#745: Rick Rubin and Mary Karr

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #485 "Jerry Seinfeld — A Comedy Legend’s Systems, Routines, and Methods for Success" and episode #39 "Maria Popova on Writing, Workflow, and Workarounds."Please enjoy!Sponsors:1Password easy-to-use and secure password manager for individuals, families, and businesses: https://1password.com/tim (14-day free trial)LMNT electrolyte supplement: https://drinklmnt.com/Tim (free LMNT sample pack with any drink mix purchase)Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)Timestamps:[05:16] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:19] Enter Jerry Seinfeld.[06:46] Jerry’s writing process for survival in the comedy ecosystem.[15:43] Lessons Jerry would teach in a writing class and how they relate to his fitness methods.[15:43] Soliciting creative feedback while preserving pride over doing the work.[20:33] Routines essential to Jerry’s well-being and their frequency and duration.[24:50] How nurturing creativity is like parenting, and Jerry’s belief about pain and knowledge.[26:17] Additional ways Jerry mitigates depressive episodes.[27:27] A resilience-building failure.[32:05] The importance of playing the game well.[33:42] “Survival is the new success.”[36:12] Jerry’s billboard.[39:06] Enter Maria Popova.[39:30] Are you correctly pronouncing names you’ve only read but never heard?[41:13] What does Maria do?[41:50] What is Brain Pickings (now The Marginalian)?[42:31] What percentage of New York Times best sellers are a result of Maria’s coverage?[47:55] The common denominator that guides Maria’s reading list.[49:16] The importance of writing for an audience of one.[52:07] Contending with the temptation to create BuzzFeed-like content.[59:44] The daily discipline required for Maria’s well-being.[1:07:10] Maria’s note-taking system.[1:12:53] Seneca and the time-tested challenge of presence vs. productivity.[1:16:08] Start-up opportunity? Build a note-taking tool for heavy readers/highlighters.[1:22:52] About the team behind [The Marginalian].[1:24:28] Collaborative proofreading and copyediting.[1:27:21] Self-reliance pathology and how to overcome it.[1:29:56] Finding a professional personal assistant and learning to delegate.[1:34:36] Maria’s weightlifting regimen and favorite bodyweight-only exercise.[1:37:22] Designing content infrastructure to be evergreen.[1:39:28] Cutting out the commentary contrarians.[1:46:13] Scheduling social media.[1:48:25] Coping with email — and sometimes snail mail.[1:50:31] How to cultivate a personal inner circle and pre-screen book review requests.[1:54:54] What donation model works best for site revenue?[2:01:22] Recommended reading from [The Marginalian] and parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #76 "Rick Rubin on Cultivating World-Class Artists (Jay Z, Johnny Cash, etc.), Losing 100+ Pounds, and Breaking Down the Complex" and episode #479 "Mary Karr — The Master of Memoir on Creative Process and Finding Gifts in the Suffering."Please enjoy!Sponsors:AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://drinkag1.com/tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.)Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save $350 on the Pod 4 Ultra)LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 1B+ users: https://linkedin.com/tim (post your job for free)Timestamps:[05:11] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:15] Enter Rick Rubin.[07:58] How Rick lost over 135 pounds in his late 30s.[16:03] How artists can hurdle the obstacles that hinder their best work.[19:31] Where to find world-class contemporary music.[20:24] Approaching music production with a fan’s-eye view.[22:53] Recommended reading.[24:22] Helping artists break their creative blocks.[26:54] Rick’s advice for his younger selves.[29:06] Why practicing self-kindness isn’t just nice — it’s a necessity.[32:01] Enter Mary Karr.[32:25] Growing up in “The Ringworm Belt.”[34:44] The catalyst for Mary expressing herself and publishing to the world.[37:47] The role reading played for young Mary.[40:31] The feeling that inspired Mary’s desire to become a poet at a young age.[44:27] “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”[45:17] How Mary, a high school dropout, got into college and became an A student.[49:13] Mary’s struggle with bringing darkness with her even after leaving her traumatic past.[53:23] The highly selective process for getting into Mary’s graduate seminar at Syracuse University.[54:33] The first day of Mary’s class and what it illustrates about processing memoir-building memories.[1:00:20] The value of a commonplace book and helping others find alternative perspectives.[1:04:19] The importance and utility of prayer in Mary’s life and sobriety.[1:17:09] The significance of Ignatian exercises in Mary’s Catholic faith and gratitude practice.[1:23:10] Obligatory Texas talk about weaponry and hunting.[1:26:41] The origins of Mary’s unique wordsmithing.[1:34:24] Mary’s process of rough drafts, revision, and using past memories for storytelling.[1:42:34] How Mary copes with the pain of dredging up memories through writing.[1:46:09] Why Mary feels the happiest at 65 and her advice to her younger self about therapy.[1:49:26] The most and least effective types of therapy for Mary.[1:53:25] Mary’s solution to fear and getting through uncomfortable times.[1:58:14] Recognizing the gifts from suffering through difficult times in retrospect.[2:06:28] Mary’s billboard.[2:07:35] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #107 "The Scariest Navy SEAL Imaginable… And What He Taught Me" and episode #161 "Lessons from War, Tribal Societies, and a Non-Fiction Life (Sebastian Junger)."Please enjoy!Sponsors:Vuori Clothing high-quality performance apparel: https://vuoriclothing.com/tim (20% off your first purchase)Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://helixsleep.com/tim (20% off all mattress orders and two free pillows)Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)Timestamps:[06:27] Notes about this supercombo format.[07:30] Enter Jocko Willink.[07:59] What separates good leaders from mediocre or bad leaders?[10:01] Identifying good leadership candidates.[11:46] Teaching the skill of detachment.[16:58] Jocko’s grueling workout that made platoons “tap out.”[18:46] Jocko’s morning rituals.[20:57] People Jocko associates with success.[23:12] Recommended reading.[26:57] How does discipline equal freedom?[31:50] Enter Sebastian Junger.[32:21] Thomas Paine and Stoic philosophy.[34:25] The “chainsaw story” and its impact on Sebastian’s writing career.[38:27] Athleticism and long distance running.[39:00] Developing a writing style.[40:46] Sebastian’s attraction to journalism.[46:22] Sebastian’s writing style and the importance of structure.[55:51] Commencement speech advice for high school graduates.[59:09] Sebastian’s inspiration to visit war-torn countries.[1:01:14] Explanation of “skin walkers.”[1:05:00] Striving for political correctness in gender.[1:11:43] The Iroquois’ peace process and its relevance to modern politics.[1:19:15] Psychiatric effects of war.[1:22:07] Bringing primitive, war-time cohesion into modern society.[1:27:28] PTSD, the C-Train, and returning to New York City after war.[1:32:24] The lonely nature of society.[1:36:24] PTSD prevalence in elite special forces units vs. support units.[1:41:30] How to “support the troops.”[1:47:47] How a Viking helmet started — and stopped — a barfight in Spain.[1:53:16] Developing male closeness while decreasing violence.[1:59:05] Veterans becoming victims in society after returning from war.[2:03:27] Photography/videography habits and Sebastian’s start as a war reporter.[2:07:45] Tim Hetherington’s story and Sebastian’s decision to stop war reporting.[2:11:02] Sebastian’s future writing plans.[2:12:04] One thing anyone can do for a military veteran.[2:16:14] Who comes to mind when Sebastian hears the word “successful?”[2:16:46] Defining courage.[2:16:52] Most gifted books.[2:17:46] What close friends say Sebastian is exceptionally good at.[2:18:09] Combining three writers to create the ultimate writer.[2:18:47] Advice to Sebastian’s younger self.[2:20:07] Recent purchase with the most positive impact on Sebastian’s life.[2:22:16] Something Sebastian believes, despite being unable to prove it.[2:22:23] Disliked habits and common practices of journalists.[2:23:39] Advice from Sebastian’s 70-year-old self to his current self.[2:24:48] Knowing when to write a book.[2:26:53] Sebastian’s billboard.[2:28:22] Final requests for the audience and parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #421 "Dr. Jane Goodall — The Legend, The Lessons, The Hope" and episode #145 "The Interview Master: Cal Fussman and the Power of Listening."Please enjoy!Sponsors:Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save $350 on the Pod 4 Ultra)Wealthfront high-yield cash account: https://wealthfront.com/tim (Start earning 5.00% APY on your short term cash until you’re ready to invest. And when you open an account today, you can get an extra fifty-dollar bonus with a deposit of five hundred dollars or more.) Terms apply.Timestamps:[04:48] Notes about this supercombo format.[05:51] Enter Dr. Jane Goodall.[06:19] Connecting with Louis Leakey and becoming his secretary.[09:43] Gaining acceptance among chimpanzees.[13:09] Primate personalities, compassion, and the story of Old Man saving Marc Cusano.[17:34] Observations of chimpanzee compassion and violence, and inferences about human nature.[19:19] Explaining variance in chimpanzee attitudes toward dominance.[20:55] Cultivating hope to overcome apathy.[26:19] Mr. H, Gary Haun, the indomitable human spirit, and overcoming adversity.[29:37] Dr. Goodall's billboard.[31:20] Enter Cal Fussman.[32:56] Quincy Jones' unique book signing practice.[34:19] Cal's pivotal childhood moment.[38:55] Deconstructing the skill of asking great questions.[42:43] Contrasting interview styles from different life stages.[48:25] University of Missouri Journalism's role in Cal's career.[52:24] Drinking with Hunter S. Thompson and Johnny Depp.[55:45] Cal's start in international travel (and my family trip to Iceland).[1:06:34] How a single question got Cal six months of lodging.[1:14:45] Common mistakes and lessons learned about the art of asking questions.[1:23:30] Honing the ability to tell stories.[1:27:11] A life-changing event at the end of Cal's travels.[1:31:43] Perfecting the conversational interview.[1:33:43] Speaking at Summit at Sea.[1:46:15] What Mikhail Gorbachev taught Cal about the art of the interview.[1:55:45] Boxing Julio César Chávez.[2:30:31] Why Alex Banayan and George Foreman define success for Cal.[2:42:58] Most gifted books.[2:49:47] Favorite documentaries and movies.[2:55:37] Cal's billboard.[2:56:08] Advice to Cal's 30-year-old self.[2:59:05] Overcoming writer's block with Harry Crews' advice.[3:18:56] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #37 "Tony Robbins on Morning Routines, Peak Performance, and Mastering Money" and #373 "Jerry Colonna — The Coach with the Spider Tattoo."Please enjoy!Sponsors:LMNT electrolyte supplement: https://drinklmnt.com/Tim (free LMNT sample pack with any drink mix purchase)AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://drinkag1.com/tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.)Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save $350 on the Pod 4 Ultra)Timestamps:05:00] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:03] Enter Tony Robbins.[06:27] Tony’s daily routines.[07:28] Cryotherapy.[10:55] Priming.[15:04] Tony’s ideal music for meditation.[16:20] Richard Branson’s first pre-investment questions.[17:05] What a 50% investment loss actually means.[17:42] The Paul Tudor Jones 5:1 strategy.[18:36] How Kyle Bass taught his kids about investing with nickels.[21:34] What the world’s best investors know for certain.[24:00] Enter Jerry Colonna.[24:21] Jerry’s spider tattoo origin story.[30:03] The 2002 Olympic bid meeting that changed Jerry’s life.[35:47] Jerry’s suicide attempt at 18 and his psychiatric hospital stay.[37:06] The difference between responsible and complicit in Jerry’s life in 2002.[39:55] Three important questions from Jerry’s therapist.[41:02] Something important Jerry needed to say but didn’t during this time.[42:39] How Jerry overcame self-doubt and unanswerable questions.[44:46] Jerry’s path to coaching and three influential books.[51:46] How much of Jerry’s coaching stemmed from focusing outside himself and healing his younger self.[53:12] Convincing high-achievers of the importance of self-discovery.[54:10] Jerry’s first question: “How are you really feeling?”[57:11] Working with the chronically busy.[59:40] Examining my handling of busyness, saying “No,” and related difficulties.[1:09:40] Three basic risks we all try to manage: love, safety, and belonging.[1:13:06] Tools, books, and approaches for setting boundaries and saying “No.”[1:14:50] “All beings own their own karma. Their happiness or unhappiness depend upon their actions, not my wishes for them.”[1:16:11] A boundary tool that acknowledges compassion from a distance.[1:17:30] The challenge is in the meaning assigned to a situation before applying a tool.[1:18:11] Dealing with vexing “Newman” personalities in our lives.[1:22:56] Moving from intellectual agreement to behavioral change.[1:25:26] Benefits of journaling for personal growth.[1:27:33] Guilt vs. remorse.[1:28:12] Marie Ponsot, the crow, and letting the crow speak in the journal.[1:32:00] Jerry’s bedtimes, mornings, and journaling process.[1:35:09] Journaling for accepting life’s totality and our inner “multitudes.”[1:37:14] Tara Brach’s Radical Acceptance.[1:37:41] Using Marvel’s Hulk and Thor to understand and reconcile parts of oneself.[1:42:39] A difficult but life-changing decision Jerry made to say “No.”[1:49:19] Advice for anyone at a similar junction.[1:51:07] Using journaling and meditation to cope with anxiety and inner turmoil.[1:54:43] Learning about loving kindness (metta) meditation.[1:56:49] A new behavior or belief that improved Jerry’s quality of life.[1:58:36] Jerry’s billboard.[2:00:55] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #361 "Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath" and #380 "Ed Zschau — The Polymath Professor Who Changed My Life."Please enjoy!Sponsors:Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save $350 on the Pod 4 Ultra)AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://drinkag1.com/tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.)LMNT electrolyte supplement: https://drinklmnt.com/Tim (free LMNT sample pack with any drink mix purchase)Timestamps:[05:00] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:03] Enter Jim Collins.[06:28] How Jim’s students influenced his entrepreneurial path.[10:45] Why Jim carries a three-timer stopwatch.[12:21] Using a spreadsheet to optimize discipline in service of creativity.[13:42] Ideal minimum creative hours per year.[15:19] Avoiding a life-distorting “funk.”[17:41] Calculating an optimal end point.[19:27] Patterns discovered using Jim’s time-tracking method.[20:23] Three crucial components for living the life Jim wants to lead.[22:18] The bug book and the hedgehog concept.[30:31] Peter Drucker mic-drop lessons.[34:39] Enter Ed Zschau.[34:59] How I convinced Dr. Zschau to let me into his Princeton engineering course.[37:38] Ed’s background in competitive figure skating and the lessons it taught him.[41:45] The origin of Ed’s meticulous attention to detail.[45:31] The benefits of learning by doing through the case method.[49:21] Ed’s definition of entrepreneurship.[50:50] The role of optimism in entrepreneurship and life.[53:30] Ed’s aspirations as a teenager and young adult.[55:32] What drew Ed to Princeton as an aspiring physics philosopher.[58:21] How Ed got into teaching and his belief that career planning is overrated.[1:03:37] How Ed learned to become a good teacher and the influence of extemporaneous speaking.[1:06:53] Lessons from extemporaneous speaking competitions about preparation and adaptation.[1:11:04] Ed’s thoughts on focusing for extended periods versus opening himself to opportunities.[1:13:06] Ed’s decision to run for Congress.[1:17:57] Advantages of committing to a maximum of three terms in the House of Representatives.[1:21:29] Ed’s experience and self-reflection after losing his Senate race.[1:23:40] Ed’s decision process when transitioning from investor to CEO.[1:26:05] Differentiating between high-impact commitments and peer pressure.[1:29:41] Comparing Ed’s parenting style to his teaching style.[1:31:17] Ed’s belief in encouragement over direction and his own upbringing.[1:34:45] The origin of Ed’s goal to live a life that matters.[1:37:05] Influential books and recommendations for aspiring entrepreneurs.[1:42:05] Ed’s current excitement and efforts to make higher education affordable through technology.[1:48:37] The mantra by which Ed lives his life and his childhood nickname.[1:50:57] How Ed brings the sound of music to his endeavors.[1:57:34] Ed’s influence on others to continue his work of changing the world.[1:59:40] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #355 "Greg McKeown — How to Master Essentialism" and episode #536 "Diana Chapman — How to Get Unstuck, Do “The Work,” Take Radical Responsibility, and Reduce Drama in Your Life."Please enjoy!Sponsors:Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)Wealthfront high-yield savings account: https://wealthfront.com/tim (5% interest on your savings, and when you open an account today, you’ll get an extra fifty-dollar bonus with a deposit of five hundred dollars or more)Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://helixsleep.com/tim (between 25% and 30% off all mattress orders and two free pillows.)Timestamps:[05:26] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:28] Enter Greg McKeown.[06:49] What is non-essential?[07:46] Overcoming the planning fallacy.[13:30] The problem with taking ownership of someone else’s problems.[15:44] How to avoid committing to the unsustainable.[21:26] Three rules.[25:28] The personal quarterly offsite.[33:05] Enter Diana Chapman.[33:22] A transformative gift.[36:56] The Drama Triangle.[43:36] The whole-body yes (or no) and how it can serve us.[46:06] Diana guides an experience to help pay better attention to our whole-body yes (or no).[54:36] Observations made during the exercise and how Diana recommends using this inventory.[1:01:39] Fostering playfulness for those who mute their desire to celebrate.[1:08:28] Diana’s “black belt in practicing candor.”[1:09:37] Diana’s thoughts on loving pressure and how to bring it into a relationship.[1:13:24] Applying loving pressure to people you don’t know well.[1:15:08] Diana’s guidance on introspection leading to perspective shifts; using Byron Katie’s “turnarounds.”[1:17:48] Diana guides me through a turnaround.[1:23:58] A turnaround’s purpose is to identify and embrace alternatives, not invalidate the inspected belief.[1:29:06] The importance of introducing the somatic into the process; suggestions for difficulty with this step.[1:31:47] The role of the witness in this process.[1:33:54] Walking the line.[1:35:40] Welcoming the opportunity to learn from the experience, even if it’s not preferred.[1:37:35] Alternative tools for dysregulation in the moment.[1:39:31] Risks Diana and her husband Matt took to keep their relationship vital; who initiated the first difficult conversation.[1:45:11] How Diana figured out who she needed to be during this time.[1:47:11] Navigating decision points together as a couple.[1:49:42] Examples of commitments from The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership.[1:53:22] The Mind Jogger app and how Diana uses it with the commitments.[1:55:55] Assessing self-awareness in hiring interviews applied to non-job situations.[1:57:53] Books most gifted.[1:59:35] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #409 "Brené Brown — Striving versus Self-Acceptance, Saving Marriages, and More" and episode #596 "Edward O. Thorp, A Man for All Markets — Beating Blackjack and Roulette, Beating the Stock Market, Spotting Bernie Madoff Early, and Knowing When Enough Is Enough."Please enjoy!Sponsors:AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://drinkag1.com/tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.)LinkedIn Ads marketing platform with 1B+ users: https://linkedin.com/TFS (free $100 LinkedIn ad credit for your first campaign)LMNT electrolyte supplement: https://drinklmnt.com/Tim (free LMNT sample pack with any drink mix purchase)Timestamps:[06:06] Notes about this supercombo format.[07:09] Enter Brené Brown.[07:30] Changing in a lasting, meaningful way.[08:03] Is self-accepted complacency possible?[10:53] My woo confession about a crux skill.[13:06] Narcissism: the shame-based fear of being ordinary.[14:06] Efficacy isn’t always efficient.[15:48] Pathology as armor that can’t be discarded.[16:28] What are you unwilling to feel?[17:04] Discarding armor that no longer serves us.[21:26] Curiosity as midlife’s superpower.[22:53] There’s trauma for all of us.[23:33] An 80/20 marriage hack.[25:18] Decisions in a family-focused family.[27:04] Parenting from compliance to commitment.[29:31] Enter Edward O. Thorp.[29:54] Edward’s background, and what drew him to apply mathematics to gambling.[37:04] Edward’s first blackjack trip to Vegas, reference materials used, and his meeting with Claude Shannon at MIT.[40:13] Edward and Claude devised a method to beat roulette using the first wearable computer, according to MIT.[42:16] Despite being 89, Edward looks great for his age; he discusses his approach to staying in shape over the years.[50:22] Edward explains how he got into finance and investing, and the people he met along the way.[59:25] Edward shares what convinced him that Warren Buffett would one day be the richest man in the world after their first meeting.[1:03:58] Edward discusses the frameworks he would teach in an investing seminar for modern students, including those without a strong math aptitude.[1:08:52] Edward shares lessons learned from investing that are transferable to other areas of life.[1:11:02] Edward, a long-term thinker at 89, offers advice for those who struggle to think beyond the short-term.[1:15:40] Edward explains how he discovered something suspicious about the Madoff brothers’ business practices 17 years before others caught on.[1:24:17] Exploring mental models of externalities, the tragedy of the commons, and fundamental attribution errors.[1:33:32] Edward recommends reading and listening material for those who want to enact positive change in the world, politically or evolutionarily.[1:38:51] Edward shares which investors, besides Warren Buffett, impress him and why.[1:42:52] Edward discusses how he balanced growing a business with personal life and what led him to wind things down.[1:47:56] Edward defines independence and shares how he spent his time after winding down the investment side of his life.[1:49:30] Edward shares what he’s particularly curious about learning at the moment.[1:51:40] Reflecting on a conversation between Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut, and other parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #298 "Dr. Gabor Maté — New Paradigms, Ayahuasca, and Redefining Addiction" and episode #153 "The Man Who Studied 1,000 Deaths to Learn How to Live."Please enjoy!Sponsors:Vuori Clothing high-quality performance apparel: https://vuoriclothing.com/tim (20% off your first purchase)Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: https://shopify.com/tim (one-dollar-per-month trial period)LinkedIn Ads marketing platform with 1B+ users: https://linkedin.com/TFS (free $100 LinkedIn ad credit for your first campaign)Timestamps:[05:37] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:57] Enter Gabor Maté.[07:22] Compassionate inquiry and trauma vs. traumatic.[11:06] Self-reconnection resources.[14:40] How Gabor benefits from yoga.[16:27] Gabor’s thoughts on the therapeutic value of psychedelics.[18:14] What’s been revealed by Gabor’s experiences with ayahuasca?[25:32] Essential intention.[26:30] We don’t respond to what happens, but to our perception of what happens.[32:48] Enter BJ Miller.[33:07] What does BJ do?[35:32] What does the first meeting look like for a new patient at the Zen Hospice Project?[37:18] Defining palliative care.[40:54] What happens when a patient dies in Zen Hospice compared to a regular hospital?[45:03] How many deaths has BJ experienced?[45:42] What has observing hundreds of deaths taught BJ about living?[50:39] On keeping a mindfulness or meditation practice.[55:05] About the Dinky (a terrifying story of electrocution).[1:04:29] The miracle of a snowball in the burn ward.[1:07:48] BJ’s experience as an undergraduate student at Princeton.[1:08:46] On the idea of art.[1:14:46] How BJ would support someone who suffered injuries similar to his own.[1:16:57] What helps people most in hospice care?[1:21:22] Why cookies matter.[1:23:12] Thoughts on the use of psychoactive compounds in end-of-life care and treating existential suffering.[1:33:46] BJ’s secret habit that might surprise most people.[1:38:32] Suggested material for an introverted hospice patient.[1:45:04] What comes to mind when BJ hears the word “successful?”[1:48:13] Daily practices for seeing good in people.[1:51:00] How to ride a motorcycle when missing three limbs.[1:55:01] What purchase of $100 or less has most positively affected BJ’s life?[1:56:53] BJ’s billboard.[1:58:24] BJ’s advice to his 30-year-old-self.[1:59:58] What has BJ changed his mind about in the last few years?[2:01:26] BJ’s requests/asks/suggestions of the audience.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #97 "Naval Ravikant — The Person I Call Most for Startup Advice" and episode #341 "Nick Kokonas — How to Apply World-Class Creativity to Business, Art, and Life."Please enjoy! Sponsors:Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save $350 on the Pod 4 Ultra)Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 1B+ users: https://linkedin.com/tim (post your job for free)Timestamps:[04:34] Notes about this supercombo format.[05:53] Enter Naval Ravikant.[06:05] On uncompromising honesty.[08:05] What Naval looks for when deciding to invest in a founder.[11:03] Recommended reading from outside the startup world.[18:38] Who Naval considers successful.[21:02] Cultivating non-judgmental awareness.[26:08] How to replace bad habits with good habits.[29:31] Naval's advice for his younger self.[32:01] Naval's billboard.[35:46] Enter Nick Kokonas.[36:05] Is pressure Nick's default setting, or are perceived risks an illusion?[36:55] How do behavioral economics and Richard Thaler influence Nick's approach?[41:38] Nick's transition from philosophy to finance; was philosophy an asset?[42:43] Why Nick's professor gave him shorter assignments than classmates.[44:57] Nick's introduction to trading; dumbing down academics for clerk job.[46:42] Why philosophy majors often become traders.[47:19] Why Nick is glad he didn't pursue an MBA in 1992.[48:41] Why Nick thinks his professor singled him out from his peers.[52:52] Recommended books for aspiring entrepreneurs without philosophy background.[57:31] Did being a Merc clerk meet Nick's expectations?[1:00:02] How Nick followed his father's entrepreneurial model in trading.[1:04:38] Why Nick left his mentor after a year to start his own company.[1:05:41] How Nick and employees trained to quicken mental agility for trading.[1:08:17] The moment Nick realized he could thrive in trading.[1:09:02] Recommended resources for becoming a better investor.[1:11:22] Nick seeks out "high, small hoops" for investment risks.[1:14:00] Do businesses fail due to difficult model or lack of due diligence?[1:16:55] When and why Nick decided to enter the restaurant business.[1:18:26] The dinner leading to Nick and Grant Achatz's partnership.[1:27:52] Why Nick chose to open a restaurant out of many risky options.[1:30:33] How Nick spots talent early that others notice late.[1:34:07] Questioning restaurant conventions like candles and white tablecloths.[1:37:09] A now-famous chef was Alinea's first customer.[1:38:03] Nick and Grant wouldn't let designers override their ideas.[1:38:47] How Nick contributed effectively as a restaurant industry newcomer.[1:14:19] Why Nick was "horrified" when Alinea won Best Restaurant in 2006.[1:43:50] Grant's cancer diagnosis; writing a book and revolutionizing reservations.[1:45:28] Traditional restaurant reservation systems and Nick's improvements.[1:57:17] Bickering at press dinner; avoiding Next becoming "Disneyland of cuisine."[2:02:14] Reservation software problems; variable pricing based on day of week.[2:05:48] The moment Nick realized "This is the best thing I've ever built."[2:07:41] Why the reservation system's rewards were worth the asymmetric risks.[2:10:16] Using Marimekko charts to visualize restaurant and sponsorship data.[2:16:57] The next industry Nick wants to disrupt: truffles.[2:18:55] Illuminating black boxes.[2:26:24] Self-selection of job roles; how Nick's hiring process has changed.[2:32:01] Systems Nick uses to cope with a lot of email.[2:37:43] Importance of engaging on social media, even if unable to respond to all.[2:39:35] What "puzzle" filters and mini-hurdles in correspondence accomplish.[2:40:36] Comparing similarities between the music and publishing industries.[2:49:55] The agency problem as another black box.[2:54:58] The Hembergers, The Alinea Project, and the upcoming independent Aviary Book.[3:01:42] A brief discussion about cocktails.[3:05:42] Books Nick has gifted most and how he personalizes gifts.[3:08:10] Nick's billboard.[3:09:49] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.