The Tim Ferriss Show Tim Ferriss

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-sponsors

Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Frid

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-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 Sharapov

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.

Matt Pottinger is a distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and chairman of the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Matt served as U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor from 2019 to 2021. Before his White House service, Matt spent the late 1990s and early 2000s in China as a reporter for Reuters and The Wall Street Journal. He then fought in Iraq and Afghanistan as a U.S. Marine during three combat deployments between 2007 and 2010. Matt’s new book is The Boiling Moat: Urgent Steps to Defend Taiwan.

Sponsors:

Wealthfront high-yield savings account: https://wealthfront.com/tim (Start earning 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.)

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)

Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://helixsleep.com/tim (between 25% and 30% off all mattress orders and two free pillows)

Timestamps:

[05:55] Bao Tong’s calligraphy.

[08:20] Matt’s decision to study East Asian languages.

[10:13] Studying with Perry Link and the challenges of learning Chinese.

[12:19] Tips for learning Chinese and other languages.

[17:17] How TikTok has been weaponized by the Chinese Communist Party.

[20:58] The origins of TikTok and its obfuscatory ownership structure.

[26:30] How sowing chaos in the West serves the CCP’s aims.

[31:37] “Politics stops at the water’s edge.”

[33:11] How should the US rein in TikTok’s influence over its population?

[40:23] The significance of Taiwan geographically, ideologically, and economically.

[49:59] The semiconductor industry in Taiwan and its global importance.

[52:07] Deterring China from attacking or coercing Taiwan.

[58:51] Cultivating social depth in Taiwan.

[1:01:09] Guessing at Xi Jinping’s timeline.

[1:05:33] Demonstrating the will to match the capacity of following through.

[1:07:47] Matt’s top priorities for stemming Chinese ambitions.

[1:10:15] Architects of chaos.

[1:14:21] Staying alert against informational warfare and united front activity.

[1:21:00] Countering China’s influence on its Western-based citizens.

[1:25:05] Checkers vs. Go.

[1:26:56] How can the US reassert its position as a beacon of democracy?

[1:33:05] What prompted Matt to join the Marine Corps at age 32?

[1:38:50] Getting in shape for the occasion.

[1:40:45] Leadership lessons learned.

[1:46:59] The Boiling Moat, the importance of public service, 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

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 Shep

Craig Foster is an Oscar- and BAFTA-winning filmmaker, naturalist, author, and ocean explorer. He is the co-founder of the Sea Change Project, an NGO dedicated to the long-term conservation and regeneration of the Great African Seaforest. His film My Octopus Teacher has led to making the Great African Seaforest a global icon. His new book is Amphibious Soul: Finding the Wild in a Tame World. 

Sponsors:

Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)

1Password easy-to-use and secure password manager for individuals, families, and businesses: https://1password.com/tim (14-day free trial)

Vuori Clothing high-quality performance apparel: https://vuoriclothing.com/tim (20% off your first purchase)

Timestamps:

[08:39] A morning ray.

[11:01] Connecting with the sea is a family tradition.

[13:24] Making The Great Dance.

[15:28] Unnatural powers granted by natural attunement.

[22:40] Observing the secret lives of animals.

[26:44] What makes Kalahari trackers so impressive?

[29:37] Connecting with nature in the big city.

[32:43] Breath holding and cold exposure.

[37:25] Land lessons via underwater tracking.

[42:55] Connecting with a Cape clawless otter.

[46:20] Interspecies alliances.

[49:39] What compelled Craig to write Amphibious Soul?

[52:58] Why pristine nature comforts and inspires us.

[1:00:03] Is ancestral memory real?

[1:04:16] Nature as a mirror.

[1:07:48] The pros and cons of discovering new species.

[1:10:03] Song catching.

[1:16:30] The meaning of “home.”

[1:19:03] Parenting lessons.

[1:23:41] The psychic cost of sudden fame.

[1:31:18] For whom was Amphibious Soul written?

[1:33:58] Sea Change Project.

[1:35:53] The short-sightedness of current climate policy.

[1:41:52] Changing entrenched minds.

[1:52:37] A camera-stealing octopus.

[1:55:25] Hope for a shift in human perspective.

[1:58:21] 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

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.

This episode is brought to you by 5-Bullet Friday, my very own email newsletter.

Welcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is my job to deconstruct world-class performers to tease out the routines, habits, et cetera that you can apply to your own life. 

This is a special inbetweenisode, which serves as a recap of the episodes from last month. It features a short clip from each conversation in one place so you can easily jump around to get a feel for the episode and guest.

Based on your feedback, this format has been tweaked and improved since the first recap episode. For instance, listeners suggested that the bios for each guest can slow the momentum, so we moved all the bios to the end. 

See it as a teaser. Something to whet your appetite. If you like what you hear, you can of course find the full episodes at tim.blog/podcast. 

Please enjoy! 

*

This episode is brought to you by 5-Bullet Friday, my very own email newsletter that every Friday features five bullet points highlighting cool things I’ve found that week, including apps, books, documentaries, gadgets, albums, articles, TV shows, new hacks or tricks, and—of course—all sorts of weird stuff I’ve dug up from around the world.

It’s free, it’s always going to be free, and you can subscribe now at tim.blog/friday.

*

Timestamps:

Scott Glenn: 00:03:20

Barbara Corcoran: 00:05:10

Seth Godin: 00:08:11

Hugh Howey: 00:15:44

Full episode titles:

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 (#729)

Barbara Corcoran — How She Turned $1,000 into a $5B+ Empire: PR Stunts, Sales Techniques, Critical Early Wins, Fighting Trump, and Becoming a Real Estate Mogul (#725)

Seth Godin — Coaching Tim on Overcoming Resistance, Lessons from Isaac Asimov, Writing Secrets After 8,500+ Daily Blog Posts, The Dangers of Authenticity, Practices for Consistency, and Much More (#728)

Hugh Howey, Author of Silo and Wool — A Masterclass on Writing, Unorthodox Self-Publishing, and Living in The AI Age (#726)

*

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 Californ