important about “thanking” objects that are being discarded, and when did this start for Marie? [20:44]
What part of the KonMari Method do American fans tend to neglect? [24:03]
What are the most difficult possessions Marie has given up. [25:31]
Has anything in Marie’s thinking or process changed since becoming a mother? [26:12]
Organizing is not just for making your house clean or your room tidy; the end goal is to clarify your values. [29:50]
How would Marie recommend dealing with a family member who is a hoarder or clutter magnet? [30:20]
Are there any routines or practices Marie would use to instill kids with the habit of tidiness? [35:14]
How is the KonMari Method different from Minimalism? How does it tie in with Stoicism? [37:45]
How do we get rid of things we inherit from loved ones who have passed away? [39:31]
The order of categories Marie recommends when decluttering. [40:39]
How observing gratitude helps reduce guilt when sorting — and discarding — sentimental items. [41:16]
What are the most commonly misunderstood parts of the KonMari Method? [43:47]
What does Marie’s morning routine look like? [45:36]
What does Marie typically eat for breakfast? [49:26]
How Marie wraps up her day. [50:48]
What books have Marie gifted most? [52:47]
What would Marie’s billboard say? [53:57]
To prove Marie’s not as perfect as you might think she is, here’s a memorable failure that still haunts her. [54:28]
A purchase of less than $100 that has brought Marie a lot of joy? [59:52]
What comes to mind when Marie hears the word “successful?” [1:02:10]
A fitting epitaph? [1:03:14]
An ask of the audience. [1:05:04]
What are the most common novice mistakes that bring chaos back into people’s lives? [1:06:47]

People Mentioned

Seneca
Neale Donald Walsch

Cory Booker — Street Fights, 10-Day Hunger Strikes, and Creative Problem-Solving

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“Don’t feel powerless, ever.”

– Cory Booker

Cory Booker (@corybooker) is an American politician and the junior United States Senator from New Jersey.

I generally have an allergy to politics, but Cory’s story is endlessly fascinating (e.g., he’s faced down death threats from gangs, run into burning buildings, and much more), and we have a few years of history together.

We cover a lot in this wide-ranging catch-up conversation, including his diet, lessons from early mentors and athletics, routines, books that have had an impact, learning how to “street fight” in New Jersey after receiving a Rhodes Scholarship, and much more.

Cory began his political career as a city councilor from 1998 to 2002 in Newark, New Jersey’s largest city. He later served as mayor of Newark, which under his leadership entered its biggest period of economic growth since the 1960s — the first new downtown hotels were constructed in forty years, the first new office towers in twenty.

He then won the Senate Democratic primary in August of 2013, and then won the general election on October 16, 2013, becoming the first African-American U.S. Senator from New Jersey.

Cory is also the author of The New York Times bestseller United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”

Want to hear a podcast with an influencer in the world of politics? — Listen to my conversation with Ezra Klein. In this episode, we discuss influencing the rules of the game by which this country is run (overall politics — not partisan), how Ezra lost 60 pounds, and his ascension into the ranks of the most respected media companies in the world (stream below or right-click here to download):

This episode is brought to you by Exo Protein. These guys are making protein bars using cricket protein powder. Before you look disgusted, I bet they taste better than any protein bar you’ve ever had before! With recipes that were developed by a three-Michelin-star chef, the bars are paleo-friendly, with no gluten, no grains, no soy, no dairy, and they won’t spike your glycemic response. In fact, they’re less processed than any other protein bars you’ll find.

Exo Protein is offering a deep discount to Tim Ferriss Show listeners. If you go to ExoProtein.com/Tim, you can try a sampler pack with all of the most popular flavors for less than $10. This is a startup with limited inventory that sells out all the time, so act fast!

This podcast is also brought to you by FreshBooks. FreshBooks is the #1 cloud bookkeeping software, which is used by a ton of the start-ups I advise and many of the contractors I work with. It is the easiest way to send invoices, get paid, track your time, and track your clients.

FreshBooks tells you when your clients have viewed your invoices, helps you customize your invoices, track your hours, automatically organize your receipts, have late payment reminders sent automatically and much more.

Right now you can get a free month of complete and unrestricted use. You do not need a credit card for the trial. To claim your free month and see how the brand new Freshbooks can change your business, go to FreshBooks.com/Tim and enter “Tim” in the “how did you hear about us” section.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Cory Booker:

Official Senate Website | Campaign Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good by Cory Booker
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Timothy Ferriss
Cory’s episode of Finding Your Roots on PBS
Housing Discrimination Based on Race and Disabilities Still Persists by Hope A. Lang
Don’t Believe The Hype by Public Enemy
Cory Booker college football highlights from Stanford’s upset win over Notre Dame in 1990.
The Bridge Peer Counseling Center
“Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
How Far Apart Are Democrats and Republicans on School Reform? by Michael B. Henderson, Brookings
What My Morning Journal Looks Like
The Tim Ferriss Radio Hour: Meditation, Mindset, and Mastery
Newark Mayor Cory Booker to SNAP Critic: ‘Let’s Try It!’ by Steve Holt, TakePart
Sen. Cory Booker on the Spiritual Dimension of American Politics, The Ezra Klein Show
Real Life Extension: Caloric Restriction or Intermittent Fasting?
Gandhi: An Autobiography – The Story of My Experiments With Truth by Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi
Utilize the “Steel Man” Tactic to Argue More Effectively by Eric Ravenscraft, Lifehacker
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
Mark Zuckerberg’s Goal For 2014 Is To Write A Thank-You Note Every Day by Steve Kovach, Business Insider
How to Not Be Evil — Dr. Phil Zimbardo
StarPower — Use & Abuse of Power, Leadership & Diversity
Teach For America
New Jack City
Evicted, Newark’s Mayor Finds Another Blighted Street by Andrew Jacobs, The New York Times
Street Fight, the Oscar-nominated documentary about Cory’s 2002 mayoral campaign.
Cory Booker’s positions on policies related to drugs and addiction at OnTheIssues.org
Taking It to the Streets by Marc Peyser, Stanford Alumni
The Racist Housing Policy That Made Your Neighborhood by Alexis C. Madrigal, The Atlantic
Toxic Passaic River to Get $1.38 Billion Cleanup Over 10 Years By Noah Remnick and Rick Rojas, The New York Times
Time: The Kalief Browder Story
National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction
Cory Booker Joins Bernie Sanders in Backing Drug Re-Importation Bill by Ryan Grim, The Huffington Post
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
The Appalling Silence of Good People by PJ Mintner, The Huffington Post
QuestBridge
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet by Jesse Itzler
Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63 by Taylor Branch
Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Why We Have Dysfunctional Politicians by Paul Ratner, Big Think
The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith
Cory Booker: We Need to Love Each Other by Sara Ashley O’Brien, CNN

Show Notes

Even Cory Booker experiences imposter syndrome. [06:55]
When it comes to parents, Cory feels he “won the lottery.” [08:40]
Lessons Cory learned from his parents about being grateful and paying social debts forward. [10:50]
Cory talks about his college football career. [16:42]
What running a crisis hotline at Stanford taught Cory about empathy, counseling without judgment, and persuasion. [22:06]
Cory’s tactics for defusing tense situations and the importance of relating to our heroes. [29:45]
Cory talks about the benefits of intermittent fasting. [33:48]
How personal experimentation takes us out of our routines and expands our boundaries. [40:05]
On the idea of voluntarily experiencing life in an underprivileged community riddled with violence and drugs. [48:56]
“I’m not here to help; I’m here to learn.” Cory talks about the challenges of trying to make changes in Newark as an outsider. [53:58]
Cory explains the exclusionary policy of “redlining” that created slums, and the challenges these communities still face today. [1:12:06]
On bipartisanship and friendship with Chris Christie. [1:21:15]
What makes someone a good activist? [1:24:15]
“How to Get Straight A’s in College If You’re a Dumb Person” by Cory Booker and Tim Ferriss — coming soon to a bookstore near you! [1:26:45]
Is this podcast really one of the few spaces in America where people of all political persuasions can come together? [1:32:06]
Cory explains what a superfund is, and how it’s a symptom of deeper problems that need to be addressed from both sides of the political aisle. [1:32:39]
On the importance of Americans preserving “an irrational commitment” to one another. [1:36:07]
Even the mayor of Newark doesn’t get to cut in line to vote. [1:37:24]
As overwhelming as we might find the world’s problems, we can’t allow our inability to do everything undermine our determination to do something. [1:38:58]
Cory’s mission statement. [1:42:48]
Being successful at activism is like being successful at anything: start small and build momentum. [1:43:35]
Books Cory has gifted the most. [1:47:03]
A question Cory wishes more people would ask themselves. [1:49:45]
As a man of faith, Cory finds the frontiers of science to be very spiritual — and non-partisan. [1:50:39]
Has capitalism lost its way? [1:53:15]
Parting thoughts and Cory’s ask of the audience. [1:54:32]

People Mentioned

Cary Booker
Carolyn Booker
James Baldwin
Abraham Lincoln
Franklin D. Roosevelt
John F. Crowley
Lou Holtz
George Gipp
Rudy Ruettiger
Todd Lyght
Socrates
Donald Trump
Bryan Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Santa Claus
Ezra Klein
Dom D’Agostino
Valter Longo
Peter Attia
Mohandas Gandhi
Charles Darwin
Benjamin Franklin
Mark Zuckerberg
Phil Zimbardo
Virginia Jones
Sharpe James
Bryan Callen
Elaine Sewell
James Bevel
Dorothy Cotton
Bull Connor
Barbara Martinez
Kalief Browder
Chris Christie
Maya Angelou
Alice Walker
Toni Morrison
Jeff James
Ronald Reagan
Mitch McConnell
Bernie Sanders
Bryan Stevenson
Jesse Itzler
Taylor Branch
Matthew B. Klapper
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Adam Smith
Bill Bradley
Deb Fischer
Tim Scott
Rand Paul
Frank Hutchins

The Tim Ferriss Radio Hour: How to Control Stress, Upgrade Your Nutrition, and Build the Mindset of a Gladiator

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“You want to change your life fast? Then trade your expectation for appreciation; you’ll have a whole new life.”

-Tony Robbins

Welcome to the second installment of The Tim Ferriss Radio Hour.

After more than 200 conversations with the world’s top performers, you start to spot certain patterns. These are the shared habits, hacks, philosophies, and tools that are the common threads of success, happiness, health, and wealth.

These commonalities were the premise of my most recent book, The New York Times #1 bestseller Tools of Titans — a compilation of my favorite lessons, routines, and tips of many of my guests.

In this particular episode, I’ve gathered some of the best advice from past guests about fitness, nutrition, and wellness. This includes conversations with:

General Stanley McChrystal about thriving on one meal per day.
Tony Robbins about morning discipline and routines.
Wim Hof about consciously controlling his autonomic immune system.
Dominic D’Agostino about nutritional strategies for peak performers.

Without further ado, let’s get started. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Tim Ferriss Radio Hour!

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”

Want to hear another episode of The Tim Ferriss Radio Hour? In this episode, we explore meditation and mindfulness with Chase Jarvis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Harris, and Rainn Wilson (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by Audible. I have used Audible for years, and I love audiobooks. I have two to recommend:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Vagabonding by Rolf Potts

All you need to do to get your free 30-day Audible trial is go to Audible.com/Tim. Choose one of the above books, or choose any of the endless options they offer. That could be a book, a newspaper, a magazine, or even a class. It’s that easy. Go to Audible.com/Tim and get started today. Enjoy.

This podcast is also brought to you by Headspace, the world’s most popular meditation app (with more than four million users). It’s used in more than 150 countries, and many of my closest friends swear by it. Try Headspace’s free Take10 program — 10 minutes of guided meditation a day for 10 days. It’s like a warm bath for your mind. Meditation doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive, and it’s had a huge impact on my life. Try Headspace for free for a few days and see what I mean.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with General Stanley McChrystal:

Twitter | McChrystal Group

Connect with Tony Robbins:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Connect with Wim Hof:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Connect with Dr. Dominic D’Agostino:

KetoNutrition.org | Twitter | Facebook |University of South Florida

Episodes with General Stanley McChrystal: General Stan McChrystal on Eating One Meal Per Day, Special Ops, and Mental Toughness and General Stan McChrystal on Anti-War Americans, Pushing Your Limits, and The Three Military Tests You Should Take
Episodes with Tony Robbins: Tony Robbins: How to Suffer Less (and Invest Intelligently), Tony Robbins on How to Resolve Internal Conflict, Tony Robbins On Achievement Versus Fulfillment, Tony Robbins on Morning Routines, Peak Performance, and Mastering Money, and Tony Robbins and Peter Diamandis (XPRIZE) on the Magic of Thinking BIG
Compared with the size of my head, evidence suggests that Tony Robbins has substantial mitts.
Tony recommends cryotherapy products by JUKA, and Cryo Healthcare for people in Los Angeles.
Tony’s breathing routine, courtesy of Fast Company (at about 70:30)
Wim Hof’s appearance on the show: “The Iceman,” Wim Hof
Wim Hof: Farthest Swim under Ice, Guinness World Records
Wim Hof Breaks The World Record in an Ice Bath in New York City
Iceman Wim Hof on Kilimanjaro Summit
The Vice documentary about Wim Hof
Wim Hof the Iceman in Radboud Hospital Research Facility
The Wim Hof Method free three-part video mini class
Episodes with Dominic D’Agostino: Dom D’Agostino on Fasting, Ketosis, and the End of Cancer, Dom D’Agostino — The Power of the Ketogenic Diet, and Dom D’Agostino on Disease Prevention, Cancer, and Living Longer
How the Ketogenic Diet Weakens Cancer Cells by Dr. David Jockers, The Truth About Cancer
Exogenous ketones
Abbott Precision Xtra Glucose Monitor
Dom’s go-to resource for questions about the ketogenic diet
Quest Nutrition MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride) Powder Oil
Learn more about the modified Atkins Diet and Eric Kossoff at Johns Hopkins.

Show Notes

General Stanley McChrystal’s background, his one-meal-a-day regimen, and how I use intermittent fasting in my own life. [06:06]
Why does General McChrystal only eat one meal a day? [09:28]
General McChrystal’s former Aide-de-Camp Chris Fussell explains why his old boss’s diet isn’t for everyone. [11:24]
What exercises does General McChrystal include in his daily workout, and why? [13:39]
On the importance of working out daily as a leader in the military. [16:56]
An introduction to Tony Robbins and the idea of state priming. [18:54]
Tony’s morning routine and diet. [21:04]
Tony explains how cryotherapy helps mitigate the wear and tear of his active lifestyle. [23:14]
Tony’s daily priming ritual. [27:35]
On Wim Hof and his many qualifications for being called “the Iceman.” How his breathing methods have given me seemingly superhuman abilities (and the caution you should exercise if you choose to try them yourself). [33:59]
Wim’s first world record and his most challenging cold exposures. [36:13]
How does Wim deal with unexpected situations? [38:20]
How Wim controlled stress hormones and his autonomic immune response — and was able to teach others to do the same in well under a week. [40:22]
How Wim gets his trainees into a gladiator mindset. [44:15]
An introduction to Dr. Dominic D’Agostino and the ketogenic diet. [53:30]
What is ketosis? [57:16]
The implications of fasting, nutritional ketosis, and/or exogenous ketones for preventing/mitigating the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. [58:33]
Thoughts on getting big and strong while in a state of ketosis. [1:06:10]

People Mentioned

General Stanley McChrystal
Tony Robbins
Wim Hof
Dominic D’Agostino
Robert Gates
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Art De Vany
Ori Hofmekler
Walter Voegtlin
Loren Cordain
Chris Fussell
Rick Rubin
Sage Robbins
Oprah Winfrey
Russell Simmons
Ray Dalio
Laird Hamilton
Tim Noakes
David Blaine
Stephen D. Phinney
Eric Kossoff

How to Be Creative Like a Motherf*cker — Cheryl Strayed

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“One of the scariest things in our lives is actually doing what we know we want to do.”

– Cheryl Strayed

If you’re interested in the creative process of a famed author, jumpstarting your own creation, note taking, list making, or simply handling hard emotions, this episode is for you.  Recorded in front of a 2,000-plus person crowd at SXSW in Austin, Texas, this one was a blast.

My guest is Cheryl Strayed (@CherylStrayed), author of the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir Wild, the New York Times bestsellers Tiny Beautiful Things and Brave Enough, and the novel Torch. Her books have been translated into forty languages around the world. Wild was chosen by Oprah Winfrey as her inaugural selection for Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 and was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.

Strayed’s essays have been published in The Best American Essays, The New York Times, The Washington Post Magazine, Vogue, Salon, The Sun, Tin House, and elsewhere. Strayed is the co-host, along with Steve Almond, of the WBUR podcast Dear Sugar Radio, which originated with her popular Dear Sugar advice column. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Enjoy!

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”

Want to hear another podcast with a bestselling author? — Listen to my interview with Brené Brown.  In this episode, we discuss vulnerability, schools of philosophy, and creating a home run TED Talk (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by iD Commerce + Logistics. I’m asked all the time about how to scale businesses quickly. Rule number one: remove unnecessary bottlenecks. Many businesses can do so by outsourcing inventory management and fulfillment to a company that makes this its primary focus.

iD Commerce + Logistics is just such a company. It helps online retailers and entrepreneurs outgrow their competition by handling all types of details — from inventory to packing and shipping. I depended on iD to handle these types of details when I launched The 4-Hour Chef so I could focus on promoting the book. As a listener of this podcast, you can get up to $10,000 off your start-up fees and costs waived by visiting tim.blog/scale or idcomlog.com/tim.

This podcast is also brought to you by MeUndies. I’ve spent the last year wearing underwear from these guys 24/7, and they are the most comfortable and colorful underwear I’ve ever owned. MeUndies are designed in LA and made from sustainably-sourced MicroModal—a fabric 3 times softer than cotton. Even better, it includes free shipping.

If you don’t love your first pair of MeUndies, they’ll hook you up with a new pair or a refund. If you love the product, they have a subscription offer where you can save up to 33% after your first pair. Check out MeUndies.com/Tim to see my current faves (some are awesomely ridiculous, like the camo). That’s Meundies.com/Tim.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Cheryl Strayed:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Dear Sugar Radio

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
Wild (the movie with Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern)
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed
Torch by Cheryl Strayed
Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Cheryl’s Dear Sugar advice column
Dear Sugar, the Rumpus Advice Column #48: Write Like a Motherfucker
The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life by Timothy Ferriss
The ‘Painful Personal Toll Lung Cancer Has Taken on My Life’ by Cheryl Strayed, The Huffington Post
Memento mori: “Remember that you must die.”
Death Over Dinner
The Pacific Crest Trail
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
Lives of Girls and Women: A Novel by Alice Munro
New and Selected Poems, Volume One by Mary Oliver
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
Oprah Meets Cheryl Strayed for the First Time, Oprah Winfrey Network
Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss

Show Notes

A listener asks Cheryl: “What’s it like to know Tiny Beautiful Things saved lives — including mine?” [07:09]
Books are Cheryl’s religion. [08:27]
Cheryl describes her necklace and its significance. [12:29]
As a mother, how does Cheryl balance the need to nurture a sense of security for her children while encouraging them to go on their own quests of self-discovery? [14:17]
Quotes that have most resonated with readers and fans. [17:05]
Write like a motherfucker. [19:28]
Associating words like humility, acceptance, and surrender with strength and power. [20:21]
What is Cheryl’s writing process? [22:37]
As a self-described “binge” writer, what does a day blocked for writing look like? [26:41]
Writing from personal experiences can dig up painful memories, but so does therapy.  [31:26]
Prompts Cheryl has found to produce the most interesting writing from her students. [36:26]
Mechanisms, tricks, or habits Cheryl uses if she’s obstructed by writer’s block. [38:33]
Cheryl has said she thinks of mortality daily. What triggers these thoughts, and what do they motivate her to do — or prevent her from doing? [41:12]
On coping with her mother’s death and recognizing mortality as an inevitability rather than a tragedy. [46:22]
What was Cheryl’s process for answering questions for her Dear Sugar columns, and did she ever get questions she didn’t feel equipped to answer? [48:52]
Helping someone in need process an unanswerable question. [50:53]
Overcoming a difficult challenge — and uncovering clear truths — by making a list. [52:15]
The generosity of doing what we want to do. [56:02]
Cheryl is known for giving advice; who does she reach out to when she needs answers? [1:01:04]
On marriage: why did Cheryl stray? [1:05:05]
What would Cheryl say to someone hiking the Pacific Crest Trail today? [1:06:59]
Cheryl believes in restrospective fun — it’s the terrible things that happen when traveling that make the best stories for later. [1:08:13]
I believe in anticipatory fun — eighty percent of the enjoyment I get is planning and looking forward to travel. [1:10:16]
One to three books Cheryl would give to graduating students. [1:11:43]
Who or what comes to mind when Cheryl hears the word “successful?” [1:14:50]
Something Cheryl is currently trying to improve in her life. [1:16:22]
A purchase under $100 that had the most positive impact on Cheryl’s life. [1:17:40]
On the merits of learning by failure in the arts — but what often gets lost in translation. [1:21:08]
“Surrender to your own mediocrity.” [1:27:12]
Advice Cheryl would have for someone else whose memoirs were being made into a movie. [1:30:09]
Cheryl tells us her story about meeting Oprah for the first time. [1:33:13]
Cheryl closes with a writing project for us. [1:36:06]

People Mentioned

Oprah Winfrey
Reese Witherspoon
Laura Dern
Dalton Trumbo

Carver Strayed Lindstrom
David Foster Wallace
Leo Tolstoy
Po Bronson
Bobbi Lambrecht
Marco Littig
Brian Lindstrom
Claudia Rankine
Alice Munro
Mary Oliver
Nick Hornby
Ronald Nyland

The Secrets, Tactics, and Creative Processes of High Performers and Achievers — Debbie Millman

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“No amount of money, no amount of security is ever going to give you the sense that this is the right time.”

– Debbie Millman

This is round two for Debbie Millman, whose first interview on this show quickly became one of the most downloaded episodes of all time (listen to it here).

Graphic Design USA has named Debbie Millman (@debbiemillman) “one of the most influential designers working today.” She is also the founder and host of Design Matters, the world’s first and longest-running podcast about design, where she’s interviewed nearly 300 design luminaries and cultural commentators including Massimo Vignelli and Milton Glaser.

Debbie’s done it all. Her artwork has been exhibited around the world. She’s designed everything from wrapping paper to beach towels, greeting cards to playing cards, notebooks to t-shirts, and Star Wars merchandise to global Burger King rebrands.

Debbie is the President Emeritus of AIGA (one of only five women to hold the position in the organization’s one-hundred-year history), the editorial and creative director of Print magazine, and the author of six books. In 2009, Debbie co-founded (with Steven Heller) the world’s first masters program in branding at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, which has received international acclaim.

This time around, Debbie answers the most popular questions submitted by you, the listeners. Topics include:

How to turn down stability for opportunity.
How Debbie made the leap and continues to try new things.
How to outsmart the competition in any job.
The future of graphic design.
Debbie’s own personal creative process.
The most valuable lessons Debbie has learned about designing an ideal life for herself.

Here’s Debbie Millman’s round two. Enjoy!

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”

Want to hear my first episode with Debbie Millman? — Listen to this episode, where we discuss how to recover from rejection, how to overcome personal crises of faith, class exercises from her most impactful mentors, and much more. (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. I have used them for years to create some amazing designs. When your business needs a logo, website design, business card, or anything you can imagine, check out 99Designs.

I used them to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body, and I’ve also had them help with display advertising and illustrations. If you want a more personalized approach, I recommend their 1-on-1 service, which is non-spec. You get original designs from designers around the world. The best part? You provide your feedback, and then you end up with a product that you’re happy with or your money back. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade. Give it a test run…

This podcast is also brought to you by Wealthfront. Wealthfront is the future of financial advice. It’s become especially popular among my friends in Silicon Valley and across the country because it provides the same high-end financial advice that the best private wealth managers deliver to the ultra wealthy — but for any account size, at a fraction of the cost.

Wealthfront monitors your portfolio every day across more than a dozen asset classes to find opportunities for rebalancing and harvesting tax losses, and now manages more than $5B in assets. Unlike old-fashioned private wealth managers, Wealthfront is powered by innovative technology, making it the most tax-efficient, low-cost, hassle-free way to invest. Go to wealthfront.com/tim to take the risk assessment quiz, which only takes 2-5 minutes, and it’ll show you — for free — exactly the portfolio it would recommend. If you want to just take the advice and do it yourself, you can. Or, as I would, you can set it and forget it. Well worth a few minutes: wealthfront.com/tim. As a Tim Ferriss Show listener, you’ll get your first $15,000 managed for free if you decide to go with its services.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Debbie Millman:

Twitter | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Design Matters Podcast

How to Design a Life — Debbie Millman (Debbie’s first appearance on this show.)
Books by Debbie Millman
Why Everyone from Beethoven, Goethe, Dickens, Darwin to Steve Jobs Took Long Walks and Why You Should Too by Andrew Tate, Canva
Debbie’s Design Matters interview with Dani Shapiro
Debbie’s Design Matters interview with Su Mathews Hale
Afraid of Being ‘Found Out?’ How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome by Margie Warrell, Forbes
The Masters in Branding program at the School of Visual Arts
Sleep for Success: Creativity and the Neuroscience of Slumber by Joanne Cantor Ph.D, Psychology Today
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Elf
Friends of the High Line
Ulysses by James Joyce

Show Notes

What if, while writing out what life will look like in ten years (Debbie’s exercise from the first episode), multiple potential lives emerge? How do you choose the best one? [06:57]
Is there a right time to turn down stability for opportunity? [08:27]
How can someone avoid becoming a commodity and stand out in a ruthlessly competitive market? [13:23]
The future is not specific to — or barred from — any discipline. [15:14]
How can we prevent ourselves from being paralyzed by the act of creation — especially when we feel like our work pales in comparison to the work of others? [15:34]
How does Debbie cope with imposter syndrome? [18:03]
What’s the one thing you want more than anything that you’re willing to sacrifice everything else to get? [18:40]
What is Debbie’s creative process? [20:37]
The intentional first impression. [22:23]
How does Debbie ensure a healthy balance between work and play? [29:26]
Debbie’s favorite visual artists? [33:10]
Common threads Debbie has noticed in her interviews with creative high achievers. [33:24]
What are the qualities of a good design student? [34:51]
Who’s the first person to come to mind when Debbie hears the word “successful?” [35:23]
Something Debbie believes that other people think is insane. [36:02]
Favorite documentary or movie. [36:32]
Morning rituals: her first sixty minutes of the day. [36:59]
Obsessions explored on evenings and weekends. [37:31]
Best investment of time, money, energy, or other resources. [37:52]
Notable quotes Debbie lives by or thinks of often. [38:43]
What would Debbie’s billboard say? [39:26]
What advice would Debbie give her younger self? [40:43]

People Mentioned

Massimo Vignelli
Milton Glaser
Seth Godin
Dani Shapiro
Su Mathews Hale
David Bowie
Steven Heller
Malcolm Gladwell
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Deborah Kass
Woody Allen
Jeff Spicoli
James Joyce

Ricardo Semler — The Seven-Day Weekend and How to Break the Rules

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“If you are giving back, it’s because you’ve taken too much.”

– Ricardo Semler

Ricardo Semler (@ricardosemler) is the former CEO of Semco Partners, a Brazilian company best known perhaps for its radical form of industrial democracy and corporate re-engineering.

During his leadership, Semco grew from four million in 1982 to two hundred and twelve million in 2003. His innovative — but very controversial — business management policies have attracted widespread interest from all over the world.

He is the best-selling author of Maverick: The Success Story Behind the World’s Most Unusual Workplace and The Seven-Day Weekend: A Better Way to Work in the 21st Century (not to be confused with another book titled in an admittedly similar fashion).

Ricardo recently started a podcast called LeadWise, where he has conversations with leaders about “challenging assumptions and changing how we live and work.”

Entrepreneurship and education are just two of the topics discussed in this wide-ranging conversation. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Ricardo Semler as much as I did!

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”

Want to hear another episode with a successful entrepreneur influenced by Ricardo Semler? — Listen to this interview with David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH), which has already been downloaded nearly 1.5 million times. In this episode, DHH shares his thoughts on the power of being outspoken, running a profitable business without venture capital, Stoic philosophy, and much more (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by FreshBooks. FreshBooks is the #1 cloud bookkeeping software, which is used by a ton of the start-ups I advise and many of the contractors I work with. It is the easiest way to send invoices, get paid, track your time, and track your clients.

FreshBooks tells you when your clients have viewed your invoices, helps you customize your invoices, track your hours, automatically organize your receipts, have late payment reminders sent automatically and much more.

Right now you can get a free month of complete and unrestricted use. You do not need a credit card for the trial. To claim your free month and see how the brand new Freshbooks can change your business, go to FreshBooks.com/Tim and enter “Tim” in the “how did you hear about us” section.

This podcast is also brought to you by Wealthfront. Wealthfront is a massively disruptive (in a good way) set-it-and-forget-it investing service, led by technologists from places like Apple and world-famous investors. It has exploded in popularity in the last two years and now has more than $5B under management. In fact, some of my good investor friends in Silicon Valley have millions of their own money in Wealthfront. Why? Because you can get services previously limited to the ultra-wealthy and only pay pennies on the dollar for them, and it’s all through smarter software instead of retail locations and bloated sales teams.

Check out wealthfront.com/tim, take their risk assessment quiz, which only takes 2-5 minutes, and they’ll show you — for free — exactly the portfolio they’d put you in. If you want to just take their advice and do it yourself, you can. Or, as I would, you can set it and forget it.  Well worth a few minutes: wealthfront.com/tim.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Ricardo Semler:

Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | LeadWise Podcast | LeadWise at Twitter | LeadWise at Facebook

The Seven-Day Weekend: A Better Way to Work in the 21st Century by Ricardo Semler
My homemade index (page 1

and page 2) from The Seven-Day Weekend
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
Maverick: The Success Story Behind the World’s Most Unusual Workplace by Ricardo Semler
David “DHH” Heinemeier Hansson: The Power of Being Outspoken (You may remember DHH talking about Ricardo and his influence.)
Semco Partners
MIT Sloan School of Management
The Travels of Marco Polo by Marco Polo and Peter Harris
Parables and Paradoxes by Franz Kafka
Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle by C.G. Jung and R.F.C. Hull
The Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau: Canoeing in the Wilderness, Walden, Walking, Civil Disobedience and More by Henry David Thoreau
Before the Law by Franz Kafka
Dune by Frank Herbert
Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
De Divina Proportione (On the Divine Proportion) by Luca Pacioli and Leonardo da Vinci
Ricardo’s TED Talk: How to Run a Company with (Almost) No Rules
Self-Made Wealth in America: Robber Barons and Silicon Sultans, The Economist
Melanoma skin cancer
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Winston Churchill’s Egyptian Getaway: The Old Cataract Hotel by Lauren Bohn
Head Shaved, Ex-Billionaire Batista Jailed in Rio de Janeiro by David Biller, Bloomberg Politics
Oscar Pistorius Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Girlfriend’s Murder by Tim Hume, Faith Karimi, and Nick Thompson, CNN
Prices for 1959 Chateau Mouton Rothschild
The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious by C.G. Jung and R.F.C. Hull
Holy Bible, King James Version
The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works by William Shakespeare
The Complete Up Series

Show Notes

Ricardo tells us about his background: a refugee mother, a “miracle” birth, rock bands, law school, and inheriting a failing business. [08:07]
The big decision Ricardo made to turn his company around. [15:10]
In retrospect, was this decision rash, courageous, or simply the only option at the time? [19:46]
What does “Virando a Propria Mesa” mean? [21:40]
On asking “three whys in a row.” [23:10]
Ricardo wrote his first book (which became Maverick) in nine days. [26:28]
What’s the “right” way to fire someone? [30:29]
What changes are made once the “three whys” have cleared the way? [33:13]
How a small team with limited resources tests the processes that allow it to breathe and expand. [42:15]
Common mistakes made when scaling a business, and the importance of testing processes impartially. [47:14]
Books that could save civilization. [50:03]
Ricardo relays one of his favorite Kafka parables. [55:10]
On burning accolades from his past at age 50. [57:56]
Maximum personal wealth, and why no collector can ever be happy. [1:02:14]
Dark times and difficulties overcome. [1:15:19]
Does Ricardo rely on any guiding philosophies for handling tough or unpredictable situations? [1:19:17]
Processes over goals, and the purpose of what Ricardo calls “Terminal days.” [1:22:44]
Finances and a lifestyle directed by the wisdom of Swiss bankers and The Little Prince. [1:27:04]
“There’s nothing else of any importance while there’s a speck in your eye.” [1:32:09]
Ricardo’s morning ritual hasn’t involved an alarm clock for many years. [1:33:02]
“Absurdly wonderful” things Ricardo loves doing. [1:36:19]
The ephemeral nature of risk and consequences — both positive and negative. [1:38:04]
On enjoying the passing of time as the meaning of life (with thanks to James Taylor). [1:44:35]
What was the pattern interrupt that prompted Ricardo to stop collecting wine? [1:49:17]
Favorite documentary. [1:54:53]
What would Ricardo teach a disadvantaged ninth grade class? [1:58:51]
What would Ricardo’s billboard say? [2:02:28]
Parting thoughts and encouragement for listeners to get past misgivings to make desired changes. [2:03:50]

People Mentioned

Renee Weinmann
Antonio Semler
Sigmund Freud
Lee Iacocca
Akio Morita
Marco Polo
Franz Kafka
Carl Jung
Henry David Thoreau
Leonardo da Vinci
Luca Pacioli
Bill Gates
Warren Buffett
John D. Rockefeller
Andrew Carnegie
Cornelius Vanderbilt
Donald Trump
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Winston Churchill
Franklin D. Roosevelt
William J. Clinton
Oscar Pistorius
James Taylor
Heinrich Himmler
Adolf Hitler
William Shakespeare
Michael Apted
João Doria

The Lion of Olympic Weightlifting, 62-Year-Old Jerzy Gregorek (Also Featuring: Naval Ravikant)

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“Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.”

– Jerzy Gregorek

Jerzy Gregorek (@TheHappyBody) immigrated from Poland to the United States with his wife, Aniela, in 1986 as political refugees. He subsequently won four World Weightlifting Championships and established one world record.

In 2000, Jerzy and Aniela founded UCLA’s weightlifting team. As co-creator of The Happy Body Program, Jerzy has been mentoring people for more than 30 years.

In 1998, Jerzy earned an MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. His poems and translations have appeared in numerous publications, including The American Poetry Review. His poem Family Tree was the winner of Amelia magazine’s Charles William Duke Long Poem Award in 1998.

Naval Ravikant (@naval) also joins us on this podcast, as he introduced me to Jerzy. Naval is the CEO and a co-founder of AngelList. He is an active angel investor and has invested in more than 100 companies. His deals include Twitter, Uber, Yammer, Postmates, Wish, Thumbtack, and OpenDNS, which Cisco bought for $635 million in cash.

As always, I hope you enjoy this episode!

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”.

Want to hear another episode with Naval Ravikant? — Listen to his first appearance on the podcast. In this episode, we discuss the habits and behaviors of highly successful and happy people (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by Audible. I have used Audible for years, and I love audiobooks. I have two to recommend:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Vagabonding by Rolf Potts

All you need to do to get your free 30-day Audible trial is go to Audible.com/Tim. Choose one of the above books, or choose any of the endless options they offer. That could be a book, a newspaper, a magazine, or even a class. It’s that easy. Go to Audible.com/Tim and get started today. Enjoy.

This podcast is also brought to you by Wealthfront. Wealthfront is the future of financial advice. It’s become especially popular among my friends in Silicon Valley and across the country because it provides the same high-end financial advice that the best private wealth managers deliver to the ultra wealthy — but for any account size, at a fraction of the cost.

Wealthfront monitors your portfolio every day across more than a dozen asset classes to find opportunities for rebalancing and harvesting tax losses, and now manages more than $5B in assets. Unlike old-fashioned private wealth managers, Wealthfront is powered by innovative technology, making it the most tax-efficient, low-cost, hassle-free way to invest. Go to wealthfront.com/tim to take the risk assessment quiz, which only takes 2-5 minutes, and it’ll show you — for free — exactly the portfolio it would recommend. If you want to just take the advice and do it yourself, you can. Or, as I would, you can set it and forget it. Well worth a few minutes: wealthfront.com/tim. As a Tim Ferriss Show listener, you’ll get your first $15,000 managed for free if you decide to go with its services.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Jerzy Gregorek:

Twitter | Amazon | The Happy Body | YouTube

Connect with Naval Ravikant:

AngelList | Startup Boy Blog | Twitter

The Person I Call Most for Startup Advice (my first podcast with Naval)
The Happy Body: The Simple Science of Nutrition, Exercise, and Relaxation by Aniela Gregorek and Jerzy Gregorek
Video testimonials from Happy Body clients across all ages.
Marco Polo Black Tea
Native Foreigners: Jewish-Polish Poetry Between the World Wars by Aniela Gregorek and Jerzy Gregorek
The Happy Body Flexibility Test
The Happy Body: Food For Your Soul by Jerzy Gregorek
A video of Jerzy showing how to maintain good posture while aging.
The Happy Body Exercise Program Poster by Aniela Gregorek, Jerzy Gregorek, and Alex Atkins
The Making of a Martyr — The Murder of Father Jerzy Popieluszko by Chris Sibilla, Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training
Amazing Grace
The Happy Body: Mastering Food Choices by Jerzy Gregorek
The Happy Body: Mastering Exercise Choices by Jerzy Gregorek
Squats Are Safe, But You’re Probably Doing Them Wrong by Mark Rippetoe, The Huffington Post
Gold’s Gym in Venice, CA
How Not to Write: The Essential Misrules of Grammar by William Safire
Tae Bo
The Karate Kid Part III
Transcendental Meditation
Thais: Meditation by Jules Massenet
Plato’s chariot allegory

Show Notes

Introductions and “Victor” unmasked. [06:44]
Reconditioning an overweight, out-of-shape 64-year-old with hip and shoulder replacements into a flexible 74-year-old capable of high-speed snatches. [07:33]
What I need to work on. [14:48]
What Naval has learned from Jerzy and Aniela. [16:26]
Jerzy shares his age, weight, body fat, and other stats. [17:06]
Naval and I recall our first meetings with Jerzy. [19:44]
Jerzy tells the story about how The Happy Body program came about. [21:45]
The importance of flexibility, strength, speed, and posture at any age. [23:26]
The physical and mental progress a young man with cerebral palsy has made under Jerzy’s training. [25:42]
Jerzy’s poetry. [31:23]
How Jerzy helped me achieve perfect posture. [32:34]
Winning in small increments. [35:16]
How Jerzy’s morning routine made me the most flexible person in my yoga class. [37:04]
Jerzy explains the mindful structure of The Happy Body program and its meditative benefits. [38:43]
On Solidarity, political upheaval, unconditional love, and poetry. [47:34]
Why Jerzy believes that people who struggle with weight loss need poetry. [1:00:40]
Jerzy recites “Who Cannot,” a poem he wrote that was prompted by a woman who said she had no time for exercise. [1:04:58]
Naval and I agree: Jerzy is an expensive trainer, but a cheap therapist. [1:11:18]
“Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.” [1:13:03]
The rusty hinge analogy. [1:20:11]
The fastest soup eater in the east. [1:23:12]
How does a “social beast” like Jerzy control his desire to eat everything on the menu? [1:31:40]
How an accidental introduction to weightlifting reclaimed Jerzy from three years of blackout drunk alcoholism. [1:36:28]
How The Happy Body workout helped break Naval’s drinking habit. [1:41:36]
On daily routines and triple happiness. [1:42:30]
What is Jerzy’s daily diet? [1:44:41]
Family history, a change in diet, and a medical emergency averted. [1:53:37]
Comparing autopsy results between someone with an average lifespan and someone who lived to be more than 120. [2:00:23]
Jerzy is 62 and has never had knee problems. Here’s why. [2:04:12]
It’s more important to maintain focus on the positives we’re trying to achieve rather than the negatives we’re trying to leave behind. [2:13:53]
Why Jerzy ends a workout with Massenet’s Thais: meditation and lavender oil. [2:18:11]
Dialogues between the master and the fatalist: choosing one potato over two. [2:27:26]
Try to surround yourself with people who avoid these three things: sarcasm, complaining, and blaming. [2:36:45]
Parting thoughts from Naval and Jerzy on the “second” body and being present. [2:39:00]

People Mentioned

Aniela Gregorek
Marco Polo
Wojciech Jaruzelski
Jerzy Popieluszko
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Billy Robertson
Michael McCullough
Jeanne Calment
Christopher Sommer
Billy Blanks
Thomas Ian Griffith
Jules Massenet
Plato
Donald Trump

Conquering Fear and Reducing Anxiety – Caroline Paul

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“Tragedies are the result of a series of small forks in the road.”

– Caroline Paul

Caroline Paul (@carowriter) returns to the podcast by popular demand for a round 2 Q&A. (You can catch her first appearance here.)

Caroline is the author of four published books. Her latest is the New York Times bestseller The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure.

Once a young scaredy-cat, Caroline decided that fear got in the way of excitement, confidence, and self-reliance. She has since flown planes, climbed tall mountains, and fought fires as one of the first female firefighters in San Francisco.

In this episode, Caroline answers your most popular questions, including:

The best starting point for overcoming your fears
How to stay focused in the moment and not let your mind create anxiety and stress
Her biggest life-changing experiences
Coping strategies for dealing with life’s most difficult events
And much, much more!

I hope you enjoy this round 2 Q&A with Caroline Paul.

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Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”

Want to hear another conversation with Caroline Paul? — Listen to her first appearance on the podcast. In this episode, we discuss various types of fear and how to overcome them, using stories, habits, and tactics.(stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by Four Sigmatic. I reached out to these Finnish entrepreneurs after a very talented acrobat introduced me to one of their products, which blew my mind (in the best way possible). It is mushroom coffee featuring chaga. It tastes like coffee, but there are only 40 milligrams of caffeine, so it has less than half of what you would find in a regular cup of coffee. I do not get any jitters, acid reflux, or any type of stomach burn. It put me on fire for an entire day, and I only had half of the packet.

People are always asking me what I use for cognitive enhancement right now — this is the answer. You can try it right now by going to foursigmatic.com/tim and using the code Tim to get 20 percent off your first order. If you are in the experimental mindset, I do not think youíll be disappointed.

This podcast is also brought to you by Wealthfront. Wealthfront is the future of financial advice. It’s become especially popular among my friends in Silicon Valley and across the country because it provides the same high-end financial advice that the best private wealth managers deliver to the ultra wealthy — but for any account size, at a fraction of the cost.

Wealthfront monitors your portfolio every day across more than a dozen asset classes to find opportunities for rebalancing and harvesting tax losses, and now manages more than $5B in assets. Unlike old-fashioned private wealth managers, Wealthfront is powered by innovative technology, making it the most tax-efficient, low-cost, hassle-free way to invest. Go to wealthfront.com/tim to take the risk assessment quiz, which only takes 2-5 minutes, and it’ll show you — for free — exactly the portfolio it would recommend. If you want to just take the advice and do it yourself, you can. Or, as I would, you can set it and forget it. Well worth a few minutes: wealthfront.com/tim. As a Tim Ferriss Show listener, you’ll get your first $15,000 managed for free if you decide to go with its services.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Connect with Caroline Paul:

Twitter| CarolinePaul.com| Gutsy Girl Club on Instagram | The Gutsy Girl Website

How to Overcome Fear — Lessons from Firefighter and Luger, Caroline Paul (her first appearance on this show)
The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure by Caroline Paul, illustrated by Wendy MacNaughton
Brave Is Built, Not Born: Why We All Need Microbravery Now by Rachel Simmons, Girls Leadership
Fighting Fire by Caroline Paul
Why Boys Should Read Girl Books by Caroline Paul
Sea Kayaking in Baja by Andromeda Romano-Lax
Cessna
This is what it looks like when you go paragliding off a mountain top.
Denali National Park & Preserve

Show Notes

If you’re trying to change your relationship with fear, where do you start? [05:43]
Suggestions for people who work in the emergency medical community. [11:09]
What’s the best gift to get a firefighter? [17:19]
How does Caroline focus and stay rooted in the present? [19:39]
The Checklist Theory and coping strategies for exposure to horrific human events. [24:16]
Avoiding gender bias with kids. [27:44]
What adventures have been most life-changing for Caroline — and why? [32:41]
What is Caroline’s nighttime routine? [37:27]
Why did Caroline start flying, and what made her switch from Cessnas to paragliders to ultralights? [38:36]
While firefighting or adventuring, has Caroline ever been trapped or in need of rescue? [45:03]

People Mentioned

William Shakespeare
Amelia Earhart