The Tim Ferriss Show

Tim Ferriss is a self-experimenter and bestselling author, best known for The 4-Hour Workweek, which has been translated into 40+ languages. Newsweek calls him "the world's best human guinea pig," and The New York Times calls him "a cross between Jack Welch and a Buddhist monk." In this show, he deconstructs world-class performers from eclectic areas (investing, chess, pro sports, etc.), digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and tricks that listeners can use.

  1. 2D AGO

    #847: Steve Young, from Super Bowl MVP to Managing Billions – Hall of Fame 49ers Quarterback on High Performance, Reinvention, Faith, and How to Blend Dreams and Plans

    Steve Young (@steveyoung) is a Hall of Fame NFL quarterback who played more than 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. Steve co-founded HGGC, which manages more than $6.9B in capital commitments. He’s also the founder and current chair of the Forever Young Foundation, which supports children’s charities globally. He is the author of QB: My Life Behind the Spiral and The Law of Love. This episode is brought to you by: Cresset family office services for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs: CressetCapital.com/Tim AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: DrinkAG1.com/Tim Wealthfront high-yield cash account: Wealthfront.com/Tim New clients get 3.25% base APY from program banks + additional 0.65% boost for 3 months on your uninvested cash (max $150k balance). Terms and conditions apply. The Cash Account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC (“WFB”) member FINRA/SIPC, not a bank. The base APY as of 12/19/25 is representative, can change, and requires no minimum. Tim Ferriss, a non-client, receives compensation from WFB for advertising and holds a non-controlling equity interest in the corporate parent of WFB, which creates a conflict of interest. Experiences will vary. Outcomes not guaranteed. Instant withdrawals may be limited by your receiving firm and other factors. Investment advisory services provided by Wealthfront Advisers LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Securities investments: not bank deposits, not bank-guaranteed or FDIC-insured, and may lose value. TIMESTAMPS: [00:00:00] Start.[00:02:34] The full circle of Josh Waitzkin.[00:05:47] The Stephen Covey plane ride that changed everything.[00:11:38] Overcoming victimization: The hole you dig, then jump into.[00:14:16] How taking ownership led Steve from rock bottom to NFL MVP in one season.[00:21:50] Interceptions and the truest truth about accountability.[00:26:09] What separates good from great quarterbacks: Adrenaline alchemy.[00:31:21] Alex Honnold and the genetics of not panicking.[00:32:14] Learning to actually throw a football at BYU.[00:35:01] Recovering from the offensive coordinator who wouldn’t coach southpaws.[00:37:00] The vulnerability prerequisite.[00:42:45] Separation anxiety: Thriving by day, terrified by night.[00:48:29] Tears in the Candlestick Park training room.[00:52:37] The diagnosis that made the puzzle pieces fit.[00:58:32] Dad’s philosophy: Dream (1%) and Plan (80%).[01:01:14] Law school between Super Bowl parades.[01:02:33] Trading locker room access for venture capital deals.[01:08:45] Mourning old identities and heeding Roger Staubach’s transition advice: “Run.”[01:11:49] Rich Lawson walks out of Morgan Stanley: “I’ll be the CEO.”[01:19:05] 30 years of partnership: Yin, yang, and existential crises.[01:23:01] HGGC: The name nobody can pronounce (and why).[01:25:19] Faith evolution: From Boy Scout theology to something deeper.[01:29:41] The Law of Love: Bill Walsh’s secret weapon.[01:32:53] Divine humanity and the irony of losing self-interest.[01:43:52] 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-sponsors Sign 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/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 49m
  2. JAN 7

    #845: How to Use Ketosis for Enhanced Mood, Cognition, and Long-Term Brain Protection — A Practical and Tactical Guide with Dr. Dominic D'Agostino (Plus: Deconstructing Tim’s Latest Keto Experiment)

    Dr. Dominic D’Agostino (@DominicDAgosti2) is a tenured associate professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and a Visiting Senior Research Scientist at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. This episode is brought to you by: Gusto simple and easy payroll, HR, and benefits platform used by 400,000+ businesses: https://gusto.com/tim Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic broad spectrum 24-strain probiotic + prebiotic: https://Seed.com/Tim David Protein Bars 28g of protein, 150 calories, and 0g of sugar: https://davidprotein.com/tim Coyote the card game​, which I co-created with Exploding Kittens: https://coyotegame.com* Timestamps: [00:00:00] Who is Dominic D'Agostino? [00:04:37] Ketosis benefits: Quieting the mind, GABA elevation, metabolic psychiatry.[00:09:24] My Lyme disease story: Pseudo-dementia reversed in 3-4 days of ketosis.[00:13:50] Spirochetes are glycolytic: Starve the bug, boost the immune response.[00:19:20] Ketosis and cancer: Slowing glycolytic tumors, enhancing standard care.[00:20:50] My 18-day keto experiment: Mood stabilization, Alzheimer’s prevention hopes.[00:23:19] Metabolic memory: Carryover effects and Valter Longo’s fasting mimicking research.[00:27:11] Intermittent fasting as keto on-ramp: My 2-8 p.m. eating window.[00:29:15] Dom’s budget keto meal: Canned mackerel, MCT oil, apple cider vinegar.[00:33:28] My ketone measurement paradox: Feeling sharp at 0.2 mM readings.[00:36:56] The carburetor analogy: Ketone production vs. utilization explained.[00:38:43] Breath ketones vs. blood ketones: Better indicator in caloric deficit.[00:39:47] Gluconeogenesis fears: Fat, fiber, and salt to slow protein absorption.[00:45:25] The bunless double cheeseburger question: 80 grams of protein in one sitting.[00:49:03] Post-meal walking and GLUT4 activation: Timing your glucose disposal.[00:51:02] CGM and ketone monitor limitations: When your devices gaslight you.[00:58:05] Rabbit starvation and protein-veggie days: Why your body won’t bankroll its own ketosis.[01:05:44] Alzheimer’s prevention: Biomarkers, B12, hsCRP, and metabolic health.[01:09:40] My family history: Letrozole, metabolic dysfunction, and rapid cognitive decline.[01:13:17] Minimum effective dose: 80% of benefits from low-carb Mediterranean.[01:18:56] One week per month protocol: Aggressive calorie cut to ramp ketones.[01:23:12] GKI sweet spot: Target 1-4, aim for 1-2 during intensive weeks.[01:36:22] Exogenous ketones 101: Palatability, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, toxicity.[01:39:21] 1,3-Butanediol warnings: Liver toxicity, NAD depletion, dependency risk.[01:54:22] Intermittent fasting vs. ketogenic breakfast.[01:59:09] My accidental intoxication story.[02:03:23] Dr. Veech tribute: Student of Hans Krebs, ketone ester pioneer.[02:05:08] Fiber on keto: Wild blueberries, broccoli, apples, walnuts.[02:09:58] The tainted gummies incident: Dom’s forensic investigation underway.[02:13:08] Thanks to Dr. Boz and Medifoodz.[02:16:19] 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-sponsors Sign 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/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    2h 22m
  3. JAN 1

    #843: Tactics and Strategies for a 2026 Reboot — Essentialism and Greg McKeown (Repost)

    Greg McKeown is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less and Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most. 200,000 people receive his weekly 1-Minute Wednesday newsletter, and he recently released The Essentialism Planner: A 90-Day Guide to Accomplishing More by Doing Less.  Sponsors: Momentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular support: https://livemomentous.com/Tim (Code TIM for 35% off your first subscription.) Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://helixsleep.com/tim Coyote the card game​, which I co-created with Exploding Kittens: https://coyotegame.com * Show notes: https://tim.blog/2025/01/09/personal-reboot-greg-mckeown/ * 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-sponsors Sign 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/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss Past 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.

    1h 47m
  4. 12/30/2025

    #842: The Story Behind EpiPen, The Rise of Food Allergies, and What Doctors Got Wrong

    This time around, we have an experimental format, featuring the first episode of a brand-new podcast launching next week, Drug Story. I rarely feature episodes from other shows, but I think this one is well worth your time. It changed how I think about allergies, especially as someone who carries an EpiPen and has wondered: why on earth have food allergies seemed to skyrocket in the last few decades? Drug Story is a podcast that tells the story of the disease business, one drug at a time. Each episode explores one disease and one drug, and it kicks off with EpiPen and food allergies. A quick teaser: What if I told you that a well-meaning medical recommendation may have caused millions of kids to develop food allergies? Make sure to subscribe to Drug Story on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also simply go to DrugStory.co and learn more. The host is Thomas Goetz. He is a senior impact fellow at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health, and much earlier, Thomas was the executive editor at WIRED, which he led to a dozen National Magazine Awards from 2001 to 2013. His writing has been repeatedly selected for the Best American Science Writing and Best Technology Writing anthologies. P.S. To help you kick off 2026, I recommend checking out Henry Shukman, a past podcast guest and one of the few in the world authorized to teach Sanbo Zen. Henry’s app, The Way, has changed my life. I’ve been using it daily, often twice a day, and it’s lowered my anxiety more than I thought possible. For 30 free sessions, just visit thewayapp.com/tim No credit card required. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    59 min
  5. 12/23/2025

    #841: Arthur Brooks — Finding The Meaning of Your Life, The Poet's Protocol, The Holy Half-Hour, and Why Your Suffering is Sacred

    Arthur C. Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. His next book, The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness, will be released on March 31, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Humann’s SuperBeets Sport for endurance and recovery: https://humann.com/timMonarch track, budget, plan, and do more with your money: https://www.monarch.com/timAG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://drinkag1.com/timCoyote the card game​, which I co-created with Exploding Kittens: https://coyotegame.com Timestamps: [00:00:00] Start.[00:02:33] The vascular Arthur Brooks returns.[00:03:07] Brahmamuhurta and why Arthur studies happiness.[00:06:20] Arthur’s morning workout protocol.[00:09:58] Why Arthur does Zone 2 cardio without headphones.[00:10:38] Quantifying progress as the secret to happiness.[00:20:50] Post-workout holy half-hour.[00:22:25] Creatine, caffeine strategy, and 60-70 grams of protein for breakfast.[00:29:50] Four hours of distraction-free deep work and Hemingway’s protocol.[00:32:21] Alcohol kills sleep to borrow happiness from tomorrow.[00:34:36] My ketosis, intermittent fasting, and morning protocol.[00:39:34] Experimentation is king.[00:46:29] David Baszucki, metabolic psychiatry, and ketosis: the poet’s protocol.[00:48:20] Four affect profiles: mad scientists, cheerleaders, judges, and poets.[00:54:13] Why Arthur was moved to write The Meaning of Your Life.[00:55:52] Psychogenic epidemic: technology isn’t the problem, it’s what we’re not getting.[00:59:33] Macronutrients of meaning: coherence, purpose, significance.[01:03:38] Search vs. presence and the trap for seekers.[01:07:53] Marine rule: get to 80 percent and choose.[01:12:07] Significance at micro, not macro level; cult of activism as substitute religion.[01:17:22] Transcendence: from me self to I self; Harvard’s Astronomy 101.[01:19:35] Two dimensions of transcendence: upward (worship) and outward (service).[01:21:48] Maslow revised: training awareness so the mundane becomes miraculous.[01:28:45] Flow state as self-forgetting; beauty as transcendence.[01:32:12] Living in the simulation: complicated vs. complex problems.[01:37:55] Left hemisphere vs. right hemisphere.[01:42:18] Your suffering is sacred: pain times resistance.[01:46:30] Pilgrimage as metaphor.[01:55:42] AI as left-brain adjunct.[01:57:18] Arthur’s evening protocol: Psalms and Neruda.[02:00:13] The oxytocin protocol for marriage, break glass plan.[02:04:31] Happiness is love 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-sponsors Sign 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/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    2h 10m
  6. 12/17/2025

    #840: Bill Gurley — Investing in The AI Era, 10 Days in China, and Important Life Lessons from Bob Dylan, Jerry Seinfeld, MrBeast, and More

    Bill Gurley (@bgurley) is a general partner at Benchmark, a leading venture capital firm in Silicon Valley. His new book is Runnin’ Down a Dream: How to Thrive in a Career You Actually Love. This episode is brought to you by: Momentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular supportOur Place’s Titanium Always Pan® Pro using nonstick technology that’s coating-free and made without PFAS, otherwise known as “Forever Chemicals”Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail businessCoyote the card game​, which I co-created with Exploding Kittens* Timestamps: [00:00:00] Start.[00:01:43] The book that gave Jerry Seinfeld permission to pursue comedy and inspired Runnin’ Down a Dream.[00:03:59] AI bubble or not?[00:06:33] Circular deals and SPV chaos.[00:12:01] Angel investing in the AI era.[00:14:32] Why you should be the most AI-enabled version of yourself, regardless of field.[00:20:47] China deep dive: Ten days, six cities, high-speed trains, and a Xiaomi SU7 factory tour.[00:22:43] Communism misconceptions.[00:25:40] Lei Jun: The Steve Jobs of China.[00:29:17] Jack Ma, ByteDance’s invisible CEO, and the risks of prominence in China.[00:32:11] America vs. China (Lawyers vs. engineers).[00:41:01] Keys for US competitiveness.[00:43:47] Bill is bullish on these countries.[00:47:30] Matthew McConaughey’s “Don’t half ass it” moment.[00:49:45] Runnin’ Down a Dream thesis: Helping people pursue X instead of A, B, or C.[00:51:03] The 80,000-hour question.[00:52:47] The self-learning test.[00:56:58] Bob Dylan as music expeditionary.[01:00:27] Go to the epicenter where the action is.[01:10:56] Danny Meyer’s pivot.[01:13:30] Working for free.[01:19:37] Never too late: Tito Beveridge started Tito’s Vodka at 40.[01:21:51] AI sanity checks.[01:25:59] AI-proof bets.[01:29:13] Sam Hinkie’s Moneyball moment.[01:32:37] Competitive strategy, avoiding false failures, and regret minimalization.[01:43:46] Purpose, Progress, and Prosperity — the P3 Policy Institute.[01:47:18] Regulatory capture explained.[01:51:55] Why the IPO market is broken.[02:01:52] Stablecoins putting Visa and Mastercard on notice.[02:03:40] Hopes for Runnin’ Down a Dream 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-sponsors Sign 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/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    2h 10m
4.6
out of 5
15,784 Ratings

About

Tim Ferriss is a self-experimenter and bestselling author, best known for The 4-Hour Workweek, which has been translated into 40+ languages. Newsweek calls him "the world's best human guinea pig," and The New York Times calls him "a cross between Jack Welch and a Buddhist monk." In this show, he deconstructs world-class performers from eclectic areas (investing, chess, pro sports, etc.), digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and tricks that listeners can use.

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