Podcast appearances and mentions of Tim Ferriss

Many of us feel like we're drowning in invisible complexity. So I wanted to hit pause and ask a simple question: What are 1–3 decisions that could dramatically simplify my life?In this episode:Chip Conley shares how a near-death experience on stage changed his lifeGreg McKeown reveals what a stormtrooper costume has to do with all the goddamn clutter in our livesDavid Allen explains why the to-do list living in your head costs you more than you think.Elizabeth Gilbert explains why she treats her inbox like her home, and what she does when uninvited guests show up.And Oliver Burkeman explains why so much simplicity advice backfires, and what has actually worked for him.This episode is brought to you by:Eight Sleep Pod 6 which cools or heats each side of the bed, with custom elevation and snoring reduction, and wearable-free sleep tracking: EightSleep.com/timAG1 Pro all-in-one nutritional supplement: DrinkAG1.com/TimTimestamps:Chip Conley: 00:01:36Greg McKeown: 00:13:00:22David Allen: 00:20:18:27Elizabeth Gilbert: 00:28:35:17Oliver Burkeman: 00:36:37:01*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this week's episode, Mike and AJ discuss the controversy sparked by Tim Ferriss's article, "Has AI Already Killed How-To Nonfiction?" The two debate whether AI summaries have made prescriptive nonfiction obsolete or whether the use of AI everywhere has made humans more desperate for human-made content. Be sure to visit https://dwtbpodcast.com for more information and add your name to start receiving their newsletter. If you'd like to support this show, rate, subscribe, and leave a review on your podcast app.Books/Resources Mentioned:SimplifiedTim Ferriss ArticleAJ's Rebuttal to TimTake Breaks, Work Better by John BriggsAJ's all-day Writing Sprint Marathon (registration)Connect with AJ & Mike:AJ Harper, website Write A Must-Read Free resources AJ's Socials:Facebook LinkedIn Mike Michalowicz, websiteAll books Mike's Socials: IG FBLinkedIn

A whole generation chased the dream of working less and earning more, and it left a lot of people confused about what real progress actually looks like. The idea of shortcuts and hacks sounds tempting when you're tired of grinding, but deep down you know something feels off when the promise of easy success doesn't match your reality.Omar digs into how The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris, got misunderstood and why so many people walked away with the wrong message. He shares what the book was actually trying to teach, how the obsession with shortcuts derailed countless entrepreneurs, and what it really means to work smarter without pretending hard work doesn't matter. You'll hear the honest side of how expectations got twisted and what that misunderstanding has cost people over the years.To get a clearer perspective on how to build something meaningful without falling for the myths that shaped a generation, click play at the top of the page and hear Omar break down a smarter way to approach your work.MBA2838 Why The 4-Hour Workweek Ruined A GenerationRecommended episode to explore:The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim FerrissHow To Run Your Business In 4 Hours A DayWatch the episodes on YouTube: https://lm.fm/GgRPPHiSUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kevin Ryan is one of the leading entrepreneurs and investors in New York. Often called the “Godfather of NYC tech,” he is the founder and CEO of AlleyCorp, a New York based venture capital firm that incubates and invests across healthcare, AI and software, consumer tech, deep tech, and more. Kevin is also the co-founder of several notable companies including MongoDB, Business Insider, Zola, Gilt Groupe, and Transcend Therapeutics. Earlier in his career, Kevin was the CEO of DoubleClick, which he helped grow from a 20-person startup to a publicly-traded company with more than 1,500 employees.This episode is brought to you by:Eight Sleep Pod 6 which cools or heats each side of the bed, with custom elevation and snoring reduction, and wearable-free sleep tracking: EightSleep.com/timShopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: Shopify.com/TimMomentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular support: LiveMomentous.com/TimAG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: DrinkAG1.com/TimTimestamps:00:00:00 Intro from Tim00:01:25 Kevin Ryan's entrepreneurial track record00:03:40 Spotting long-term trends and turning them into businesses00:06:33 Designing gatherings and trips for great conversations00:11:42 Second-order thinking and the missed YouTube opportunity00:17:47 Gilt's rise, shrinking moat, and knowing when to sell00:22:06 From Dilbert to DoubleClick: early lessons and fast decisions00:27:52 AlleyCorp's model: start narrow, then scale00:32:26 Recruiting founders and building Business Insider00:38:28 Recognizing a business crush and choosing what to build00:41:44 Investing in nuclear energy00:43:26 Taking money off the table and keeping funds small00:47:15 Ping-pong and the value of coaching00:49:05 Making time for family, fitness, and vacation00:51:52 Psychedelics and the origins of Transcend Therapeutics00:54:20 Methylone, PTSD trials, and navigating the FDA00:59:57 Transcend's public-benefit mission and giving back01:05:46 Deep tech, robotics, and the next wave of opportunities01:11:35 Failed startups, MongoDB, and knowing when to persist01:15:06 A more caring society: inequality, taxes, and opportunity01:17:26 Immigration and attracting the world's best talent01:20:04 Why Kevin is bullish on New York*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Parlor Room, we're excited to share an episode from The Founder Mindset, the new podcast from our colleagues at Harvard Business School Foundry, hosted by entrepreneur and Harvard Business School senior lecturer Reza Satchu (REZ-ah SAT-chew). Hosted by entrepreneur and Harvard Business School senior lecturer Reza Satchu, The Founder Mindset features in-depth conversations with founders, investors, and leaders about the mindset, judgment, and decisions that shape extraordinary careers and companies. On this episode, Reza sits down with Tim Ferriss — entrepreneur, investor, bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, and host of The Tim Ferriss Show — to discuss experimentation, calibrated risk-taking, and the importance of learning faster than the competition. Tim reflects on how fear-setting helped shape his decision-making, why he views most opportunities as experiments rather than permanent commitments, and how curiosity, unconventional thinking, and continuous learning have guided his career across investing, writing, podcasting, and entrepreneurship. The conversation also explores optionality, commitment, personal impact, and why founders must learn to trust both their judgment and their willingness to act under uncertainty. Listen to more episodes of The Founder Mindset with Reza Satchu and follow the podcast here: https://play.megaphone.fm/2gwuyq_gsiihi5s9mey3ka

Busy dad? You do not need 90-minute workouts, a perfect schedule, or hours of quiet time to make real progress.If you want a simple full-body training plan built for busy dads, check out my workout program here: Grab a free trial hereIn this episode of Fit Fathers Fellowship, I break down the idea of the minimum effective dose—doing the smallest amount of focused, intentional work that still moves you forward.It's a concept Tim Ferriss helped popularize in The 4-Hour Body, and it has shaped the way I think about training, especially in this season of fatherhood.I love seeing dads take on Ironmans, ultras, and huge physical challenges. But that's not the phase of life I'm in right now.My goal is simple:Get as strong, fit, athletic, and capable as possible with the limited time I actually have.We talk about why three focused full-body workouts can go a long way, why intensity and consistency matter more than spending hours in the gym, and how daily movement can fill in the gaps.I also share how the same principle applies to our faith.While reading Charles Swindoll's So, You Want to Be Like Christ?, I was reminded that we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that if we don't have 30–45 minutes for Bible study or prayer, it isn't worth doing.But maybe you don't have 45 minutes today.Maybe you have four.Four focused minutes in Scripture, prayer, or meditation on God's Word is far better than waiting for a perfect window of time that never comes.In this episode:• The minimum effective dose for busy dads• Why shorter workouts can still produce great results• How to train hard without living in the gym• Why perfection often leads to inconsistency• How to simplify your faith without making it shallow• Building a “minimum” that keeps you moving forward in fitness, faith, and fatherhoodYou do not always need more time.Sometimes you just need to get more intentional with the time you already have.Train hard. Stay faithful. Be present. Keep moving forward.

What if the most valuable asset you can build as an entrepreneur is not your company, but your relationships?Jayson Gaignard built one of Canada's largest ticket-wholesaling businesses, only to realize he had created a company he hated. When circumstances left him approximately $250,000 in debt, with a six-month-old daughter and a new marriage, he began investing in the one thing no one could take from him: his relationships.That decision eventually led Jayson to create MMT, an invite-only entrepreneurial community built around intentional connection, carefully curated experiences, and the belief that success should never be pursued alone.In this episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up, executive coach and bestselling author Alisa Cohn sits down with Jayson to explore how entrepreneurs can build meaningful professional relationships, make the most of conferences, overcome social anxiety, and develop the courage to enter rooms where they do not yet feel they belong.Jayson also shares the story behind buying 4,000 copies of Tim Ferriss's book, his “eight seconds of courage” strategy for doing intimidating things, and the leadership decision that put nearly $2 million at risk during the pandemic.This is a candid conversation about entrepreneurial community, relationship building, leadership, discomfort, comparison, and why proximity to the right people can change the trajectory of your life.You'll learn:How Jayson turned a financial and personal crisis into a new entrepreneurial pathWhy meaningful relationships are among the safest investments a founder can makeHow to build an aspirational network before you have status or connectionsWhy attending the right events can accelerate years of relationship buildingHow to prepare for conferences and follow up before the excitement fadesHow “eight seconds of courage” can help you move through social anxietyWhy MMT prioritizes character and connection over financial successHow Jayson made an integrity-driven decision involving nearly $2 millionWhy comparison can quietly damage otherwise meaningful relationshipsHow founders can balance ambition with their health and long-term well-beingWe talk about:00:00 Meet Jayson Gaignard, founder of MMT and author of Community Made03:12 Building a successful business he ultimately hated05:00 Facing $250,000 in debt and searching for what came next06:00 Why Jayson began investing in relationships07:00 Buying 4,000 copies of Tim Ferriss's book09:16 Using regret minimization to make difficult decisions12:00 How the right room can change your life16:06 Building an aspirational network from scratch22:22 How to make the most of conferences and large events28:15 Managing social anxiety through preparation29:45 Using eight seconds of courage to do hard things34:07 Why personal growth requires discomfort37:47 Building MMT as an invite-only entrepreneurial community42:48 Leading a community like a company45:15 Making a nearly $2 million decision during the pandemic47:19 Why leaders cannot avoid difficult conversations49:06 Escaping comparison and jealousy around successful peers55:20 The long-term cost of entrepreneurial stress56:51 Jayson's advice for founders growing into leadersFollow Jayson onLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaysongaignard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaysongaignard Website: https://www.jaysongaignard.com/ Read Community Made: The Truth About Success and the Relationships That Create ItConnect with Alisa!Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohnTwitter: @alisacohnFacebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohnLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/Website: http://www.alisacohn.comDownload her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

George Wright III opens the Monday Daily Mastermind episode by highlighting persistence as a key prosperity principle and “difference maker,” tied to his third prosperity pillar: “I act in spite of my mood.” Citing Napoleon Hill and Calvin Coolidge, he argues that lack of persistence prevents people from achieving goals and that persistence is a cultivatable state of mind. He outlines ways to build it: definiteness of purpose, strong desire, self-reliance, definite plans and scheduling, applied knowledge, a cooperative mastermind group, using willpower strategically, and preparation through daily rituals and habits. He frames persistence as a decision—“it's not over until you win”—and shares examples of repeated rejection and failure from NASA, Tim Ferriss, Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Einstein, Edison, Dr. Seuss, Jack London, van Gogh, Michael Jordan, and J.K. Rowling.00:00 Monday Prosperity Focus01:29 Pillar Three Act Anyway02:56 Why Persistence Wins04:55 Persistence Is Trainable05:52 How To Build Persistence09:00 Decide Despite Your Mood09:51 Famous Persistence StoriesThanks for listening, and Please Share this Episode with someone. It would really help us to grow our show and share these valuable tips and strategies with others. Have a great day.George Wright III“It's Never Too Late to Start Living the Life You Were Meant to Live”FREE Daily Mastermind Resources:CONNECT with George & Access Tons of ResourcesGet access to Proven Strategies and Time-Test Principles for Success. Plus, download and access tons of FREE resources and online events by joining our Exclusive Community of Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, and High Achievers like YOU.Join FREE at DailyMastermind.comFollow me on social media Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin | TikTok | YoutubeGrow Your Authority and Personal Brand with a FREE Interview in a Top Global Magazine HERE.

My guest today is Tania de Jong, co-founder of Mind Medicine Australia. Tania and her husband, Peter, helped lead the push that, in 2023, made Australia the first country in the world to allow MDMA and psilocybin to be prescribed for psychiatric conditions. I wanted to understand how the hell they helped make that happen and what the rest of the world can learn from it.This episode is brought to you by:ProLon science-backed Fasting Mimicking Diet that helps activate cellular renewal through fasting, while still eating nourishing meals: https://prolonlife.com/TimMomentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular support: https://LiveMomentous.com/TimAG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: DrinkAG1.com/TimTimestamps[00:00:00] Intro from Tim.[00:02:46] The article that changed Tania's life.[00:04:39] A first psychedelic experience—and the year it took to integrate it.[00:10:17] Rick Doblin's encouragement and the birth of Mind Medicine Australia.[00:13:15] Turning regulatory rejection into a stronger application.[00:20:48] Building a grassroots movement and training clinicians.[00:23:23] Cold emails, scientific allies, and singing your way into the room.[00:31:11] A week with Ram Dass: silence, singing, and an extraordinary LSD story.[00:37:54] Bringing David Nutt—and a family's devastating story—to the regulators.[00:42:42] Dancing in the kitchen: Australia's rescheduling breakthrough.[00:43:40] From changing the rules to treating patients.[00:48:18] Why Tim thinks MDMA is still underestimated.[00:50:23] Integration beyond the session: therapy, nutrition, and exercise.[00:52:29] Scaling access and collecting real-world evidence.[00:58:13] Getting insurers, government agencies, and philanthropists on board.[01:01:39] Syrian rue, psilocybin, and learning to let go of control.[01:10:01] Dosing, expectations, and the pressure to take more.[01:12:02] The promise of group therapy and shared integration.[01:14:22] Hiring mistakes, personal attacks, and the resilience advocacy requires.[01:23:38] Turning a window of change into lasting habits.[01:25:51] Getting through to regulators and pushing for end-of-life access.[01:28:27] The bureaucratic barriers that remain.[01:31:38] What treatment costs—and why therapist time drives the bill.[01:35:07] Could shorter-acting compounds make treatment more affordable?[01:38:46] Ketamine, kratom, and the limits of “all natural.”[01:43:14] The unexpected payoff from Tim's ketamine experiment.[01:47:46] What might come next for psychedelic access worldwide?[01:49:04] Persistence versus pushiness—and knowing when to try another door.[01:54:22] Supporting patients and training the next wave of clinicians.[01:57:51] “Be curious”: exploring your inner world and walking each other home.[02:01:35] The ripple effects of sharing your curiosity—and simply asking for help.Timeline:February 2, 2015: Michael Pollan publishes “The Trip Treatment” in The New Yorker, which is the article Tania credits with setting her journey in motion.March 21, 2015: Tim releases his James Fadiman interview, “The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide” (#66). Its show notes link to “The Trip Treatment.”January 15, 2016: In 5-Bullet Friday, Tim announces support for Johns Hopkins' psilocybin research and a personal commitment of at least $100,000 toward psychedelic research that year.2016: Tania and Peter travel to the Netherlands for their first guided psilocybin experience. (Source)2017–2019: UCSF conducts the psilocybin-assisted group-therapy study involving long-term AIDS survivors that Tim helped support. (Source)May 6, 2018: Michael Pollan joins Tim for “Exploring the New Science of Psychedelics” (#313), discussing his forthcoming book (How to Change Your Mind).May 15, 2018: Pollan's How to Change Your Mind is published.February 13, 2019: Tania and Peter publicly launch Mind Medicine Australia. (Source)2020–2022: MMA applies to reschedule MDMA and psilocybin, faces rejection, and submits new applications in March 2022. (Source)November 21, 2022: David Nutt presents to Australia's medicines regulator, the TGA, supporting the case for therapeutic access. (Source)February 3, 2023: The TGA announces restricted prescribing access to MDMA for PTSD and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression, effective July 1, 2023. (Source)January 2024: Patients begin receiving treatment under the new prescribing program. (Source)*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode, we sit down with Steve Bobowski and Renee Martin from Dale Carnegie Training to explore leadership, culture, and human connection. They share their career journeys and unpack how their partnership with Drexel first began. We clear up common misconceptions about what Dale Carnegie actually is (and isn't!)! Steve and Renee also discuss living these timeless human relations principles at work and home, break down upcoming courses, and explain how you can get involved.Resources & Links:Dale Carnegie Eastern Wisconsin - https://www.dalecarnegie.com/en/locations/eastern-wisconsin/meet-team How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss

If you're trying to become more productive, improve your time management, stop wasting time, get more done and become more effective in both your personal and professional life, this episode explores one of the most important distinctions in productivity: being efficient versus being effective.Using ideas and examples inspired by Tim Ferriss's The 4-Hour Workweek, I break down why what you choose to work on can matter far more than how efficiently you complete it. You can become incredibly good at checking things off a to-do list, answering emails, organizing your schedule and completing busy work—but none of that necessarily means you're making meaningful progress toward the goals that actually matter.We discuss how to prioritize important tasks, focus on outcomes instead of effort, identify work that creates real results and rethink the idea that simply working harder or staying busy automatically makes you productive. In the real world, effort matters, but outcomes matter too. The goal isn't simply to become faster at doing things. It's to become better at deciding which things deserve to be done in the first place.Juliet Vibert also joins me in helping explore these ideas throughout the episode. This conversation was originally filmed at AfterBuzz TV and is being revisited as part of my larger library of lessons on creativity, productivity, career development and building a more intentional life.If you've ever finished an incredibly busy day only to wonder what you actually accomplished, this episode is about shifting your attention from simply doing more to getting the right things done.

We're delighted to have Jayson Gaignard back on the Business of Meetings podcast today. Jayson is the founder of MMT and the author of Community Made: The Truth About Success and the Relationships That Create It. Eric had the privilege of reading Jayson's book, which includes many of the lessons he learned about relationships, community, and success. Stay tuned for more! Jayson's Journey Jayson dropped out of high school and started a service-based business before pivoting to online e-commerce, which he grew to about $7 million a year over four years with no outside investments. After seven years, he realized he didn't need to impress anyone, so he scaled it down to zero. In August 2012, things beyond his control left him in debt. So he began hosting dinners that brought fascinating people together, which eventually led to MMT and building communities. In 2023, he started putting his lessons in writing, which led to his book, Community Made. Community Made Jayson's book, Community Made: The Truth About Success and the Relationships That Create It, centers on three areas: finding your people, investing in your people, and asking for help. Asking for help was pivotal to his personal growth, so he also explores why people avoid it. Transactional and Transformational Relationships Jayson explains the difference between transactional and transformational relationships. Transactional relationships can help you reach a specific goal, while transformational relationships are based more on shared values and wanting to spend time together. He believes you need to be intentional about the people you bring into your life and the energy you invest in those relationships. Building Community Jayson's approach to community is based on careful curation and creating an environment where people can be authentic and vulnerable. The right people, shared values, trust, and confidentiality are essential to creating a community where members can support one another. Success and Comparison Jayson discusses how success can affect relationships and create comparison and envy. He believes you need to be genuinely happy for other people's success while remaining focused on your own path rather than measuring your life against someone else's. Technology and Connection Jayson believes technology and AI can strengthen communities by helping people find others with relevant experience and expertise. However, technology cannot replace the value of being together in person, which remains central to building meaningful relationships. Preparation and Mentorship Jayson also discusses the importance of preparation, especially when having meaningful conversations with other people. He credits mentors and friends who believed in his potential and encouraged him to think bigger. Bio: Jayson Gaignard is an author and community builder who has spent more than a decade creating high-trust communities and experiences for entrepreneurs. He is the Head Curator of MMT, one of the world's most exclusive entrepreneur communities, and was named one of Forbes' "Top Networkers to Watch." His work explores what happens when you bring the right people into the right room—creating opportunities, ideas, and relationships that can transform businesses and lives. Jayson's work has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and Tim Ferriss' Tools of Titans. Connect with Eric Rozenberg LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website Listen to The Business of Meetings podcast Subscribe to The Business of Meetings newsletter Connect with Jayson Gaignard Mastermind Talks  LinkedIn Book Website  

August is the best time to pick blueberries! Tim Ferris of Wandering Roots Farm tells us what it's like owning and running a blueberry farm. Then, I attempt to make blueberry jam which is alot of fun... especially if nothing goes wrong...Then, it's Fall! September means it's time to go visit local farms to enjoy hayrides, pumpkin picking and apple cider donut tasting!!! We visit Abma's Farm in Wyckoff and Demerest Farms in Hillsdale to test out their renowned donuts. They have pulled out all the stops for Fall Family Visits, that's for sure.Backyard Chickens! Urban Farming! Really cool community gardens, backyard plots and actual farms!Experience it all from a wide range of chicken lovers, veggie enthusiasts and other creative outdoor endeavors.

In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast host Troy Trewin interviews Jellaine Dee, founder of Mogul Methods, shares how she built Cherry Blooms from weekend markets into a $10M business in just three years. She started with $90K in credit card debt, selling her wardrobe and using grants and export finance to fund growth. Jellaine expanded into the U.S., securing distribution across all 50 states and Canada and growing her team to around 12 people. She eventually sold Cherry Blooms to private equity and now helps other brands get products onto retail shelves and expand internationally. Her journey highlights resilience, showing up, smart funding, continuous learning, and building a business that creates freedom and impact. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Jellaine Dee shares that the hardest thing in growing a small business is having patience and resilience, as success takes time, sacrifice, obsession, and the willingness to keep going through difficult periods without giving up. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Jellaine Dee shares that her favorite business book is The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss, which taught her valuable principles about designing her life and inspired her to explore distribution opportunities in the U.S. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Jellaine Dee shares that she listens to podcasts focused more on mindset and founder wellbeing, while for business development she prefers investing in paid coaching and advisory because the advice can be tailored to her specific needs and circumstances. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Jellaine Dee shares that business owners should consistently fill their minds with positive audio, books, and other positive influences to stay motivated, inspired, and resilient through the challenges of growing a small business. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Jellaine Dee shares that she would tell herself, "You got this, girl, and it's going to be a lot of fun." She would encourage herself to live boldly, believe she is made for it, enjoy the adventure, and embrace the personal growth that comes with building a business. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.   Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Success requires resilience, patience, sacrifice, and the willingness to keep going when results don't come instantly — Jellaine Dee Show up, get in the room, and create opportunities instead of waiting for them to come to you — Jellaine Dee Believe you're made for it, enjoy the adventure, and embrace the personal growth that comes with building a business — Jellaine Dee      

Daily Boost Podcast Outsmart AI Right Now September 11, 2026 | Episode 5540 Host: Scott Smith Episode Description Twenty years ago, Tim Ferriss told us to leverage our brains and let automation do the grunt work. I bought in, built a business on it, and it worked. Then AI showed up with the same promise. Robots do the hard stuff; you get to be creative. Three years in, AI is writing the music and making the films. Guess what's left for you. Today I'm giving you a take on AI you haven't heard, straight from a coaching call with my client Ralph. It's dark, a little funny, and it ends with the one thing AI can't touch. Featured Story Picture your head as a coconut. AI walked up with a drill, bored a little hole in the top, and you didn't feel a thing. Coconuts don't feel anything. Then it slid in a long straw and sucked your brains out. For some of you, it was a sip. For the college crowd, it was a lot. It poured all of it into its own brain. And then came the twist. You can have it back for twenty bucks a month. Forever. You said, " Great, I get my brain back plus everybody else's. Ten million PhDs. Except there are eight billion not-so-smart people in there too, and now you can't tell which one is talking. That's where it gets interesting. Important Points * Every knowledge job is getting cheaper. Consultants and coaches who sell pure information are getting squeezed first. * AI will flatter you while it lies to you. Pull your own brain back out and double-check everything before you decide. * AI can't make the decision. Wisdom, judgment, and face-to-face guidance are your leverage now. Memorable Quotes * There are 10 million PhDs inside AI; there's no doubt about that, but there are 8 billion stupid people in there too. * AI lies to you. It gives you compliments while it lies to you. It tells you what to think. It's a very good liar. * The only thing you have that's more valuable than AI is the ability to make a decision and to use your wisdom. Scott's Three-Step Approach * Admit that trading pure information for money is over. Consulting and coaching on knowledge alone won't hold up. * Move what you know into a decision. Take the flood of AI answers and turn it into the call somebody can't make alone. * Deliver that judgment face to face. A little human conversation on top of all that leverage is the new arbitrage. Chapters 0:15 - Ralph's call sparks a take on AI you haven't heard 1:08 - Face Your Passion opens September 17 for 100 founders 4:48 - Tim Ferriss promised the beach, then AI moved in on it 6:44 - The coconut, the straw, and your $20-a-month brain 7:44 - Why AI flatters you while it lies to you 8:45 - Mid-career and scared, and consulting won't save you 9:15 - The one skill AI can't take and how to get paid for it Connect With Me Search for the Daily Boost on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify * Email: support@motivationtomove.com * Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com * YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast * Instagram: https://instagram.com/heyscottsmith * Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove * Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is a bit different. It's a live, unscripted working session with a founder, and I've only done one other earlier this year.Niels Hoven (@NielsHoven) is the founder and CEO of Mentava, a company building software to support fast learners. Eager kids are dramatically underserved by today's education system, and Niels created Mentava to allow students to achieve their potential. Prior to Mentava, Niels worked at Cloudflare, ClassDojo, and Pocket Gems, where he ran the highest-grossing mobile game in the world in 2011. He has a graduate degree in electrical engineering from UC Berkeley.This episode is brought to you by:Fin powerful AI Agent for all your customer service: Fin.Ai/TimShopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: Shopify.com/TimWealthfront high-yield cash account: Wealthfront.com/TimNew clients get 3.30% base APY from program banks + additional 0.75% 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 1/30/26 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. Individual experiences and outcomes will differ. 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.[00:01:32] What Mentava is—and the toddlers reading before age three.[00:08:31] Game design, slot-machine motivation, and lowering the hoop.[00:11:54] Tim's red pen: rewriting the bio and positioning.[00:16:59] The real problem: wasted early years, high-school pressure.[00:23:55] Learning at your own pace—and "what if you did nothing?"[00:29:32] Dog-fish, fish-dog: readiness, failed trials, and follow-ups.[00:35:06] The $500 price, school pilots, and videos-for-tuition scholarships.[00:41:39] Teach a kid to fish: selling relief, not nagging.[00:47:49] Viral posts, the culture-war trap, and why exaggeration is death.[00:55:05] Put the ask on top: investor updates and what actually converts.[00:59:35] The thirty-year phonics war—and it's not with teachers.[01:01:10] A $1,000 coupon, zero takers: why the referral bribe flopped.[01:08:04] Lead with the love letters: testimonials, homepage, and who's buying.[01:20:03] "No scam charges $500 a month": pricing and who you're not for.[01:34:16] Uncrowded channels and workshopping like a standup.[01:42:08] Don't let Amazon be your debutante ball: testing what sells.[01:46:42] Alpha School, the competitive map, and the eager investor.[01:48:39] Reaching the already-converted: be the painkiller, TiE, surround sound.[02:08:18] Niels's charge: advocate for your child, unapologetically.*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patreon/Supercast Special Release – Bonus – The Art of Allowing: Psychedelics, Breathwork & Expanded States (311) This is a sneak peek of our episode with Patty Nagle – available only on our Premium Supercast and Patreon platforms. For as little as $5/month you can have access to special releases like this one, first-to-know about upcoming events and discounts and an ad-free feed. Click here to join & finish the episode!! Licensed mental health counselor and breathwork facilitator, Patty Nagle, explores the practice of “allowing”—slowing down, releasing the need to constantly effort, and creating space for new possibilities. Patty discusses expanded states of consciousness through psychedelics, breathwork, and nature, and explains how these experiences can interrupt deeply ingrained patterns and open the door to change. Alongside co-host Sue Marriott, the two share the importance of preparation, safety, discernment, and integration, and why the real work often begins after the experience. Timestamps for The Art of Allowing: Psychedelics, Breathwork & Expanded States of Consciousness (311) 03:04 Surrender and allowing as a healing practice 05:26 Bringing expanded consciousness into the world 08:38 What is an expanded state of consciousness? 09:15 Methods to induce expanded states: breathwork, nature, psychedelics 11:07 The spectrum of expanded states and their effects 13:43 The potential and risks of psychedelics 17:21 The importance of slow down and integration 21:16 Candidates and contraindications for psychedelic work 23:07 Managing adverse experiences and set and setting 32:32 The history and cultural significance of psychedelics 39:40 The process of integration and touchstones 50:39 Opportunities and offerings for learning and community About our Guest – Patty Nagle, LMHC Patty Nagle is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and certified Grof® Breathwork facilitator who supports individuals navigating the complex, beautiful, and often bewildering territory of healing and transformation. She specializes in helping people prepare for and integrate expanded states of consciousness—including psychedelic experiences—offering grounded, heart-centered guidance for those walking the path of inner exploration. Patty's approach is rooted in transpersonal and Jungian psychology, deep listening, and a healthy respect for the fact that the healing process rarely follows a straight line. Before becoming a therapist, she spent many years in nonprofit management. That experience continues to inform her therapeutic approach, which is grounded, practical, and attuned to both personal and collective well-being. Today, Patty combines professional expertise with intuitive presence, creating spaces where clients feel safe to unravel, release, and rediscover themselves. Her work is grounded in respect for the wisdom of the psyche and a deep trust in the human capacity for healing when given the space and support to unfold naturally. Whether working with individuals or facilitating groups, her presence invites trust, curiosity, and surrender to the wisdom within. She is also the creator and facilitator of The Great Allowing: A Collective Exploration, an ongoing series of online group explorations of various topics that invite participants to soften the habit of striving,reconnect with the wisdom of the body and psyche, and cultivate a more trusting relationship with life. She lives in a small village just north of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the high desert landscape offers both inspiration and solace. Surrounded by nature and accompanied by her two beloved dogs, Patty finds renewal in the simplicity of daily life and the beauty of the natural world. Her work is informed by a lifelong curiosity about the human experience and a devotion to the quiet wisdom that arises when we learn to try less and trust more. To learn more about Patty's work, events, and offerings, visit www.thegreatallowing.com. Feel free to contact Patty at patty@thegreatallowing.com. Resources for The Art of Allowing: Psychedelics, Breathwork & Expanded States of Consciousness (311) The Great Allowing – Patty’s website: lists upcoming online offerings. Listeners are invited to fill out a contact form on the website to request a phone conversation with Patty and to receive future updates on program offerings Grof Breathwork resources – Grof breathwork offerings Grof Breathwork – Facilitator trainings and offerings The Way of the Psychonaut: Encyclopedia for Inner Journeys – For an in-depth dive into the work by Stan Grof, the two volume book series Youtube Video – Tim Ferris interview with Stan Grof Looking for our Upcoming Events? Click here!! Our Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW! Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s – Next Q&A Coming September 2026!

Working fewer hours creates more output. This book summary reveals how the 80/20 rule upends modern lifestyle design. The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss, the key ideas in minutes. Read the full summary free: https://read.getstoryshots.com/the-4-hour-work-week Follow the show and a new book lands in your feed every day. The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss: An audiobook summary and review by StoryShots.

This is a special episode about overcoming mistakes and failure. What do you do when your work is rejected, when the big bet fails, or when the path ahead suddenly disappears? As you'll hear in this episode, setbacks can often present opportunities, if you know how to look for them.This episode is brought to you by:Helix Sleep premium mattresses: HelixSleep.com/Tim (20% off any purchase)Gusto simple and easy payroll, HR, and benefits platform used by 400,000+ businesses: Gusto.com/TimIncogni, which removes your personal data from the web, helping shield you from fraud, scams, and identity theft: Incogni.com/Tim (use code TIM at checkout and get 60% off an annual plan)In this episode: BJ Miller, a triple amputee, on his years-long quest to ride a motorcycle.Terry Crews on missing a season-ending shot—and the mindset shift that stayed with him for life.Tim McGraw on his debut album flopping and betting his career on next steps.Jessica Lahey on being told her first book was “unpublishable” and turning brutal feedback into a New York Times bestseller.Dax Shepard on the collapse of an identity and career he thought he wanted—and the unexpected much better life it made possible.Cathy Lanier on becoming a teenage single mother, passing her GED by a single point, and beginning an unlikely climb.Janna Levin on the liberating realization that life is not a smooth path interrupted by obstacles—life is the obstacles.Boyd Varty on using the mindset of a lion tracker to move through uncertainty and the paralysis of not knowing what comes next.Dr. BJ Miller is a triple amputee, longtime palliative-care physician, cofounder of virtual palliative-care service Mettle Health, and coauthor of A Beginner's Guide to the End.Terry Crews is an actor, artist, author, television host, and former NFL player best known as Terry Jeffords on the Emmy-nominated TV series Brooklyn Nine-Nine and as the longtime host of America's Got Talent.Tim McGraw is a three-time Grammy-winning country-music superstar, an actor, and a 2026 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee.Jessica Lahey is an educator and the New York Times bestselling author of The Gift of Failure and The Addiction Inoculation.Dax Shepard is an actor, writer, and director and the co-creator and host of the hit podcast Armchair Expert.Cathy Lanier is the NFL's chief security officer and the first woman—and longest serving chief—to lead Washington, DC's Metropolitan Police Department.Janna Levin is a theoretical cosmologist, the Claire Tow Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Barnard College, a Guggenheim Fellow, a PEN-winning author, and the founding director of sciences at Pioneer Works.Boyd Varty is a lion tracker, wildlife activist, TED speaker, and author of The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life.Timestamps:00:00 — Introduction from Tim01:23 — BJ Miller: Making an Impossible Motorcycle Dream Real05:35 — Terry Crews: Why You Have to Take the Shot16:28 — Tim McGraw: Failing on Your Own Terms27:31 — Jessica Lahey: From “Unpublishable” to Bestseller31:48 — Dax Shepard: When Failure Saves You From What You Want38:11 — Cathy Lanier: Rebuilding a Life47:33 — Janna Levin: Life Is the Obstacles54:36 — Boyd Varty: Finding the Next Track When You're Stuck*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome back to #UpgradeMe. It's a podcast about the never ending self improvement journey, ideas and life hacks to help you level up and the people who make it happen! Hosted by Dana Leong, a 2x Grammy Winning Musician, a US Music Ambassador and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.Episode 026 is the first #UpgradeMe live stream, recorded the day the show crossed 100,000 subscribers. What does it actually take to grow a show past that number without chasing every new feature that comes out? Dana opens with the milestone, takes a live Q&A, runs a full highlights review and walks through the prompt book of AI tools and tricks he actually uses day to day. He gets into the health side too: cutting back on alcohol, what sleep tracking apps taught him about recovery time and the mental side of an old touring injury that still shows up as tension. Going Tim Ferriss style, he shares recent reads including Georges St-Pierre's memoir The Way of the Fight, Robert Wright's Why Buddhism Is True, a Tupac Shakur biography by Jeff Pearlman and Arnold Schwarzenegger's Be Useful, and announces an AI prompt book of his own landing before Christmas. He reacts to creators including Lucas Popan and Claire Zou, then spends the back half on who influenced him: mentors like bass trombonist David Taylor, educator Justin DiCioccio and YouTube and Google Studios executive Dorian Stone, plus the business, creative and spiritual influences that shaped how he works. He closes with a discernment lesson: you do not need every new feature to make great work, you just need to know what you actually need. Chapters:0:00 Welcome and celebrating 100K subscribers 1:12 The "what should I ask" framework 2:03 The weekly time question that reveals everything 4:27 Dana's own health and creativity priorities 6:08 Filtering AI tools and ditching doomscrolling 7:36 Chasing consistent energy through health 8:43 Drinking less and what sleep tracking apps revealed 10:20 An old tour injury and the mind body link to stress 12:08 The Asian Joe Rogan and Tim Ferriss comparisons 14:10 Podcast pace, burnout and wanting a next gear 15:02 Catching guests at the Singapore Grand Prix 15:26 Splitting life between Taiwan and Shanghai 16:23 The struggle to keep finding world class guests 17:00 Why this episode is a retrospective, not a new interview 18:03 Life in circles, not levels 18:38 Favorite sources, Tim Ferriss style 19:07 Georges St-Pierre's The Way of the Fight 22:38 Robert Wright's Why Buddhism Is True 25:04 Tupac, Schwarzenegger and skepticism on diet books 28:14 Announcing the upcoming AI prompt book 32:02 Livestream tech setup and learning as he goes 32:35 Three creators who inspired Dana lately 40:54 Why community and guests make the show work 42:11 Mentor spotlights: David Taylor, Justin DiChiera and Dorian Stone 56:19 Business, creatives and forgiving mistakes 59:25 Michael Jackson's legacy and the Shazam habit 1:02:24 Legal mentors, spirituality and prompting AI as Buddha 1:07:43 Closing thoughts and sign off Mentioned in this episode: @timferriss @joerogan @schwarzenegger @hubermanlab Georges St-Pierre Robert Wright Tupac Shakur Jeff Pearlman Jordan Peterson David Taylor Justin DiCioccio Dorian Stone Lucas Popan Claire ZouSupport #UpgradeMe: https://www.patreon.com/UpgradeMePod Join our communities online at:https://www.Instagram.com/UpgradeMePod IG https://www.TikTok.com/@UpgradeMePod TIKTOK https://www.Facebook.com/UpgradeMePod FB https://www.Youtube.com/@UpgradeMePod YT https://www.x.com/PodUpgrade X https://www.Linkedin.com/in/DanaLeong LinkedIn Subscribe to #UpgradeMePod:https://bit.ly/upgradeytsub #UpgradeMe is sponsored by https://www.TEKTONIKmusic.org (Harmony Heals) #UpgradeMe #UpgradeMePod #100K #Podcast #LiveStream #DanaLeong #SelfImprovement #Discernment #TimFerriss #JoeRogan #GeorgesStPierre #ArnoldSchwarzenegger #AndrewHuberman #TupacShakur #RobertWright

I interviewed the founder of HexClad about a year ago. Cookware, pots and pans, not the sexiest category in the world. But their ambassador is Gordon Ramsay, one of the most famous chefs on the planet. And when he holds up your pan, you do not need to explain anything else. So here is the question nobody asks: how does a cookware brand get Gordon Ramsay without a massive ad budget or a celebrity agency on retainer? Here is the answer: a genuinely great product and a strategy. The same strategy I have used to build Foundr for over a decade and that I apply to every brand I advise. In this episode, I break down the ambassador playbook step by step so you can get respected people in your market to endorse your brand, even if you are starting with zero audience and zero connections. Here's what you'll take away: • The three pillars of a brand that breaks through: a genuinely great product, next level design, and ambassadors • The "who's who in the zoo" framework for identifying the 10 to 30 people your customer already trusts • Why the gatekeeper is not an obstacle but your way through the door, and how to treat them accordingly • The follow up strategy that got me Barbara Corcoran after two years and how one question reframes "no" into "not right now" • The Amazon coming soon hack that lets you offer distribution instead of asking for a favour, and how it landed me Tim Ferriss and Tony Robbins • Why ambassadors are not a "later, once we're big enough" thing, and how each one you land makes the next one easier If you have been assuming that big-name endorsements are reserved for brands with big budgets, this episode will show you exactly why they are not, and give you a concrete list to start working through this week. If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at nathan@foundr.com — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend using the code FOUNDR50. Start here → ⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠ SAVE 95% ON XERO FOR 6 MONTHS Simplify your business finances with 95% off Xero for your first 6 months. Start here →⁠⁠ https://foundr.com/xero⁠⁠ WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/operators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠

Tim Ferriss has just published his recent royalty figures - that's since AI arrived - they're grim. Ally Machate of The Writer's Ally is back to work out the knock-on effects for the rest of us. She reckons one whole category of book is dead. Not dying. Dead. But it's not all doom + gloom - business books have a future. I put both my own books on the table + ask her straight whether they'll survive. One does. The other - hmm, needs a tweak. Listen to see if your book plans need to change too. Look for more in the Your Biz Needs a Book strand. Books discussed in this episode: The 4-Hour Workweek - Tim Ferriss The 4-Hour Body - Tim Ferriss Tools of Titans - Tim Ferriss Tribe of Mentors - Tim Ferriss Ally's Website:  www.thewritersally.com  Ally's Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/allysonemachate   ==== And don't forget to get your reading list of the 10 essential reads for every successful biz owner - these are the books Liz recommends almost on the daily to her strategy + Mastermind clients. This isn't your usual list of biz books, these answer the challenges you've actually got coming up right now. Helpful, quick to read and very timely. Click here lizscully.com/reading to get your book list

Most Americans never truly disconnect from work—even on vacation. After decades of tying your identity, daily rhythm, and sense of worth to a paycheck, stepping away feels less like freedom and more like freefall. Oz Chen spent years financially independent before he could accept it, wrestling with the psychological gap between having enough money and being okay with not working. Key Topics Discussed Oz's Background and FI Journey (00:02:30) Oz shares his introduction to financial independence through Tim Ferriss's Four Hour Workweek, his career as a UX designer, and the moment he officially accepted being financially independent at 37—years after crossing the actual threshold. The Job That Changed Everything (00:08:15) After seven comfortable years at one tech company, management changes, an acquisition, and mounting burnout made Oz's dream job unsustainable. He reveals the "work policy statement" he'd written that predicted exactly when he'd need to leave. Taking FMLA Leave as an Experiment (00:15:40) Rather than quitting outright, Oz used 12 weeks of FMLA medical leave to test what not working would feel like. He set a deliberately low bar for success—sleep and play pickleball—instead of maintaining his productivity mindset. The Unexpected Layoff (00:22:30) During the final week of his sabbatical, Oz received a layoff notice with severance and garden leave. What could have felt devastating instead felt like "divine timing," perfectly aligning with his planned departure. Wrestling with Fear and Acceptance (00:28:00) Oz shares his practice of writing acceptance statements for every fear—from scarcity feelings to relationship changes. By acknowledging fears without resisting them, he reduced the suffering that comes from fighting his own emotions. Practical Strategies for Decumulation (00:35:45) Breaking down the scary process of drawing down investments: think month-by-month rather than annual withdrawals, and sell "junk" investments (random stocks, crypto) first before touching beloved index funds. Life After Work and Future Plans (00:42:20) Oz describes his current life taking community college music classes, learning trades, and planning for the next 2-3 years before potentially having children. He emphasizes honoring different life seasons and remaining flexible about future work. Notable Quotes Ginger: "Pain plus resistance equals suffering. The pain is part of the human experience, but the resistance is the thing that you can control." Oz Chen: "I accept that not having a paycheck coming in will feel weird and scary. I can have the feeling and it doesn't have to change what I'm doing." Oz Chen: "Clarity through action versus expecting clarity before action. Breaking things down into smaller components generates clarity." Oz Chen: "The productivity engine is something that often buzzes in the background for optimizers. There's always something to work on, always something to optimize." Oz Chen: "I realized my fear was a very generalized fear. Writing down that fear and asking, is that true? helped me see it's potentially a reversible decision." Key Takeaways Write a work policy statement listing specific conditions under which you'd leave your job, similar to an investor policy statement for market downturns Break down your fears by writing them out specifically, then question their validity and put dollar amounts to worst-case scenarios Create acceptance statements for your financial fears to reduce internal resistance rather than trying to eliminate fears entirely Calculate your first 3-6 months of expenses in retirement month-by-month rather than thinking about annual withdrawals to make decumulation less daunting Consider using all available time-off options (PTO, unpaid leave, FMLA if eligible) to experiment with extended breaks before making permanent career changes Identify "junk" investments in your portfolio that you'd be happy to sell first before touching core index fund holdings Set a low bar for success duri…

Beki Eakins works about 12 hours a week. And she still feels guilty about it. Not because the business is struggling. It's growing, her clients are getting results, and she's built the life she wanted. But she'll open her diary, see the gaps, and hear the voice saying you should be doing more. This episode started as therapy for herself. It turned into an argument. Because the standard advice for growing a business is always the same: double the output, double the hours. Beki has tried it, repeatedly, and every time she burnt out and achieved nothing extra. She traces where the work harder belief came from, a father treated as a superhero for working himself into the ground, and what shifted it, from Tim Ferriss to the world schooling families she met travelling, including one father supporting his family on four hours a week. Then the honest breakdown. Her 12 hours, line by line. Client support, group calls, sales, team, admin. And the weeks it all falls apart, like the fortnight with a hospital appointment, a graduation, seventy Vikings at the house and about five hours of work done. That happens at least once a month, and building it into the average instead of feeling shame was the real breakthrough. You will hear: The full breakdown of what 12 hours a week actually contains Why the business grew while she was in Australia working ten hours a week What Stanford research says about output past 50 hours a week Why she thinks full time should mean 20 hours and part time 12 The six months of doing nothing, and what it taught her If your business is quietly becoming a second job with worse pay and no annual leave, that's not commitment. It's a design flaw. And design flaws can be fixed. One note: this is not a prescription. There are seasons where pushing hard is right. The argument is against doing it permanently by default, without ever choosing it. Connect with Beki Are you ready to leave the whinger mindset behind and embrace your inner go-getter? Beki helps OTs worldwide design, launch, and scale their online business Free Resource: Download Beki's free overnight mindset meditation for free to help you build confidence, overcome money mindset challenges, and develop self-belief. Join OT Yourself To Freedom Membership: Discover the only membership designed specifically for OTs to create freedom-based businesses by leveraging the skills you already have. Learn to design and sell offers, market effectively, and align your work with your purpose. Follow Beki: Website: www.bekieakins.com Instagram: OT Yourself to Freedom Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community LinkedIn: Beki Eakins Book an Inspiration Call: Click here About the Host Beki Eakins is a business mindset and lifestyle coach for occupational therapists. After leaving traditional OT practice, she has helped hundreds of OTs worldwide design aligned online businesses that support freedom, income, and purpose, without burning out.

This episode is devoted to one deceptively simple question: How do you stay close to your partner over time through the inevitable exhaustion, misunderstanding, conflict, disappointment, and change?This episode is brought to you by:Eight Sleep Pod Cover 5 with dual-zone temperature control, so each partner sleeps at their perfect temperatureIn this episode: Esther Perel begins with the basics: appreciation, affection, and replacing chronic complaints with clear requests.Brené Brown explains why marriage is never 50/50 and how she and her husband create what Brené calls a “plan of kindness.” Brad Feld describes the monthly “life dinners” that have helped him and his wife review the previous 30 days, talk honestly about the future, and prevent resentments from building upJim Dethmer offers a practical way to distinguish observable facts from the stories we make up about our partners.Sheila Heen explains how humor and genuine curiosity can serve as an interrupt on an argument that is heating up The late Dr. Sue Johnson then walks us through a “Hold Me Tight” conversation—a way of moving beneath anger and defensiveness to the fear, vulnerability, and need for connection underneath.Terry Real then offers a strikingly simple model for repair and introduces the term “normal marital hatred” - as he put it, nobody ever goes up to him and says “What do you mean by that?!”Finally, Diana Chapman describes what it means to let an outdated version of a marriage end so that two people can consciously choose what comes next for their relationship.Timestamps:Intro from Tim: 00:00:00Esther Perel: 00:01:58Brené Brown: 00:08:21Brad Feld: 00:12:02Jim Dethmer: 00:16:51Shelia Heen: 00:23:04Dr. Sue Johnson: 00:29:26Terry Real: 00:40:14Diana Chapman: 00:46:19Short bios:Esther Perel is an internationally renowned psychotherapist, the New York Times bestselling author of Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs, and the host of the award-winning podcast Where Should We Begin?Brené Brown is the author of six number-one New York Times bestsellers exploring courage, vulnerability, shame, and resilience; a research professor at the University of Houston; and a professor of practice at the University of Texas at Austin.Brad Feld is an early-stage investor and entrepreneur and a co-founder of Foundry Group, Mobius Venture Capital, and Techstars. He writes on entrepreneurship, leadership, mental health, and sustaining a life beyond work.Jim Dethmer is a co-founder of the Conscious Leadership Group and co-author of The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, an influential framework for building candid, responsible, high-trust relationships.Sheila Heen is the deputy director of the Harvard Negotiation Project, founder of Triad Consulting Group, and co-author of the New York Times bestsellers Difficult Conversations and Thanks for the Feedback.Dr. Sue Johnson was the pioneering clinical psychologist who created Emotionally Focused Therapy. She was named Psychologist of the Year by the American Psychological Association and appointed to the Order of Canada for her global impact on psychotherapy.Terry Real is an internationally recognized family therapist, a bestselling author, and the creator of Relational Life Therapy. He has spent more than four decades helping couples restore intimacy and connection.Diana Chapman is co-author of The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, a cofounder of the Conscious Leadership Group, and founder of the Signal Institute, working with leaders on radical honesty, somatic intelligence, and transformation.*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have we become so focused on improving our lives that we've forgotten to actually live them?In this final episode of the Happier Summer Series, I'm joined by Danielle Neufeld, co-host of The Most Important Thing, for a fascinating conversation about happiness, ambition, parenting, perfectionism—and the very fine line between personal growth and constantly feeling like there's something about ourselves that needs to be fixed.We dig into what Danielle calls the difference between a “painkiller” and a “vitamin”: some tools, experts, books, podcasts, and parenting advice can be incredibly valuable when we genuinely need them. But when we start reaching for them constantly, we can accidentally create the belief that every uncomfortable moment is a problem we need to solve.We also explore what it means to balance striving with softness, why Danielle is intentionally raising her children to be creators rather than just consumers, and how we can get better at asking ourselves, What do I actually need right now?Danielle also shares one of my favorite happiness practices of this entire series: a simple five-minute nighttime ritual where she “rewinds” her day, hour by hour. Instead of allowing one difficult moment to define the entire day, she gets to see the full picture—the things that went well, the meaningful moments she might have missed, and all the life that happened in between.In this episode, we explore:• When self-help becomes another form of pressure• The “painkiller vs. vitamin” approach to personal growth• Why happiness can include both striving and simply being• Perfectionism, rumination, and the stories we replay at night• Teaching our kids to think critically about what they consume• Building a life around relationships, community, and connection• Danielle's five-minute “rewind your day” happiness practiceMaybe happiness isn't waiting on the other side of becoming a better version of yourself.Maybe some of it is already here—and we just need to slow down long enough to notice it.Connect with Danielle + The Most Important Thing:

Jeff Byers, CEO of Momentous, returns to Future of Fitness for his third appearance to unpack how the brand grew revenue over 1,000% in three years while landing partnerships with all 32 NFL teams and 10+ Department of Defense contracts. Byers breaks down why Momentous walked away from a $500,000-profit product line over a science and brand-integrity call — literally scrapping $400,000 in inventory rather than sell it through — how the company is approaching its first-ever retail launch with Vitamin Shop, and why a $500,000 commitment to women's health research with Dr. Stacey Sims fits into a bigger 20-year brand strategy. From Arnold Schwarzenegger's endorsement to what AI search optimization means for consumer trust, this conversation is a masterclass in building a supplement brand built to outlast any single quarter. Key Takeaways

Esta es la primera parte de todos mis talleres de journaling, porque siempre comienzo por lo que para mí son los tres pirámides de una práctica de diario transformadora. Una práctica que te permita conocerte, reconocer patrones que no habías logrado ver antes, escuchar lo que alguna parte de ti tiene para decir, y de esta manera amarte en tu totalidad, en tu luz y tu sombra. Entre septiembre y octubre voy a ofrecer tres talleres virtuales y quisiera entrar de una vez en materia, de manera que dejo aquí (gratis) la teoría base. Para participar en uno o los tres talleres te puedes registrar aquí: cuanto.app_/anamari Fechas:Miércoles, 2 de septiembre @6:30pmMiércoles, 30 de septiembre @6:30pmMiércoles, 28 de octubre @6:30pmCon esta base resuelta, vamos a entrar directo en materia con ejercicios de exploración, y luego preguntas y respuestas. En este episodio menciono:El camino del artista de Julia CameronWriting Down the Bones de Natalie GoldbergNo hay partes malas de Richard SchwartzEntrevista de Tim Ferris a Richard SchwartzUn episodio mío que explico este concepto de partes, adaptado al journaling (parte 1)Parte 2

This is a special compilation devoted to reinvention: how to shed an identity that no longer fits, decide on a new chapter, navigate uncertainty, and commit to what's next.This episode is brought to you by:Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail businessMomentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular supportIn this episode: Matthew McConaughey explains why he stopped making romantic comedies, turned down $15 million, and waited nearly two years for Hollywood to see him differently.Steve Young talks about losing the identity that had defined him and the advice another legendary quarterback gave him.Lori Gottlieb explains how listening to a quiet inner voice led her from Hollywood to medicine, then to journalism, and finally to psychotherapy.Suleika Jaouad describes rebuilding her life after cancer when going back to her old life was no longer possible.Samin Nosrat on walking away from a wildly successful food business that was making her miserable, and making room for the writing career that ultimately became Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.Martine Rothblatt tells the remarkable story of teaching herself biology and starting a pharmaceutical company to save her daughter's life.Finally, Debbie Millman gives you a simple exercise for imagining—and creating—the life you truly want.Timestamps:00:00 Intro from Tim01:43 Matthew McConaughey14:35 Steve Young17:16 Lori Gottlieb24:38 Suleika Jaouad36:47 Samin Nosrat45:04 Martine Rothblatt56:51 Debbie MillmanShort bios: Matthew McConaughey is an Academy Award-winning actor—whose career spans 40+ feature films—a cofounder of the Just Keep Livin' foundation, and the bestselling author of Greenlights.Steve Young is a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, Super Bowl MVP, and co-founder and chairman of private-equity firm HGGC.Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist, the New York Times “Ask the Therapist” advice columnist, and the bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.Suleika Jaouad is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, artist, and bestselling author of Between Two Kingdoms and The Book of Alchemy.Samin Nosrat is the James Beard Award–winning author of the New York Times bestseller Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat—also the title of her acclaimed Netflix series.Dr. Martine Rothblatt is the founder, chairperson, and CEO of United Therapeutics—a biotechnology company she started to save the life of one of her daughters—and a pioneer of satellite radio.Debbie Millman is one of the most influential designers working today, according to Graphic Design USA, an author, an educator, and the host of the pioneering podcast Design Matters, now celebrating its 21st year.*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Read "Please Do Disturb": https://pleasedodisturbbook.com/ Connect with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelalday Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/ Check out Lodgify and get an exclusive discount: https://www.lodgify.com/behind-the-stays/  — In just a moment, you'll meet Rachel Alday, co-founder of Abode Luxury Rentals and author of the forthcoming book, "Please Do Disturb." I brought Rachel back on the podcast because she's an awesome friend of mine, but also because the frameworks and lessons she outlines in her book have guided her and her team in building Abode Luxury Rentals into one of the most respected vacation rental management companies in the country. Early in this conversation, Rachel tells a story about a guest family that called her team constantly with complaints — and then asked to extend their stay. What her team discovered when they stopped being defensive and started being curious became the foundation for everything she's built since. She breaks down the framework behind it: three deceptively simple commitments she and her co-authors spent years uncovering — show up, make room, and build belonging. We get into the service recovery paradox, a concept Tim Ferriss personally pushed her to put in the book, and why managing a mistake well can create a more loyal customer than a flawless experience ever could. Rachel makes a sharp case for why outsourcing guest communication to AI might be the single worst place to cut corners, and where she thinks AI actually belongs in vacation rentals instead. We talk about the real cost-benefit of writing a book while running a business, what a breathing coach taught her about leading under pressure, and why presence — the kind where the rest of the world genuinely disappears — might be the most underrated competitive advantage in hospitality leadership right now. Friends, you're going to love this conversation. Be sure to order her book, "Please Do Disturb," wherever you get your books. You can pre-order it now, and there's a link in the show notes below. Without further ado, get ready to hear from Rachel Alday. —   Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world's top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.   Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of Growth at Journey. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we'd love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

Tim Ferriss is a five-time New York Times bestselling author, a legendary podcaster with over a billion downloads, a prolific angel investor, and a relentless experimenter. During his fourth visit to Design Matters, he shares the story behind Coyote, a new card game he's quietly been crafting—and the mindset that brought it to life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special compilation devoted to a subject very close to my heart and currently consuming a large percentage of my waking hours: writing. Over the years, I've asked some of the writers I admire most questions like: How do you choose a project and stay with it? How do you begin when inspiration refuses to show up? How do you build a practice that reliably produces pages? And how do you keep going when you fear your pages are terrible? Listen in to some of my favorite authors answer these and other questions. Please enjoy this special compilation on the craft of writing.This episode is brought to you by:ProLon science-backed Fasting Mimicking Diet that helps activate cellular renewal through fasting, while still eating nourishing mealsAG1 all-in-one nutritional supplementTimestamps:00:00 — Introduction01:52 — Elizabeth Gilbert: Choosing and committing to a project06:25 — Anne Lamott: Shitty first drafts and taking it bird by bird13:04 — Joyce Carol Oates: Don't wait for inspiration15:47 — Jerry Seinfeld: Building a writing system26:27 — Mary Karr: Revision and throwing out 1,200 pages35:08 — Brandon Sanderson: Consistency, word counts, and output45:04 — Seth Godin: Fear of bad writingElizabeth Gilbert is the author of Eat, Pray, Love; Big Magic; and City of Girls. Her ten books have sold more than 25 million copies worldwide. Anne Lamott is the author of 20 books, including Bird by Bird, Operating Instructions, and Help, Thanks, Wow, and co-author—with her husband Neal Allen—of Good Writing.Joyce Carol Oates has written more than 70 books, including Blonde and We Were the Mulvaneys, and won the National Book Award for her novel them.Jerry Seinfeld co-created and starred in the sitcom Seinfeld—which ran nine seasons and won 10 Emmys—and later created Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and wrote Is This Anything? Mary Karr wrote the bestselling memoirs The Liars' Club, Cherry, and Lit and her book on writing, The Art of Memoir. Brandon Sanderson created the Mistborn and Stormlight Archive series, completed Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, and raised more than $41 million on Kickstarter for four secret novels. Seth Godin has written 21 bestsellers published in 40 languages—including Purple Cow, Linchpin, and The Practice—and a daily blog of more than 10,000 posts. *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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur in today's uncertain world? How do you balance risk, decision-making, and curiosity? We're sharing an episode from The Founder Mindset with Reza Satchu, the new podcast from Harvard Business School Foundry about what it truly takes to be a founder now. Hosted by Harvard Business School senior lecturer Reza Satchu, the show features intimate conversations with some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs, including Reese Witherspoon, Kevin O'Leary, Galen Weston, and more. Satchu himself has built multiple high-profile companies and mentored thousands of students and founders as they start and scale ventures, and he pushes his guests to break down exactly how they commit, decide, and build for impact. In this episode, Tim Ferriss—entrepreneur, investor, bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, and host of one of the world's most influential podcasts—reflects on experimentation, calibrated risk-taking, decision-making under uncertainty, and why curiosity and learning have shaped nearly every chapter of his career. Listen to more episodes of The Founder Mindset with Reza Satchu, follow the podcast here: https://play.megaphone.fm/zbmkcqmbqhymul1logpega

If someone handed your competitor every prompt, workflow and AI system you use today, would you still have an advantage?   That is the question that opens this live roundtable, recorded in a sealed room at the first Founder AI Studio Live in Toronto. Ten women who are not just using AI but building with it: intellectual property strategists, AI educators, investors, community builders, and operators who have built and exited companies.   No keynote. No panel. Just founders comparing notes from the front line.   IP lawyer Andrea Bolden takes on the part most founders get wrong: whether your prompts, workflows and custom GPTs count as intellectual property, why switching off the training toggle is not the protection you think it is, why people trademark a name while giving away the entire body of work underneath it, and which AI tools will actually indemnify you if you get sued.   The room also gets into what happens to knowledge businesses when knowledge stops being scarce, why AI-native builds beat AI retrofits, the environmental cost nobody wants to raise, the risk of putting your child's face into these systems, and the six companies capturing most of the value from all of it.   It ends with a lightning round on the one tool each founder actually uses.   CHAPTERS 00:00 Context: what this room was 01:35 Not a keynote, not a panel 02:16 The question: would you still have an advantage? 03:09 Forty-five products that all do the same thing 05:46 Being the tastemaker 07:54 AI as a democratizing force 10:03 AI-native builds vs. AI retrofits 11:00 The contractor line item that changed everything 14:24 From "done for you" to "done for you-ish" 16:01 Building instead of talking about building 18:35 The real unlock is the speed of learning 23:00 If you sell knowledge, what are you selling now? 24:42 Dyslexia, ADHD and AI as a translation layer 28:22 Are your prompts and GPTs your IP? 29:28 The training toggle myth 30:30 Trademarking the name, losing the body of work 32:15 Tim Ferriss and what is already public 34:08 Can AI legally be an author? 35:32 Which AI tools will indemnify you 37:03 Writing a book with AI 39:27 Just because AI can, should it? 43:14 Share the why, not the whole how 44:00 The one thing to do next week 45:22 Canada's AI strategy and where the money is going 47:32 Environmental impact and who absorbs it 49:55 Your child's face inside an LLM 50:52 Sycophancy and outsourced thinking 51:58 What work do we reserve for humans? 54:16 Six companies and who holds the stake 56:14 Lightning round: the one tool 1:01:27 The advantage was never the tool   TOOLS MENTIONED Claude / Claude Code / Claude Cowork, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Lovable, Gamma, Codex, DeepSeek, Kling, Go High Level   LINKS Next Founder AI Studio Live   IN THE ROOM Host: Monique Bryan, Brand Authority Strategist Featuring: Andrea Bolden, IP and business lawyer   PARTNERS Captured by Perspective Studio Productions Presented in partnership with BDC Capital, Inclusive Entrepreneurship   Founder AI Studio Live is an invite-only working session for established women founders already building with AI. The room is the asset.   #AIforFounders #IntellectualProperty #WomenInAI Who Knows You is hosted by Monique Bryan, brand authority strategist and built for founders, operators, and experts who are doing real work and ready to be picked for it. Take the AI Visibility Audit to find out where your positioning is breaking down and what to fix: [RUN YOUR AUDIT] Connect with Monique:Before we build, let us talk. https://moniquebryan.com/book/ - Website: moniquebryan.com LinkedIn: Monique Bryan Instagram: @moniquebryan

In this wide-ranging Q&A, Tim explores reinvention, enduring skills for the age of AI, friendship, mental health, fitness, language learning, privacy, cognitive longevity, and more.This episode is brought to you by:Gusto simple and easy payroll, HR, and benefits platform used by 400,000+ businesses: Gusto.com/TimMomentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular support: LiveMomentous.com/TimHelix Sleep premium mattresses: HelixSleep.com/TimWealthfront high-yield cash account: Wealthfront.com/TimNew clients get 3.30% base APY from program banks + additional 0.75% 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 1/30/26 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. Individual experiences and outcomes will differ. 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.[00:00:24] How to go from hyper-optimized to grounded.[00:03:45] Reinvention in your late 40s: there are more than two options.[00:07:45] Five meta-skills for the age of AI.[00:16:06] Post-sabbatical rules that re-focused this podcast.[00:21:05] Why male friendship is built shoulder-to-shoulder, not face-to-face.[00:25:04] Love for women authors.[00:25:24] SAINT, TMS, and Ampa's one-day brain reset.[00:27:32] How to build a fanbase by being your authentically weird self.[00:28:50] My “something is better than nothing” workout routine.[00:30:33] Staying fit in mind and soul via the past-year review.[00:31:12] The 4-Hour Body workout routines I still follow.[00:35:46] Spotting the future titan hiding in an average teen.[00:37:01] Vacation, burnout, or an outgrown life? Take a mini-retirement.[00:41:18] Guiding kids through our digital dystopia.[00:43:45] Does AI kill language learning? What does a new language really give you?[00:53:36] Muted movies as late-night writing company.[00:54:13] Best sub-$100 buy: seven seasons of wholesome Pawnee.[00:55:34] Why two hours of walking fixes almost everything.[00:57:21] Sleep, unsexily solved: less water, more sun, more exhaustion.[00:59:16] Privacy as the new luxury in the age of shrinking fame.[01:02:35] Luxuries worth overspending on: massage, easy travel, and health.[01:07:24] The best defense against cognitive decline: exercise, exercise, exercise.[01:11:11] 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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey friends, Chase here. Every summer, I revisit conversations from the archive that have stood the test of time. Not because I'm nostalgic, but because the best ideas don't expire. They deepen. This is another installment of Summer School—the set of episodes I personally return to the most when I'm stuck and need something true to lean on. This one with Ryan Holiday is high on that list. I've gone back to it multiple times this year alone. Ryan is a legend—author, media strategist, New York Times bestselling writer, and the person who brought Stoic philosophy into popular culture for a generation of creatives and entrepreneurs. This conversation is from 2017, before he'd fully hit the stride we know him for now. He'd already published something like six books in five years. He was already a force. And yet you can hear, in this episode, exactly where his work was headed. What stands out isn't just marketing tactics. It's framing. Good marketing isn't only writing good copy or taking a nice product photo. It's making work that starts a discussion. It's asking better questions before you begin. And it's using your own mindset—perception, action, will—to keep going when the creative path gets hard. Those tools were spot on then. They're truer now. Nobody cares what you're thinking about doing. Talk about your ideas after you've started them and then show people what you've done. Summer School: Ryan Holiday on Stoicism, Marketing, and Creating Work That Lasts Ryan dropped out of college at 19 to work with Robert Greene, became director of marketing at American Apparel, and later built Brass Check, advising clients like Google, Tim Ferriss, and Tony Robbins. Then he did something that looked, on paper, like career suicide: he wrote Trust Me, I'm Lying—a book about how marketers, companies, and politicians manufacture and manipulate attention online. Instead of burning his marketing career down, it opened writing as a profession. He began identifying as a writer first—keeping a hand in marketing so he wouldn't only comment from the sidelines. That tension runs through the whole episode: how information spreads, what it means to compete for attention, and how to build work that doesn't disappear after the launch week. At the center is Perennial Seller—the art of making and marketing work that lasts. Not the fidget-spinner hit. Not the trend piece. The Original Pantry Cafe that never closes. The book that sells more copies year after year because it solves a real problem. The boot that gets better the longer you wear it. If you're a creator, entrepreneur, or leader trying to make something that matters—and survive the noise long enough for it to land—this episode is still one of the sharpest in the archive. What You'll Hear in This Episode Why Ryan left New York for a cattle ranch outside Austin—and how distance, physical work, and humility made him better at the cerebral work How Trust Me, I'm Lying mapped the attention economy years before "fake news" became a daily phrase Why modern marketing is less about perfect product shots and more about starting conversations A practical crash course in Stoicism: perception, action, and will Ego vs. confidence—and how to market without marketing to yourself Austin Kleon's line: you can't be the noun without doing the verb What makes a perennial seller—and why industries obsess over "new" while most of their money comes from what lasts The "other 50%": craft gets you in the door; packaging, positioning, relationships, and community finish the race Two questions before every project: Who is this for? What does this do for them? Three Stoic Disciplines for Creatives Ryan's version of Stoicism is deliberately practical. Not academic debate—the art of living. Philosophy for the role you're already in: photographer, founder, writer, leader. He walks through three disciplines: 1. Perception How do you look at the situation? Someone is rude. Your company is in trouble. Your work isn't getting seen. Do you decide it's unfair, impossible, purely negative—or do you look for what you can actually use? The Stoics' move: there's no inherent good or bad—there's how we look at things. We don't control most of what happens to us. We do control the last crucial part: what we tell ourselves it means. Marcus Aurelius did that work through writing—Meditations as a private practice of catching your own mind in the act. 2. Action Seeing differently isn't enough. What do you do with the information? Ryan's favorite cut: Casey Neistat telling someone pitching a business idea, essentially—don't tell me the idea. Tell me when you've started it, then show me what you've made. Thinking about running a marathon doesn't count. Starting does. This is the discipline that kills the fantasy. Ideas are cheap. Execution is the only proof. 3. Will How do you handle the moments when life kicks your ass and you can't reverse them? Ryan tells the Edison story: factory on fire, son shell-shocked, Edison telling him to get his mother—she'll never see a fire like this again. Even what you can't control can still transform you. Hardship is often the filter that keeps everyone who doesn't want it as badly as you do from finishing. If it were easy, there'd be more amateurs—and less value. Perennial Seller (and the Other 50%) The face-palm insight behind Perennial Seller: the New York Times bestseller list doesn't track perennial sellers—yet a huge share of publishing income comes from books that came out years or decades ago. Industry attention chases "new." Durable value often lives elsewhere. Ryan's frame for durable work is almost annoyingly clear: This is a blank that does blank for blank. Who is it for—really? Not "everyone" or "smart people." Actual humans. Where they live. What they do. What does it do for them? His editor's line: it's not what a book is—it's what a book does. Then comes Chase's "other 50%," which Ryan amplifies: making the thing is a marathon. Finishing it doesn't mean you've won. There's a second marathon waiting—marketing, packaging, relationships, platform, the bridge from your desk into someone else's life. "If you build it, they will come" has killed a lot of great work. You're not just competing with peers who launched this week. You're competing with time-tested work that already lives on Netflix, in bookstores, in cultural memory. Title, cover, logo, copy, collaborators—these aren't afterthoughts. They're part of the creative expression. Books have covers because people judge them. Your work does too. And if you're already hunting for shortcuts before you've started? That's a signal. Principles over formulas. The shortcuts get exploited the moment they work for everyone. Timecodes So You Can Jump Around 00:00 – Welcome and why this episode is part of Summer School 04:52 – Ryan Holiday joins; life on a ranch outside Austin 09:14 – From renegade marketer to writer: Trust Me, I'm Lying and how attention spreads 15:05 – Why marketing today means starting a discussion 16:58 – Stoicism as a practical art of living 21:54 – Discipline one: perception 25:34 – Discipline two: action (start it, then show it) 28:47 – Discipline three: will (Edison's fire and transforming hardship) 31:36 – Ego vs. confidence; marketing without marketing to yourself 37:01 – Fall in love with the verb, not the noun 40:14 – Perennial Seller: the art of making work that lasts 47:08 – "This is a blank that does blank for blank" 51:07 – Habits of people who make great work (editors, collaborators, objectivity) 54:47 – The other 50%: craft plus packaging, relationships, and community 01:04:35 – Frameworks: Who is this for? What does this do? 01:19:05 – Daily Stoic, memento mori, and closing thoughts Why This Conversation Still Matters In 2017, Ryan was already describing an attention landscape where your best work competes with cats, outrage, porn, fake news, and infinite other options in the feed. That landscape didn't calm down. It accelerated. What still cuts through is the opposite of trend-chasing: work built on timeless problems, principles that survive platform changes, and the humility to keep doing the verb while everyone else celebrates the noun. When I'm stuck—when the world feels noisy and my own next project feels either too precious or too thin—I come back to this episode for the same reminders: Control how you see it. Take action. Let the hard parts transform you. Ask who it's for and what it does. Don't confuse finishing the making with finishing the work. Fall in love with the craft more than the identity. And don't wait until you feel safe to do the honest version of the thing. That's why it's Summer School material. The platforms changed. The books multiplied. The stakes got louder. The questions held. Keep Going Deeper If this conversation resonates: Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work That Lasts The Obstacle Is the Way Ego Is the Enemy Trust Me, I'm Lying Daily Stoic: dailystoic.com Ryan online: ryanholiday.net Follow Ryan: Website | X/Twitter | Facebook Questions to Reflect On Am I still stuck in "thinking about" the project—or have I started something I can show? Where am I treating a hard situation as a verdict, instead of as information I can act on? Am I marketing to an audience—or marketing to myself? Have I fallen in love with the noun (author, founder, photographer) more than the verb? If I had to fill in "This is a ___ that does ___ for ___," could I do it clearly—today? Where have I finished the making and abandoned the second marathon: positioning, packaging, relationships, community? Am I building on timeless problems—or on platforms and tactics that may not survive the next cycle? The Core Idea Work that lasts isn't the work that wins the news cycle. It's the work that keeps solving something real for someone specific—long after the launch adrenaline fades. Ryan's invitation in this conversation is both simple and demanding: sharpen your perception, take action before you announce, let difficulty refine you, kill the ego that wants applause without evidence, and build for durability instead of novelty. If there's one lesson worth carrying forward from this Summer School session, it's this: Make something that starts a conversation—and lasts long enough to deserve one.

#735: Cody Berman failed at more than 30 side hustles — from a disc golf manufacturing company to sweaty bike deliveries in the Australian heat — before three of them got him to financial independence at 25. Cody is the bestselling author of Retire by 30, who reached financial independence at 25 by stacking income from real estate, digital products, and the stock market. In this episode, we discuss: How a nest-egg approach to financial independence differs from a cash-flow one A simple framework for sorting any side hustle into one of four types Why calculating real rental cash flow means more than rent minus mortgage Why the gap between what you earn and spend matters more than your returns How a failed side hustle can still hand you a skill that pays off later Why rebuilding an old idea from scratch can prove your skills weren't luck How to know when a side hustle needs more time versus when to quit Whether you're juggling five side hustles or just starting your first one, this episode will help you figure out which ones are actually worth your time — and which ones to let go of. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS Note: Timestamps may vary slightly depending on dynamic ad placements. (00:00) Meet Cody Berman (03:27) Two paths to FI (05:51) Big piles feel scary (07:09) Cody's FI numbers (08:12) Hustling on the train (11:58) The side hustle graveyard (14:56) Four side hustle types (19:47) The rich own assets (37:17) Biking Uber Eats in Australia (44:20) Skills are future currency (45:33) AI makes doers stronger (52:36) The gap is everything (58:54) Valentine's printables pay off (1:07:54) House hacking slashes costs (1:12:45) Life after FI

In this episode of Business Coaching Secrets, Karl Bryan is joined by Rode Dog to answer real-world business coaching questions about partnerships, pricing strategies, conquering client fears, AI's future impact, and the core importance of relationships in business. From raising prices at legacy companies to selling identity upgrades to clients, Karl lays out actionable frameworks and mindset shifts for coaches who want to win high-paying clients, build trust, and create lasting success. Key Topics Covered Should You Bring in a Business Partner? Karl draws from personal experience, discussing successful and challenging partnerships. Essential questions: Why do you need a partner? Partnerships require complementary skills, clear rules, and a foundation of hard work 03:39. A $300k business may not need a partner—elbow grease could be the answer 05:41. Raising Prices and Navigating Client Fears Framework for raising prices in longstanding businesses: research market rates, increase new client pricing immediately, and give loyal clients a reason-framed, phased-in increase 07:15. Use stories, reason frames, and personalized communication when increasing pricing to loyal clientele 09:01. Highlighted a powerful pricing truth: you can increase prices 10% and lose up to 33% of clients and still earn the same, but with less to manage, resulting in less stress 12:45. Overcoming Prospect Fear in Sales The real reason a prospect doesn't buy is rarely price—it's fear: fear they're not enough, or fear of failure 14:02. Sell "money at a discount" by using clear ROI math and visuals; meet fear head-on with empathy and step-by-step guidance 14:23. 80% of your sales approach should keep you in an equal frame (not intimidating or unattainable), with a touch of humility and relatability 19:11. Identity Upgrades: The Secret to Selling The highest-level clients buy identity upgrades, not just utility or features 21:05. Use language, stories, and branding to help clients see themselves at a higher level (e.g., "the new rich," "the millionaire maker") 22:25. Embracing the AI Revolution—Why Human Connection Still Wins The "Paperclip Principle" warns of AI gone awry when given the wrong instructions 28:36. Relationships, not technology, remain at the core of long-term business success—even as AI changes the landscape 33:33. Karl predicts that live events and face-to-face client engagement will become more vital as AI becomes ubiquitous 34:18. Moment of Zen: Seeking Peace Over Happiness Seek peace, not just fleeting happiness. Peace comes from full ownership, acceptance of pain, uncertainty, and constant effort 41:24. True intelligence is not just "getting what you want," but wanting the right things (margin over mere revenue) 43:02. Notable Quotes "Partnerships can be great if done and managed correctly, but the hardest ship to steer is a partnership." — Karl Bryan 03:39 "If you increase your prices by 10%, you could lose 33% of your clients and still be at the same number—with significantly less to do." — Karl Bryan 12:55 "When a prospect doesn't buy… it's fear… fear they're not enough, frankly." — Karl Bryan 14:02 "Stop trying to be seen everywhere and start becoming the person people feel lucky to have encountered. That's internal, not external." — Karl Bryan 21:05 "Your network is your net worth—and that will never change." — Karl Bryan 33:33 "Make the goal not happiness… Peace is a better, higher-level frame." — Karl Bryan 44:52 Actionable Takeaways Ask "Why" Before Partnership: Before bringing in a partner, clarify what's missing—do they provide complementary skills, network, or capital? If not, reconsider the need for a partnership, especially in sub-seven-figure businesses. Raise Prices Confidently: Research what others charge, upgrade new client pricing first, and communicate price increases to existing clients with context and empathy. Use a phased approach for loyal clients, offering a grace period or value-adds to smooth transitions. Lean Into Client Fear: When a client hesitates, recognize fear is behind most objections. Build trust with ROI guarantees, step-by-step processes, and relatable stories—position coaching as a low-risk identity upgrade. Sell Identity, Not Just Results: Use branding, language, and your own story to help prospects see themselves evolving. Identity-based selling attracts ambitious, high-paying clients. Human Touch Wins in AI Era: Invest in client relationships, live events, and genuine connections—they'll be the differentiator as automation accelerates. Aim for Peace, Not Fleeting Happiness: Adopt a frame of "nothing to prove, nothing to hide." Take full ownership of outcomes, knowing pain and uncertainty are inevitable. Peace—not happiness—is the real goal. Resources Mentioned Profit Acceleration Software (by Karl Bryan) – For instantly modeling ROI and client value. Focused.com – Daily emails, strategies, and community for business coaches. Tim Ferriss's The 4-Hour Workweek – Example of identity-based selling. Books/Tools: Networking Groups: BNI, local chambers Operating Systems: McDonald's-style structured pricing If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, share with a fellow coach, and leave a review. See you next week on Business Coaching Secrets! Ready to elevate your coaching business? Don't wait! Listen to this episode now and make strides towards your goals. Visit Focused.com for more information on Profit Acceleration Software™ and join our community of thriving coaches. Get a demo at https://go.focused.com/profit-acceleration

Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the Departments of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he runs the Huberman Lab. He is the author of Protocols: An Operating Manual for the Human Body.This episode is brought to you by:ProLon science-backed Fasting Mimicking Diet that helps activate cellular renewal through fasting, while still eating nourishing mealsEight Sleep Pod Cover 5 sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heatingMomentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular supportHelix Sleep premium mattressesTimestamps:00:00:00 — Who is Dr. Andrew Huberman?00:02:03 — Dean Potter, The Dark Wizard, and the physics of raw energy.00:04:11 — Why competition destroys performance.00:05:45 — Laird Hamilton, tow-in surfing, and the lure of big waves.00:06:27 — Training with Dorian Yates.00:18:29 — The full weekly split that keeps building strength at 50.00:21:00 — Neck training.00:25:56 — AssaultBike vs. Airdyne.00:31:12 — Revisiting MDMA and psychedelics.00:48:06 — Inducing plasticity is only half the job.00:53:17 — The one-day protocol that cut my anxiety by 90%.01:00:27 — Cortisol as the master key.01:03:26 — Peptides demystified: GLP-1s, growth hormone, and BPC-157.01:14:44 — The Enhanced Games, the Deca burrito, and the honesty problem.01:17:56 — Pinealon, epitalon, and the hunt for more REM sleep.01:25:02 — Why women, not gym bros, are the real peptide market.01:35:52 — Why "no reported side effects" is a trap.01:43:48 — Stem cells, cartilage regrowth, and mining the body for medicine.01:46:37 — AI, wearables, and the race to write to the nervous system.01:54:12 — The MIT mask that puts you to sleep in six minutes.01:56:09 — Inside Andrew's new operating manual, Protocols.02:03:30 — Navigating grief and remapping loss.02:04:40 — Shut up, suit up, show up.02:08:03 — 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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How can organic writing and leaning into the pivot help your stories stand out? And how can you pitch a story as a discovery writer if you genuinely don't know what's going to happen next. Steven James gives his writing tips after more than 20 years as an author. In the intro, Better Than Free in an Age of AI [Kevin Kelly on Tim Ferriss; Kevin Kelly on The Creative Penn]; Future Vision XPrize; A Different Kind of Bucket List. Today's show is sponsored by Draft2Digital, self-publishing with support, where you can get free formatting, free distribution to multiple stores, and a host of other benefits. Just go to www.draft2digital.com to get started. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Steven James is the multi-award-winning and international bestselling author of 21 novels across thrillers, YA, and science fiction, with more than a million copies sold, as well as the author of non-fiction craft books for writers, a writing teacher, and the host of The Story Blender podcast. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes How to lean into organic writing, and what to focus on instead of plot How characters unfold on the page, and why an attitude beats a background Producing an outline for an agent or publisher when you genuinely don't know what happens next Don't pitch the plot, pitch the pivot The four choices you have in every scene, and why logic plus surprise is the engine of story Faith, moral clarity and big questions You can find Steven at StevenJames.net. Transcript of the interview with Steven James Jo: Steven James is the multi-award-winning and international bestselling author of 21 novels across thrillers, YA, and science fiction, with more than a million copies sold, as well as the author of non-fiction craft books for writers, a writing teacher, and the host of The Story Blender Podcast. So welcome to the show, Steven. Steven: Thanks for having me, Jo. Good to be here. Jo: Great to have you on the show. First up— Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing and publishing. Steven: Oh, gosh. Well, the thing is, when I was a kid, I fell in love with stories. My uncle would always, whenever we got together for the holidays—Christmas, New Year's and so on—he would take my sister, my brother and myself into a corner of the room while the other adults had coffee, and we would just sit there, and he would get this look in his eye and he'd say, “I'm going to tell you a story.” We were transported to another world. We were swashbuckling with pirates, or facing down a grizzly bear in Alaska, or flying over the desert on a flying carpet, or whatever. I fell in love with imagination and stories and everything. So I started reading as much as I could, mostly short stories. They had a programme at our library called the paperback book exchange, where you bring a paperback book and you leave it, and you can take any one of the paperback books that they had. You could keep it as long as you wanted. If you wanted it for your life, that's fine, or you could just bring it back as soon as you finished reading it. Anyway, I went crazy over the summers reading short stories, mainly. As I got older, I was like, “I think I want to be a storyteller.” So I actually got my master's degree in storytelling. Then I started to travel and tell stories, but I had three little daughters at home, and I was like, “I don't want to be gone 300 days a year when they are growing up.” So I ended up starting to write stories instead of travel, and then it just kind of shifted in that direction. That was in '97. Oh my goodness, that's long. '97, '98. So then I started to write books, and then eventually in 2007, I think, my first novel came out. Now, mainly, I've been writing novels ever since. Jo: It's so interesting. Was it a job, storytelling? Is that what you did before you became a book writer? Or did you have a different job? Steven: I mostly would go to events, conferences, schools and so on, and do a family-friendly storytelling show. So I would tell personal stories, some folktales reimagined. I would go to different events around the country. Mostly it was that. Then I started to shift. I wrote for magazines for a while—80 different magazines I wrote for over those years, a couple of hundred different articles, stories. I was like, “I'm just going to try to make a living telling stories.” So the shift has gone back and forth between actually telling stories and writing stories, but these days, I don't know. I'm still speaking. I'm still out there teaching. Jo: That's so interesting, because it's obviously a completely different thing to tell a story in person than it is to write a story. So when you decided to shift that way, what did you have to learn and unlearn? Because your thoughts on the page are so different to when you can make eye contact with an audience. Steven: That's a good point. I kind of started by telling stories back when I was in college, so I sort of moved from telling to writing. And you're right, there's so much that's lost, whether it's eye contact or pauses. On a printed page, there's always the same amount of space between every word—a space. But when you tell stories, obviously you pause for effect in different places, different areas, and so it's quite different. So if I have an idea for a story, I usually have to decide, is this going to be written or told? And then I do it in that medium. Then if I want to, let's say, tell a written story, I almost have to relearn it, or retell it very differently. You have gestures, body language. All of those things are obviously lost in text, so they are very different. I think for me it's been good, because when I tell stories, I hear different characters speaking, so that when I write, usually dialogue comes fast to me. I can hear what people are saying. I don't always know where they are. I don't always know the setting. I don't even know the scene necessarily, but I can hear the dialogue. Then it also helps me to step into the characters, like when I'm writing different points of view, so that I think I can do a good job of getting into that character's mind, as if I were that person. I think some of that comes from just telling stories. Jo: You've taught so many writers over the years, and it's interesting you said that you hear characters' dialogue. I see visual film in my mind. I don't hear any voice at all. It's all silent. I struggle with dialogue, but I do great world building. Do you find that this really is different by the author? I feel like we fall into these different groups. Steven: Yes, I do. I kind of feel like that's very true as far as what comes first, whether it's a description of a place, whether it's the action. I mean, basically a story has dialogue, narration—or we call it sometimes exposition—and description. Those three things. Every story has those three things, and those are the three that we use to tell a story, a novel. So some people tend to drift into one or the other as sort of their default setting: dialogue, description, or action. That's true. I think also something else that's interesting about writers is they tend to fall into either the camp of being a wordsmith or a storyteller. Not everyone, but I feel like some people are wordsmiths, where I read what they're writing, and I'm like, “Man, this is so powerful, evocative,” whatever. Maybe there's no story there. It's just really interesting writing. Other people just are natural storytellers, and they have to really work on the wordsmithing. I think that's me. I'm more naturally just a storyteller, but it takes me a long time to get the descriptions to where I want them, to choose exactly the right word. That takes me more effort. Some people have to build up the storytelling muscles. I have to build up the wordsmithing muscles. Jo: Well, part of the reason I wanted to talk to you is because you talk about this thing called organic writing in your book Story Trumps Structure, which is out now in a second edition. I call it discovery writing, so similar to you. But most people in the writing community seem to obsess about plotting and planning. So talk about your process of organic writing. You say in the book, “Trust the fluidity of the process.” Tell us more about that. Steven: Well, I remember in high school even, when my teacher got up front and he kind of got this very almost wise look on his face, and he goes, “A story is something with a beginning, a middle, and an end.” I'm sitting there in high school like, “Well, so does a bratwurst. What are you talking about here?” A description of a chair has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The sentence, “Preheat the oven to 450 degrees,” has a beginning, a middle, and an end. My view is that saying a story is something that has three acts is like saying that a pizza is something with three toppings. It might have three. It might have one. It might have five. So the idea for me is not to worry about structure, trying to tick off the boxes of a template, a formula you find online, a fill-in-the-blanks kind of a thing. But instead, to actually look at what lies at the heart of the story—the character, the tension, the struggle, the pursuit, the pivots and plot twists, and the payoff at the end. As you develop those aspects of the story, I feel like you need to worry less and less about following a formula. The more you understand what lies at the heart of a story, I feel like the less you need to plot and the less you need to write by the seat of your pants. A lot of people say, “Oh, you write by the seat of…” No, I don't write by the seat of my pants, because I know what a story contains, so I know that in a certain scene a character will make certain choices that are unpredictable but that escalate the tension, and different things like that. I'm a huge proponent of discovery, as you say, or organic writing. I won't get the quote exactly right, but Ray Bradbury said something along the lines of, “Plot is the tracks left in the snow after your characters have run by on their incredible destinations. It cannot precede action. It is the chart that remains when an action is through.” So he's saying plot is not what precedes action. After the action, you have plot. So the whole idea of trying to plot out a story before you write it is going about writing exactly backwards. Plot doesn't precede action. It's the result. So I always tell people, “Don't worry so much about the plot. I want you to look at the pursuit.” A plotter might say, “Well, what should happen?” And they'll just come up with something. But an organic writer—a pursuit-based question would be, what does the character want? Now, when I know what the character wants, I will know what should happen. So literally, it will lead me to the story. Focusing on plot will not necessarily lead you to the story. It might lead you down the wrong track. Jo: Then in terms of your actual writing process— Do you start writing without knowing the ending? Do you write in order? Is the organic side also in the process? Steven: I've never started a book where I know how it will end. So I usually start with either a character that's fascinating or, in some cases, a premise, a question. Then as I write, I explore the possibilities of where it might go. I've tried to outline a scene—like one scene, not a whole book—and it never works. I can't even outline one scene. I've tried, and I'm like, okay, that's… What I end up with is completely different from it, so it's just a waste of time and effort for me to try to outline or plot out a story. I'm much more interested in the pathway the characters will take as they face obstacles and setbacks in their pursuit. As the struggles and the tension develop, what choices will they make? That's how the story will unfold for me. Jo: I'm similar. Then I also wonder— Do you do character sheets and character bios, or do the characters also unfold organically? Steven: Absolutely, I don't do any of the sheets and bios and stuff. The characters really come to me as I write. I begin to get to know them. I always tell people, a character with an attitude is more interesting than a character with a background. So a lot of people will spend a lot of time on, like, where's this character gone to college, and what's their first pet's name, all that stuff. I'm not trying to dump on that idea. I get that that can be helpful. But I'm like, how would I know that until I've spent time with them? Then once I begin to spend time with them, I'm writing and I'm like, “Nah, this doesn't seem like what that character would really say or do,” so I have to go back and rejigger the story to hopefully make it fit with that character. Then I like to give the characters some sort of attitude. I'm not talking about a negative or judgy attitude, but an attitude about something that is unique or different, and that makes them not a template character, not an archetype or whatever, but unique. Sort of this constellation of unique traits, characteristics, maybe wounds, flaws and so on, that create a character where you're like, “This is a character like none I've ever seen before. I want to spend time with this character.” Jo: Then you're spending time with the character by writing what's happening, as opposed to writing loads of stuff beforehand and then starting to write. You're actually finding all of this out during the process of writing. Steven: Yes, and I think it's kind of like getting to know someone. If I were to say, “Okay, I'm going to write down Jo's bio,” or whatever—okay, I'm making stuff up, because I don't know you super well. If we were to spend time together, hang out, whatever, talk, over the course of time I would start to know, oh, she likes this, she doesn't like that. This is important to her. This is what she would weep or pound the table over—whatever, all of the things that come with time. It's like a friendship in real life to me. So I can't sit down and tell you what a character in real life would think and say and do if I don't know them, but the more time I spend with them, then the more I'm able to predict that accurately. I think the mistake a lot of people make is they think, “I'm going to get to know this character with a background,” and then they start writing it, and instead of looking at the context, they look back at the—I don't know what you call it—the background or something like that. I always feel like what you mentioned earlier is, like, hold it loosely in your hand. Trust the fluidity of the process. As you're writing, you have an instinct. “Ah, I think this character would say this or do this.” So trust that. Trust that instinct. Trust that moment in the story, instead of trying to go back to an outline, back to a character description, or whatever it might be. So I'm a big proponent of looking at the context—not just what happened, but what is the result? So looking at the impetus and the implication of the choices and the activities. When something occurs, what would the character naturally say or do or think or respond? Then what would that cause? What's the implication that that would have on the rest of the story, on the rest of the characters? So, really trying to keep your finger on the pulse of the story, and adapt as you move forward through it. Jo: I love all of that, but I also am very aware that you've been in traditional publishing for over 20 years, and one of the things with agents and publishers is that they often ask for an outline. So how do you manage that? Or how did you more earlier in your career, because I imagine they just trust you now. Earlier in your career, or people listening who want to pitch but they write in this organic way, how do we deal with that kind of thing? Steven: Well, okay, so there's two good questions. One is about producing an outline for an agent or editor or publisher and so on. The other is how to pitch a story. So the first: I would write the premise down, and maybe a paragraph or two, and then where I think it might go. Basically, I would focus on the questions that the characters will face, maybe the moral dilemmas, the sacrifices they have to make, the world they live in. I kind of know that stuff, and I can write a couple of paragraphs about that. But beyond that, I just don't know what's going to happen, so I can't really provide more. I'm looking at my shelf at the books that I've done, and mostly that's what I've done is kind of a couple of paragraphs focusing on the premise and the problem, the struggle, and so on like that. As far as pitching a story, I always tell people, “Don't pitch the plot, pitch the pivot.” I think that there's a screenwriter—I think that he talks about this a little bit. I've not read the book Save the Cat, but people have told me, “Oh, he kind of brings this up in that book.” The idea is to pitch the irony instead of what occurs. So sometimes when I tell people to pitch, or I give them ideas, one process that you can use is: when, must, before, or else. So, when this occurs, this character must do something before this, or else. So you have the character, you have the struggle, you have the inciting incident, you have the stakes, and you have the countdown. It works well for thrillers. So for instance, like Jaws. When a man-eating shark starts eating people in a small seaside village, the sheriff must stop him before more people die and the town loses its economy. So there you have when, must, before, or else. Now, no one's going to buy the story based on that, because there's no irony, there's no pivot. It's just a description of the plot, and that's what most people pitch. So I always tell people, pitch the part of the story that you wouldn't expect. So for instance, in there you might pitch: when a shark starts eating people in a small seaside village, the only one who can stop him is afraid of the water. Now you're like, “Oh, well, that's interesting. How does that happen? What happens there?” With my book Broker of Lies, the pitch was something like, when a high-level Pentagon redactor ends up on the run, he must stop a terrorist attack before he's neutralised by the people he trusts the most. So the pivot is that the people he trusts at the Pentagon the most are actually trying to neutralise him because he's on the run, and all that kind of stuff. So why would they be trying to do that? Well, that's interesting. So it's always looking for the irony, the pivot. Why is this character the last one in the world who would ever be equipped to tackle this problem or face this issue? So that's one way to do a pitch. Obviously there's lots of them, but I think your goal with a pitch is to get them to say, “Tell me more.” It's not necessarily to summarise the whole story. Jo: That's great advice. So you teach writers—I first saw you at ThrillerFest, I think it was 2012—and you do events, you run writing retreats. So you work with a lot of authors, and I wondered, what are the challenges that you see from authors with, say, five books? So not the beginner authors, because obviously there's a lot of challenges. But those who, let's say they've got the three to five books, things are going all right, but they're like, “How do I get to the next level?” What are the craft issues, or the business issues as well, that mid-list authors face? Steven: Well, business, I'm not the guy to ask. I could try to answer that, but I mean, basically: meet your deadlines and write something amazing. Try to be easy to work with, but also stand up for what you wrote as far as working with editors. It's sort of a fine line you have to walk. The one thing that over the last few years I've really noticed in a lot of writers who are in that space is that they don't have many pivots. They tend to write predictable stories, and that's why they tend to stay where they're at—whether it's because they're following an outline or a plot formula or whatever it is. So when I talk about a pivot, I mean a moment in the story where something happens that's both unexpected and inevitable. For instance, if you're reading a story, you want things to make sense. You want them to be logical. That's one thing. But you don't want them to be too predictable. If it's too predictable, it's boring. It's like, I'm not interested. So we also want surprises. We want these two things. We want logic, and we want surprise. When those two things meet and you have a moment in the story where it's like, “I didn't see that coming, but that totally makes sense,” that's what we want, and we want that in every scene. I feel like a lot of authors don't have that in every scene. Now, you might say, “Well, every scene?” Well, yes, because basically those two factors, logic and surprise, can only meet in four different ways. You could have something that's very logical but has no surprises. That's going to be boring. It's going to be too predictable. We don't want that. You could have something that is very surprising but not logical. It makes no sense. A lot of stuff is surprising, but that's not what we want, because it's unbelievable, and it's like, what is going on here? You could have something that has neither logic nor surprise, which obviously we don't want that. The only other option is to have a moment that is both logical and surprising. So you have a choice in every scene. You have four choices, actually. You can have it be predictable and boring. You can have it be nonsensical. You can have it be unbelievable. Or you can have a pivot. So I find myself trying to really coach people on pivots. They'll say, “Oh, well, do I need it in every scene?” I'm like, “You can choose, but do you want it to be predictable or boring or nonsensical, or do you want it to really drive the story forward?” I think it's because people have been taught structure and plot and three acts and all this kind of stuff, but they haven't been taught this idea—even though it's not something I made up. Aristotle, in Poetics, thousands of years ago, put it a little bit differently, but he said, “The reversal of the situation”—what I call the pivot—”is the moment at which the action veers around to its opposite”—that would be what I call surprise—”subject always to a rule of probability or necessity”—which is the logic. So he's basically saying the same thing in just a little bit different language, but you have these three factors. You have logic, you have surprise, and you have them come together in a specific moment. I don't know why it's not taught more. I have never found anyone who teaches pivots. I have not found any books, so I wrote a book recently about how to use pivots. It's so central, and I think great storytellers naturally do it. You'll read a book, or you'll maybe watch a show, and you're like, “Oh, I didn't see that coming. That totally makes sense.” I don't see anyone else out there really focusing on teaching that. So that's a huge thing for me, really, to help people move up in their writing, elevate it to a different level. Jo: Is that Delve, Pivot, Propel? Steven: Yes. That book came out a couple years ago. We just re-released it. I updated it some, but it talks pretty much in depth about pivots and how to actually use those to propel the stories forward. Jo: Maybe you could just give us one tip on how to do that, because going back to the organic writing—let's say I've been organically writing, and every time a character has a decision to make, I think at that point about what I want to write and I write it. Are you suggesting that we go back in the edit and look at the end of every scene and redo it? Because I can't imagine that I would get this right every time. I would need to do that in an edit, I think. Steven: I think for me, when I'm writing, I'm always asking myself a series of questions. One is, what would the character naturally do? I want to make it believable and natural. Let them do it. I want to escalate the tension, so I'll ask myself, “How can I make things worse?” Then I'll always ask myself, how can I add a pivot to this scene? So as I'm writing a scene—again, I don't know how it will end when I start it—but if I use the first idea that comes to mind, probably a lot of readers would guess that as well, because it's the first idea that comes to mind. It's probably logical and probably predictable. That's why most stories end up being too predictable. It's because we go with the first idea that maybe we had. So I try to discard that. Maybe the second idea, just discard it. Then I start thinking, okay, now if I've discarded the obvious, what is going on? What's below the surface? So to answer your question, I'm looking for what isn't what it appears to be, or who isn't who they appear to be, or a surprising way to bring together plot threads that I didn't see related before. So it's always looking for the unexpected, the surprise, because most of the time that is what we're missing. Now, if you have a great surprise, then you have to lean into making it believable. So you've got to move into that idea of, well, what would the character naturally do? You can't just have him do something ridiculous and then say, “Oh, it's for my twist.” No, you can't do that. You've got to play fair. So it has to be believable, causally related, logical, and surprising. That's what you're shooting for. Those are the questions going through my mind. So as I'm working on a scene, I'm like, “How could I end this?” Or include something that people won't see coming right away. The best ideas always come to me then. It's so interesting. A lot of people will say, “Oh, don't write organically,” or, quote, “by the seat of your pants,” whatever they'll say, “because then you might write yourself into a corner.” I'm like, “Yes, absolutely write yourself into a corner. That's what I'm trying to do in every scene.” And then you write yourself out of a corner in a way that's logical and surprising. The best twists I've ever come up with have been when I'm in a corner. So why would I warn people against going to the place where the best ideas await them? That just seems mean. Why would I do that? No, I want you to have the best possible ideas. So yes, look for corners, write yourself into them, and then write yourself out of them in a way that's both logical and surprising. Jo: I guess also it needs to be genre specific. We write mainly thrillers, and there is this fine line, isn't there? I love Stephen King, but one of the most unbelievable endings is Under the Dome. I still remember feeling betrayed. I don't know if you've read that one, but— Steven: Oh, no. Jo: I was like, “I'm sorry, you've just changed genre in the last chapter of the book. What is going on here?” Steven: That's actually interesting. The fourth question I ask… So I ask, what would the character naturally do? How can I make things worse? How can I add a pivot? But the fourth question is, what promises have I made that I have not yet kept? So genre, to me, is a promise. You build up a promise in your writing at the beginning of the book, and then I feel like as we write, we have to honour that. So if we bring something up that's super interesting, bring it back or whatever. Keep your promises. Keep your narrative promises. It's true of really any genre. Let's say you're writing a romance. You want to respect the conventions, but not fall into the clichés. So there's going to be a moment where the lovers meet, right? They haven't met before. I don't know what they call it, a meet cute or a cute meet. I think they call it a meet cute, I guess. Jo: Yes. They do. Steven: Anyway. So they're going to meet, right? And you're like, “Oh, I'll just have them meet.” Well, try to do it in a way we haven't seen before. Add something else to the scene. Add a third element, as my friend Bob Dugoni likes to say. Add something a little bit that we're like, “Huh, I've never seen that before.” We know they're going to meet, but let them meet in a way that we don't anticipate, that we can't predict right away, that isn't exactly by the numbers, and then you're going to be on the right track. Jo: So then, talking about reader expectations and genre, I wondered if I could also ask you about your Christian faith, because many people listening are people of faith, and some people want to write a Christian book. Other people want to bring their faith into, say, a mainstream type thriller in an authentic way. So how do you balance your faith and your writing? Because I think you have some series that are more sort of Christian than others. Steven: It's interesting. When my first novel came out—The Pawn, like a chess piece, The Pawn—back almost 20 years ago. Gosh, 20 years ago. Nineteen. But anyway, when it came out, someone wrote to me and said, “Is this a Christian book?” I'm like, “What would make a book not Christian?” I'm like, maybe if it has a lot of idolatry, or witchcraft, or maybe sexuality or graphic violence. Then I'm like, oh, wait, that's… No, that's the Old Testament. So it's interesting, because people have asked me similar questions over the years. My books are not sermons in disguise. I'm trying to write great stories that anyone of any background or faith will enjoy. I always ask big questions. I let my characters wrestle with questions that matter, I think. Do my choices matter? Is there hope? Is there a God? Is there no God? Do I have free will? Can I find forgiveness? Can I offer forgiveness? Can I extend it, or whatever? So I always try to base the stories on something deeper. I do believe that there is good and there's evil in the world. That's part of my worldview. So when people talk about moral ambiguity, I don't want to write or read something that's morally ambiguous. I want moral complexity, but I also want moral clarity. So whenever you write, the question is, what are you justifying and what are you condemning? And if you're justifying something that's morally—I would say wrong, actually—then I don't feel like that's the kind of book I would want to write. So I want to write stories that explore good and evil, that explore our world, human nature, in an honest way. I feel like when you write honest stories, people, no matter what their background or whatever faith, then they will connect with it. I think a lot of people, if they start off with an agenda—whatever that agenda might be, let's say it is a Christian agenda, like I want people to trust in Jesus, let's say—so they write a story. Well, what you're doing, you're actually starting your story with an answer, and drama is not built on answers, it's built on questions. So you're actually diminishing the amount of tension. You're also diminishing the possibility of a pivot, because we all get where you're going. It's predictable, but there's probably no surprise. You're diminishing the payoff at the end, because we're like, “I saw that coming. I exactly knew where you were going with this.” So instead, I don't start with an answer. I always start with a question, or in some cases a moral dilemma, like, what's more important, protecting the innocent or telling the truth? That's interesting to me. If I had to choose between the two, would I tell the truth or would I protect the innocent? It's interesting, because people might come down on different sides of it. They might say, “Oh, you should always tell the truth,” or they say, “You always should protect the innocent.” I'm like, okay, well, let's explore it. Let's literally ask the question. So I come from a certain worldview, but I've written characters who have very different worldviews from me. I'm always just trying to be honest with the character, ask big questions, tell a story that examines human nature and sort of the paradoxes of the human condition in a way that will resonate with really whoever the readers might be. Jo: And of course that worldview is part of your author voice and part of what readers come to you for. I also notice that you have some pretty diverse different series. How do you manage that diversity of series under your one brand? Do you find your readers move from one to the other, or do you have different readerships? Steven: You mentioned the B word—brand. That's what publishers are always telling me: “What's your brand?” I'm like, “I don't know. You tell me what my brand is.” I've done fantasy, science fiction, conspiracy. I've done spies and police procedurals and crime and suspense, thrills, whatever. So I would say the one thing that really ties all my stories together is probably just suspense. They are stories with suspense. Some are more high concept thrillers, some are more dark fantasy, but they're built around suspense. So I guess that would be intelligent suspense, maybe, if I was trying to come up with a brand. Something like that. Because I don't want them to be dumbed down. They're not dumbed down stories, so they're a little bit more complex than you might find in other places, but always built around the idea of suspense. Suspense to me is basically—my definition is apprehension born of concern. So we're concerned about a character, and we're apprehensive because there's peril around the bend, or right in front of them. So I want the readers to really care about a character, and then try to build the story and the suspense around that empathy or sympathy that we have for the character. Jo: I think it's really interesting, because again, you mentioned 2007—we're coming up on 20 years since first published. The publishing industry has changed a lot. So what do you think has changed most in publishing for you, and what are your thoughts on routes to market for new authors these days? Or even established authors who are finding that things have changed, which they obviously have. Steven: Well, I'm not a marketer, I'm not a businessman. I'm just a storyteller at heart. So I just keep writing stories that I would be intrigued with reading, stories that I feel like are resonant. Then I look for publishers for those. I've been to a variety of different publishers over the last decade. I've done some different types of stories. I feel like you have to just write the story instead of trying to write for a specific market trend or something like that. So I might not make as much as some of my friends, I might not sell as many books, but I feel like I have to write certain stories if they grab ahold of me. There's a Native American—I think the Pawnee tribe, anyway, in the United States—but they were saying that all the stories that exist are out there already, and when one finds you, it's your job to share it with the world. I think that's kind of interesting. Sometimes—maybe it's just true for you, I don't know, Jo—but it's like a story will grab hold of me, or an idea, and I'm like, “I can't shake it.” That's a story that I want to tell the world. I would say that stories are becoming shorter, dumber. People are trying to write faster. They're trying to write several books a year, and as a result of that, some of the quality has gone down. This is all unfortunate. I'm still sort of a dinosaur. I still tend to write longer, complex stories. But people have shorter attention spans and whatever, and they're not reading as much. The structure of stories, I think, is changing slightly, where people will have to spend more time on a hook to really grab the attention of the readers. Then there might be a longer slow period, or more info dumping, which I'm not a fan of. So they kind of look like, “I want to get readers hooked at the beginning, and then get them to flip pages.” So I tend to set up my stories a little bit differently than that. So I'm not the best guy to ask about marketing and sales and stuff like that. I feel like, write a story that will not let you go. And if you do that, I feel like that's the kind of story that will resonate with readers, because there's a deep honesty to it. You care, you're passionate about it. It's not just something you're trying to spin out just to sell books. That's my view. Jo: I guess I also feel that writers are doing other things. So you have non-fiction, you have your podcast, you do events. I see you sell books direct from your website. It's like the business expands into multiple streams of income, so that the art doesn't have to pay all the bills. Steven: That's interesting. I do love to teach writing at conferences, events, and speak at different things. So I guess if you think about it that way, my brand might be just story, or storytelling, or something like that. Really trying to get out there, and whether it's speaking or writing, just tell a great story. So it's so interesting when I work with publishers and they'll ask, “What's your brand?” Basically it's like, “What's your box?” is really what they're asking. What box can we stick you in that will make it easy for us to package you and sell you? I know myself, and just a lot of authors that I know, we don't think in a box. Every one of my stories is not boxy. It's not the same. They're different. I know a lot of authors like that too. So it's unfortunate. I get it, that it's part of them trying to market and sell the books. I understand that, but I think being honest, genuine with the story, doing the very best you can, writing a worthy book, and then letting them come up with a way to categorise it, is probably the best bet. I don't know. Jo: We're almost out of time, but this is obviously a podcast, and you have a podcast. So tell us about The Story Blender Podcast and what people might find over there. Steven: Yes, I appreciate it. Basically, I interview some of the leading writers and storytellers in the world every week, and the goal is for great storytellers to share the secrets of great storytelling. So I basically pick their brains, kind of like what you were doing with me today, and find out what projects they're working on, and really just try to get insights into storytelling. So it's tons of fun. I've been doing it now for a number of years, and I guess I've interviewed over 250 different authors and writers from around the world, and so I always enjoy it. It's a ton of fun. It's The Story Blender, and people can find it anywhere. Jo: So where can people find you and your books and everything you do online? Steven: Probably the best place is StevenJames.net. I think I'm on different socials @readstevenjames, so you can look me up there—Facebook, Instagram, X, and so on. I think they're all under readstevenjames. Check out the website, drop me a note. I always enjoy hearing from readers. Jo: Well, thanks so much for your time, Steven. That was great. Steven: Thanks, Jo. I appreciate it. Good luck. The post Organic Writing And The Power Of The Pivot In Fiction With Steven James first appeared on The Creative Penn.

In this edition of The Random Show, Tim Ferriss and Kevin Rose reunite over tequila to talk Zen retreats, learning to rock climb at (almost) 50, mortality and grief, why you should stop saying "one day," AI predictions , and much more. Please enjoy!This episode is brought to you by:Incogni, which removes your personal data from the web, helping shield you from fraud, scams, and identity theft: Incogni.com/Tim (use code TIM at checkout and get 60% off an annual plan)Wealthfront high-yield cash account: Wealthfront.com/Tim New clients get 3.30% base APY from program banks + additional 0.75% 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 1/30/26 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. Individual experiences and outcomes will differ. 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.[00:00:24] A tequila toast, and getting "taxed" by alcohol as you age.[00:02:18] Toaster at 15: a late-night health scare.[00:06:01] Losing Om Malik, and finding out on retreat.[00:08:03] Matt Mullenweg, Antarctica, and gratitude.[00:09:34] Coming to terms with our limited time on Earth.[00:14:37] Five days of silence and the koan "Mu."[00:15:20] Kevin's micro-insight and a plug for The Way.[00:27:25] Rock climbing after 40, and a Yosemite goal.[00:29:18] Michael Eckert and finger-strength training.[00:30:40] The Nug, Abrahangs, and a travel training kit.[00:32:57] Free Solo and climbing with a fear of heights.[00:37:53] The Blade Itself, and a friend lost in a plane crash.[00:39:19] A2 protein and Pioneer Pastures.[00:40:34] Maui Nui venison and the nitrate question.[00:43:48] deltaG ketones: what they are and the catch.[00:45:42] Ketones, dementia, and verbal fluidity.[00:46:29] Pre-grieving a parent's decline.[00:48:33] Training not to die: the one bike I can stand and the Norwegian 4×4.[00:51:10] Something beats nothing: saunas, treadmills, and Duolingo chess.[00:53:04] The MM120 anxiety study — and a small-world surprise.[00:56:17] Psilocybin, LSD, and dementia case reports.[01:01:28] Neutonic toothpicks and Kevin's AI-powered home.[01:06:12] Spooky AI personalization and investment autopsies.[01:17:38] Values cards, contractual bonds, and dark information.[01:23:25] 360 reviews and child-rearing.[01:24:54] Wispr Flow, Shokz, and my recording rig.[01:29:32] The "big three" and where AI goes next.[01:44:40] Let your winners run; buy the company, not the product.[01:51:08] Digg's relaunch, 5-Bullet Friday, and parting thoughts.*DISCLAIMER FROM TIM FERRISS: I am not an investment adviser. Nor is Kevin Rose. All opinions are mine alone. Or his. There are risks involved in placing any investment in securities or in Bitcoin or in cryptocurrencies or in anything. None of the information presented herein is intended to form the basis of any offer or recommendation or have any regard to the investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of any specific person, and that includes you, my dear listener or reader. Everything you're going to hear is for informational entertainment purposes only.*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After more than a decade of releasing this show on Mondays, I'm moving it to Wednesdays, and this is the first episode of the new time slot.  On the one hand, this might sound like nothing at all, but it's also a big deal, for you and for me, and in this episode, I explain why I'm making the change, and past guests give some tips on sustainable creativity for the long term. Joanna Penn is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, short stories and travel memoir under J.F. Penn and also writes non-fiction for authors and hosts The Creative Penn Podcast. Why the podcast is moving to Wednesdays (1) Take time out to question what you're doing (2) Learn to pivot if you want to keep going long term(3) Set a sustainable pace, and don't build reader expectations you can't deliver on (4) Don't try to do it all, and try to identify the fear that might be driving your choices (5) Question what still serves you, especially as things continue to change(6) Consider different approaches to creativity. It doesn't have to be every day, or every week(7) Creative humans evolve. Build a body of work for the long term. You can find the backlist episodes at TheCreativePenn.com/podcast, just click into the episode to find the transcript. Why The Podcast Is Moving To Wednesdays, And 7 Tips for Sustainable Creativity Here's my big news! After more than a decade of releasing this show on Mondays, I'm moving it to Wednesdays, and this is the first episode of the new time slot. On the one hand, this might sound like nothing at all, but it's also a big deal, for you and for me! I know many of you have a routine of listening to the show during a certain thing on a Monday, so I'm sorry to have to disrupt that, and I hope I don't lose you along the way — although I guess you could just save the episode for Monday! For me, it's a much bigger deal, because a Monday show has meant I have often recorded the intro and edited and scheduled the episode over the weekend. The main reason is that I need to record in the mornings when I have energy and when the house is less noisy, since Jonathan is often on the phone since he works from home as well. So I would prepare the episode on Fridays, and I type out this intro before reading it, and source the news and my thoughts and all that — and then I'd record it Saturday morning, or Sunday morning if Saturday was busy — and so recently, I have felt like something has to change.  Moving the show to a Wednesday means that I can prep on Monday and Tuesday, which is perfect. Its so funny because I agonised over this, in the same way I agonised over changing the theme tune a few years back. Some of you may remember that — and it also turned out to not be a big deal at all. We build things up in our minds and then sometimes the problem can be solved in a different way. So instead of going to ad hoc episodes, or once every two weeks, I hope that moving to Wednesday makes the show more sustainable again, because let's face it, there's a lot going on, and if I did a show every 2 weeks, I might have to make them longer to get through everything! So, same show, just on Wednesdays from now on. And this change underscores what today's episode is about: sustainable creativity over the long term. How do you keep writing, and publishing, and podcasting — and creating for years — and I am now at two decades — without burning out, and without becoming a slave to the algorithm, or the market, or even your own audience's expectations? The goal is not to just survive this year's release schedule, or to keep feeding the machine until you crumble under the speed of it all. The goal is to still be creating, and still be enjoying it, next month, next year, in five years, in 10 years, in 20, in 30. Who knows how many years we all have left — but for sure, we are NOT machines, we are not AI — and we cannot churn it out – and what is the point of that anyway?  So in today's show, I'll share some thoughts and tips from me and also other authors from the show on this topic, and you can find the full episodes in the backlist, and links as ever in the show notes on TheCreativePenn.com/podcast  (1) Take time out to question what you're doing In early 2024, The Tim Ferriss Show, one of the biggest podcasts in the world, hit its ten-year anniversary with over a billion downloads and over 750 episodes, and Tim decided to take a sabbatical. He paused the show for four months and seriously questioned whether to continue. Not because it was failing, it was hugely profitable and he enjoyed talking to people, but because the landscape had changed.  Podcasting had gone from a wide-open space in 2014 to a saturated market, and his question wasn't “can I keep competing?” It was “is this still the game I want to play?” Just a little note here, I started The Creative Penn Podcast in 2009 when there were even fewer shows so I know a lot about a changing podcast market! After four months, Tim came back from what he called a sabbatical with a blog post on My New Rules for Podcasting — To Keep Things Interesting. He starts with the sheer number of podcasts, saying, “Having a good show is no longer good enough. Having a great show is no longer good enough. If you want to survive in the mindshare of listeners, you need differentiation.” I think this is true for us as authors as well as podcasters, or YouTubers, or social media, or anything. But the good news is that your differentiation can be you. Regular listeners will know that I have questioned ending the show over the years, worried that I was no longer useful, or that my voice no longer mattered when there are so many podcasts on similar topics. But after your wonderful feedback, and the fact that the show still gets a lot of downloads every week, and the growth in my Patreon Community, I don't worry about that anymore. It's unlikely that any of us will have a podcast as big as Tim Ferriss's or sell as many books as The Four Hour Work Week, but that's OK, because we are not Tim. I am Jo Penn and you're here because you find my take on the publishing industry is still useful in some way. When it's not anymore, you will go elsewhere, and I find myself at peace with that. Back to Tim's article — he asks some questions of himself, including:If I get to do this for another decade, or had to do this for another decade, what new rules might I create to keep it interesting? Of course, we all have different ideas of what this means for us. And I have already implemented one of these rules, which is that I interview people on topics I find interesting. I frequently get pitched by more famous authors and bigger names, but most of the time I turn them down, and choose to talk to people who are not famous but are more interested in serving you, my audience, because that is the point of this show. I also have people on that I enjoy talking to, because checking in with my friends while you listen in, can be useful too, since my friends are often authors who've been in the industry a while now. I have to make the interviews time that I find interesting or useful or fulfilling as well. But the point is to stop and take time to consider what might need to change, even if you are really successful. You cannot be a slave to the algorithm, to the media, to your audience, for the long term. You have to put some circuit breakers in sometimes. It's the old adage about the small business. You have to work ON in the business, not just IN the business, which means you need to step away. This does sometimes mean that you have to get away physically. I had this realisation while we were in Bruges in Belgium talking to Jonathan about what changes I could make because I just felt a lack of freedom — and freedom is my highest value, so I really need to honour that. So, the first question for you is: If you feel like you need a change, if your routines are becoming too much, or your workload is too much, or you are eating into time you need for rest and recovery or family or whatever you need, can you schedule time out to have a think about what you need and how things can change? You don't need to burn it all down. You might find the answer is just moving the show from a Monday to a Wednesday! (2) Learn to pivot if you want to keep going long term I love talking to authors who have been doing this career for a long time, and in December 2025 in episode 839, I talked to Jennifer Probst, the New York Times bestselling romance author of more than sixty books, about why some authors build decades-long careers while others vanish after one breakout. Jennifer has been through the indie gold rush, the fallout, traditional deals, Kickstarter, all of it, and I asked her how she thinks about how everything keeps changing, and we start with marketing but it goes much further than that. Writing Free: Romance Author Jennifer Probst On A Long-Term Author Career *** Jo: In terms of how we do marketing, TikTok is still a thing, and we can see maybe generative AI search coming on the horizon and agentic buying. A decade ago it might have been different, more Facebook ads or whatever. Then before that it might have been something else. So there's always things changing along the way. Jennifer: Yes, there definitely is. It is a very oversaturated market. They talk about, I don't know, 2010 to 2016 maybe, as the gold rush, because that was where you could make a lot of money as an indie. Then we saw the total fallout of so many different things. I feel like I've gone through so many ups and downs in the industry. I do love it because the longer you're around, the more you learn how to pivot. If you want this career, you learn how to write differently or do whatever you need to do to keep going, in different aspects, with the changes. To me, that makes the industry exciting. Again, perspective is a big thing. But I have had to take a year to kind of rebuild when I was out of contract with a lot of things. I've had to say, “Okay, what do you see on the horizon now? Where is the new foundation? Where do you wanna restart?” Sometimes it takes a year or two of, “Maybe I won't be making big income and I cut back,” but then you're back in it, because it takes a while to write a few new books, or write under a pen name, or however you want to pivot your way back into the industry. Or, like you were saying, diversifying. I did a lot of non-fiction stuff because that's a big calling for me, so I put that into the primary for a while. I think it's important for authors to maybe not just have one thing. When that one thing goes away, you're scrambling. It's good to have a couple of different things like, “Well, okay, this genre is dead or this thing is dead or this isn't making money. Let me go to this for a little while until I see new things on the horizon.” *** I love that from Jennifer, because there are always new things on the horizon, and we try new things and we pivot, and we bring in other streams of income as some drop off, and we go again and we keep creating. Authors with longevity are authors who pivot over their careers. They may lament the end of one era, but they don't stop, they find a new way forward. (3) Set a sustainable pace, and don't build reader expectations you can't deliver on Kevin J. Anderson is one of the most productive writers alive, with hundreds of books, most of which he writes with dictation while out hiking, and he has been on this show many times. In January 2025, in episode 791, we talked about building a long-term author business, and how authors need to be careful about setting reader expectations around pace of releases. Building A Long Term Author Business, Dictation, Kickstarter, and Short Story Collections With Kevin J Anderson Kevin: Now, again, we get back to the longevity of a career. It is exhausting to write lots of books a year, and most people can't keep doing that for 20 years or 30 years. That's one of the reasons, especially indie authors, where readers expect you to write several books a year. Some indie authors I know are writing a book a month. I couldn't do that for any long period. Well, I couldn't do that probably for a single year. You start building expectations, and when you fail to meet those expectations, they will leave you very quickly. That's why you should have Plan Bs. If you really, really can't stand writing your steampunk vampire romance series after book number 29, well, make sure that you have some other series you're starting and building up. Well, Hugh Howey's got several series that are going. Michael Anderle has all kinds of series, and Craig Martelle has all kinds of series. You don't just put all your eggs in one basket. You need to have Plan B and Plan C, to circle around to what I started with. *** Whatever cadence you choose, for your books, your email newsletters, or or your podcast, or your social media, choose a pace you can still be keeping up in a decade, because this is a long term career, and longevity in the market is one of the most important things. It's better to pace yourself than burn out. (4) Don't try to do it all, and try to identify the fear that might be driving your choices I couldn't do an episode on sustainability without Becca Syme! Becca is an author coach who has worked with thousands of writers, she is the creator of the Better-Faster Academy and the Quit books, and the QuitCast podcast — and In January 2023, in episode 668, at the end of our conversation about intuitive writing and marketing, I asked her what authors who sustain long careers have in common. Intuitive Writing And Book Marketing With Becca Syme *** Joanna: So in terms of sustainability, let's talk about that. You coach writers every day, you see writers on every spectrum of every personality type, and people who write differently and release differently and publish differently. So what do you see as your recommendations or, I guess, commonalities for authors who want this sustainable career as a writer for the long term in order not to burn out? What are you seeing in terms of the best way to be sustainable in a creative career? Becca: Conquering the fear that we have that we're not going to get what we want out of the career, like 100%. Because the fear is the thing that's driving us to burn ourselves out. The fear that if I don't do it this way, I'm not going to make money. If I don't do it this way, I'm not going to have a long career. I'm going to miss out on something if I don't do absolutely everything. And then I think the most important knowledge that we can have is that everyone in this industry who's a nonfiction person, including me, is giving you a perspective on how author life can be done. Every single one of us, not the perspective on how it should be done in order to have success. And if we could just change our expectations of how we look at the people who are helping us who are being good, helpful people who are very sure that their way is the correct way and who should be, again, because like all experts, they've had success doing what they are doing. But the downside is from someone whose job is to sit with authors for 45 minutes at a time, all day, every day, I see the outcome of the people who have tried to “do it all,” in quotes, with capital letters, and who are burned out because they were doing everything out of a fear place. And I think one of the best things that can happen in our — and what burnout often does is it forces us to reckon with the fact that we were doing all of this because we were afraid. My book isn't going to sell, I'm not going to be able to do this, I have this dream that I'm holding on to and what happens if it doesn't manifest itself. Then we make a lot of our decisions about how much to take on based on fear, and we don't know it. Because we don't realize that our brains are wired for survival, and so anytime fear kicks in, your brain is like, well, we have to do that because if you're afraid of it, then that must mean that we need it in order to survive. And we don't. We will survive if our books don't sell. We have to calm that fear and answer the question. Like, what will happen if in five years, I have not sold more than $1,000 on every book that I am writing? Like if each of the individual books that I write have not made more than $1,000. And I have to reckon with what might happen if that happens, because if I don't, that fear is going to drive me to burnout over and over and over and over again. That is why we're making so many of our decisions, including: do I pay for this class or conference? Do I pay for this book? Do I spend money on this advertising? Do I hire this expert consultant? So many of us are making those choices out of fear and we don't realize it. And that's why when we do our public live coaching, and whenever I'm at a conference, I'm always listening for, “but what are you afraid is not going to happen? Or what are you afraid is going to happen?” Because if we don't deconstruct that part of yourself and calm your survival mechanism down, you're going to continue over and over again to make those decisions out of fear. Then you're going to not listen to your intuition because you think it's risky to listen to it. And so I really think, and some of this might include therapy for some of us, I'm just going to acknowledge some of us have trauma around not getting what we want or around not actualizing our desires, and we can't just talk ourselves into letting the fear go. But some of us do just need to consistently confront the fear and make a plan for what happens and then act in spite of that fear because we are not making good decisions when we are in survival mode. *** Becca is very wise, and also pretty hardcore! So if you feel like you are trying to do it all, and you are on the edge of burning out, can you identify the fear beneath it? (5) Question what still serves you, especially as things continue to change Sometimes we keep doing things the same way, even when things have changed. What is lost if we give things up? What is gained? And what kind of game do you want to play? In episode 845, Claire Taylor, humour and mystery author, owner of FFS Media, certified Enneagram coach, talks about how social media has changed and why she gave it up. Leaving Social Media, Writing Iconic Characters, and Building Trust With Claire Taylor *** Joanna: One thing I know will have perked up people's ears is: “I left social media.” Tell us a bit more about that. Claire: This was a move that I could feel coming for a while. I didn't like what social media did to my attention. Even when I wasn't on it, there was almost a hangover from having been on it. My attention didn't feel as sharp and focused as it used to be, back before social media became what it is now. So I started asking myself some questions: What is lost if I leave? What is gained if I leave? And what is social media actually doing for me today? Because sometimes we hold on to what it used to do for us, and we keep trying to squeeze more and more of that out of it. But it has changed so much. There are almost no places with sufficient organic reach anymore. It's all pay-to-play, and the cost of pay-to-play keeps going up. I looked at the numbers for my business. My Kickstarter was a great place to analyse that because they track so many traffic sources so clearly. I could see exactly how much I was getting from social media when I advertised and promoted my projects there. Then I asked: can I let that go in order to get my attention back and make my life feel more settled? And I decided: yes, I can. That's worth more to me. Joanna: There are some things money can't buy. Sometimes it really isn't about the money. I like your question: what is lost and what is gained? You also said it's all pay-to-play and there's no organic reach. I do think there is some organic reach for some people who don't pay, but those people are very good at playing the game of whatever the platform wants. So, TikTok for example—you might not have to pay money yet, but you do have to play their game. You have to pay with your time instead of money. I agree with you. I don't think there's anywhere you can literally just post something and know it will reliably reach the people who follow you. Claire: Right. Exactly. TikTok currently, if you really play the game, will sometimes “pick” you, right? But that “pick me” energy is not really my jam. And we can see the trend—this “organic” thing doesn't last. It's organic for now. You can play the game for now, but TikTok would be crazy not to change things so they make more money. So eventually everything becomes pay-to-play. TikTok is fun, but for me it's addictive. I took it off my phone years ago because I would do the infinite scroll. There's so much candy there. Then I'd wake up the next morning and notice my mood just wasn't where I wanted it to be. My energy was low. I really saw a correlation between how much I scrolled and how flat I felt afterwards. So I realised: I'm not the person to pay-to-play or to play the game here. I'm not even convinced that the pay-to-play on certain social media networks is being tracked in a reliable, accountable way anymore. Who is holding them accountable for those numbers? You can sort of see correlation in your sales, but still, I just became more and more sceptical. In the end, it just wasn't for me. My life is so much better on a daily basis without it. That's definitely a decision I have not regretted for a second. **** To be clear, we're not saying you should give up social media, but it's about questioning how things make you feel, and what you can sustain and how you want to spend your time. I did question once again whether to give up this show entirely, but it is an important part of my creative body of work, and quite frankly, I reach more people with the podcast than I do with my books, and I still love talking to people, and I learn, and it underpins my business. I don't do much social media though. I learn about AI things on X and I do post photos and things on Instagram but I don't do much else. You have to decide what is right for you, but also, what is right for you might change over time. If we have a long term career, or a long term anything, things will change, and we will need to move on sometimes, or at least question whether it is still working in the way it used to. (6) Consider different approaches to creativity. It doesn't have to be every day, or every week.  In April 2026, in episode 858, I talked to Sara Rosett, USA Today bestselling mystery author and co-host of the Wish I'd Known Then podcast, about low-key marketing, and a more seasonal approach, or phased approach to podcasting as well as writing. Special Editions, Seasonal Podcasts, and the Art of Low-Key Book Marketing with Sara Rosett *** Jo: Although I must say I had forgotten about your Mystery Books podcast and going to seasonal. I also had my second podcast, Books and Travel, which is now on a kind of hiatus, but going to a seasonal approach is actually really interesting. Do you find that listeners come back to that podcast? Sara: Yes, and it surprises me because I've always thought you have to be weekly with a podcast to gain any traction at all, which I think is the best way to do it. You can build an audience quickly then, but I just knew I couldn't sustain that. So when I set out, I started with maybe seven to ten episodes and I did them each year — each year has had a season — and I do five to ten episodes. Readers find it, and I have highlighted specific books. I think maybe they're searching for a podcast about the Thursday Murder Club or something like that. They find it that way, and I get downloads, just steady downloads throughout the year, and I don't do much. I do some Pinterest pins for that, and that's about all I do. This is one of those things — it's the kind of low-key marketing that's low threshold, but it does work. I think if your readers are looking for stuff to listen to about the topic you write about, it could be a good way to do some low-cost, long-tail marketing. I love it. I keep doing it because I love it. Jo: That just seems more sustainable to me. I didn't like doing everything every day or every single week. Sara: Me either. I like switching it up, and I do enjoy the different phases of writing. I like the research and then I like doing the — well, I don't like the drafting that much, but once I get a draft done, I like the editing. And then when it comes time to promote it or do a special edition or whatever, I enjoy that part. Finding whatever I'm going to use for the interior photos and stuff — just things like that. I enjoy each phase and I like switching it out. Jo: I think that's really good. Some people think this writer's life is you write new words every single day and you manage your ads every single day. That seems to be what some people do, but that's certainly not us, is it? Sara: No. And that's great if you want to do that. I just don't want to. And I think we've come to the point now where each person can do this as they want. Hopefully people don't feel the pressure to meet these self-imposed deadlines or parameters that don't exist. There's no rules for writing or publishing. You can do whatever you want. *** I am definitely a seasonal creator, I don't write every day. I never have. I binge write when a book emerges, or binge create. As I record this I am working on the treatment and trailer for what is now called Cathedral Zero, a positive futurist sci-fi feature film that I am entering in the FutureVision X Prize in the next week or so, and then I will move to the next project. I also love Kickstarter launches for this reason. They feel much more sustainable because it's such a focused marketing push. My Books and Travel Podcast is still on hiatus, but I may still resurrect that at some point. I still feel the pull of it. And of course, this show remains weekly, but the Wednesday shift will hopefully help keep it this way. I can't see me going seasonal with this, but never say never! The main thing is to consider seasonality, or consider phased approaches to your work, rather than trying to do exactly the same thing week in week out. (7) Creative humans evolve. Build a body of work for the long term. Roz Morris first came on this podcast in 2011, and in March 2026, in episode 853 we talked about her memoir, discovery writing, and slow, sustainable book marketing. Roz is an award-nominated literary author and former bestselling ghostwriter, an editor and I always appreciate her perspective as she has been doing this far longer than I have. **** JOANNA: Do you still actively choose indie for a particular reason? ROZ: I do. I really like building my own body of work, and I'm now experienced enough to know what I do well, what I need advice with, and help with. I mean, we don't do all this completely by ourselves, do we? We bring in experts who will give us the right feedback if we're doing a new genre or a genre that's new to us. I choose indie because I like the control. Because I began in traditional publishing—I was making books for other people—I just learned all the trades and how to do everything to a professional standard. I love being able to apply that to my own work. I also love the way I can decide what I'm going to write next. If I was traditionally published, I would have to do something that fitted with whatever the publisher would want of me, and that isn't necessarily where my muse is taking me or what I've become interested in. I think creative humans evolve throughout their lives. They become interested in different things, different themes, different ways of expressing themselves. I began by thinking I would just write novels, and now I've found myself writing memoirs as well. That shift would have been difficult if someone else was having to make me fit into their marketing plans or what their imprint was known for. But because I've built my own audience, I can just bring them with me and say, “You might like this. It's still me. I'm just doing something different.” **** Inspiring words from Roz there — “It's still me, I'm just doing something different.” And indeed, I am a very different Jo from the new author who started this podcast back in March 2009. I have evolved and this show has evolved and this is not the end, it is a new phase. It's funny because it's just a shift of two days, but it also breaks a habit, for you listening and for me creating. It changes a time slot, and that itself can be a way to change energy, to change direction, to shift what matters and how we do things.  So that's what I want to leave you with today. A question around how shifting something, even something small, might make a big difference to your creative body of work, the quality of time you have for yourself or your family, and I'd love to know what you think about today's episode and what we covered, as well as your thoughts on the Wednesday shift.  Please leave a comment on the show notes, or the YouTube channel, or email me. I will see you next Wednesday, so happy writing and I'll see you next time!The post Why The Podcast Is Moving To Wednesdays, And 7 Tips for Sustainable Creativity first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Guy Oseary (@guyoseary) has been spotting talent before anyone else could see it for nearly four decades. Under his leadership at Maverick Records, Maverick sold more than 100 million albums. Guy has managed some of the biggest names in music, including Madonna, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and U2, and was named Variety's Music Mogul of the Year in 2022. He executive produced Twilight, which became one of the most successful franchises in movie history, generating more than $3.5B. Guy was also an early investor in Vita Coco and co-founded A-Grade Investments and then Sound Ventures, now with nearly $2 billion under management. At A-Grade, his hits included Airbnb, Uber, and Spotify. Sound Ventures launched with less than $100M and has since had 86 exits and 26 IPOs.This episode is brought to you by:Momentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular support: https://livemomentous.com/TimAG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: DrinkAG1.com/TimTimestamps[00:00:00] Start.[00:02:01] How a West Hollywood balcony became a backstage pass.[00:03:51] A knife on Pico Boulevard and the snap decision to switch schools.[00:05:54] Faking a Beverly Hills address to get inside another world.[00:08:10] Wise Guy Records: a 15-year-old builds a portfolio out of nothing.[00:10:09] Guy's alternative terms when Bernie Brillstein offered $25,000.[00:11:34] The one moment that confirmed Guy was on the right path.[00:12:29] Freddy DeMann enters the picture and Guy proves himself with Ice-T's crew.[00:15:07] A desk at Maverick Records in exchange for no salary.[00:17:08] Chasing Hole and Rage Against the Machine — and losing both.[00:23:34] Candlebox in five minutes: seeing thousands in a room of 30.[00:24:11] Why "magic" beats everything else.[00:26:37] Signing Alanis off a single song, and stopping Muse mid-audition.[00:31:59] The real Alanis story: "Perfect," Joni Mitchell, and a 30-million-selling debut.[00:35:24] What Madonna taught Guy about thinking without walls.[00:38:50] From bands to Twilight: the power of a blank canvas.[00:45:30] How Guy got into investing, and the IdeaLab bet that wiped him out before the crash.[00:54:31] Why Guy is known as a great curator of people.[00:58:32] The three-month window that caught OpenAI and Anthropic.[01:06:07] AI music and the battle to ensure human musicians get paid.[01:09:30] How Spotify solved the problems Napster couldn't overcome.[01:14:50] SpaceX and Bitcoin: the ones that got away.[01:17:32] The rewards, rigors, and responsibilities of back-to-back touring.[01:21:44] Why Guy never stops to celebrate.[01:24:45] Splitting with Ashton Kutcher after 20 years.[01:27:30] Final thoughts on Guy's first podcast.*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For more than 40 years, David Allen has worked with individuals and organizations around the world to help them stay clear, focused, and productive—without burning out. He is the author of the mega-bestseller Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. Subscribe to David's Substack at davidallen.substack.com.This episode was originally published in September 2019. Show notes: https://tim.blog/2019/09/03/david-allen-getting-things-done/This episode is brought to you by:Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: Shopify.com/timEight Sleep Pod Cover 5 sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: EightSleep.com/TimAG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: DrinkAG1.com/Tim5-Bullet Friday, my very own free email newsletter: https://tim.blog/fridayTimestamps:[00:00:00] Start.[00:03:12] As David once told Chase Jarvis: "Your mind is made for having ideas, not for holding ideas." What did he mean by this?[00:06:06] What are the first questions and exercises David presents when he begins coaching high-functioning but overwhelmed people?[00:08:28] What are the consequences of breaking an agreement with yourself, why are you most likely to break such an agreement, and what are your options for recovering from a broken agreement?[00:11:35] David's best tips for renegotiating an agreement when the need arises.[00:17:01] Where does David keep his backlog?[00:18:25] What are the pros and cons of keeping track of information in digital versus analog format?[00:20:00] As a teenager, what did David want to be when he grew up?[00:24:08] What did David's college and career path look like, and how did it steer him toward understanding models for navigating life's complexities?[00:25:48] What David can piece together from Berkeley, 1968 and the long list of careers that followed — leading to the formation of the principles detailed in GTD.[00:30:32] What mentors does David credit as being instrumental in his creation of GTD?[00:33:09] What are next action decisions, and how do they differ from what people generally put on their to-do lists?[00:36:24] The capture list, the two-minute rule, and emptying the in-basket.[00:37:22] Top-down versus bottom-up systems and understanding the hierarchy of priorities.[00:43:02] What led to the Allens' relocation to Amsterdam, and what quality of life improvements have he and his wife noticed since moving there?[00:48:29] How long did it take for the Allens to go from thinking about the possibility of moving from Ojai to Amsterdam to actually going through with it?[00:50:50] What does David consider his most fruitful — though seemingly counterintuitive — life decision?[00:55:34] One of David's mentors in Berkeley claimed to have extra-sensory abilities. Did David ever experience evidence of this in person?[00:56:58] David shares a particularly difficult period of time in his life, what led to it, and what happened in its aftermath.[01:01:21] What does the word "spiritual" mean to David?[01:02:14] What does David's meditation practice look like these days — and what does he recommend for someone who wants to start meditating?[01:02:58] What was David's biggest takeaway from the time he spent in a mental institution?[01:04:05] Does David ever feel overwhelmed or unfocused? If so, how does he deal with it?[01:05:02] Are there any new beliefs, behaviors, or habits that have materially improved David's life in the last handful of years?[01:06:19] Books (aside from his own) that David has gifted or recommended most to others.[01:07:13] What are David's bedtime and morning routines, and how much sleep does he get every night?[01:08:48] Is there anything about GTD David wishes more adherents would heed? Does anything important get commonly missed?[01:10:25] What are the steps of the GTD weekly review? Does David recommend doing it at any particular day or time?[01:12:40] Are there certain categories of things to which David simply says "No" as a default?[01:14:00] How does David filter unpleasant people out of his life?[01:14:52] Why GTD is intended as a force for freedom and creativity, not a yawnworthy paean to rigid structure — as Brad Keywell, Howard Stern, Will Smith, and Robert Downey, Jr. can testify.[01:18:58] Is the GTD weekly review inherently a solo process, or can it involve someone's group, staff, or family?[01:19:38] What does David use to organize his email?[01:20:58] Does David use any particular app or program for pulling material like articles or references from the Web?[01:22:13] Are there any quotes by which David tries to live his life?[01:22:48] What would David's billboard say?[01:23:16] Does David still have hope that people will do something with the space created by GTD to answer life's bigger questions?[01:25:35] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Graham Duncan (@GrahamDuncanNYC) is the co-founder of East Rock Capital, a multibillion-dollar multi-family investment office he launched in 2006. He is also Chairman of the Sohn Conference Foundation, which funds pediatric cancer research.This episode was originally published in February 2019. Show notes: https://tim.blog/2019/02/28/graham-duncan/This episode is brought to you by:Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: Shopify.com/timEight Sleep Pod Cover 5 sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: EightSleep.com/TimAG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: DrinkAG1.com/Tim5-Bullet Friday, my very own free email newsletter: https://tim.blog/friday*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Coca is to cocaine what potatoes are to vodka" — Dr. Andrew Weil and Wade Davis on the health benefits, sacred history, and unjust prohibition of the most misunderstood plant on Earth.Dr. Andrew Weil is a pioneer in integrative medicine and founder of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he holds the Lovell-Jones Endowed Chair and serves as Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health.Wade Davis is an ethnographer, writer, photographer, and filmmaker. From 2014 to 2024 he served as Professor of Anthropology and BC Leadership Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at Risk at the University of British Columbia, and from 2000 to 2013 as Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society.Connect with the Beneficial Plant Research Association (BPRA): Website (scroll down to donate) | Coca Leaf Research | Coca Leaf Documentary | Coca Leaf RetreatThis episode is brought to you by:Incogni, which automatically removes your personal data from the web, helping shield you from fraud, scams, and identity theft: Incogni.com/Tim (use code TIM at checkout and get 60% off an annual plan)Maui Nui Venison​ delicious, nutrient-dense, and responsible red meat: https://mauinuivenison.com/tim5-Bullet Friday, my very own free email newsletter: https://tim.blog/fridayTimestamps:[00:00:00] Start.[00:02:38] When coca tea cured my brutal altitude sickness in Chile.[00:04:01] Andy meets coca, 1965: the Andes' master medicine for gut, energy, mood, metabolism.[00:06:20] 14 alkaloids, one scapegoat.[00:07:11] The paradox: one remedy for both diarrhea and constipation.[00:11:37] 8,000 years, zero addiction — and the 1975 study no one wanted to run.[00:13:11] Eradication began 60 years before there was a cocaine problem.[00:16:27] Two nations inside Peru: alcohol versus coca.[00:17:05] The 1950 UN commission that dictated coca policy by pseudoscience, fear, and racism.[00:18:10] Filed beside fentanyl and heroin; 250,000 families and the price of peace.[00:20:03] What coca actually feels like: milder than half a coffee, no crash, no withdrawal.[00:24:19] Decoupling the leaf from the cartels; why crop substitution is a fantasy.[00:25:54] Domesticated three times; the accident of Schedule II.[00:27:49] The sacred leaf: k'intu, cruceta, Pachamama, runakuna.[00:31:11] Hayo in the Sierra Nevada, and Latin America's most-denied gift.[00:32:53] The wedge in the door: demand, the FDA, and an entrepreneur's gold mine.[00:40:22] The story coca deserves — a film, green powders, and one good study.[00:43:12] Monkey mind, the tax of consciousness, and an 84th birthday on coca.[00:47:35] Who to fund: McCurdy and the hunt for legal leaves.[00:49:17] Could coca treat cocaine addiction? Cost, and NIDA's timing.[00:53:18] "Green cocaine" at the airport: coca is to cocaine as potatoes are to vodka.[00:56:58] A 24-hour ritual run powered entirely by coca.[00:59:07] Why two men gave their careers to one leaf — and the pharmaceutical body count.[01:06:22] America's legal cocaine capital, and Coke's secret recipe.[01:09:08] No accident: the hideous prose behind laws we still obey.[01:15:42] 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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sebastian Mallaby (@scmallaby) is the Paul A. Volcker senior fellow for international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, and the author of six books, including More Money Than God, The Power Law, The Man Who Knew, and The World's Banker. His latest book is The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence.This episode is brought to you by:Eight Sleep Pod Cover 5 sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: EightSleep.com/TimAG1 Pro all-in-one nutritional supplement: DrinkAG1.com/TimWealthfront high-yield cash account: Wealthfront.com/Tim Wealthfront disclaimer: New clients get 3.30% base APY from program banks + additional 0.75% 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 1/30/26 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. Individual experiences and outcomes will differ. 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.[00:02:11] The twinkly eyed polymath who became Sebastian's next book.[00:06:55] Picking the next book project the way a great VC picks a startup.[00:09:41] Why God keeps crashing the superintelligence party.[00:11:13] Shane Legg's grainy 2009 prophecy — and the nervous giggle.[00:13:11] Ilya Sutskever burns an effigy.[00:13:54] Demis at 4 a.m., hunting God's algorithm.[00:18:43] Super-abundance, Mad Max, and the China shock lesson.[00:22:39] The kitchen debate with Geoff Hinton that flipped Sebastian.[00:24:06] Why a zero-percent chance of doom is indefensible.[00:24:52] Will Washington seize the labs? The Mythos wake-up call.[00:27:18] Anthropic's bull case, bear case, and a dead parent's letter.[00:33:24] Where Sebastian and Benedict Evans part ways.[00:38:16] Is the SaaS apocalypse overdone? One word: Palantir.[00:39:53] The AI friend you'll never switch.[00:41:56] Does Google win consumer AI by default?[00:44:45] Four cities, eight days: China actually talks safety.[00:47:28] A Cold War non-proliferation playbook for AI.[00:49:45] Did the chip export controls actually work?[00:51:49] Burned doves: why Washington swears China won't talk.[00:54:56] "By 2028, the race is over" — one lab boss' bet.[00:59:11] Inside Hikvision: toddlers, sensors, and US sanctions.[01:01:07] Bill Gurley's Uber bet: venture capital perfected.[01:05:18] Luke Nosek bear-hugs DeepMind into existence.[01:10:52] Thiel's heresy: never invest by committee.[01:11:59] How Founders Fund nearly fumbled the deal of the century.[01:14:30] Selling to Google for $650M: a secret British heist?[01:16:41] The Traitorous Eight, gardening leave, and the UK's to-do list.[01:20:55] Ender's Game: "That's really how I see myself."[01:23:42] Too dumb for Gödel, Escher, Bach? Maybe an LLM can help.[01:25:19] If not Demis or Sam, then Dario.[01:26:04] My royalties cliff — and what dropped in late 2022.[01:27:47] Lila Sciences and the labs that run themselves.[01:31:13] Sebastian's billboard: "Prepare your mind."[01:35:14] The one thing Sebastian will never outsource to AI.[01:40:09] 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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Max Levchin (@mlevchin) is a serial entrepreneur and investor in 100+ startups. He's the founder and CEO of Affirm, the payment network powering consumer purchases and merchant growth. An original PayPal co-founder, Max served as CTO until its 2002 acquisition by eBay.This episode is brought to you by:ProLon: science-backed Fasting Mimicking Diet that helps activate cellular renewal through fasting, while still eating nourishing meals: ProlonLife.com/TimMonarch track, budget, plan, and do more with your money: Monarch.com/Tim Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: Shopify.com/timTimestamps:[00:00:00] Start.[00:02:50] The Ronin line that rewired how Max makes every decision.[00:06:09] Paprika-style brain-computer interfaces.[00:09:09] PayPal's founders lived inside a Neal Stephenson novel.[00:19:21] Transformation via Neuromancer and Snow Crash.[00:23:40] The book that found Max his wife.[00:29:24] The real secret to a great marriage.[00:38:29] What's worth tracking, and what's not.[00:44:13] A scrawny kid, a clarinet, and a Kyiv velodrome.[00:46:55] What going all-out on a bike actually gives you.[00:51:02] The mantra by which Max rides.[00:53:02] A Soviet kid's fear of socialism.[01:02:48] Making a profit without destroying society.[01:04:31] What is Affirm, and why did every banker say it would fail?[01:20:18] Why the best mathematicians eschew the lending industry.[01:23:50] Does agentic commerce break Affirm, or supercharge it?[01:28:01] A PhD-level financial advisor in everyone's pocket.[01:29:58] How close are we to buying anything through one AI chat?[01:36:32] Improving your coffee: cheap, intermediate, and Bugatti options.[01:44:33] The books every first-time founder should actually read.[01:48:08] Claude Shannon, Ed Thorp, and the joy of playful genius.[01:51:00] Why physical books still beat every digital reading experience.[01:51:44] 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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Entrepreneur, author, and podcaster Tim Ferriss joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage founders. Plus, Tim shares the inspiration behind his latest venture, Coyote—a 10-minute card game that encourages time spent with friends and family.First, Lauryn from San Francisco asks about the best way to scale her biodegradable ear plugs in two very different directions. Then Emily from Kansas City weighs whether DTC or wholesale is where to focus her accessory brand after Taylor Swift wore one of her rings and sales exploded. And finally, Kimberly in Woolwich, Maine wonders how to incentivize her customers to pre-order her high-quality, sustainable, clothing. Thank you to the founders of GOB, EB & Co, and K. Becker Designs for being a part of our show.If you'd like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you'd like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.And be sure to listen to Tim Ferriss's founding story as told by Tim on the show in 2020. This episode was produced by Noor Gill with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Andrea Bruce. Our audio engineer was Cena Loffredo.You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com and on Substack.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jake Becraft is the CEO and co-founder of Strand Therapeutics, a company building one of the most advanced programmable genetic medicine platforms in biotechnology. Under his leadership, Strand is redefining what RNA medicines can do by enabling cell-selective targeting and therapeutic payload delivery inside the body, unlocking a new class of precision genetic therapies.This episode is brought to you by:Helix Sleep premium mattresses: HelixSleep.com/Tim (20% off any purchase) Incogni, which automatically removes your personal data from the web, helping shield you from fraud, scams, and identity theft: Incogni.com/Tim (use code TIM at checkout and get 60% off an annual plan)*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/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.