#274 Tim Ferriss - Life-Changing Practical Wisdom Backed by Experience and Science

Tim Ferriss is the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers, including The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, and The 4-Hour Chef. His podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, has surpassed one billion downloads and is widely regarded as the “Oprah of audio.” Named as one of Fortune’s “40 Under 40,” Tim is an early-stage technology investor/advisor (Uber, Facebook, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ others) and was ranked among the “Top 20 Angel Investors” by Forbes. A Princeton University graduate (BA 2000, East Asian Studies), Tim is a polyglot who speaks five languages to different degrees, a national Chinese kickboxing champion, the first American in history to hold a Guinness World Record in tango spins, and a practiced horseback archer (yabusame) in Japan. His business ventures include bootstrapping a nootropics company (BrainQUICKEN) to millions in revenue before selling it in 2010, launching the audiobook imprint Tim Ferriss Publishing with Amazon Audible (responsible for modern classics like Ego Is the Enemy and The Obstacle Is the Way), and co-creating the hit card game COYOTE (2025) with Exploding Kittens creator Elan Lee—now sold in over 8,000 stores worldwide including Target, Walmart, and Amazon. Known for normalizing vulnerability while achieving massive success, Tim pioneered the remote-work and lifestyle-design movements pre-pandemic, popularized biohacking, and has served as an advisor at Singularity University and a 2009 Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Upgrade your wallet today and get 10% off at Ridge with code SRS at https://www.Ridge.com/SRS #Ridgepod Go to https://shopbeam.com/SRS and use code SRS to get up to 50% off Beam Dream Nighttime Cocoa—grab it for just $32.50 and improve your sleep today. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at https://shopify.com/srs Tim Ferriss Links: The No Book free chapters - https://tim.blog/nobook Everything Tim – https://tim.blog Podcast – https://tim.blog/podcast X – https://x.com/tferriss Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/timferriss YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/timferriss COYOTE Game – https://www.explodingkittens.com/products/coyote Books - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001ILKBW2/allbooks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steven Robinson, Editor-in-Chief of the Maine Wire, leads New England’s fastest-growing digital media outlet focused on exposing political corruption and organized crime across local, state, and regional levels. A native of Dexter, Maine, and Bowdoin College graduate in political philosophy, he previously worked at Regnery Publishing, produced the Howie Carr Show, and handled Barstool Sports' Kirk Minihane Show and true-crime podcast The Case, which spurred murder charges per season. During COVID-19, he quit his job to travel 35,000 miles across North America in a camper van before returning to Maine in November 2022 to revitalize the Maine Wire as an aggressive, independent platform for underreported stories, bold investigations, and commentary. Robinson's groundbreaking "Triad Weed" series, launched in August 2023 after a leaked DHS memo revealed over 270 illicit cannabis operations by Asian Transnational Criminal Organizations in Maine, uncovered a vast Chinese mafia network spanning Maine to southeast China. His reporting exposed racketeering involving black-market cannabis, human and sex trafficking, money laundering, bank fraud, illegal border crossings, neurotoxins poisoning homes, murder, and national security threats—including CCP-linked properties near U.S. Army facilities. He provided exclusive details on the exploitation of U.S. Treasury–subsidized loans that allowed foreign nationals to purchase over 70 properties. Cited in Congressional reports and featured on CBS, Fox News, the Daily Mail, OANN, and more, Robinson's work has led to over 60 articles, property raids, arrests, Sen. Susan Collins' interrogations of intel agencies, and the documentary Triad Weed: How Chinese Mafia Infiltrated Maine. Local police praise it as a field manual, though Maine media avoids the story. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Get firearm security redesigned and save 10% off @StopBoxUSA with code SRS at https://www.stopboxusa.com/srs #stopboxpod Put your money to work with Stash—visit get.stash.com/SRS to receive $25 towards your first stock purchase and view important disclosures. https://bubsnaturals.com – USE CODE SHAWN Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Check them out at https://roka.com and use code SRS for 20% off sitewide. Steve Robinson Links: X - https://x.com/BigSteve207 X - https://x.com/TheMaineWire Substack - https://robinsonreport.substack.com The Maine Wire - https://www.themainewire.com High Crimes Documentary - https://tuckercarlson.com/high-crimes Harpe - https://getharpe.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elizabeth is the founder of No More Victims, an advocacy organization that passes child protection laws, and has served as the executive director of the Phillips Foundation since 2013. After her younger brother Trey died by suicide in 2019, following childhood sexual abuse at Kanakuk Kamps and a restrictive NDA. She is a SMU who has become a national voice for survivor justice. Elizabeth works on cases related to child sexual abuse, trafficking and negligence as a certified crime victim advocate. In 2025 she passed Trey’s Law unanimously in Texas and Missouri, banning NDAs that silence child victims of sexual abuse and trafficking It was named in honor of her late brother who was abused and whose perpetrator is in prison for three life terms. She also led the Campaign for Camp Safety with families who lost daughters at Camp Mystic, passing the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety and Youth CAMPER Acts in Texas (2025) to establish baseline regulations for summer camps. A certified crime victim advocate, Elizabeth exposed decades of alleged abuse at Kanakuk (FactsAboutKanakuk.com), works globally on prevention, and is scaling innovative treatments for both survivors and offenders. Elizabeth is a wife and mother of three. Elizabeth's dedication to these reforms is now expanding nationally, and this interview is the first time Elizabeth has spoken publicly about this collective work and what’s ahead. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Join thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family—apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/SHAWN. Go to https://helixsleep.com/srs for 27% Off Sitewide Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Check them out at https://roka.com and use code SRS for 20% off sitewide. Elizabeth Phillips Links: IG - https://www.instagram.com/elizcphillips X - https://x.com/ElizCPhillips Phillips Foundation - https://phillipsfdtn.org No More Victims - https://www.nmvalliance.org Linktree - https://linktr.ee/elizcphillips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ro Khanna is the U.S. Representative for California's 17th Congressional District (Silicon Valley) since 2017, serving his fifth term as a Democrat. Born to Indian immigrant parents, Khanna graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago and earned a J.D. from Yale Law School. He taught economics at Stanford, worked in the Obama administration on commerce and manufacturing, and authored key provisions of the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. tech manufacturing. A leader on climate, labor rights (supporting the PRO Act), and digital privacy, Khanna refuses PAC and lobbyist contributions and has championed bipartisan efforts like the Epstein Files Transparency Act (2025) for releasing sealed documents. In late 2025, he faced Silicon Valley backlash for supporting a proposed wealth tax on billionaires to fund healthcare amid Medicaid cuts. Khanna advocates for progressive economic patriotism, reducing inequality, and ethical tech governance while working across the aisle on national security and innovation. Married to Ritu Ahuja Khanna, with two children, he resides in Fremont. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Ready to give your liver the support it deserves? Head to https://dosedaily.co/SRS or enter SRS to get 35% off your first subscription. Receive 30% off your first subscription order at https://armra.com/SRS or enter code SRS at checkout. Head to https://factormeals.com/srs50off and use code srs50off to get 50% off your first Factor box plus free breakfast for 1 year (new customers only, with qualifying subscription purchase). Take care of your skin like you take care of your gear—visit https://CalderaLab.com/SRS and use code SRS for 20% off your first order. If you’re serious about selling to the Department of War, go to https://SBIRAdvisors.com and mention Shawn Ryan for your first month free. Ro Khanna Links: Website - https://khanna.house.gov Campaign Site - https://www.rokhanna.com X - https://x.com/RoKhanna FB - https://www.facebook.com/RepRoKhanna IG - https://www.instagram.com/rokhannausa Roblox Petition - https://act.rokhanna.com/a/save-roblox-petition Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oz Pearlman, known professionally as The Mentalist, is one of the most successful and in-demand mentalists in the world, captivating audiences with jaw-dropping demonstrations of mind reading, suggestion, and psychological illusion. Born in Israel and raised in Michigan in a secular Jewish family, Oz discovered his passion for magic at age 14 and was already performing professionally by his mid-teens. A prodigy who graduated high school at 16, he went on to earn an engineering degree from the University of Michigan before leaving a promising Wall Street career at Merrill Lynch to pursue entertainment full-time. Pearlman combines advanced techniques; including suggestion, subliminal messaging, body language reading, statistical analysis, and neurolinguistic programming; to create experiences that feel impossible. He skyrocketed to national fame by finishing third on Season 10 of America’s Got Talent, which led to multiple primetime TV specials and appearances on NBC, ABC, CNBC, and major media outlets worldwide. An elite endurance athlete, Oz is an enthusiastic marathon and ultramarathon runner with a stunning marathon personal record of 2 hours and 23 minutes. He has completed some of the world’s toughest races, including Badwater 135, the Hawaii Ironman World Championships, Western States 100, and the Spartathlon and has also won dozens of races across the country. Happily married to Elisa and father to five children (three girls, two boys), Oz runs his own full-service production and entertainment company, managing bookings, live events, branded shows, and television projects. He is the author of the 2025 book Read Your Mind: Proven Habits for Success from the World’s Greatest Mentalist. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get $5 off off your Starter Pack (that’s over 40% off) with promo code SRS at https://shopmando.com! #mandopod Learn a new language and get up to 55% off your subscription at https://babbel.com/SRS Rules and restrictions may apply. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Check them out at https://roka.com and use code SRS for 20% off sitewide. Oz Pearlman Links: X – https://x.com/OzTheMentalist IG – https://www.instagram.com/ozthementalist YT – https://www.youtube.com/@OzTheMentalist Website – https://ozpearlman.com Book – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DVBG7KSR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Shirley is an American independent journalist, YouTuber, and content creator known for on-the-ground investigative videos and street interviews. Starting with prank and shock content as a teenager, including a 2019 video about flying to New York without parental permission at age 16, Shirley transitioned to political and cultural commentary, gaining prominence for covering protests, immigration issues, and government accountability. A former high school student from Utah who served a two-year LDS mission in Santiago, Chile, he has amassed over 1 million YouTube subscribers and hundreds of millions of views across platforms. In December 2025, his viral video investigating alleged fraud in Minnesota's government-funded childcare programs—claiming over $100 million in misused funds—garnered more than 100 million views on Xl, prompting renewed scrutiny and FBI comments. Shirley participated in a White House roundtable on antifa in October 2025 and advocates for transparency in government spending, immigration enforcement, and exposing perceived corruption, often aligning with conservative viewpoints while conducting direct, minimalist on-location reporting. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://polymarket.com Go to https://shopbeam.com/SRS and use code SRS to get up to 50% off Beam Dream, their nighttime cocoa for better sleep. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at https://shopify.com/srs Join thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family—apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/SHAWN. Try ZipRecruiter for free at https://www.ziprecruiter.com/SRS to find the best people for all your roles. Nick Shirley Links: YT - https://youtube.com/@nickshirley IG - https://www.instagram.com/nickshirley X - https://x.com/nickshirleyy Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/4fm9G0i6lyDZ3XE5fz3Lb9 Hoodie - https://shirleydefense.com/collections/all Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Waltz is an American politician, diplomat, author, businessman, and retired U.S. Army Colonel, a combat-decorated Green Beret with 27 years of military service and the first retired Special Forces officer elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Born in Florida, to a family steeped in military tradition as the son and grandson of Navy Chiefs, Waltz graduated from Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville, Florida, before attending Virginia Military Institute (VMI), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1996. Commissioned as an Army lieutenant upon graduation, he excelled by graduating from elite Ranger School and selection for the Green Berets, deploying worldwide on multiple combat tours to Afghanistan (starting in 2000), the Middle East, and Africa, while serving in the Pentagon under Secretaries Rumsfeld and Gates and as a counterterrorism advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney. Waltz served three terms as Republican Congressman from Florida’s 6th District (2019–2025), resigning to become National Security Advisor in President Trump’s second administration (January–May 2025) before his September 2025 Senate confirmation as the 32nd U.S. Representative to the United Nations, where he currently serves. A successful business owner, he co-founded Metis Solutions, a strategy and intelligence firm that grew to hundreds of employees worldwide and was acquired for $92 million; he authored the bestseller Warrior Diplomat recounting his military and policy experiences, along with Hard Truths on Green Beret leadership, with proceeds benefiting veterans’ charities, and he continues media commentary on defense and foreign policy. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use code SRS to turn $5 into $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins—see full terms and responsible gaming resources at https://dkng.co/audio. Go to https://drinkag1.com/SRS to get their best offer—plus, for a limited time, receive a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order (while supplies last). Sign up and get 10% off at https://betterhelp.com/srs. #ad Get 27% off sitewide at https://helixsleep.com/SRS, exclusive for listeners of the Shawn Ryan Show—enter our show name after checkout! Mike Waltz Links: X - https://x.com/michaelgwaltz IG - https://www.instagram.com/michaelgwaltz Warrior Diplomat - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1612346316 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rob Luna is a prominent wealth and business strategist with over 25 years of experience in wealth management. Renowned as one of the nation's top financial advisors and consistently ranked by Forbes, he currently serves as CEO of Valtrion, founder of the Rob Luna Wealth Academy, and host of The American Capitalist Show. As an on-air contributor for Fox Business, Rob offers expert insights on investment strategies, market trends, and wealth building. Driven by a mission to help entrepreneurs and investors build, scale, and protect their wealth, he provides comprehensive services through Valtrion, including financial planning, asset management, tax strategies, insurance, and risk management—meeting clients where they are, from debt reduction to handling multimillion-dollar portfolios. Through the Rob Luna Wealth Academy, he mentors aspiring business owners with practical tools to achieve financial independence. A best-selling author, successful entrepreneur, and Ivy League alumnus with MBAs from Wharton and UCLA, Rob has built substantial wealth for himself and others while passionately advocating for accessible financial education and smart investing. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Receive 30% off your first subscription order at https://armra.com/SRS or enter code SRS at checkout. Get the Harry’s Plus Trial Set for only $10 at https://www.Harrys.com/SRS. Rob Luna Links: X - https://x.com/realrobluna IG - https://www.instagram.com/realrobluna YT - https://www.youtube.com/@realrobluna Valtrion - https://valtrion.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking back, 2025 stands as one of the most defining years in the history of The Shawn Ryan Show—a year that pushed far beyond the studio and into the heart of stories that don’t fit neatly into headlines or soundbites. Across conversations with military veterans, intelligence professionals, world leaders, and everyday people carrying extraordinary experiences, the show explored the full spectrum of the human condition: moments of life-and-death clarity on the battlefield, firsthand accounts of global threats and emerging warfare, hard truths about corruption and institutional failure, and deeply unsettling realities surrounding child exploitation and extremism. At the same time, 2025 was also about resilience and hope—guests speaking openly about survival, faith, accountability, and the belief that truth still matters even when it’s uncomfortable. From global deterrence and technological warfare to personal redemption and moral courage, these moments collectively reflect why the show exists: to give people a place to tell their story honestly, confront darkness head-on, and remind us that there is still a path forward. These are the moments that defined The Shawn Ryan Show in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Dan Schneider is an Adjunct Professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and an Associate Staff Member at the St. John Henry Newman Research Centre for Theology at Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, England. A former U.S. Army attack helicopter pilot, Gulf War veteran, and amateur boxer, Schneider has nearly two decades of experience in Catholic evangelization and teaching.  Dr. Schneider works with exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger, providing tools and resources for priests and laity in the apostolate of deliverance and exorcism. He is the author of Spiritual Warfare Q&A: Priests and Laity (TAN Books, 2025), Sins of the Father: A Catholic and Biblical Approach to Generational Curses (TAN Books, 2026),  and The Liber Christo Method: A Field Manual for Spiritual Combat (TAN Books, 2023), which offers practical “guerrilla warfare” tactics for spiritual battles, including five key strategies: Renunciation of Evil Influences, Repentance, Examination of Conscience, Learning Power and Authority, and Prayer.  A sought-after speaker, he advocates for sacramental living, prayer, and spiritual discipline to combat diabolical influences, drawing on his military and theological expertise. For more information, contact the Holy League Institute at [email protected] Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Join thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family—apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/SHAWN. Go to https://helixsleep.com/srs for 27% Off Sitewide https://USCCA.com/srs https://bubsnaturals.com – USE CODE SHAWN Dr. Dan Schneider Links: The Liber Christo Method - https://tanbooks.com/products/books/the-liber-christo-method-a-field-manual-for-spiritual-combat/?afmc=7e Spiritual Warfare Q & A - https://tanbooks.com/products/books/spiritual-warfare-q-and-a-for-priests-and-laity/?afmc=7e The Sins of the Father - https://tanbooks.com/products/books/sins-of-the-father-a-catholic-and-biblical-approach-to-generational-curses/?afmc=7e Holy League Institute - https://holyleagueinstitute.com General inquires, email and web page - [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices