Q&A with Tim — Tools for Better Sleep, Musings on Parenting, the Different Roles of Fear, the Delight of Deepening Friendships, the Purpose of College, How to Boost Your Mood, HRV Training, and More (#557)
Illustration via 99designsWelcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is usually my job to sit down with world-class performers of all different types to tease out the habits, routines, favorite books, and so on that you can apply and test in your own life. This time, we have a slightly different format, and I’m the guest.
As some of you know, I tested a “fan-supported model” in 2019, but I ended up returning to ads by request. That’s a long story, and you can read more about it at tim.blog/podcastexperiment. I recently sat down with the supporter group for a fun and live Q&A on YouTube.
I answered questions on plantar fasciitis relief, manga-assisted language learning and retention, breathing exercises, wolf conservation, parenting ambitions, VR therapy, mood and energy remedies, post-pandemic social reintroduction, the value of college, favorite wrestling movies, and much, much more.
Please enjoy!
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the Q&A on YouTube here.
Brought to you by Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, GiveWell.org charity research and effective giving, and Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating. More on all three below.
The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.
Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercast#557: Q&A with Tim — Tools for Better Sleep, Musings on Parenting, The Different Roles of Fear, The Delight of Deepening Friendships, The Purpose of College, How to Boost Your Mood, HRV Training, and MoreThis episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.
Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.
This episode is also brought to you by GiveWell.org! For over ten years, GiveWell.org has helped donors find the charities and projects that save and improve lives most per dollar. GiveWell spends over 20,000 hours each year researching charitable organizations and only recommends a few of the highest-impact, evidence-backed charities they’ve found. In total, more than 50,000 people have used GiveWell to donate as effectively as possible.
This year, support the charities that save and improve lives most, with GiveWell. Any of my listeners who become new GiveWell donors will have their first donation matched up to $250 when you go to GiveWell.org and select “PODCAST” and “Tim Ferriss” at checkout.
This episode is brought to you by Eight Sleep! Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover is the easiest and fastest way to sleep at the perfect temperature. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to offer the most advanced (and user-friendly) solution on the market. Simply add the Pod Pro Cover to your current mattress and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F. It also splits your bed in half, so your partner can choose a totally different temperature.
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What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…
Want to hear a previous Q&A? Listen in on my conversation with you, my lovely listeners, in which we discussed how to go about finding a mentor, how to extinguish anxiety, cocktails, relationship advice, training into confidence, the meaning of life, and other light topics.
#363: Tea Time with Tim — How to Find Mentors, Decrease Anxiety Through Training, and Much MoreSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEPlantar Fasciitis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, and More | HealthlineTheragun Massage Gun Devices | Therabody.comHRV Biofeedback Training | Dr. Leah LagosHeart Breath Mind: Conquer Stress, Build Resilience, and Perform at Your Peak by Dr. Leah Lago | AmazonDr. Andrew Huberman — A Neurobiologist on Optimizing Sleep, Enhancing Performance, Reducing Anxiety, Increasing Testosterone, and Using the Body to Control the Mind | The Tim Ferriss Show #521Thorne Research Super EPA Supplements | AmazonJarrow Formulas MagMind with Magnesium L-Threonate Supplements | AmazonThorne Research Amino Acid L-Theanine Supplements | AmazonSwanson Apigenin Prostate Health Supplements | AmazonThorne Research Pyridoxal 5′-Phosphate Bioactive Vitamin B6 | AmazonHow Zeitgeber Time Signals Reset Sleep, Internal Clock | Verywell HealthHow to Get Caffeine Out of Your System | HealthlineThe 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss | AmazonThe Random Show, Ice Cold Edition | The Tim Ferriss Show #146Nature’s Life Policosanol Tablets | AmazonThe Official PAGG Stack | AmazonTools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss | AmazonThe 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life by Timothy Ferriss | AmazonThe 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss | AmazonDom D’Agostino on Fasting, Ketosis, and the End of Cancer | The Tim Ferriss Show #117Peter Attia, M.D. — Fasting, Metformin, Athletic Performance, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #398Christopher Sommer — The Secrets of Gymnastic Strength Training | The Tim Ferriss Show #158Christopher Sommer — The Secrets of Gymnastic Strength Training, Part Two — Home Equipment, Weighted Stretches, and Muscle-Ups | The Tim Ferriss Show #180Learn How to Use Gymnastics Rings: Iron Cross | GymnasticBodiesHow to Do a Maltese on the Rings | Strength ProjectStall (Stahl) Bars | AmazonJefferson Curls: Weighted Mobility for the Posterior Chain | GymnasticBodiesSeated Pike Pulses | Sustainable Training MethodThe Art and Science of Learning Anything Faster | The Tim Ferriss Show #191Richard Koch on Mastering the 80/20 Principle, Achieving Unreasonable Success, and the Art of Gambling | The Tim Ferriss Show #466The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less by Richard Koch | AmazonMike Phillips — How to Save a Species | The Tim Ferriss Show #383Steven Rinella on Hunting (and Why You Should Care), Reconnecting with Nature, Favorite Trips, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #470How Wolves Change Rivers | Sustainable HumanThe Persuasive Power of the Wolf Lady | The New YorkerThe Wolf Reintroduction Bet (and Resources) | Tim FerrissGrit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth | AmazonHanna | Prime VideoAmelia Boone on Beating 99% of Men and Suffering for High Performance | The Tim Ferriss Show #127Jason Nemer — Inside the Magic of AcroYoga | The Tim Ferriss Show #182Never Forget: The Softball Toss Event | r/crossfitThe Lion of Olympic Weightlifting, 62-Year-Old Jerzy Gregorek (Also Featuring: Naval Ravikant | The Tim Ferriss Show #228The Happy Body: The Simple Science of Nutrition, Exercise, and Relaxation by Aniela Gregorek and Jerzy Gregorek | AmazonTim Ferriss: Smash Fear, Learn Anything | TED TalkTotal Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too | Tim FerrissTerry Laughlin, The Master Who Changed My Life | The Tim Ferriss Show #276Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way To Swim Better, Faster, and Easier by Terry Laughlin and John Delves | AmazonItalia | Italian National Tourist BoardTaiwan | Lonely PlanetWar on Drugs Timeline in America | HistoryPsychedelic-Assisted Therapy (Resources) | Tim Ferriss“I Just Received a U01 Grant from NIDA to Study Psilocybin for Tobacco Addiction.” | Matthew W. Johnson, TwitterThe Project on Psychedelics Law and Regulation (POPLAR) | Harvard Law SchoolThis Neurobiologist Swims with Great White Sharks to Study Fear | SeekerDr. Adam Gazzaley, UCSF — Brain Optimization and the Future of Psychedelic Medicine | The Tim Ferriss Show #507Bridging the Gap between Neuroscience and Technology | NeuroscapeAkili InteractiveFitness for Your Inner Self | TRIPPResonant: A VR Experiment in the Humanities | CyArkDennis McKenna — The Depths of Ayahuasca: 500+ Sessions, Fundamentals, Advanced Topics, Science, Churches, Learnings, Warnings, and Beyond | The Tim Ferriss Show #523The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life by Boyd Varty | AmazonThe Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss: My Life with Terence McKenna by Dennis McKenna | AmazonThe Archaic Revival: Speculations on Psychedelic Mushrooms, the Amazon, Virtual Reality, UFOs, Evolution, Shamanism, the Rebirth of the Goddess, and the End of History by Terence Mckenna | AmazonTrue Hallucinations: Being an Account of the Author’s Extraordinary Adventures in the Devil’s Paradise by Terence McKenna | AmazonOf Wolves and Men by Barry Lopez | AmazonArctic Dreams by Barry Lopez | AmazonAustin, TXA Guide to the Scandinavian Countries | Scandinavia StandardFinnish Flick | WikicarsWhere’s Waldo? by Martin Handford | AmazonJerry Seinfeld — A Comedy Legend’s Systems, Routines, and Methods for Success | The Tim Ferriss Show #485Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life by Steve Martin | AmazonPosts About Language Learning | Tim FerrissOne Piece Wiki | FandomThe Tim Ferriss Experiment | IMDbThe Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance by Josh Waitzkin | AmazonJosh Waitzkin and Tim Ferriss on The Cave Process, Advice from Future Selves, and Training for an Uncertain Future | The Tim Ferriss Show #498Grandmaster Maurice Ashley — The Path and Strategies of World-Class Mastery | The Tim Ferriss Show #449Dr. Peter Attia — Supplements, Blood Tests, and Near-Death Experiences | The Tim Ferriss Show #6510 Jump Rope Benefits | CrossropeRadical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach | AmazonRichard Schwartz — IFS, Psychedelic Experiences without Drugs, and Finding Inner Peace for Our Many Parts | The Tim Ferriss Show #492Internal Family Systems Therapy, Second Edition by Richard C. Schwartz and Martha Sweezy | AmazonHow to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie | AmazonEye of Sauron | The One Wiki to Rule Them All | FandomHow I Built The Tim Ferriss Show to 700+ Million Downloads — An Immersive Explanation of All Aspects and Key Decisions (Featuring Chris Hutchins) | The Tim Ferriss Show #538Scott Adams: The Man Behind Dilbert | The Tim Ferriss Show #106Dilbert by Scott AdamsThe Kristina Talent Stack | Scott Adams SaysHow to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams | AmazonWin Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don’t Matter by Scott Adams | AmazonTim Ferriss | The NerdistTim Ferriss | Joe Rogan ExperienceTim Ferriss | WTF with Marc MaronThe Tim Ferriss Podcast is Live! Here Are Episodes 1 and 2 | The Tim Ferriss ShowMake the Most of Your World | Peace CorpsTeach For AmericaGates and Zuckerberg Aren’t the Only Dropouts Who Became Billionaires | Yahoo! NewsTimeline: Bill Gates | NPRGo the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach and Ricardo Cortés, Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson | AmazonTea Time with Tynan | YouTubeWhat Can a Technologist Do about Climate Change? A Personal View. | Bret VictorEight SleepMichael Pollan — Exploring The New Science of Psychedelics | The Tim Ferriss Show #313How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan | AmazonGraham Duncan — Talent Is the Best Asset Class | The Tim Ferriss Show #362Balaji Srinivasan — Centralized China vs Decentralized World, The DeFi Matrix, Ascending vs Descending Trends, Bitcoin Mining as Energy Storage, Reputational Civil War, and Maximalism vs. Optimalism | The Tim Ferriss Show #547Chris Dixon and Naval Ravikant — The Wonders of Web3, How to Pick the Right Hill to Climb, Finding the Right Amount of Crypto Regulation, Friends with Benefits, and the Untapped Potential of NFTs | The Tim Ferriss Show #542The Random Show — Biohacking, Tim’s COVID Experience, Holiday Gift Ideas, Favorite New Apps, Bad Science, Quarantine Delights, and a Small Dose of NFTs and DAOs | The Tim Ferriss Show #549Modern Finance (MoFi) with Kevin RosePROOF with Kevin RoseIncerto: Fooled by Randomness, The Black Swan, The Bed of Procrustes, Antifragile, Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas Taleb | AmazonStan Grof, Lessons from ~4,500 LSD Sessions and Beyond | The Tim Ferriss Show #347Generation 3 | Oura RingLow-Dose Lithium Orotate | AmazonShould We All Take a Bit of Lithium? | The New York TimesCold Shower for Anxiety: Research, Efficacy, and More | HealthlineVision Quest | Prime VideoDan Gable: Competitor SupremeThe Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done by Peter Drucker | AmazonGreg McKeown — How to Master Essentialism | The Tim Ferriss Show #355Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown | AmazonChiliSleep OOLER Sleep System | AmazonWhat My Morning Journal Looks Like | Tim FerrissThe Artist’s Way Morning Pages Journal: A Companion Volume to the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron | AmazonThe Tail End | Wait But WhyManaging Procrastination, Predicting the Future, and Finding Happiness – Tim Urban | The Tim Ferriss Show #283What About Bob? | Prime VideoSHOW NOTESWhat worked best to help with my plantar fasciitis? [05:27]What breathing exercises do I practice and recommend? [07:20]What did I implement from Andrew Huberman’s advice on sleep? [08:38]If I were to revise The 4-Hour Body, what would I change? Has my opinion changed in regards to keto, intermittent fasting, multi-day fasting, PAGG, et cetera? [12:02]Why did I stop gymnastic strength training? Do I think I’ll revisit it? [13:57]Would I ever have David Goggins on the podcast? [15:31]When I’m learning something new, do I still follow the DS3 method from The 4-Hour Chef? [16:09]A recommendation for rock climbers. [20:01]How has my work with wolf conservation been going? What has been the impact of my support thus far? [20:19]Thoughts about the most important qualities I’d hope to pass on to my children, what I suspect a modern educational curriculum might omit from their lessons, and parental role models I might hope to emulate. [24:34]Outside of psychedelics, what other somatic experience/physical modality has created the largest positive shifts for me? [26:49]What past vacation destinations would I most like to revisit? [32:49]What are one or two of my super long-term goals? [33:15]Congratulations to Matthew W. Johnson for his U01 grant from NIDA to study psilocybin for tobacco addiction! [36:20]There’s been a lot of talk of experiential therapy techniques like psychedelics. Are there any promising research programs using VR gaming for similar results? [38:37]Favorite book from the past year. [41:08]Has moving to Austin made me more reflective? [43:30]Have I ever spent time in any Scandanavian countries? If so, what was my impression? [47:23]When can I get Steve Martin on as a guest? [49:35]How do I maintain the languages I’ve learned? What tip do I most recommend to language learners? [50:11]What principles have I learned from chess that I can use outside of the game? [53:13]Feel like low energy is keeping you from thinking optimally? Here are a few ideas about what might be causing it and what you can do to try and remedy the situation. [55:22]Outside of sleep, what is my biggest force multiplier? [56:23]After undergoing isolation, stress, and trauma, how would I suggest individuals deal with the lingering psychological effects and cognitive biases of the pandemic (heightened scarcity, mindset, risk aversion, et cetera) so they can keep making growth-based decisions as opposed to fear-based ones? [57:52]For people watching this on video, what’s the art behind me? [1:01:47]What advice would I give to someone just getting started in podcasting — not necessarily for making a living, but for creating something worth listening to? [1:02:27]Is college a must? What alternative methods of advanced education could fit into a gap year and be just as valuable? [1:07:16]How am I going to cope with sleepless nights once I become a father? [1:14:00]Do I know Tea Time with Tynan? For that matter, where’s my tea? [1:14:25]What’s my take on global warming? How am I preparing for possible worst case scenarios? [1:14:53]The power of Eight Sleep Pod compels you (to get a restful night of sweet, sweet slumber). [1:15:54]Why am I suddenly hosting these more frequently? What do these sessions bring to me? [1:16:16]Thoughts on psychedelics and their potential effects on people who have experienced psychosis, schizophrenia, et cetera. [1:16:51]Am I still interested in cryptocurrency? (Yes, but make sure to listen to Kevin Rose’s podcasts on the subject [Modern Finance and Proof] because he’s really got his finger on the pulse of that world right now.) [1:20:49]What do I think about Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s Incerto series? [1:21:05]Does someone who considers themselves psychologically healthy risk opening Pandora’s box in their subconscious by tampering with psychedelics? [1:22:22]What do I do to pattern interrupt when I notice I’m slipping into a low point? [1:26:10]Do I have plans to engage Congress in federal changes related to psychedelics, or is this a longer-term objective once the science is solid? [1:29:24]What’s my favorite wrestling movie? [1:30:57]What gets most people the most bang for the buck in terms of time management when exceeding 200k annual income? [1:32:44]How has sleep tracking improved my quality of sleep? [1:33:54]Is there anything to which I say “F it” and just proceed willy nilly? Or am I robotically methodical about everything? [1:36:23]When practicing mindfulness and gratitude don’t seem to do the trick, how can you slow down and enjoy life without being so focused on the future? [1:37:44]Parting thoughts. [1:40:21]PEOPLE MENTIONEDLeah LagosAndrew HubermanRay CroniseDominic D’AgostinoPeter AttiaChristopher SommerDavid GogginsDave MacLeodMike PhillipsJason NemerJerzy GregorekAniela GregorekTerry LaughlinRichard M. NixonMatthew W. JohnsonAdam GazzaleyRobin Carhart-HarrisBoyd VartyDennis McKennaTerence McKennaBarry LopezJerry SeinfeldSteve MartinBenny LewisJosh WaitzkinBruce PandolfiniMarcelo GarciaTara BrachRichard SchwartzScott AdamsDonald TrumpJoe RoganMarc MaronKevin RoseBill GatesMark ZuckerbergMichael PollanGraham DuncanNassim Nicholas TalebStan GrofVincent van GoghDan GableJohn SmithPeter DruckerGreg McKeownTim UrbanMatt Mullenweg
