Tribe Of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World

by Timothy Ferriss

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.

The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss made me ditch the average life in search of one with complete flexibility and freedom to live life on my terms.

But for those whose time is a scarce resource, learning to say no to meetings is a necessary skill. Sitting through an unproductive meeting has huge opportunity costs.

In recent years, I have become better at judging the opportunity cost of time.

“Those who are determined to be ‘offended’ will discover a provocation somewhere. We cannot possibly adjust enough to please the fanatics, and it is degrading to make the attempt.” –Christopher Hitchens Author, journalist, and social critic

Mr. Money Mustache blog, which has grown to reach about 23 million people (and 300 million page views) since its founding. It has become a worldwide cult phenomenon with a self-organizing community.

I came to realize that the key to a great life is simply having a bunch of great days. So you can think about it one day at a time.

Start by waking up from a good sleep, eating good food, leaving your phone/newspaper/computer behind, and simply writing down your plan for what will make

the day great. Several hours of physical activity, some hard work, a chance to laugh with and help out other people—and you’re pretty much there.

So the longer-term challenge is simply designing your life so that you have more of this s...

“Is this contributing to getting me a better day—today—and if not, is there anybody in the world who has managed to design this activity out of their...

So the one-liner is: A high savings rate (or “profit margin on life”) is by far the best strategy for a great and creative life, because it’s your ticket to freedom. Freedom is the fuel for creativity.

Be in a hurry to learn, not in a hurry to get validation.

One life lesson I’ve grudgingly come to accept is that it’s important not to work with crazy people.

but at some point an opinion crosses from “extreme” to “crazy” and the difference is important.

the thing you can look out for is flagrant narcissism.

Mind Gym by Gary Mack

“Every day is an opportunity to create a living masterpiece.”

Saying no to partnerships (and potential clients) who aren’t aligned in vision and appetite to work hard, work with passion, and adjust to the unknown.

“Obstacles are those terrible things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.”

The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity by Daniel Reid.

Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court by John Wooden

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” If something terrifies me, I typically sprint flat-out toward it, and that has served me well, both professionally and personally. But everyone gets scared, and I sometimes have to remind myself to remain brave when I’ve taken enough steps toward a goal that I can’t turn back, and feel like the floor has fallen out from underneath me.

Being brave means being present and willing to give of yourself regardless of result.

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee,

Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster, and Easier, which I recommend reading after watching the videos titled Freestyle: Made Easy.

Mastery by George Leonard.

Choose a worthy and meaningful challenge. Seek a sensei or master teacher (like George Leonard) to help you establish the right path and priorities. Practice diligently, always striving to hone key skills and to progress incrementally toward new levels of competence. Love the plateau. All

worthwhile progress occurs through brief, thrilling leaps forward followed by long stretches during which you feel you’re going nowhere. Though it seems as if we’re making no progress, we are turning new behaviors into habits. Learning continues at the cellular level . . . if you follow good practice principles. Mastery is a journey, not a

destination. True masters never believe they have attained mastery. There is always more to be learned and...

The Good Heart by the Dalai Lama.

Thich Nhat Hanh’s book, Peace Is Every Step,

Hands down, The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. This

Pursue every

project, idea, or industry that genuinely lights you up,

regardless of how unrelated each idea is, or how unrealistic a long-term career in t...

Work your fucking ass off and develop a reputation for going above and be...

I actually have an email label called “OPP” to remind myself that those requests are “other people’s priorities” and to think carefully before putting unsolicited

requests for favors ahead of all my teammates and customers, who are quietly counting on me to do my actual job. Note

Schedule specific blocks of time in advance for your rocks so you don’t have to think about them.

This is doubly important for things like sleep and exercise. If you don’t put those in first, no one will.

You must seize opportunities when they present themselves, not when they are convenient or obvious. The only way to cultivate your own luck is to be more flexible (you’ll need to give up something for the right opportunity), humble (timing is out of your control), and gracious (when you see it, seize it!).

Every step in your early career must get you incrementally closer to whatever genuinely interests you.

A labor of love always pays off, just not how and when you expect. Set yourself up to succeed by taking new jobs and roles that get you closer to your interests.

The greatest lessons you learn in the beginning of a career are about people—how to work with people, be managed by people, manage expectations with people, and

lead other people. As such, the team you choose to join, ​and your boss, are huge factors in the value of a professiona...

Choose opportunities based on the quality of people you wil...

“don’t ask customers what they want, figure out what they need.”