#770: Elizabeth Gilbert — How to Set Strong Boundaries, Overcome Purpose Anxiety, and Find Your Deep Inner Voice

Elizabeth Gilbert is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Magic and Eat, Pray, Love. Her latest novel, City of Girls, was named an instant New York Times bestseller. Go to ElizabethGilbert.Substack.com to subscribe to “Letters From Love with Elizabeth Gilbert,” her newsletter, which has more than 120,000 subscribers.This episode is brought to you by: Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)ExpressVPN high-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service: https://www.expressvpn.com/tim (Get 3 extra months free with a 12-month plan)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.)Timestamps: [00:00] Start[00:07:14] No cherished outcomes.[00:12:27] Self-compassionate ownership of responsibility.[00:17:24] The daily practice of writing letters from love.[00:23:54] Two-way prayer vs. one-way prayer.[00:32:29] The male approach to this practice.[00:35:59] How do you feel toward yourself vs. about yourself?[00:38:25] Understanding self-hatred to foster self-friendliness.[00:44:52] Setting boundaries and dealing with those who refuse to honor them.[00:51:47] Why (and how) Elizabeth avoids big family holiday gatherings.[00:53:47] Comfort in solitude.[00:55:10] Much abuzz about Elizabeth's new 'do.[00:59:24] Boundaries, priorities, and mysticism: a relaxed woman as a radical concept.[01:05:34] What mysticism brings to Elizabeth's reality.[01:08:58] A better question to ask than "What do I want?"[01:11:04] Elizabeth's hard-ass approach to project commitment.[01:18:12] Creativity guidance from Elizabeth's higher power.[01:22:40] How The Morning Pages influenced Eat, Pray, Love.[01:25:59] More productive questions to ask than "Why?"[01:27:48] The pointlessness of purpose anxiety.[01:32:31] Balancing presence with other aspects of a well-lived life.[01:37:49] Comfort with mortality.[01:41:53] What motivates Elizabeth's Letters from Love newsletter?[01:43:01] What can potential readers expect from this newsletter?[01:48:05] "Is the universe friendly?" — Frederic W. H. Myers[01:51:01] 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 past April was the podcast’s 10-year anniversary, and the platform River helped listeners organize parties around the world in more than 180 cities! More than 4,000 people RSVP’d. I was able to join about 40 cities via Zoom for quick hellos and drinks (huge thanks to Rae and Ana for the quarterbacking), and I had a blast dropping in on the Paris meetup in person. Thanks to everyone who gathered for wine, celebration, and meeting like-minded people! After all the parties, and as a thank you for their hard work, I invited all of the hosts to a private Q&A. And that’s what you’re about to hear.This episode is brought to you by: Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)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, the go-to tool for B2B marketers and advertisers who want to drive brand awareness and generate leads: LinkedIn.com/TFS ($100 LinkedIn ad credit) Timestamps:[00:00] Start [07:08] A focus on reinvention.[07:43] Optimization.[08:30] Recent joy.[09:22] A CØCKPUNCH update.[10:19] How the day’s going so far.[10:55] Argentina affection.[11:51] Intriguing investments.[12:53] Top three snacks.[13:12] AI thoughts.[14:15] Modern dating.[16:32] Self-experimentation to come.[17:42] Analyzing the past decade’s risks.[20:06] Outthinking a career bottleneck.[21:09] My current big project.[22:19] Peptides.[22:37] Be wary of high conviction.[23:06] Preparation for high-stakes presentations.[24:42] Kid stuff?[24:56] Getting the most out of a Tim Ferriss meetup.[26:13] In-person conferences planned?[26:18] IBS relief.[27:03] Personal heresies.[28:26] What makes conferences worthwhile for me?[29:00] Longevity and healthspan.[33:21] Tips for a father-and-son Kumano Kodo walk.[34:49] A barbell distribution approach to life.[35:31] Who would I resurrect for a podcast interview?[36:24] Do I consult any mentors regularly?[36:54] Ayahuasca and antidepressants.[38:16] Incentivizing potential mentors.[39:13] Adventures in babysitting.[40:04] GLP-1 for depression/anxiety.[40:37] Cheap but choice art.[41:05] Finding a book agent.[41:28] Making positive, in-person connections.[41:44] Unmentioned things I’d like to talk about.[43:39] Is there room for the irrational?[45:59] Blogging in the age of AI.[46:39] Binaural beats.[46:56] 4-Hour Dog Training?[47:00] Best $1,000 spent lately.[47:55] Javier Milei.[48:07] Best thing I spent an “assload” on.[48:34] Painting.[48:45] 10-20 minutes on the acupuncture mat.[49:15] Dating apps.[50:15] Favorite sci-fi movies.[51:21] Reflecting on the impact this show has had on others.[52:23] Why was I in Europe for six to eight weeks?[52:31] The mood-altering effects of Q&A.[52:48] Where do I see myself in 30 years?[53:08] Workout routines for older parents.[54:13] How I walk and talk for podcasts.[54:33] Would I consider becoming a single parent?[55:38] A $1 million coffee mug?[56:52] Brazil.[56:59] A small but mighty staff.[57:07] Attracting event attendance.[59:08] Visualization or affirmations?[1:00:20] Today I learned this about Hodinkee.[1:00:26] What would this look like if it were easy?[1:00:32] What I ask show listeners when I meet them.[1:00:50] Eschewing endorsement remorse.[1:01:19] Music I like.[1:01:52] State, story, strategy.[1:01:59] The (not-so) funny thing about interviewing comedians.[1:02:17] 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.

Welcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show. For this episode, I’m doing something different. I’m featuring a very special episode from a brand-new podcast called Altered States.Here’s the teaser for the episode you’re about to hear: “For the last couple of years, producer Shaina Shealy has been following Israeli and Palestinian peace activists who have been coming together to drink the psychedelic brew ayahuasca in an effort to heal their collective intergenerational trauma. It seemed to be helping them when suddenly the region erupts into chaos and violence.” Shaina Shealy was a fellow from the Ferriss-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship, which offers ten $10,000 reporting grants per year to journalists reporting in-depth print and audio stories on the science, policy, business and culture of this new era of psychedelics. The fellowship is supported by my foundation, the Saisei Foundation, and made possible in collaboration with Michael Pollan, Malia Wollan, and others at UC Berkeley. Altered States looks at how people are taking psychedelics, who has access to them, how they're regulated, who stands to profit, and what these substances might offer us as individuals and as a society.[00:00] An intro to the Altered States podcast and its mission.[00:02:24] Shaina Shealy explains what ayahuasca is and how it affects the human brain.[00:03:47] Palestinian Sami Awad’s peace activism and ayahuasca journey.[00:17:18] Dr. Rachel Yehuda and the science of intergenerational trauma.[00:19:27] How the Israeli-Palestinian ayahuasca experiment came about.[00:25:47] Participants share their experiences.[00:38:35] How the violent events of October 7th affected the participants and the project.[00:45:52] Reflections on the experiment’s effectiveness and participants’ continued commitment to peace.[00:50:29] Closing credits.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here is my brand-new conversation with Jerry Colonna, CEO and co-founder of Reboot.io, an executive coaching and leadership development firm dedicated to the notion that better humans make better leaders. He is the author of Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up and Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong. Enjoy!This episode is brought to you by:The League curated dating app for busy, high-performing people: https://click.theleague.com/qmhm/timferriss; available on iOS and AndroidEight 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)*[00:00] Start [08:40] “How have I been complicit in creating the conditions I say I don’t want?” and its misinterpretations.[21:55] Recharging off the grid on sabbatical.[24:41] Is a tired dog a happy dog?[29:21] What are you hearing that’s not being said?[33:14] Closing transgenerational, transpersonal, and intergenerational wounds.[44:05] Focusing on the future when the past keeps pulling us back.[52:18] Changes in challenges Reboot’s clients have faced over the past decade.[55:34] Guilt vs. remorse and how to move from one to the other.[1:01:40] Interpretations of legacy.[1:13:17] Jerry’s parenting experience and advice.[1:19:02] My thoughts on having children and grandchildren.[1:24:54] “This Be the Verse” by Philip Larkin.[1:26:08] Book recommendations and their impact on Jerry and his children.[1:28:46] Novel truths.[1:32:40] The importance of laughter and human connection in difficult times.[1:35:45] 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 time, we have a very special episode I recorded with my close friend Kevin Rose in person at his house. We trade our latest discoveries, and I think it’s one of our best. Tons of actionable takeaways and laughing fits. We cover dozens of topics: new projects, what I’ve done on my recent sabbatical after the podcast’s 10th anniversary, Kevin’s latest findings and shenanigans, real vampire protocols, and much, much more.Sponsors:Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://HelixSleep.com/Tim (25% off all mattress orders and two free pillows)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.)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 new clients open an account today, you can get an extra fifty-dollar bonus with a deposit of five hundred dollars or more.) Terms apply. Tim Ferriss receives cash compensation from Wealthfront Brokerage, LLC for advertising and holds a non-controlling equity interest in the corporate parent of Wealthfront Brokerage. See full disclosures here.Timestamps:[00:00] Start[07:40] A sabbatical recap and future podcasting plans.[15:25] PicStudio's disturbingly realistic AI-generated portraits.[17:25] Kevin's new Jess Mascetti tattoo.[18:08] Vampire facials and a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) problem.[22:22] Tequila martinis.[24:20] Romance versus radical planning.[32:50] Bobby Fingers.[34:46] Training for the hunt.[41:15] Fairbanks fun.[42:11] European dating.[43:46] Hasty oral hygiene with Feno.[48:00] The mysteries of mimetic contagion.[49:21] Big book beginnings.[50:15] Kevin's AI-powered investment advisor experiment.[51:34] Publishing strategies.[52:25] Why you should visit Ryan Holiday's bookstore.[53:53] A visit from a 14-year-old Toaster.[54:40] The Dog Aging Project.[55:14] Original Love: Zen master Henry Shukman's new app.[55:37] Kevin's Zen Hell week.[58:10] Dena Dubal's Alzheimer's treatment breakthrough.[1:07:45] Small expectations for a medium turn large.[1:14:44] Inexplicable skill efficacy and hypernatural happenings.[1:23:47] Another outstanding Addison-refined refreshment.[1:24:39] Unmissable media recommendations.[1:31:18] Taking ketamine seriously.[1:39:37] More tequila and tattoo talk.[1:40:27] What's the Flux?[1:45:34] A children's book for adults.[1:46:40] Are you hunting antelope or field mice?[1:48:12] Analyzing what "chill" looks like for me.[1:57:02] 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 #79 "Chris Sacca on Being Different and Making Billions" and #729 "Legendary Actor Scott Glenn — How to Be Super Fit at 85, Lessons from Marlon Brando, How to Pursue Your Purpose, The Art of Serendipity, Stories of Gunslingers, and More."Please enjoy!Sponsors:Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)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)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.)Timestamps:[00:00] Start [05:19] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:23] Enter Chris Sacca.[06:53] Traits of founders for whom success, at massive scale, seems predestined.[08:00] Travis Kalanick and Nintendo Wii Tennis.[09:55] Resources for cultivating investing chops, emotional intelligence, and general empathy.[18:37] Chris' evolving concept of success.[22:31] What Chris and his brother Brian's parents did right.[26:47] What Chris looks for when hiring.[29:23] The prophetic notebook.[31:29] Advice to aimless college graduates.[34:06] Two differentiators that shifted the nature of Chris' business[38:16] Enter Scott Glenn.[38:44] Idaho vs. Los Angeles.[44:59] Apocalypse Now, self-confidence soon after.[49:00] Burt Lancaster's movie star lessons.[54:41] The birth and death of Wes Hightower.[1:03:56] Catching the attention of James Bridges.[1:06:12] Scarlet fever.[1:07:57] From Marine to police reporter.[1:12:42] Berghof Studios and parental advice.[1:21:12] Converting to Judaism.[1:24:04] Lao Tzu: the ultimate mystic?[1:28:44] Letting go with Killer Joe.[1:33:20] "Crazy Whitefella Thinking."[1:38:53] Getting out of the way and Erwan Le Corre.[1:42:19] Lessons from the "morally phenomenal" Marlon Brando.[1:46:54] How Scott's childhood bout with scarlet fever informed his life's course.[1:49:33] Daily routines and exercises of an in-shape 85-year-old.[2:05:46] Securing a serendipitous skill set.[2:12:41] Thailand talk.[2:16:46] Increasing surface luck.[2:17:32] How Scott met and fell in love with his wife.[2:23:32] "Just dance."[2:24:14] Mistakenly calling Rudolf Nureyev Russian.[2:26:24] Poetry.[2:30:31] What Laurence Olivier knew about the value of tenacity.[2:32:09] 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 #133 "Edward Norton on Mastery, Must-Read Books, and The Future of Crowdfunding" and #732 "Martha Beck — The Amazing and Brutal Results of Zero Lies for 365 Days, How to Do a Beginner 'Integrity Cleanse,' Lessons from Lion Trackers, and Novel Tactics for Reducing Anxiety."Please enjoy!Sponsors:Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)ExpressVPN high-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service: https://www.expressvpn.com/tim (Get 3 extra months free with a 12-month plan)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.)Timestamps:[00:00] Start [05:45] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:48] Enter Edward Norton.[07:19] Edward's introduction to acting.[08:45] First theater mentors and what they instilled in Edward.[12:11] Who comes to mind when Edward hears the word "successful?"[13:18] Most gifted books.[14:28] Life-changing essays.[15:50] Favorite documentaries.[16:40] Underrated movies.[18:51] Edward's advice to his younger selves.[20:09] Community appreciation.[22:37] Enter Martha Beck.[23:08] My contribution to teen atrociousness.[23:40] Connecting with Boyd Varty.[29:28] The path of not here.[33:25] Finding joy in the body can save your life.[38:18] The pregnant pause that ended Martha's obsession with intellect.[43:52] Sensitivity and suffering.[47:38] The year of living lie-lessly.[52:37] An illuminating change of perspective.[1:02:08] The path to taking a black belt integrity cleanse.[1:05:36] Owning your right to say "No."[1:09:39] Alternatives to "No" that remain honest.[1:13:05] The language of candor.[1:15:24] Ending relationships that have run their course.[1:16:30] The Asian influence.[1:20:20] Sweet or savory?[1:21:30] Are you comfortable?[1:23:27] Want vs. yearning and jumping the track.[1:36:30] Rhino ruminations.[1:38:00] The Tao Te Ching, Stephen Mitchell, and Byron Katie.[1:49:13] America's Goethe?[1:52:15] Weighing kryptonite against superpowers.[2:00:09] Exploring the opposite of anxiety.[2:12:55] Dick Schwartz and Internal Family Systems.[2:17:46] Compassion even for the self's unwanted pieces.[2:20:14] Favorite animal.[2:24:52] Equine therapy.[2:31:00] Selling the ranch.[2:34:31] The monkey whisperer.[2:36:00] 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 #573 "Margaret Atwood — A Living Legend on Creative Process, The Handmaid’s Tale, Being a Mercenary Child, Resisting Labels, the Poet Rug Exchange, Liminal Beings, Burning Questions, Practical Utopias, and More" and #571 "Boyd Varty — The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life."Please enjoy!Sponsors: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.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:[00:00] Start [05:11] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:14] Enter Margaret Atwood.[06:48] What drives Margaret's ability to craft engaging speculative fiction?[10:52] The downsides of raising a family isolated in the woods.[15:44] Factors that nudged young Margaret toward poetry.[21:54] How limited options led Margaret to her current vocation.[24:07] How long it took for writing to pay off, and its benefits in the meantime.[30:34] Life lessons learned by teaching.[34:18] Enter Boyd Varty.[34:42] Setting the scene.[37:00] Origins of Londolozi Game Reserve and Boyd's childhood influences.[39:17] Why Boyd's family kept the seemingly useless property.[41:23] Boyd's experiences with The White Knuckle Charter Company.[50:00] Transforming scrubland into a safari business with help from Ken Tinley and Shangaan trackers.[56:04] Shangaan trackers' lineage and wildlife trust in Londolozi's caretakers.[59:46] Renias Mhlongo's supreme tracking skills and work ethic.[1:05:18] Hardest animals to track at Londolozi.[1:08:30] Safety measures in Londolozi's unpredictable environment.[1:10:21] "I don't know where we're going, but I know exactly how to get there." —Renias Mhlongo[1:12:26] Boyd's tracking evolution: from childhood to trauma recovery.[1:30:30] Definition of Ubuntu.[1:32:40] Boyd's 40-day tree-dwelling experience.[1:45:47] Bees, birds, and hive algorithms.[1:57:07] Interacting with lions in the wild.[2:01:41] Death conversations, ancient myths, and inexplicable animal movements.[2:07:30] Comparing trauma recovery paths within Boyd's family.[2:11:08] Ceremony work for trauma healing.[2:14:06] An authentic life as activism.[2:19:27] The impact of Byron Katie's Work on Boyd and me.[2:23:55] Boyd's first sweat lodge experience in Arizona.[2:29:18] Feelings. Nothing more than feelings.[2:31:48] What a close encounter with a beautiful predator taught Boyd about Ubuntu.[2:40:53] The therapeutic value of spending time with animals.[2:45:22] Contrasting lion roar descriptions: van der Post vs. Boyd.[2:49:40] Invitation to Londolozi 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 #332 "Coach George Raveling — A Legend on Sports, Business, and The Great Game of Life" and #724 "Claire Hughes Johnson — How to Take Responsibility for Your Life, Create Rules That Work, Stop Being a Victim, Set Strong Boundaries, and More."Please enjoy!Sponsors: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.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.)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)Timestamps:[00:00] Start [05:14] Notes about this supercombo format.[06:17] Enter George Raveling.[06:48] The most important conversation is the one you have with yourself.[09:03] The only two choices George has when he gets out of bed in the morning[11:13] A personal audit once per week.[11:40] Retirement at 80?[12:10] George's controversial collection.[14:50] George's less controversial collections.[15:44] Relationships as a privilege.[17:28] Most of George’s best friendships started by mistake.[18:20] The importance of maintaining friendships with younger people.[19:22] Relationships as a patnership.[19:52] A voracious reading habit.[23:28] How George selects his next book.[25:17] How George continues to grow in his 80s.[29:09] Recommended reading.[30:42] Kindness as an opportunity.[33:32] The 1984 Olympics.[37:32] Enter Claire Hughes Johnson.[37:54] Say the thing you think you cannot say.[43:26] Detoxifying your left-hand column.[51:11] Victim versus player.[58:43] Recommended reading.[1:05:32] The case for reading fiction.[1:12:57] Crafting a working-with-me document.[1:20:47] Make the implicit explicit.[1:26:07] An Irish Goodbye.[1:27:13] Email policies.[1:32:37] Renegotiating the terms of expectations.[1:34:41] Listening for the quiet no.[1:37:06] Money versus time.[1:38:53] Good rules can be liberating.[1:41:39] Leadership and disappointment.[1:46:38] Renegotiating past disappointment.[2:05:45] Asking a question versus stating an opinion.[2:09:37] Training wheels for a "no."[2:11:06] Time, talent, treasure, and testimony.[2:15:16] Spotting bad apples while hiring.[2:17:16] If you're not self-aware, how would you know?[2:20:01] Work style assessments for self-awareness building.[2:27:17] Paragons of no.[2:29:30] No more boards.[2:33:37] Pushers and pullers.[2:40:32] 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 #86 "General Stan McChrystal on Eating One Meal Per Day, Special Ops, and Mental Toughness" and #611 "Liv Boeree, Poker and Life — Core Strategies, Turning $500 into $1.7M, Cage Dancing, Game Theory, and Metaphysical Curiosities" 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.)LMNT electrolyte supplement: https://drinklmnt.com/Tim (free LMNT sample pack with any purchase)Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://HelixSleep.com/Tim (20% off all mattress orders and two free pillows)Timestamps:[00:00] Start [05:57] Notes about this supercombo format.[07:01] Enter General Stanley McChrystal.[07:24] One meal a day.[08:52] Daily exercise routines and their importance.[14:04] The book most gifted.[15:15] A major course correction at West Point.[19:33] Vetting, selecting, and educating candidates for combat.[21:41] "No-win" leadership roleplaying.[25:21] Underrated military leaders.[27:17] Audiobooks.[29:13] What books make Stan's reading list?[30:29] Hopeless dilemmas and managing self-talk in high-pressure environments.[37:09] Enter Liv Boeree.[37:35] Youthful obsessions.[42:04] How poker entered the picture.[49:45] The qualities that made Liv excel at poker from the start.[55:55] Liv's advice to a newcomer wanting to learn poker.[1:04:54] What Liv's eight-week poker education curriculum might look like.[1:11:31] Failure points that might discourage someone during this curriculum.[1:13:35] Red mist, white noise, and fast math.[1:19:37] Volcano-induced tournament participation and self-regulation.[1:28:27] A skeptic's experiences with the unexplainable.[1:44:19] How does Liv rationally coexist with these experiences?[1:48:09] How to become a better skeptic.[1:54:18] Inadequate Equilibria and Moloch.[1:59:14] 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.