Timothy Ferriss's Blog, page 86
May 22, 2016
Lessons from War, Tribal Societies, and a Non-Fiction Life (Sebastian Junger)
“The point of journalism is to tell the truth. It is not to improve society. There are facts and truths that feel regressive, but that doesn’t matter. The point of journalism isn’t to make everything better; it’s to give people accurate information about how things are.” – Sebastian Junger
“Who would you die for? What ideas would you die for?” – Sebastian Junger
If you want a better understanding of warriors, tribal societies, human nature, and what we can learn from it all, this is for you.
My podcast guest is Sebastian Junger (@sebastianjunger), the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Perfect Storm, Fire, A Death in Belmont, War, and Tribe. As an award-winning journalist, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, and a special correspondent at ABC News, he has covered major international news stories around the world and has received both a National Magazine Award and a Peabody Award. Junger is also a documentary filmmaker whose debut film “Restrepo,” a feature-length documentary (co-directed with Tim Hetherington), was nominated for an Academy Award and won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.
“Restrepo,” which chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley, is widely considered to have broken new ground in war reporting. Junger has since produced and directed three additional documentaries about war and its aftermath.
In this episode, we cover rites of passage (and their importance), warfare, the art of great non-fiction writing, PTSD, evolutionary biology, and much more.
Some of the topics will no doubt offend many of you, and this is a good thing. I urge you to bite your lip, if need be, and listen to the entire episode. There are gems within, including hilarious stories, surprising statistics, and tear-jerking epiphanies.
If you only have 5 minutes and are rushed for time, check out this short segment about the surprising psychological effects of war.
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 providing insights from lessons learned at war? — Listen to my conversation with Jocko Willink. He might be the scariest Navy SEAL alive. Learn what he taught me (stream below or right-click here to download):
This podcast is brought to you by FreshBooks. FreshBooks is a 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, 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 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. 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.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What documentaries have you enjoyed the most? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Selected Links from the Episode
Learn more and connect with Sebastian Junger:
Selected interviews with Sebastian Junger:
Outside – Sebastian Junger is Done Talking About War | Outside – The Path of Most Resistance
Watch Sebastian Junger’s TED talks:
Our Lonely Society Makes it Hard to Come Home from War
Check out this biography of Thomas Paine by Craig Nelson
Letters from a Stoic by Seneca (on Audible)
Sebastian Junger’s first published piece, Towing the Line
Learn more about the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency
Read the Paris Review’s interview with John McPhee, The Art of Nonfiction No. 3
Writing something? Try out Scrivener
Learn more about Pontiac’s Rebellion
At Play in the Fields of the Lord and The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
Show Notes
On Thomas Paine and stoic philosophy [6:11]
The “chainsaw story” and how it supported his writing career [8:09]
On athleticism and long distance running [12:31]
How to develop a writing style [13:31]
Why Sebastian Junger was drawn to journalism [15:09]
Sebastian Junger’s writing style and the importance of structure [19:08]
Commencement speech advice to those leaving high school [32:07]
What inspired Sebastian Junger to go into a war-torn country [36:07]
What are “skin walkers” [39:15]
On striving for political correctness in gender [43:59]
The Iroquois’s process for peace and how it relates to modern politics [50:29]
Thoughts on the psychiatric effects of war [59:04]
Thoughts on bringing primitive, war-time cohesion into our modern society [1:04:09]
PTSD, the C-Train, and returning to New York City after being at war [1:08:14]
On the lonely nature of society [1:12:01]
On the prevalence of PTSD in elite special forces units vs. support units [1:19:25]
How to “support the troops” [1:26:19]
The story of Spain and the viking helmet [1:31:13]
Thoughts on developing male closeness while decreasing violence [1:39:19]
Thoughts on veterans becoming victims in society after they return from war [1:43:49]
Photography/videography habits and the moment Sebastian became a war reporter [1:48:55]
The story of Tim Hetherington and why Sebastian Junger stopped war reporting [1:54:07]
The future of writing for Sebastian Junger [1:57:47]
One thing anyone can do for a military veteran [1:59:01]
When you think of the word successful, who is the first person who comes to mind and why? [2:04:02]
How do you define courage? [2:04:12]
Most gifted books [2:04:20]
What do your close friends say you’re exceptionally good at? [2:05:22]
If you could combine 3 different writers into one writer to create your ultimate writer, who would they be and why? [2:06:04]
Advice to your younger self [2:06:33]
What recent purchase has most positively impacted your life? [2:08:11]
Something you believe, even though you can’t prove it [2:10:44]
Habits and common practices of journalists you dislike [2:10:56]
What do you think your 70-year-old-self would advise your current self? [2:12:27]
How to know when you should write a book [2:14:58]
If you could put one billboard anywhere, where would you put it and what would it say? [2:16:22]
Final requests for the audience [2:18:27]
People Mentioned
Josh Waitzkin
John McPhee
Joan Didion
Peter Matthiessen
Ernest Hemingway
William Faulkner
Émile Durkheim
David M. Maddox
Tim Hetherington
Martin Luther King, Jr.
May 17, 2016
Assessing Risk and Living Without a Rope – Lessons from Alex Honnold
Photo by Jimmy Chin
“You take a dump into free space, and it just completely disappears.” – Alex Honnold
Alex Honnold (@alexhonnold, Facebook: /alexhonnold) is a professional adventure rock climber whose audacious free-solo (no ropes, no partner) ascents of America’s biggest cliffs have made him one of the most recognized and followed climbers in the world. Honnold is distinguished for his uncanny ability to control his fear while scaling cliffs of dizzying heights without a rope to protect him if he falls.
His most celebrated achievements include the first and only free-solo of the Moonlight Buttress (5.12d, 1,200 feet) in Zion National Park, Utah, and the Northwest Face (5.12a) of Half Dome (2,200 feet), in Yosemite, California.
In 2012, he achieved Yosemite’s first “Triple Solo”: climbing, in succession, the National Park’s three largest faces—Mt. Watkins, Half Dome and El Capitan—alone, and in under 24 hours.
He is also the founder of the Honnold Foundation, an environmental non-profit, and to this day, he maintains his simple “dirtbag-climber” existence, living out of his van and traveling the world in search of the next great vertical adventure.
If you want to laugh your ass off, listen to this hilarious 2-minute story from Alex.
Enjoy!
Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”
Interested in another conversation discussing death-defying climbing accomplishments? — Listen to my conversation with Jimmy Chin. In this episode, we learn from the athlete (and artist) who cheats death (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. 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 episode is also brought to you by Headspace, the world’s most popular meditation app (more than 4,000,000 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: How do you assess risk? Does your process differ in business, athletics and other areas of life? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Selected Links from the Episode
Connect with Alex Honnold:
Facebook | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Foundation
Learn more about Castle Rock State Park outside of Santa Cruz, CA
In Sacramento, CA? Check out Mark Bell’s Super Training Gym
Learn more about the Ram Promaster
Learn more about Romantic Warrior
Suggested climbing snacks: ZBar | Shot Bloks
Learn more about Marc-Andre Leclerc – Facebook | Blog
A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
Sacred Economics by Charles Eisenstein
Watch Meru
Video (and more video) of Alex climbing
Show Notes
The origin story of Alex Honnold [5:21]
Describing different types of rock climbing [8:44]
Why Alex Honnold was studying civil engineering [11:06]
If you had to pick a fixed location to live for 5 years, where would it be? [13:25]
On the ability to climb full-time or be a ‘dirt-bag climber’ [14:35]
Thoughts on the climbing industry and its popularity [17:43]
Self-talk for preparing for a challenging climb [20:41]
Philosophy and the benefits of living simply [22:41]
A funny “soloing” story [24:26]
Eating habits [27:29]
The most epic poop story – What happens when you have to take a shit on a big wall? [29:01]
The surprising self-care that is available when free soloing [31:56]
Alpinism and what it was like to be a beginner climber again [33:54]
How does Alex Honnold’s climbing differ from Jimmy Chin’s? [35:51]
Biggest climbing mentors [36:56]
Important elements to becoming a good climber [37:36]
The main ways to conserve energy when climbing [39:59]
What do you worry about? [41:44]
At what point do you stop working to make more money? [42:41]
Do you get depressed? [47:16]
Do you foresee a point in which you’ve accomplished all that you can in climbing? Is there always a “what’s next?” [48:47]
Approaches to improving elbow health [51:16]
Impressive climbers [52:40]
Do you ever have concerns about your influence on young climbers? [55:05]
On hitting the point where you decide to turn around and climb down [57:31]
The real story about the Yosemite freak out moment [59:25]
Best and worst jobs and deciding to stop attending Berkeley [1:02:44]
Favorite books [1:07:02]
On evaluating risk and managing fear [1:09:06]
Music for traveling and climbing [1:14:11]
When you think of the word successful, who is the first person who comes to mind and why? [1:19:16]
What people do you find inspirational? [1:19:35]
Food preparation and go-to dinners [1:22:26]
Morning rituals [1:23:38]
The lifestyle benefits of living in a van [1:24:23]
What recent purchase had the most positive impact on your life? [1:28:52]
Lessons learned from climbing [1:29:56]
At what climbing grades have you plateaued the most? [1:33:05]
If you could no longer climb, what would be your preferred physical activity? [1:35:42]
What, outside of free-soloing, are you world-class at? [1:36:50]
Advice to your younger self [1:38:03]
How Alex Honnold keeps his training journal [1:39:34]
What would you like your life to look like in 10 years? [1:41:23]
Pee bottles and how to live without a bathroom [1:41:49]
If you could have one billboard and place it anywhere, what would it say and where would it be? [1:43:28]
What have you changed your mind about in recent history? [1:44:36]
People Mentioned
Chris Sharma
Steph Davis
Peter Croft
Tommy Caldwell
John Bacher
Dean Potter
Bradford Washburn
Sébastien Foucan
May 13, 2016
How to Optimize Creative Output — Jarvis versus Ferriss
“Routine, in an intelligent man, is a sign of ambition.” – W. H. Auden
This episode is a conversation/debate/trading of ideas between Chase Jarvis (@ChaseJarvis) and yours truly. We discuss a little bit of everything, including:
Optimizing creative output
Systems thinking
Quota setting
Celebrating the small wins
Success for type-A personalities
Meditation techniques
Absurdity
The details of the struggles of creating a high level
And much, much more…
If you enjoy this conversation, then I recommend you check out creativelive.com/30daysofgenuis. Here you can find incredible videos from people like Richard Branson, Seth Godin, Brené Brown, and many more. It’s free. Sign up now.
If you sign up by Friday, May 13th at 11:59 p.m. PT, you are entered to win a mentorship from me, Chase, and 3 other high-level performers for a year. We will pick 1 winner on May 15, and I hope it’s you.
If you want a quick taste of what’s in this episode, here’s a story (I’ve never shared before) about the closest I’ve come to drop-kicking someone.
Enjoy!
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 delving into tactics for enhancing creativity? — Listen to my conversation with Whitney Cummings. In this episode, we discuss how she uses pain as fuel for her creativity (stream below or right-click here to download):
This podcast is brought to you by FreshBooks. FreshBooks is a 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, 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 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. 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.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What is your biggest frustration with the creative process? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Selected Links from the Episode
Connect with Chase Jarvis: Website | YouTube | Twitter | Facebook
Mindfulness apps:
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Habit List to enhance your habits
Play It Away by Charlie Hoehn
Learn more about the tools I use for faster and better sleep
Check out f.lux for evening work
Two of my top podcasts:
Hardcore History | Here’s the Thing (shorter episode length)
Check out the Black Mirror TV series
Read my posts on dealing with “Productivity Hacks” and Thoughts on Suicide
Chimpanzee Politics by Frans de Waal
Waking Up by Sam Harris
The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz
Check out notable episodes of the Tim Ferriss Show:
Jamie Foxx | BJ Miller | Patrick Arnold
Arnold Schwarzenegger | Derek Sivers | Kevin Kelly
Check out The 4-Hour Life course on CreativeLive
Letters from a Stoic by Seneca
Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard P. Feynman
Watch Neil Gaiman’s commencement speech
Show Notes
On the success of The Tim Ferriss Show [5:56]
Systems inspired by Scott Adams [6:34]
How to use the question, “What would this look like if it were easy?” [9:08]
How can I set my ‘quota’ lower so that I can feel like I’m winning? [13:33]
How to celebrate the small wins [18:13]
Lionel Ritchie anecdotes [19:40]
Meditation techniques and practical tactics for dealing with the real world [23:38]
Absurdity as a synonym for creativity [29:17]
Why the masks people wear often tell us more about the person than the truth [33:03]
Details of our morning routines [40:58]
Evening routines and tools for better sleep [45:23]
How to deal with the negative or self-defeating voices in your head [50:53]
How to not “retreat into story” [55:24]
How to manage the complexities of life [59:28]
Why good content and good work is the best SEO in the world [1:05:18]
Why “It’s too late” is usually awful advice [1:06:20]
Embracing (and creating) the freedom to play and experiment [1:07:38]
A story that Tim has never told [1:11:03]
Why having certain constraints is necessary to actualize your highest potential [1:21:00]
How to use creative constraints to get rid of crutches and improve your craft [1:23:36]
If Tim could put up a billboard up anywhere, where would you put it and what would it say? [1:28:58]
Tim’s most-gifted book to friends, acquaintances, and family [1:29:27]
Something about Tim that most people would be surprised to learn [1:31:01]
People Mentioned
Scott Adams
Lionel Ritchie
Thích Nhất Hạnh
Kurt Vonnegut
Brené Brown
John McPhee
Stefan Sagmeister
May 9, 2016
The Secrets of Gymnastic Strength Training
This is what a GST athlete looks like.
“If the best in the world are stretching their ass off in order to get strong, why aren’t you?” – Christopher Sommer
If you loved the Pavel, Poliquin, or Dom D’Agostino episodes, you’ll love this one.
My guest this episode is Christopher Sommer (GymnasticBodies on Instagram/Facebook), former US national team gymnastics coach. He is also the founder of GymnasticBodies, a training system that I’m currently testing (and have no affiliation with). As a world-renowned Olympic coach, Sommer is known for building his students into some of the strongest, most powerful athletes in the world.
During his extensive 40-year coaching career, Coach Sommer took meticulous notes on his training techniques—his wins and failures—so that he could translate the best elements into a superior exercise system for both high-level and beginner athletes. His four decades of careful observation led to the birth of Gymnastics Strength Training™ (or GST).
In this episode, we cover A TON, including:
The 3-5 exercises everyone should be doing (you’ve never heard of some of them)
His opinions of kipping exercises, such as the kipping pull-ups common in CrossFit
What bodyweight goals non-gymnasts should target
Which exercises to remove from the gym entirely, at least in the first 6-12 months of training
How to optimize biceps strength and mass with straight-arm work
And much, much more…
I also asked Coach Sommer to gather some interesting stuff (samples, videos, etc.) at gymnasticbodies.com/tim, so take a gander. I don’t get any compensation for any of it; I just want people to consider more bodyweight training. I’ve found it revelatory and mind-expanding.
If you want some quick training tips, here are Coach Sommer’s mobility movements that will increase strength.
Enjoy!
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 on fitness and training from a world-class coach? — Listen to my conversation with Pavel Tsatsouline. In this episode, we discuss the science of strength and the art of physical performance (stream below or right-click here to download):
This episode is brought to you by Headspace, the world’s most popular meditation app (more than 4,000,000 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 episode is also 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 be able to 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!
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: Which of Coach Sommer’s tips or exercises would you like to learn more about? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Selected Links from the Episode
Learn more about Paradiso CrossFit
Learn more about Awaken Adult Gymnastics in Denver, Colorado
Listen to my conversation with Amelia Boone
Watch Allan Bower on the still rings
Learn more about Forma GST in the UK
Learn more about Robb Wolf
Listen to my interview with Paul Levesque (AKA Triple H)
Listen to my podcast with Tony Robbins
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Learn more about probiotics: Klaire probiotics | VSL3
Connect with Coach Sommer
GymnasticBodies.com | Instagram | Facebook
Show Notes
How to define Gymnastics Strength Training™ (GST) [7:54]
Types of strength that most non-gymnasts will not have [12:55]
Biggest mistakes made by those who self-teach handstands [16:30]
Top exercises for identifying weaknesses in strength and mobility [22:12]
The problem of focusing on muscular fatigue when training [35:07]
What is a pike pulse and why does it matter [44:26]
On kipping pull-ups [46:19]
Identifying solutions to pain [54:08]
The Jefferson curl [58:27]
Why weighted mobility work needs to be approached with a different level of intensity than conditioning work [1:03:31]
If someone is 35-years-old, a former athlete and never done gymnastics, what’s a good exercise and what should be avoided? [1:09:04]
3-5 joint mobility exercises for getting strong [1:14:52]
Preferred way to work on shoulder extension [1:21:37]
A good goal for those seeking to improve mobility [1:27:30]
Yoga handstands vs gymnastics handstands (aesthetics vs. gold medals) [1:30:34]
Who are some of the coaches who have impressed you the most? [1:37:39]
The story of Dmitry Bilozerchev and Alexander Alexandrov [1:38:01]
Differentiating immature athletes and mature athletes [1:47:05]
Training for success [1:50:34]
Describing the systematic approach to gymnastics strength training [1:53:41]
What exercises to avoid for the first 6 months of GST [2:02:11]
Breaking down the muscle-up [2:05:34]
Understanding the purpose of using various grips [2:10:27]
How do you mentally prep your athletes for a big competition? [2:18:49]
What questions would Coach Sommer ask a gymnastic coach before sending his/her children off to train with them [2:29:38]
What questions would Coach Sommer ask a gymnastic coach who trains adults? [2:34:24]
Balancing stretching and training time [2:37:19]
When you think of the word successful, who is the first person to come to mind and why? [2:42:36]
Most gifted books [2:48:56]
Morning rituals [2:52:05]
What would you put on a billboard? [2:56:41]
An ask or a request for the audience [3:02:41]
People Mentioned
Greg Glassman
Allan Bower
Dmitry Klokov
Dmitry Bilozerchev
Ivan Ivankov
Archilochus
Tony Robbins
Yuri van Gelder
May 4, 2016
The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
Photo credit: Michael Segal
“Just because you love something doesn’t mean you can’t suck at it.” – Mike Rowe
Mike Rowe (@mikeroweworks) is perhaps the best storyteller and pitchman I’ve ever had on the show.
You might know Mike from his eight seasons of Dirty Jobs, but that’s just a tiny piece of the story.
His performing career began in 1984 when he faked his way into the Baltimore Opera to get his union card and meet girls, both of which he accomplished during a performance of Rigoletto. His transition to television occurred in 1990 when — to settle a bet — he auditioned for the QVC Shopping Channel and was promptly hired after talking about a pencil for nearly eight minutes. There, he worked the graveyard shift for three years, until he was ultimately fired for making fun of products and belittling viewers. Now, he is a massively successful TV host, writer, narrator, producer, actor, and spokesman.
Why listen to this episode? You will learn:
Secrets of the perfect pitch
How Mike flew around the world for free (until he got caught)
Why to pursue opportunity instead of passion
How being different can help you win in business and life
The business of Mike Rowe
Favorite books, voice-over artists, and much, much more…
If you’re in a rush and just want a fantastic 5-minute story about his selling pencils for the QVC audition, click here.
Enjoy!
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 from someone transforming the way we enjoy modern storytelling? — Listen to my conversation with Dan Carlin of Hardcore History. In this episode, we discuss his meditation practice, morning routines, and creative process (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 audio books. 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 between more than 180,000 audio programs. 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 MeUndies. Have you ever wanted to be as powerful as a mullet-wearing ninja from the 1980’s, or as sleek as a black panther in the Amazon? Of course you have, and that’s where MeUndies comes in. I’ve spent the last six months wearing underwear from these guys 24/7, and they are the most comfortable and colorful underwear I’ve ever owned. Their materials are 2x softer than cotton, as evaluated using the Kawabata method. Check out MeUndies.com/Tim to see my current faves (some are awesomely ridiculous, like the camo).
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What did you do after high school? How do you feel that decision impacted your life? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Selected Links from the Episode
Five Complete Travis McGee Novels by John D. MacDonald
A Curious Discovery by John Hendricks
The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz
Dune by Frank Herbert
Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa
A Walk in the Woods, The Lost Continent, At Home and In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem
Levels of the Game and Giving Good Weight by John McPhee
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (on Audible)
About Face by Colonel David Hackworth and Julie Sherman
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
The Baron In The Trees by Italo Calvino
Listen to Dan Carlin’s Wrath of the Khans or Blueprint for Armageddon I
Learn more about Samasource
Listen to Mike Rowe’s Podcast:
iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play
Connect with Mike Rowe:
MikeRowe.com | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Foundation
Show Notes
Dirty Jobs and the surprising respectability of biting the balls off a sheep [7:22]
Developing the skill of impromptu performance [15:40]
How Mike Rowe started working at QVC [18:30]
Describing the QVC audition process and selling a pencil [21:00]
The distinguishing characteristics of the best sellers on QVC [24:12]
How Mike Rowe was fired from QVC three times [29:18]
American Airlines and unlimited access to first class travel [32:57]
On being a sanguine freelancer from the age of 28 to 42 [39:24]
When hubris led to a change [42:44]
On selling Dirty Jobs to Discovery and the authenticity critical to the show’s success [46:22]
Constraints, antagonists, and parameters for creative projects [57:06]
The Ford project [1:00:31]
Pursuing opportunities when you’re not passionate about the projects [1:02:41]
Daily practices or morning rituals [1:07:27]
Procrastination and managing distractions [1:09:38]
Most gifted books [1:13:34]
Most astonishing narration work [1:24:16]
While William Shatner was always ahead of his time [1:29:06]
Why do great storytellers find it hard to tell their own stories [1:33:07]
On starting “The Way I Heard It,” Mike Rowe’s podcast [1:39:22]
When you think of the word “successful,” who is the first person who comes to mind and why? [1:50:02]
If you could have a billboard anywhere with anything on it, what would it say? [1:50:55]
If you could have every high-school graduate in the US read/watch/consume 2-3 things, what would you prescribe? [1:55:41]
Advice to your 30-year-old self [2:10:56]
People Mentioned
Jeff Corwin
John Hendricks
Morgan Freeman
James Earl Jones
Peter Coyote
Ray Donovan
Liev Schreiber
Sally Kellerman
Orson Welles
William “Bill” Shatner
Paul Harvey
Ira Glass
Bruno Mars
April 30, 2016
Joshua Skenes — Playing with Fire
Photo: The Chronicle
“The answer is either yes or no. If it’s ‘no,’ then I have to start over.” – Joshua Skenes
Joshua Skenes (IG: @jskenes) has become famous for his use of fire.
As chef-owner of Saison in San Francisco (three Michelin stars), he has classical training and loves his high-end Japanese Nenohi knives, but nothing captures his imagination quite like the open flame. The back of his business card sports three words, stark on ivory stock:
Play with fire.
In this episode, we explore his obsessions: simplicity, food, and martial arts.
We became friends during the collaboration of The 4-Hour Chef, and this was a long overdue catch-up. Enjoy!
If you only have five minutes, listen to how he dealt with a last-minute catastrophe involving a sewage water flood.
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 where I discuss food with a world-class chef? — Listen to my conversation with Andrew Zimmern. In this episode, we discuss his meditation practice, morning routines, and creative process (stream below or right-click here to download):
This episode is brought to you by Headspace, the world’s most popular meditation app (more than 4,000,000 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 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. 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.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What questions about food or nutrition would you like me to cover in future podcast episodes or blog posts? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Enjoy!
Selected Links from the Episode
Check out Nenohi Knives
Learn more about Tang Soo Do and Baguazhang
Watch Meat Eater with Steve Rinella
Learn more about Kam Lee
Watch Chef’s Table (Francis Mallmann Trailer)
Seven Fires by Francis Mallmann
The Mission Chinese Food by Danny Bowien and Chris Ying
Escape to River Cottage
Cocktail Techniques by Kazuo Uyeda
12 Gems of the Pacific Northwest Coast
Learn more about Cliff Hodges and survival skills
9 Tricks for Getting a VIP Table
Connect with Joshua Skenes:
Saison | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Show Notes
What does the back of your business card currently say? [5:08]
Earliest memories of martial arts combined with cooking [6:22]
How do you use fire and why do you use it? [9:15]
Defining freshness in food [10:57]
On hunting, becoming a vegan, and returning to meat [13:05]
On studying bagua [18:19]
The impact of martial arts on Joshua Skenes’s cooking [22:53]
On reducing and simplifying [25:29]
What do you say to yourself when you get good or bad reviews? [29:08]
Describing the most exciting developments in cooking now [31:00]
Joshua Skenes’s biggest influences or mentors [33:46]
Starting Saison, the toughest times and catastrophe management [37:07]
Training and prep-talk for new members of the Saison staff [45:30]
The subway story [49:03]
Thoughts on Francis Mallmann and Chef’s Table [50:05]
Most gifted books [53:50]
When you think of the word ‘successful,’ who is the first person who comes to mind and why? [56:18]
What is the most joy that you’ve felt in recent memory [57:35]
If you could pick anywhere outside the US to immerse yourself in the woods, where would you pick? [58:50]
Morning rituals [1:04:35]
Discussing the value of martial arts and becoming an immovable mountain [1:05:57]
Advice to your thirty-year-old self [1:17:20]
Where would you like to have food that you have not yet had food? [1:22:00]
Why the 80’s? You’re always playing 80’s music [1:28:31]
People Mentioned
Steve Rinella
Danny Meyer
Francis Mallmann
Guy Fieri
April 27, 2016
On Zero-to-Hero Transformations
Photo: The Legendary Dan Gable, from my Instagram page
In this episode, we don’t have any special guests, unless you count the multiple personalities in my own head.
We are not talking to Arnold Schwarzenegger, black-market chemists, Josh Waitzkin, Jamie Foxx or anyone else per our regular interviews. Today, I’ll be responding to questions you upvoted on Reddit.
This episode includes gems like:
My favorite books
Learning to take better notes
How I develop skills
Things that I’m excited about in the next 3-5 years
Plus much more…
Only have a few minutes? Listen to my latest thoughts on cheat days and how to manage sugar cravings.
Enjoy!
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 where I answer your questions? — Listen to 5 things I did to become a better investor. In this episode, I discuss making hundreds of survivable mistakes, the strategy behind my startup bets, and why I’m more successful (on paper) with my investments than my publishing career (stream below or right-click here to download):
This podcast is 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. It has exploded in popularity in the last two years and now has more than $2.5B under management. 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. Well worth a few minutes to explore: wealthfront.com/tim.
This podcast is also brought to you by Audible. I have used Audible for years and I love audio books. 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 between more than 180,000 audio programs. 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!
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: Do you enjoy this format or would you rather hear nothing but interviews? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Selected Links from the Episode
Interested in AcroYoga? Check out Jason Nemer
40 oz. Hydro Flask Water Bottle
Will you be in San Francisco? Visit flour + water
The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
The 4-Hour Workweek
The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Set up social accountability and/or a betting circle:
Coach.me | Stickk.com | Dietbet.com
How to Lose 100 Pounds on The Slow-Carb Diet and The Perfect Posterior
Listen to my conversation with Cal Fussman
Learn more about the Buxton School of Wrestling
Interested in cryonics? Read this article on Wait But Why
Learn more about Coach Sommer for gymnastics training
Check out developments in virtual reality: Valve and Vive
Learn more about MDInsider.com
Dog training resources: Crate Training by Ian Dunbar
Don’t Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor
Watch my video describing The Most Important Skill to Teach Your Dog
Learn more about renting the SS Jeremiah
How to Take Notes Like an Alpha-Geek
Interested in the ketogenic diet? Listen to my conversation with Dom D’Agostino
Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore and Eric Westman, MD
Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny and Ron McMillan
Lying by Sam Harris (listen to our conversation here)
Why I love Japan – Spirited Away and KARATE by BABYMETAL
Guide for Travel in Japan – Hacking Japan
Letters from a Stoic by Lucius Annaeus Seneca (audiobook here)
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Slaine: The Horned God by Pat Mills and Simon Bisley
The Baron In The Trees by Italo Calvino
The Black Swan and Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Show Notes
If you were to do a zero-to-hero transformation with someone, what would be the path you would take? [8:17]
If you were tasked with building a person from a blank slate, a la Frankenstein’s creature or an android, what skills/qualities would you give him first? [15:21]
How do you build rapport with your podcast guests? [18:10]
Expand more on your teens and twenties. What were you doing? What kind of person were you? What were your influences? [21:32]
Do you believe that people have personal callings? [23:52]
Do you believe in coincidences? [26:22]
What is something you are increasingly getting excited about in the next 3-5 years? [28:31]
Dogs and positive constraints [32:15]
What have you learned about human behavior from Molly? [38:02]
How did you meet and become friends with Kevin Rose? [41:45]
If you were to go back to college, what would you choose to major in and why? [43:00]
What do you think of studying abroad? [47:26]
My exact note-taking system [47:38]
Comparing the ketogenic diet and The Slow-Carb Diet [50:32]
Cheat days and managing sugar cravings [51:14]
Do you have any practical tips for dealing with people you dislike? [56:22]
Why I love Japan [1:00:08]
Most gifted books [1:02:28]
People Mentioned
Sean Thackrey
Neil Strauss
Dan Gable
Seneca the Younger
April 25, 2016
My 10 Favorite Purchases in 10 Months
Photo: From Tim’s Instagram
I love testing new gadgets and products. It’s an obsession.
For The 4-Hour Chef alone, I tested well over $100,000 worth of gear. OCD + Amazon Prime = expensive.
Why on earth do I do it? Simple–I love sharing the 5-10 things out of 500-1,000 that really work. Strange fetish, perhaps, but I get off on it. Readers seem to enjoy it, too.
In the first ever 5-Bullet Friday newsletter, I recommended my favorite all-purpose sandals, and more than 100,000 people clicked on the link within the first 48 hours (!). This type of click-through assault was nicknamed “the hug of death” by one Facebook fan. It crashes websites, wipes out inventory (e.g. Mizzen+Main, sardines at Whole Foods), creates nutty pricing spikes (e.g. used books going for $1,000 after the Sacca podcast), etc.
Below are 10 recent purchases that have given me—and continue to give me—value, joy, or both.
They are from a handful of 5-Bullet Friday newsletters (here’s a full sample). For the data nerds out there, I’ve listed the below products in descending order of click-through rate.
I’ve provided two sets of links for each. The first link (usually the name of the item) is often an Amazon affiliate link, if you’d like to chip in a few pennies to support my compulsive gear-testing habit. The second link, labeled “non-affiliate link,” is exactly that—a plain old link where Uncle Tim gets to fend for himself in the wild. I’m cool with either. Some items lack affiliate links altogether, as I was too lazy to search.
Here we go… (and what the hell is it with you guys and shoes?)
Vans Unisex Classic Slip-On (Gumsole) Skate Shoe (Non-affiliate link)
This makes me seem like one of the grups, but I love these shoes. Not for skating. My criteria: great for airports, zero-drop soles for restoring Achilles mobility, usable at semi-casual but nice dinners, and small enough to pack in carry-on luggage. I’ve worn these for everything from business meetings to canyon hiking (in a pinch), and they’ve held up beautifully.
My elixir for warm-weather sipping
Here’s one of my favorite rosé wines in the US, perfect for summer sipping: The Wolffer Estate Rosé from Long Island (many years are good).
[I’ll also give you a cold-weather alternative: YakTrax, for modifying normal shoes when you need to walk on snow and ice. They are amazing and fit in a jacket pocket. I bought the basic “Walk” model, but there are many options.]
My preferred oddities on Kit.com…
Many of you have asked, so here’s my favorite gear for podcasting, coffee, everyday carry, survival gear (some ridiculous), and much more.
Rumble Roller (travel size) ( Non-affiliate link)
I’ve tried every foam roller imaginable, but this is my new favorite for opening up hamstrings and IT band prior to AcroYoga and other gymnastics practice. That front lever is still eluding me, but I’ll keep at it. WARNING: This will smash you 10x more than smooth rollers. I got overzealous my first session and, the next day, felt like I’d been leg kicked by Buakaw (my fave kickboxer, BTW).
Mini parallettes (“p-bars”) for travel ( Non-affiliate link)
These are small enough to stick in carry-on luggage. I use them primarily for pushups, planche leans, and L-sits for time. If you want to make a homemade version out of PVC that can live in your garage or living room, here’s another option.
Original Buddha Board ( Non-affiliate link)
A zen-minded Etch-a-Sketch. Use the included brush to paint designs onto the board with water. As the water evaporates, your image fades, all within 30-60 seconds. This is a great tool for learning to let go… or rekindling your artistic side. If you have 60 seconds a day, you have time for the Buddha Board.
Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB mic ( Non-affiliate link)
I had to highlight this one. This is the best bang-for-the-buck USB mic I’ve found. I use it for all phone interviews for my podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show. It’s traveled with me around the world. With this, ear buds, and ECamm Call Recorder, you’re set. For my more complete gear list, see the podcast bullet above from Kit.com.
Wild Planet Canned Sardines in Olive Oil ( Non-affiliate link)
I’m sitting in the Bahamas as I type this [back in December, at least], and 24 cans of sardines are sitting next to me in my suitcase. That’s my MO. I open one can upon waking, drizzle about half the oil over my dog’s kibble (which she sometimes refuses to eat dry), and then consume the fish myself. My skin and her coat have never looked better. Hat tip to the incredible biochemistry beast Dom D’Agostino, PhD for intro’ing me to these beauties.
Epsoak Epsom Salt (39.5 Lbs.) (Non-affiliate link)
I take hot baths every night when at home in SF. Nearly always, I add epsom salt (typically 4-8 cups), which facilitates muscular relaxation and recovery. Rather than buy small boxes at CVS or Safeway, I buy in bulk and store it in rolling dog-food containers. This is a good use of Amazon Prime.
Nayoya Gymnastic Rings (Non-affiliate link)
These are super portable (easily fit in a small backpack) and incredibly durable for the price. I’m using them for mostly dips and muscle-up progressions. My pull-up rig [written during the summer] is finally complete, and I suspend them from this (I do not do any kipping work on this rig). The Nayoya allow me to leave the rings outdoors. BUT: If you’re going to travel without chalk, I highly suggest wooden rings.
###
So… do you enjoy these types of recommendations?
Would you like to get a short e-mail from me every Friday with the five coolest things I’ve found that week? It often includes gadgets, books, supplements, albums, articles, new hacks, and — of course — random, useful stuff I find around the world.
Achtung! You can only get “5-Bullet Friday” if you subscribe to my free e-mail newsletter.
Why not test drive it for a week? You know it’s making your temples tickle, and you can unsubscribe anytime. Click here for a taste of why “5BF” (5-Bullet Friday) usually has a 70%+ open rate.
If you have any special requests for what you’d like see more of in the newsletter, please let me know in the comments.
April 23, 2016
The Habits of a Master — Paulo Coelho, Author of The Alchemist
“A successful writing day is the day that I suffer in the morning, and I have fun in the evening.” -Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho (@paulocoelho) has long been one of my writing inspirations.
His books, of near universal appeal, span from The Alchemist to the most recent Adultery and have been translated into more than 70 languages.
Few people know that The Alchemist, which has sold more than 65 million copies worldwide, was originally published by a small Brazilian publisher to the tune of… 900 copies. They declined to reprint it. It wasn’t until after his subsequent novel (Brida) that The Alchemist was revived and took off.
I, for one, have always been impressed with consistent writers. Paulo, who averages one book every two years, is staggeringly consistent. As I type this, I am under the pressure of deadlines and often feel as Kurt Vonnegut did: “When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth.”
My output is erratic at best, and I wondered: how does Paulo write? What is his process? How does he think about it?
I reached out to him, and he was kind enough to reply with the audio I’ve included in the podcast. In it, he provides some gems and answers the following questions (see below), which I posed to him (I provide my own abbreviated answers in brackets)…
If you only have 3 minutes, I recommend this portion on avoiding writer’s block.
Enjoy!
Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”
– When on deadline, what is the first thing you do in the morning? What does your daily schedule look like? Do you take any days off, and what determines if you’ve had a “successful” writing day?
[TIM: 2-3 hours of fasted writing in the morning to Mozart and pu-ehr tea. Success is two shitty pages of drafts.]
– How do you capture ideas that might be helpful in your writing? These days, what software and tools do you use for writing?
[TIM: Evernote, Moleskine notebooks]
– How much of your books do you visualize/outline upfront vs. writing organically piece-by-piece? In other words, how much of the story arc have you decided before you start writing? Let’s take two books as examples — The Alchemist and Aleph. Otherwise, how did your process differ for these two books?
[TIM: Though it changes as I write, I outline everything before starting. I suspect organic writing is more common in fiction.]
– What are the most common mistakes that you see first-time novelists making? Most common weaknesses?
[TIM: N/A]
– Do you base your characters on real people? Why or why not? If not, how do you develop those characters?
[TIM: N/A]
– What are the 2-3 things you personally find most invigorating or helpful when you’re stuck or feel stagnated with writing/ideas? Do you have a team of any type (researchers, etc.) who help you?
[TIM: Rereading Bird by Bird when I doubt/loathe/chastise myself, deadlifting, and doing sprint workouts.]
Paulo offered a few additional notes and resources for further exploration:
As for the sentence in Alice in Wonderland: “Begin at the beginning,” the King said gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
If you want more, here are three podcasts on his writing process:
1) On writing I http://youtu.be/vKBOKLF3Ul8
2) On writing II http://youtu.be/3_TJ4MIGeg8
3) Inspiration http://youtu.be/VWRmbSgS2Yw
For more musings, see Paulo’s Facebook fan page, with almost 30,000,000 fans (!).
###
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: If you write, what have you found most helpful for the first and last questions? Here they are, and I’d love your thoughts in the comments.
– When on deadline, what is the first thing you do in the morning? What does your daily schedule look like? Do you take any days off, and what determines if you’ve had a “successful” writing day?
– What are the 2-3 things you personally find most invigorating or helpful when you’re stuck or feel stagnated with writing/ideas? Do you have a team of any type (researchers, etc.) who help you?
###
Want to hear another podcast with a successful writer? — Listen to this podcast with Maria Popova. In this episode, she discusses being interesting, creating more time in a day, and how to start a successful blog (stream below or right-click here to download):
This podcast is brought to you by MeUndies. Have you ever wanted to be as powerful as a mullet-wearing ninja from the 1980’s, or as sleek as a black panther in the Amazon? Of course you have, and that’s where MeUndies comes in. I’ve spent the last 2-3 weeks wearing underwear from these guys 24/7, and they are the most comfortable and colorful underwear I’ve ever owned. Their materials are 2x softer than cotton, as evaluated using the Kawabata method. Check out MeUndies.com/Tim to see my current faves (some are awesomely ridiculous) and, while you’re at it, don’t miss lots of hot ladies wearing MeUndies.
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. It has exploded in popularity in the last two years and now has more than $2.5B under management. 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. Well worth a few minutes to explore: wealthfront.com/tim.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Enjoy!
Selected Links from the Episode
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Aleph by Paulo Coelho
Brida by Paulo Coelho
Adultery by Paulo Coelho
Subscribe to Paulo Coelho’s YouTube Channel
Like Paulo Coelho’s Facebook Fan Page
Show Notes
When on deadline, what is the first thing you do in the morning? [8:53]
What does your daily schedule look like? [11:11]
Do you take any days off? [13:13]
What determines if you’ve had a “successful” writing day? [14:12]
How do you capture ideas that might be helpful in your writing? [15:35]
Why Paulo Coelho wrote The Alchemist [16:53]
What software and tools do you use for your writing? [20:51]
How much of your books do you visualize or outline upfront versus writing organically piece-by-piece? [23:37]
Most common mistakes and weaknesses made by first-time novelists [24:24]
Do you base your characters on real people? Why or why not? How do you develop those characters? [30:07]
What are the 2-3 things you personally find most invigorating or helpful when you’re stuck or feel stagnated with writing/ideas? [31:50]
April 14, 2016
The Man Who Studied 1,000 Deaths to Learn How to Live
“The small things ain’t so small.” – BJ Miller
At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? And how can knowing this help you live better lives now?
BJ Miller (@zenhospice), MD, knows.
BJ is a palliative care physician at Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco, where he thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients.
He is an expert in death, but he’s also learned how we can dramatically improve our own lives, often with very small changes. When you consider that he has guided or been involved with ~1,000 deaths, it’s not surprising that he’s spotted patterns we can all learn from.
BJ is also a triple amputee, and his 2015 TED Talk, “Not Whether But How,” is a moving reflection on his vision to make empathic end-of-life care available to all, ranked among the top-15 most viewed TED talks of the year.
If you want to know what being around death can teach you about living, you’ll want to listen to this.
I LOVED this conversation, and I hope you do as well. Enjoy!
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 that challenges conventional medical doctrine? — Listen to my conversation with Adam Gazzaley. In this episode, we discuss building a video game to rewire the brain, the crossroads of hallucinogens, neuroscience and more (stream below or right-click here to download):
This podcast is 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. It has exploded in popularity in the last two years and now has more than $2.5B under management. 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. Well worth a few minutes to explore: wealthfront.com/tim.
This podcast is also brought to you by Boll & Branch. There is a lot of nonsense in the bedding business. For instance, did you know thread-count is not a good measurement of quality? It’s a total myth. The “Made in Italy” label? It isn’t something you should necessarily pay extra for because it generally means it’s just finished in Italy and woven in places like China.
The general industry mark-up for bedding is 700 to 800 percent at most retailers. Boll & Branch creates incredibly high-quality bedding. They are the same sheets you’ll find at my home in San Francisco.
The best part? You can try anything you order at home for 30 days. If you don’t love it, send it back and get a full refund. Go to Boll & Branch and use promo code “TIM” for 20% off your entire order. Whether sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, or anything else. Shipping is always free.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What are some of the “small changes” you can make that will have a big impact on your life? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Selected Links from the Episode
Princeton Alumni Weekly on the work of BJ Miller
Listen to my conversation with Adam Gazzaley
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
Learn more about BJ’s close friend, Justin Burke
Read The New Yorker article The Trip Treatment by Michael Pollan
Learn more about the RiverstyxFoundation
Learn more about the Heffter Research Institute, which is researching entheogen compounds
Learn more about compasspathways.org, which is researching mental health
Learn more about Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)
Read Vonnegut’s letter describing why he goes out to purchase envelopes
Waiting for Guffman directed by Christopher Guest
Kentucky Fried Movie directed by John Landis
Grizzly Man by Werner Herzog
In San Francisco? Visit Scuderia
Learn more about Joseph Swan Winery
Learn more about Symptom Management Service at the UCSF Cancer Management Center and Michael Rabow
Learn more about the Hospice Action Network
Connect with BJ Miller and Zen Hospice:
ZenHospice.org | Facebook | Twitter
Show Notes
How do you answer the questions, “What do you do?” [7:43]
What does the first meeting look like for a new patient at the Zen Hospice Project? [9:22]
Defining palliative care [11:14]
What happens when a patient dies in Zen Hospice compared to a regular hospital? [15:24]
How many deaths have you experienced? [20:07]
What has observing hundreds of deaths taught you about living? [20:42]
On keeping a mindfulness or meditation practice [28:51]
About the Dinky (a terrifying story of electrocution) [31:06]
The Snowball Story [41:49]
BJ Miller’s experience as an undergraduate student at Princeton [45:27]
On the idea of art [46:33]
How BJ Miller would support someone who suffered injuries similar to his own [53:29]
What helps people most in hospice care [56:30]
Why cookies matter [1:01:11]
Thoughts on the use of psychoactive compounds in end-of-life care and treating existential suffering [1:04:48]
BJ Miller’s secret habit that might surprise most people [1:14:40]
Suggested material for an introverted hospice patient [1:19:48]
What do you think of when you think of the word “successful?” [1:26:55]
Daily practices for seeing good in people [1:30:43]
How to ride a motorcycle when missing three limbs [1:33:39]
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively affected your life? [1:38:10]
If you could have one billboard anywhere, what would it say and why? [1:40:06]
Advice to your thirty-year-old-self [1:41:42]
What have you changed your mind about in the last few years? [1:43:37]
BJ Miller’s requests/asks/suggestions of the audience [1:45:23]
People Mentioned
Adam Gazzaley
Mark Rothko
Jackson Pollock
Kurt Vonnegut
Ludwig van Beethoven
Oprah Winfrey
Deepak Chopra
Mert Lawwill
