Timothy Ferriss's Blog, page 95

Sam Harris on Daily Routines, The Trolley Scenario, and 5 Books Everyone Should Read

Sam Harris (Photo Credit: Steve Jurvetson)

“On one level, wisdom is nothing more than the ability to take your own advice.”

– Sam Harris

This is Sam Harris’s second appearance on the show. Sam is a neuroscience Ph.D. and the author of the bestselling books, The End of Faith, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, Lying, and Waking Up. His work has been discussed in The New York Times, Time, Scientific American, Nature, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and many other journals.

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

Want to hear my previous interview with Sam Harris? — In this episode, we discuss spirituality, neuroscience, meditation, and more (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is also brought to you by LegalZoom. Matt Mullenweg (CEO of Automattic – now worth more than a billion dollars) first incorporated his company on LegalZoom. LegalZoom, which I’ve used myself, can help you with almost anything legal, including setting up a will, doing a proper trademark search, forming an LLC, setting up a non-profit, or finding simple cease-and-desist letter templates. LegalZoom is not a law firm, but they do have a network of independent attorneys available in most states. They can give you advice on the best way to get started, provide contract review, and otherwise help you run your business. Use the code “Tim” at checkout to get $10 off your next order. Take a gander at everything you can get for a fraction of what you’d expect — LegalZoom.com

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.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your biggest takeaway from this session? How has your thinking changed? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Enjoy!

Selected Links from the Episode

A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
Reasons and Persons by Derek Parfit
The Last Word and Mortal Questions by Thomas Nagel
Read The Quran, it’s shorter than the bible and you can read it in a weekend
Super Intelligence by Nick Bostrom
Our Final Invention by James Barrat
Humiliation and The Anatomy of Disgust by William Ian Miller
The Flight of the Garuda translated by Keith Dowman
I Am That by Nisargadatta Maharaj
Machete Season by Jean Hatzfeld a short book about the Rwandan genocide
The End of Faith by Sam Harris
Stumbling Upon Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Watch Sam Harris’s debate with William Lane Craig
Islam and the Future of Tolerance by Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz
God is Not Great and Hitch-22 by Christopher Hitchens
Learn more about the Trolley Problem

Show Notes

What are five books you think everyone should read? [6:53]
In The End of Faith, you briefly discuss the challenging reality of having children. Why did you decide to have children? [18:58]
Why have you stopped doing public debates? Who would you like to debate? [23:18]
Could you talk about one of your differences with Christopher Hitchens on? Specifically, his pro-life stance. [29:03]
What fact/event has made you change your mind recently? [32:53]
What are Sam Harris’s morning rituals? I would especially like to know his meditation rituals. [36:03]
If you had to recommend one thing for brain health outside meditation or exercise, what would that be? [46:18]
Your first book, The End of Faith, featured a blistering attack on religious moderates. Now you strive to encourage religious moderation in the Islamic world. Have you changed your mind on religious moderation? [49:48]
Would you push the fat man in the trolley scenario? Do you think a society could occupy a peak on the moral landscape if it’s inhabitants would all push the fat man? [55:28]

People Mentioned

Daniel Dennett
Thomas Nagel
Jaan Tallinn
William Lane Craig
Robert Pape
David Eagleman
Ray Kurzweil

General Stan McChrystal on Eating One Meal Per Day, Special Ops, and Mental Toughness

General Stan McChrystal (Photo credit: David E. Alvarado, ISAF Public Affairs)

Stanley McChrystal (@StanleyMcChrystal)  retired from the U.S. Army as a four-star general after more than 34 years of service. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates described McChrystal as “perhaps the finest warrior and leader of men in combat I ever met.”

From 2003 to 2008, McChrystal served as Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), where he was credited with the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

His last assignment was as the commander of all American and coalition forces in Afghanistan. He is a senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and the co-founder of CrossLead, a leadership consulting firm.

In this episode, we discuss everything imaginable, including:

– Why he only eats one meal per day, and what he eats

– His exact exercise regimen

– Tactical and psychological lessons of combat

– Self-talk used before and after difficult missions

– The development of mental toughness

– Favorite books, documentaries, etc.

– And much, much more

Chris Fussell (@FussellChris), who also joins the conversation, is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, former Aide-de-Camp for General McChrystal, and a current senior executive at CrossLead.

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 related to personal security in the digital age? — Listen to my conversation with Marc Goodman, a former FBI futurist focused on defeating high-tech crime. Learn how not to be an easy target — stream below or right-click here to download:

Also, don’t miss my interview with hacker Samy Kamkar. — Listen to our conversation on conquering online dating, opening locked cars, and his story of accidentally taking down MySpace with the fastest-growing “worm” of all time (stream below or right-click here to download):

This episode is sponsored by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in the The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so.  Get 50% off your order at Athletic Greens.com/Tim

This podcast is also brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results.  Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  Give it a test run..

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY:  In your opinion, what makes a good leader, and who exemplifies those qualities? Please share in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Enjoy!

Selected Links from the Episode

Please say hello to the guests on Twitter – @StanleyMcChrystal and @FussellChris
Team of Teams – Stan and Chris’s New York Times bestseller
Read the article 10,000 Hours with Reid Hoffman by Ben Casnocha
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer
Mental Toughness Training for Sports by James Loehr
Do you know the Naval officer who championed the development of aircraft carriers between WWI and WWII? Please let me know in the comments. I’m fairly certain that Stan is referencing Rear Admiral William Moffett, but can anyone confirm?
Steve Jobs, The Innovators and Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson
Learn more about The War Room, a documentary about Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign
Learn more about the McChrystal Group and Team of Teams:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Show Notes

Why eat one meal per day? [5:36]
Understanding SOCOM and JSOC [9:21]
On the role of an aide-de-camp (ADC) [13:21]
How Chris Fussell reduced friction as Stanley McChrystal’s ADC [15:46]
Stanley McChrystal’s daily exercise habits and why they’re important [19:36]
Most gifted books for those entering combat situations [28:21]
On West Point: Slugs and Area Tours [31:01]
On mischief in school and success in the Army [34:11]
How peer reviews worked at West Point [35:11]
On vetting applicants for important positions [38:11]
Stanley McChrystal’s selection criteria for candidates [47:11]
Why Chris Fussell left the service early and defining “intelligence fusion cells” [53:21]
The most underrated military leaders? [57:36]
Fanatical audiobook listening habits and book selection [59:36]
Why Stanley McChrystal personally attended battlefield operations [1:06:21]
Hopeless dilemmas and managing self-talk in high-pressure environments [1:14:31]
Who comes to mind when Chris Fussell thinks of “successful”? [1:20:21]
Common organizational misperceptions between civilians and military personnel [1:24:21]
Meditation practices [1:29:11]
The “Red Team” concept in the military [1:31:11]
What are good ways for the average citizens to practice military strategy? Games? Activities? [1:36:06]
Stanley McChrystal on chess vs. backgammon and the complexities of modern day leadership [1:38:51]
What surprised Stanley McChrystal about Yale University [1:41:21]
The story behind Team of Teams and modern leadership challenges [1:44:01]
Stanley McChrystal’s advice to his thirty-year old self [1:55:06]

People Mentioned

Ulysses S. Grant
T.E. Lawrence

Whitney Cummings on Turning Pain Into Creativity

“In order for art to imitate life, you have to have a life.”

– Whitney Cummings

“I promise: if you just tell the truth and get your heart broken as a comedian, you will have a house.”

– Whitney Cummings

This episode how to turn pain and struggle into amazing creative projects.

Whitney Cummings (@whitneycummings) is a Los Angeles-based comedian, actor, writer and producer.

She is executive producer and, along with Michael Patrick King, co-creator of the Emmy nominated CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls, which was recently picked up for a fifth season.

Whitney also wrote, produced and starred in Whitney, which aired on NBC from 2011 to 2013.

She has headlined with comics including Sarah Silverman, Louis C.K., Amy Schumer, Aziz Ansari, and others.

Her first one-hour stand up special, Money Shot, premiered on Comedy Central in 2010 and was nominated for an American Comedy Award. Her second stand-up special, Whitney Cummings: I Love You, debuted on Comedy Central in 2014 and she is shooting a third hour for HBO this August, which is set to air in 2016.

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 world-class comedian? — Listen to my conversation with Bryan Callen. In it, we discuss eating corgis (yes, the dogs) and improving creativity (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 of which are awesomely ridiculous.

This episode is also sponsored by Onnit. I have used Onnit products for years. If you look in my kitchen or in my garage you will find Alpha BRAIN, chewable melatonin (for resetting my clock while traveling), kettlebells, maces, battle ropes, and steel clubs. It sounds like a torture chamber, and it basically is. A torture chamber for self-improvement! Ah, the lovely pain. To see a list of my favorite pills, potions, and heavy tools, click here.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What really offends you, and how might you analyze the reasons to improve yourself? Please share in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Enjoy!

Selected Links from the Episode

Visit Whitney on Twitter — say hello!
Check out 2 Broke Girls
Learn more about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprogramming (EMDR)
Lying by Sam Harris
Learn more about Final Draft, which Whitney uses.
Whitney Cummings’s resources for early morning research:

Huffington Post | Salon | Slate | Psychology Today | Jezebel | The Frisky

Watch Neil Gaiman’s commencement speech, Make Good Art
Learn more about the Friar’s Roast
Enjoy standup from a few of Whitney’s recommended comics:

Sebastian Maniscalco | Tig Notaro | Jerrod Carmichael

Natasha Leggero | Chris D’Elia | Neal Brennan

Listen to my previous podcast with Paul Levesque (Triple H)
Watch the Jerry Seinfeld documentary, The Comedian
Learn more about horses and control in the documentary Buck
Learn more about equine therapy near Los Angeles at The Reflective Horse
Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller
The Fantasy Bond by Robert Firestone
The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff
Connect with Whitney Cummings:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Show Notes

Whitney Cummings’s tattoo stories: leadership, emotional intelligence, and managing trauma triggers [6:33]
Strategies for handling the weakness of impatience (aka “the impatient dick syndrome”) [19:33]
Has emotional intelligence work removed the magic of her success? [25:53]
The story of when Whitney realized her workaholic nature was killing her [34:13]
The emotional habits which helped Whitney to achieve so much at such a young age [37:03]
On managing the challenges of immediate gratification [40:33]
The process behind Whitney’s best writing [42:53]
Deconstructing Whitney’s most recommended work [55:13]
Defining “blue” comedy and exploring why it’s a strange title [45:48]
On roasts, insult comedy, adulation from fans, and differing comedic styles [1:08:08]
Whitney Cummings’s training for taking someone from beginner to stand-up comic in 8 weeks [1:23:33]
On equine therapy [1:57:23]
Most gifted books [2:04:18]
When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person to come to mind? [2:12:43]
If you could put a billboard up anywhere you wanted, what would be on it, and where would it be? [2:20:48]
Advice to her 20-year old self [2:25:18]

People Mentioned

George Carlin
Dan Carlin
Demetri Martin
Mitch Hedberg
Zach Galifianakis
Steven Wright
Dan Mintz
Lisa Lampanelli
Jim Gaffigan
Dave Attell
Bill Burr
Sebastian Maniscalco
Natasha Leggero
Tig Notaro
Chris D’Elia
Neal Brennan
Jerry Seinfeld
Marc Maron
Joe Rogan
Steve Jobs
Sheryl Sandberg
Drew Barrymore
Elon Musk

The Maverick of Brain Optimization

“My lab is interested in pursuing how we can enhance cognition to improve quality of life.”

– Adam Gazzaley

Dr. Adam Gazzaley (@adamgazz) obtained an M.D. and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, then postdoctoral training in cognitive neuroscience at UC Berkeley. He is now the director of the Gazzaley Lab at UC San Francisco, a cognitive neuroscience laboratory.

His recent studies go far beyond mere description — he and his lab are exploring neuroplasticity and how we can optimize cognitive abilities, even in healthy adults. So, what happens when you combine cognitive-focused video games with neurofeedback, magnetic and electrical stimulation, and even performance-enhancing drugs? Well, that’s just one of many things we cover in this conversation.

As someone with Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease on both sides of my family, I find Adam’s work to be of incredible importance and promise.  I hope this discussion blows your mind, in the best way possible.

Enjoy!

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

Want to hear more from world-class scientists?

Check out my conversations with Dr. Peter Attia. In the below episode, we discuss life-extension, drinking jet fuel, ultra-endurance, human foie gras, and more (stream below or right-click here to download):

Want even more from unorthodox scientists?

Listen to my conversation with Dr. Rhonda Patrick. In this episode, we discuss life extension, optimal performance, and much more (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by a new sponsor, LegalZoom. Matt Mullenweg (CEO of Automattic – now worth more than a billion dollars) first incorporated his company on LegalZoom.  LegalZoom, which I’ve used myself, can help you with almost anything legal, including setting up a will, doing a proper trademark search, forming an LLC, setting up a non-profit, or finding simple cease-and-desist letter templates. LegalZoom is not a law firm, but they do have a network of independent attorneys available in most states. They can give you advice on the best way to get started, provide contract review, and otherwise help you run your business. Use the code “Tim” at checkout to get $10 off your next order. Take a gander at everything you can get for a fraction of what you’d expect — LegalZoom.com

This podcast is also brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results.  Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  Give it a test run..

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: Are you afraid of losing cognitive function with age? If so, WHAT are you doing to prevent it? If nothing, why? Please share in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Learn more about Neuroracer, the game that enhances cognition for older adults
Learn more about Nature, the international journal of science
The Cosmos Series by Carl Sagan
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
The Reality Dysfunction (The Night’s Dawn Trilogy) by Peter Hamilton
Dune by Frank Herbert
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
Check out Body Brain Trainer, a game from Gazzaley Labs
Watch The Lady in Number Six, a story about a 109-year-old pianist and Holocaust survivor
Watch the transformative effect of music on this man with Alzheimer’s disease
Check out the book that inspired Adam Gazzaley’s photography Mountain Light by Galen Rowell
Explore the photography of Adam Gazzaley at ComeWander.com
Read Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman and watch The Pleasure of Finding Things Out
Try some WhistlePig Rye
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Tuxedo Park by Jennet Conant
Learn more about Omni, a tool to walk in virtual reality
Check out the Glass Brain Flythrough, a video of flying through an active brain
Connect with Adam Gazzaley

The Lab: Gazzlab.com | Photography: ComeWander.com

Show Notes

Why Neuroracer was considered a ‘game changer’ [7:40]
Theories of cognition [13:50]
On making the cover of Nature magazine [17:35]
The self-talk behind Adam’s crazy idea to build a video game to rewire the brain [19:20]
What inspired Adam to become a scientist [21:40]
Why Gazzaley Lab is unique/unusual and concepts that have jumped into the private sector [25:35]
Why Gazzaley decided to focus on improving cognition [34:40]
How Adam Gazzaley thinks about “success” [39:40]
Vetting people who want to be a part of Gazzaley Lab [34:05]
Common misconceptions about the brain and cognitive function [36:15]
On the likelihood that pre-existing video games have similar cognitive effects to cognition as as described in Gazzaley Lab’s video game research [43:20]
Most gifted books [47:10]
About the ‘Neuroman’ project [50:50]
Learn more about the games Gazzaley Labs has created to improve cognition: MetaTrain, Body Brain Trainer (BBT) and Rhythmicity [56:50]
How inspiration for Rhythmicity came from New Orleans, The Grateful Dead, and the AARP [1:05:30]
The origin of Adam Gazzaley’s interest in photography [1:10:20]
Morning rituals for Adam Gazzaley [1:16:20]
Rapid Fire Questions: Inspiration for downtimes, most listened to music, favorite cocktails, losing an eye, and plans for virtual reality [1:25:00]
Exploring the crossroads of hallucinogens and neuroscience [1:40:50]
Shortlisted compounds for pairing pharmaceuticals and video games to improve cognition [1:43:20]
On the neurological impacts of modafinil [1:46:05]
The most exciting studies related to Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TDCS) [1:47:20]
Advice to Adam Gazzaley’s thirty-year-old self [1:51:20]
What Adam Gazzaley would do with an additional 100 million dollars [1:52:50]

People Mentioned

Carl Sagan
Mickey Hart
Galen Rowell
Richard Feynman

Sam Kass on Reinventing Yourself and Baptism by Fire

Sam Kass, right, in official White House gear. (Photo: Bob Nichols, USDA)

“Yankees, we’ve won!”

– Austrian sous-chef to unprepared Americans hustling at a Michelin 3-star restaurant

“75% of success is staying calm. The rest you figure out.”

– Sam Kass

Sam Kass almost became a pro baseball player.  Instead, he pivoted a history major from U. Chicago into becoming the private chef for the Obamas in the White House.

He then broke into national nutrition policy and was named #11 on Fast Company magazine’s 2011 list of “100 Most Creative People” for his work, which focused on establishing private-sector partnerships to reduce childhood obesity to just 5% by 2030.

His story is amazing, his career turns unexpected, and his trials by fire hilarious.  

In this conversation, we talk about:

– Baseball and the art of fielding, plus how he set records at U. Chicago
– His odd leap to the culinary world and escapades one of the best Austria kitchens
– His favorite books, routines, and breakfast eggs
– Simple cooking tricks and common mistakes
– A go-to meal for impressing any date
– Nutrition, top-soil depletion, and organic food
– Why he doesn’t like black pepper
– And much, much more…

We delve into his incredible batting average (literal and metaphorical), his trials by fire, what it’s like to cook for the First Family, and well beyond.  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 a world class chef? Listen to my conversation with Andrew Zimmern. In that episode, we discuss simple cooking tricks, developing TV, his success secrets, and beating addiction (stream below or right-click here to download):

This podcast is brought to you by Mizzen + Main. Mizzen + Main makes the only “dress” shirts I now travel with — fancy enough for important dinners but made from athletic, sweat-wicking material. No more ironing, no more steaming, no more hassle. Click here to see the exact shirts I wear most often.

This podcast is also brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results.  Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  Give it a test run…

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: If you had to pack the essence of life into a burrito, what would that burrito look like? OR What simple meal have you used to impress dates? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links, resources, and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Sam Kass on Twitter (say hello!)
A History of World Agriculture by Marcel Mazoyer and Laurence Roudart
Restaurants mentioned in this episode:

avec | Alinea | Frankies 457

Learn more about the White House vegetable garden
Learn more about Ogimi, Japan, which is famous for long lifespans
Check out the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 food list
Read the article mentioned in the podcast: The Future of Food is Food by Steve Case
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
The Man Who Quit Money
Just Eat It a documentary about food waste
Check out the wine selections from Wolffer Estates
Learn more about the American Farmland Trust
Pick up selected cookbooks: Plenty, Jerusalem and Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Visit Sam on the Internet:

Twitter | Instagram

Show Notes

Eggs, coffee, and morning routines [5:50]
Why Sam Kass loves baseball [9:25]
Fulfilling University of Chicago academic requirements while setting records as a baseball player [11:55]
The story behind how he was baptized by fire in kitchens [17:05]
Mental preparation for high-stress situations [22:35]
Unusual restaurants that put out great food [25:35]
If you had to limit your herbs or spices to 3 choices for the rest of your life, what would they be? [27:55]
How Sam Kass was introduced to the Obama family, and what it’s like cooking for the POTUS [33:15]
Food pet peeves [39:00]
On ecosystem challenges, including soil degradation and the declining bee population [43:05]
Rapid-fire questions: Who is successful, most gifted book, favorite documentary and a purchase $100 or less that has had the most value? [57:40]
More morning routines [1:03:05]
“What is the best use of wine that’s too old to drink?”
“What should home chefs stop doing?”
When to know your pan is hot enough to sear a fish and what oil to use [1:13:35]
“When you fall into a rut in the kitchen, what resource do you turn to for inspiration?”
Simple starting points for incorporating more healthy food [1:16:50]
“What’s the best meal to impress a girl but is easy to make?”
“What dish have you most frequently made for house guests?”
Common mistakes made when grilling [1:27:30]
“What is the best way to systematically refine and develop your pallet.” [1:28:35]
“If you had to pack the essence of life into a burrito, what would that burrito look like?” [1:31:15]
Advice to a younger Sam Kass just after graduation from the University of Chicago [1:33:45]
Sam Kass’s one “ask” of the audience [1:36:45]
Find Sam on the Internet:

Twitter | Instagram

People Mentioned

Barack Obama
Andrew Zimmern
Yotam Ottolenghi

An Unusual $100,000 Birthday Present (Plus: Free Round-Trip Anywhere in the World)

Turning 38-years young… and still not acting my age. (Photo: Sir Garrett Camp)

38! I’ll turn a glorious 38 soon.

It’s going to be a great natal year–I can already feel it. Perhaps it will be good luck for you, too. In this post, I’m giving away a round-trip ticket anywhere in the world.

But back to that strange birthday gift…

Much to the chagrin of my momma-san, I’ve become difficult to buy presents for. Some friends even think I’m impossible to find presents for. Not so. I love handwritten letters, homemade brownies, and–most of all–when people do something nice.

You, dear readers, have a record of being nice and making it count. In fact, you’ve changed thousands of lives with small acts of kindness!

For my b-day in 2010, you all raised more than $100,000 for high-need public school classrooms in the US. More recently, you helped build libraries overseas (See the construction progress on Cambodia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka here, as well as the completed schools in Vietnam).

In lieu of gifts this year, my birthday wish is…

To create the FIRST elementary school in the world with exclusively stand-up desks!

Why?

This is a chance to be part of history.  

THE PROBLEM:

8-18-year olds spend ~85% of their waking hours sitting (Source: Kaiser Family Foundation), and researchers like Dr. James Levine of the Mayo Clinic now compare the health risks of extended sitting to those of smoking.

THE PROTOTYPE THAT COULD CHANGE THE FUTURE:

This is the pilot experiment that could change how schools worldwide are designed. I’m joining forces with Kelly and Juliet Starrett, the brains behind this project and founders of StandUpKids. The goal is to get every public school student in the US at a standing desk within 10 years. This massive goal is achievable if the right snowballs are put in motion now, and this proof-of-concept school is the most important. Media coverage, national attention, political pressure/alliances, etc. can all stem from this. It’s super high leverage.  

Here’s what we’re doing, plus a few things to sweeten the pot:

Join my 38th birthday challenge by clicking here. It’s worth clicking through just to check out the site; Donorschoose.org is one of the most creative non-profits in the world.  This is also their most ambitious project ever.

To get your engines started, and to put money where our mouths are: I’ve ready donated $10,000 of my own money, and Kelly and Juliet Starrett have done the same. We have lots of skin in the game.

If the spirit moves you, please make a $38 tax-deductible donation (for my 38 years), or whatever you can ($1, $35, $1,000, etc.).

4. We hit $100K and outfit a school that could affect the nation…or even the world! This isn’t hyperbole. This is precisely how movements are started.

So, to get this party started in force…

Sweetening the Pot…

I’m giving away a free round-trip ticket anywhere in the world that Star Alliance flies, which is just about everywhere. There is no expiration date on the trip, so no rush on deciding where or when to go.

Here’s how to get it:

Spread the word however you can. Send people to this post or to the Donorschoose.org page.

Leave a comment below telling me what you did (Facebook, Twitter, blog post, e-mail blast, e-mail signature, encouraged employees/friends to do the same, company donation matching, etc.). Measurement of any type gets huge bonus points. This comment must be put up no later than 5pm PST on Friday, June 26th, 2015.

Lastly, answer one question at the very top of your comment: “What does education mean to you?”  Put “#EducationMeans” at the very top, followed by your answer.  This is an IQ test in following directions, as we’ll skip entries without #EducationMeans at the top.

I’ll pick the winner (if clear), OR my team will pick the top 3-5 promoters, and you’ll vote on the winner of the round-trip.  As always: over 18 only, any taxes are your responsibility, void where prohibited, no minotaurs, etc.

Fun!

But the best reason of all…

Beyond the bribes, you’ll feel awesome about yourself for doing real good.

Trust me. It feels great.

Will you pause for a moment and step up, even if for $1? It would mean the world to me. I’ll share updates as I get them.

Again, here is where you can donate $38, $1, $1,000, or whatever you can.  Just click here.

Thank you for reading this post. You are all rock stars, and I continue to write on this blog purely because of you.

Pura vida,

Tim

The Rags to Riches Philosopher: Bryan Johnson’s Path to $800 Million

Bryan Johnson is an entrepreneur and investor. He is the founder of OS Fund and Braintree, the latter of which was bought by eBay in 2013 for $800 million in cash.

Bryan launched OS Fund in 2014 with $100 million of his personal capital to support inventors and scientists who aim to benefit humanity by rewriting the operating systems of life. In other words: he fuels real-world mad scientists.

His investments include endeavors to cure age-related diseases and radically extend healthy human life to 100+ (Human Longevity), replicate the human visual cortex using artificial intelligence (Vicarious), mine an asteroid (Planetary Resources), reinvent transportation using autonomous vehicles (Matternet), and reimagine food using biology (Hampton Creek), among others.

Our conversation includes his rags to riches story, his philosophical hardwiring, negotiating/sales tactics, and even parenting. We cover a ton of ground with a fascinating and deep mind.

Enjoy!

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

Do you enjoy listening to world-class entrepreneurs?  If so, you might enjoy my conversations with Peter Thiel. He co-founded PayPal in 1998, which was sold to eBay for $1.5 billion. He was also the first outside investor in Facebook (!) and has since created another billion-dollar+ startup called Palantir. Stream our conversation below or right-click here to download:

This episode is sponsored by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is your all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in the The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so.  Get 50% off your order at Athletic Greens.com/Tim

This podcast is also brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results.  Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  Give it a test run…

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: Do you have a story of an untested assumption that held you back? How did you identify it and change your behavior? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

Watch the trailer and learn more about Ex Machina
Learn more about Braintree
Read about Derek Sivers and successful e-mails
Pick up a copy of The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide by James Fadiman
Learn more about OS Fund and the companies in which they’ve invested, including:

Human Longevity | Ginkgo Bioworks

Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
Learn more about irrelevant alternatives, Dan Ariely’s TED talk, and his
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
A Good Man by Mark Shriver
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Shackleton by Nick Bertozzi
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Bryan on Twitter

Show Notes

Gasoline bombs, baseball cards, and deconstructing high school power structure [2:00]
How Ecuador and cell phones helped Bryan as an entrepreneur [8:20]
From broke and unemployable to a record-setting sales person [12:35]
The critical failure point for Bryan’s real estate company [16:50]
What to look for when hiring sales people [18:30]
How long until a computer can identify trustworthy people? [21:00]
The transition from sales person to founding Braintree [22:35]
How to build a technical team without being a technical founder [25:30]
The three main goals Bryan had in mind when founding Braintree [27:05]
On deciding to pivot the direction of the first profitable company [30:40]
Appreciating Ernest Shackleton and the “Shackleton sniff test” [33:40]
Are you glad that you got an MBA? [35:15]
On firing the rocket ship that was Braintree and market targeting for re-broadcasting [38:45]
Breakaway moments, primary competitors, and convincing big companies to use Braintree [42:20]
What it means to code to the Application Programming Interface (API) and the growth potential if done well [45:00]
Keys to building a workplace loved by employees [47:45]
Why storytelling was critical for cultivating a great company culture [52:15]
On becoming a pilot, the process, and estimated costs  [58:30]
How Bryan Johnson defines “success” [1:00:45]
The OS Fund, why it exists, and how to think on the “operating system level” [1:02:10]
On the moral questions of advanced technology at scale [1:07:20]
Challenging assumptions and the story of five monkeys sprayed with cold water [1:14:30]
How Bryan Johnson unpacks feelings of overwhelm [1:18:35]
The historical figure Bryan Johnson most identifies with [1:22:10]
Entrepreneurs who Bryan Johnson admires for their aggression [1:26:30]
What is an entrepreneur? How does one develop entrepreneurial characteristics? [1:28:30]
Rapid Fire Questions: Most gifted books, billboards, and advice to his 30-year-old self [1:32:00]
Non-obvious traditions to hold with your kids and common problem points when parenting [1:35:55]

People Mentioned

Ernest Shackleton
Derek Sivers
John Huntsman Jr.
Peter Singer
Ben Horowitz
Craig Venter
Peter Diamandis
Joshua Tetrick
Jason Kelly
Danielle Fong
Scott Fenix
Mustafa Suleyman

Learn How to Triple Your Reading Speed in 5 Minutes (Seriously) [VIDEO]

This short (

No voodoo, no pseudoscience — just two tricks for optimizing eye movement.

Some of you learn better with text, and some of you learn better with video. As one commenter who watched the above video put it:

“Tim, thanks so much for this video. I read your blog post about this like four times without being able to get it. With a video, it’s much easier.”

Have fun, and I’d love to hear your results in the comments.

If you enjoy this, you might also like my posts on rapid language learning, or my interview with champion memory competitor, Ed Cooke. You can stream the latter below:

Chris Sacca on Being Different and Making Billions

Goofing around with Sacca and his afro.

“Fuck it… I’m just not going to play this traditionally anymore.”

– Chris Sacca

Chris Sacca was recently the cover story of the “Midas Issue” of Forbes Magazine.

The reason: He is a newly-minted billionaire and the proprietor of what will likely be the most successful venture capital fund in history: LOWERCASE I of LOWERCASE Capital.

He’s an early-stage investor in companies like Twitter, Uber, Airbnb, Dropbox, Instagram, Kickstarter, and many more.

In this interview, we discuss unfair advantages, how Chris chooses founders and investments, stories of missed opportunities, the styles that differentiate Wall Street from Silicon Valley investors, and how keg parties can liberate law students from the tyranny of class (Chris completed law school without attending any classes).

Enjoy!

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

This episode mentions the incredible Matt Mullenweg. Matt, who’s also been on this podcast, was a lead developer behind WordPress, which runs about 23% of the Internet. You can listen to our booze-infused conversation here, in which we discuss polyphasic sleep, tequila, and building billion-dollar companies like his current gig (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 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results.  Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  Give it a test run..

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What’s the best investment advice you ever received? Or worst? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

A partial list of Chris Sacca’s investments.
Want to skip an MBA program? Check out Feld Thoughts
Not Fade Away: A Short Life Well Lived by Laurence Shames and Peter Barton
Watch Chris Sacca’s commencement speech to University of Minnesota
I Seem to be a Verb by Buckminster Fuller
The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz
The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert by Richard Betts, Wendy MacNaughton and Crystal English Sacca
Follow Chris on Twitter – @Sacca

Show Notes

What is Chris Sacca best known for? [6:10]
Total Immersion swimming and how to invest like Chris Sacca [8:40]
Pieces of advice given to Chris Sacca on early-stage investing [11:55]
What disqualifies startup founders in Sacca’s mind [16:05]
Travis Kalanick and Nintendo Wii Tennis [18:55]
Traits of founders for whom success, at massive scale, is predestined [22:00]
The whales that got away: GoPro, Snapchat, and more [27:40]
On letting the negative case dominate one’s analysis for whether to invest or not [29:55]
Differences between venture capitalists and private equity [35:15]
Books for investing and cultivating emotional intelligence [41:00]
Thoughts on modeling what it is to be successful [49:30]
What Chris Sacca’s parents did when he was a kid [53:50]
What Sacca looks for when hiring [58:25]
What historical figure Sacca most identifies with? [1:01:15]
Early collecting habits [1:04:25]
The story of the prophetic notebook [1:10:10]
The two differentiators that shifted the nature of Sacca’s business [1:19:10]
Advice to founders or would-be entrepreneurs [1:27:40]
Most readily quoted movie [1:31:10]

People Mentioned

Mike Maples Jr.
Josh Kopelman
Tony Conrad
Hans Swildens
Kevin Systrom
Evan Williams
Patrick Collison
John Collison
Travis Kalanick
Nick Woodman
Brad Feld
John Doerr
Michael Moritz
Brian Sacca
Buckminster Fuller

How to Build a Large Audience From Scratch (And More)

Sometimes, going weird allows you to go big. (Photo: My weird Instagram)

In this episode, I answer questions submitted by you all.

50% of this episode is spent explaining how I’d build an audience from scratch, if I had to start over today. The other ~10 questions/topics are listed below.

Do you like or dislike this type of episode? Please let me know in the comments, and I’ll do more or fewer based on that.

For the movie recommendations I mention (shorts, documentaries, etc.), click here to see the growing list.

Enjoy!

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

If you enjoy the above Q&A episode, you might also like this episode, where I answer the question: “What would you add to The 4-Hour Workweek for 2015?”

Other questions I answer in this episode:

If you’re the average of the 5 people you surround yourself with, who are those 5 people for you?

Based on the self-experiments you conducted in your books, are there any habits you continue to implement on a daily basis?

What is the most important question you ask yourself everyday?

If you could make one new thing mandatory in the nationwide high school curriculum, what would it be?

Bruce Lee said “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.” What methods do you practice to maintain focus and follow through to achieve your goals rather than getting side tracked, distracted, or discouraged?

With all the misleading information on health out there, what are the best/most reliable resources?

What are your top 10 natural supplements that you’ve found most helpful?

What are the things you’ve done to become a better writer?

What are your guilty pleasures for those times when your brain needs a rest?

What would you go back and tell your younger self?

Again, here are my answers.

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For previous episodes of the podcast, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rick Rubin, Jon Favreau, and others, click here.