Timothy Ferriss's Blog, page 28

Illustration via 99designs

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

In this episode, past podcast guest Cal Newport interviews me for an article he ended up writing for The New Yorker titled “Revisiting ‘The 4-Hour Workweek’: How Tim Ferriss’s 2007 manifesto anticipated our current moment of professional upheaval.”

Who is Cal? Cal Newport (calnewport.com) is an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University who previously earned his PhD from MIT. His scholarship focuses on the theory of distributed systems, while his general-audience writing explores intersections of culture and technology.

Cal is the author of seven books, including, most recently, Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, and A World Without Email. He is also a contributing writer for The New Yorker and the host of the Deep Questions podcast.

You can find my interview with Cal at tim.blog/calnewport, and you can find the 2007 talk at SXSW that launched everything at tim.blog/sxsw.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 770M+ users, Vuori comfortable and durable performance apparel, and Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement. More on all three below.

The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercastCal Newport and Tim Ferriss Revisit “The 4-Hour Workweek” (Plus: The Allure and The Void of Remote Work, Unsustainable Behaviors, Burning Out, The Cult of Productivity, and More) (#594)

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.

This episode is brought to you by Vuori clothing! Vuori is a new and fresh perspective on performance apparel, perfect if you are sick and tired of traditional, old workout gear. Everything is designed for maximum comfort and versatility so that you look and feel as good in everyday life as you do working out.

Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet at VuoriClothing.com/Tim. Not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but you’ll also enjoy free shipping on any US orders over $75 and free returns.

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Whether you are looking to hire now for a critical role or thinking about needs that you may have in the future, LinkedIn Jobs can help. LinkedIn screens candidates for the hard and soft skills you’re looking for and puts your job in front of candidates looking for job opportunities that match what you have to offer.

Using LinkedIn’s active community of more than 770 million professionals worldwide, LinkedIn Jobs can help you find and hire the right person faster. When your business is ready to make that next hire, find the right person with LinkedIn Jobs. And now, you can post a job for free. Just visit LinkedIn.com/Tim.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

If you’d like to hear the last conversation I had with Cal Newport, lend an ear to our conversation here in which we discussed lightning bolt lessons from Steve Martin, living the deep life, sharpening skills, honing funny bones, fresh thoughts on slow productivity, eschewing the temptations of social media, contemplations on moral frameworks, Cal’s 30-day digital minimalism declutter, and much more.

#568: Cal Newport — The Eternal Pursuit of Craftsmanship, the Deep Life, Slow Productivity, and a 30-Day Digital Minimalism ChallengeSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Cal Newport:

Website | Blog | YouTube

Revisiting “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Cal Newport | The New YorkerThe Lost Presentation That Launched The 4-Hour Workweek — “Secrets of Doing More with Less in a Digital World” from SXSW 2007 | The Tim Ferriss Show #548The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss | AmazonCal Newport — The Eternal Pursuit of Craftsmanship, the Deep Life, Slow Productivity, and a 30-Day Digital Minimalism Challenge | The Tim Ferriss Show #568The Deep Questions PodcastDeep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport | AmazonDigital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport | AmazonA World Without Email: Find Focus and Transform the Way You Work Forever by Cal Newport | AmazonPrinceton UniversityTrueSAN Officially Kicks Bucket | Network ComputingDotcom Bubble | InvestopediaNew Economy | InvestopediaRemote Desktop Software | GoToMyPCList of Animal Tools | The Flintstones Archeology WikiElance | WikipediaEasyGroup | Wikipedia80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle) | InvestopediaLegendary Tech Billionaire’s Iconic Luxury Yacht Is Still an Awe-Inspiring Masterpiece | autoevolutionBuilt to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You by John Warrillow | AmazonBuilt to Sell — Making Your Company Sellable by John Warrillow | The Tim Ferriss BlogSo You’re Being Acqui-hired… | Cooley GOWhatever Happened to Netscape? | EngadgetLiar’s Poker: RIsing Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis | AmazonCoupa Cafe Customers Can Buy Items with Bitcoins | Palo Alto OnlineThe Future Has Arrived — It’s Just Not Evenly Distributed Yet | Quote InvestigatorThe Holy Grail: How to Outsource the Inbox and Never Check Email Again | The Tim Ferriss BlogWhy Email Is So Stressful, Even Though It’s Not Actually That Time-Consuming | HBRInteractive Archives | SXSWHow the Internet Was Born: From the ARPANET to the Internet | The Conversation43 Folders Series: Inbox Zero | 43 FoldersThe Guy Who Invented Inbox Zero Says We’re All Doing It Wrong | Inc.comThe Best (And Worst?) Autoresponders of 2007 | The Tim Ferriss BlogTim Ferriss Interviewed by Robert Scoble | PodTech 2007PBwiki | WikipediaThe Rise and Fall of Getting Things Done by Cal Newport | The New YorkerThe Scientists: A History of Science Told Through the Lives of Its Greatest Inventors by John Gribbin | AmazonOn Pace and Productivity | Study HacksDon’t Just Do Something; Stand There | Quote InvestigatorThe Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel | AmazonMorgan Housel — The Psychology of Money, Picking the Right Game, and the $6 Million Janitor | The Tim Ferriss Show #576How I Built The Tim Ferriss Show to 700+ Million Downloads — An Immersive Explanation of All Aspects and Key Decisions (Featuring Chris Hutchins) | The Tim Ferriss Show #538Geographic Arbitrage: How I Save $20000+ A Year Living Abroad | Nomadic FireThe Future of Work After COVID-19 | McKinsey4-Hour Workweek Referenced | The Office S08E03 LottoIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The 7 Secrets of Awakening the Highly Effective Four-Hour Giant, Today by The Gang | AmazonI Am So Over Productivity Porn | Bitches Get RichesEssentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown | AmazonGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen | AmazonHyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction by Chris Bailey | AmazonSHOW NOTESSome of the first cracks in my post-Princeton life that hinted at the unsustainable nature of Silicon Valley workaholic culture and led me toward a realization that The 4-Hour Workweek might be a book worth writing. [07:36]The fatal flaw in my first startup that ensured I wouldn’t be able to easily sell it. [17:22]A snapshot of Silicon Valley in the early 2000s: a prototyping and testing ground for new technologies and a hotbed of hustling. [22:16]Cal says I mentioned email four times in the opening six minutes of my first South by Southwest talk. In retrospect, what bigger problems did this portend, and how was my approach somewhat transgressive, considering the audience? [26:44]Defying the cult of productivity to be more effective than efficient with the 80/20 principle (aka Pareto’s law). [39:43]On slow productivity and playing your own game while understanding the rules by which other people play theirs.[44:33]How the launch of this podcast was, in a sense, a reexamination of what my own game was after working on The 4-Hour Chef turned out to be more a labor of labor than love. [47:57]My mindset going into that first South by Southwest speech in 2007 and how I tried to make the pain points of efficiency relatable rather than presenting them as judgment against my go-getting, startup-hustling audience. [50:41]If prioritizing your own self-care inconveniences other people from time to time, so be it. (To the people pleasers in the audience, please reread that last sentence to yourself a little louder until it sticks.) [53:50]After the South by Southwest speech, what was the general reception like? What points seemed to resonate most with people? [56:44]How a mutual friend put concepts presented in The 4-Hour Workweek to work and changed his own life, how some of those concepts that were radical when the book was published 15 years ago are now considered commonplace, and which concepts I hope continue to gain momentum. [1:00:56]How the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly made the work-disrupting scenarios posited in The 4-Hour Workweek viable alternatives to the status quo rather than intangible, impossible thought experiments, though some challenges remain. [1:06:40]Pop culture references to The 4-Hour Workweek and common misinterpretations of its primary tenets that come from casual skimming and second-hand sources. [1:10:38]Digging deeper, why do so many readers who pick up the bestselling productivity and time management books seem to miss the points they’re really trying to make? [1:15:57]Cal’s optimistic parting thoughts that society is finally catching up with what The 4-Hour Workweek was trying to convey. [1:20:58]PEOPLE MENTIONEDRuth Bader GinsburgHenry A. KissingerEd ZschauJames H. ClarkRamit SethiRay PorterMichael LewisWilliam GibsonRobert ScobleMerlin MannWinston ChurchillPeter DruckerUlysses S. GrantWarren BuffettCharlie MungerMorgan HouselHugh ForrestGreg McKeownDavid AllenFrederick Winslow Taylor

Illustration via 99designs

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

In this episode, past podcast guest Cal Newport interviews me for an article he ended up writing for The New Yorker titled “Revisiting ‘The 4-Hour Workweek’: How Tim Ferriss’s 2007 manifesto anticipated our current moment of professional upheaval.”

Who is Cal? Cal Newport (calnewport.com) is an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University who previously earned his PhD from MIT. His scholarship focuses on the theory of distributed systems, while his general-audience writing explores intersections of culture and technology.

Cal is the author of seven books, including, most recently, Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, and A World Without Email. He is also a contributing writer for The New Yorker and the host of the Deep Questions podcast.

You can find my interview with Cal at tim.blog/calnewport, and you can find the 2007 talk at SXSW that launched everything at tim.blog/sxsw.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 770M+ users, Vuori comfortable and durable performance apparel, and Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement. More on all three below.

Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercast#594: Cal Newport and Tim Ferriss Revisit The 4-Hour Workweek (Plus: The Allure and The Void of Remote Work, Unsustainable Behaviors, Burning Out, The Cult of Productivity, and More)

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.

This episode is brought to you by Vuori clothing! Vuori is a new and fresh perspective on performance apparel, perfect if you are sick and tired of traditional, old workout gear. Everything is designed for maximum comfort and versatility so that you look and feel as good in everyday life as you do working out.

Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet at VuoriClothing.com/Tim. Not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but you’ll also enjoy free shipping on any US orders over $75 and free returns.

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Whether you are looking to hire now for a critical role or thinking about needs that you may have in the future, LinkedIn Jobs can help. LinkedIn screens candidates for the hard and soft skills you’re looking for and puts your job in front of candidates looking for job opportunities that match what you have to offer.

Using LinkedIn’s active community of more than 770 million professionals worldwide, LinkedIn Jobs can help you find and hire the right person faster. When your business is ready to make that next hire, find the right person with LinkedIn Jobs. And now, you can post a job for free. Just visit LinkedIn.com/Tim.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

If you’d like to hear the last conversation I had with Cal Newport, lend an ear to our conversation here in which we discussed lightning bolt lessons from Steve Martin, living the deep life, sharpening skills, honing funny bones, fresh thoughts on slow productivity, eschewing the temptations of social media, contemplations on moral frameworks, Cal’s 30-day digital minimalism declutter, and much more.

#568: Cal Newport — The Eternal Pursuit of Craftsmanship, the Deep Life, Slow Productivity, and a 30-Day Digital Minimalism ChallengeSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Cal Newport:

Website | Blog | YouTube

Revisiting “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Cal Newport | The New YorkerThe Lost Presentation That Launched The 4-Hour Workweek — “Secrets of Doing More with Less in a Digital World” from SXSW 2007 | The Tim Ferriss Show #548The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss | AmazonCal Newport — The Eternal Pursuit of Craftsmanship, the Deep Life, Slow Productivity, and a 30-Day Digital Minimalism Challenge | The Tim Ferriss Show #568The Deep Questions PodcastDeep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport | AmazonDigital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport | AmazonA World Without Email: Find Focus and Transform the Way You Work Forever by Cal Newport | AmazonPrinceton UniversityTrueSAN Officially Kicks Bucket | Network ComputingDotcom Bubble | InvestopediaNew Economy | InvestopediaRemote Desktop Software | GoToMyPCList of Animal Tools | The Flintstones Archeology WikiElance | WikipediaEasyGroup | Wikipedia80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle) | InvestopediaLegendary Tech Billionaire’s Iconic Luxury Yacht Is Still an Awe-Inspiring Masterpiece | autoevolutionBuilt to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You by John Warrillow | AmazonBuilt to Sell — Making Your Company Sellable by John Warrillow | The Tim Ferriss BlogSo You’re Being Acqui-hired… | Cooley GOWhatever Happened to Netscape? | EngadgetLiar’s Poker: RIsing Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis | AmazonCoupa Cafe Customers Can Buy Items with Bitcoins | Palo Alto OnlineThe Future Has Arrived — It’s Just Not Evenly Distributed Yet | Quote InvestigatorThe Holy Grail: How to Outsource the Inbox and Never Check Email Again | The Tim Ferriss BlogWhy Email Is So Stressful, Even Though It’s Not Actually That Time-Consuming | HBRInteractive Archives | SXSWHow the Internet Was Born: From the ARPANET to the Internet | The Conversation43 Folders Series: Inbox Zero | 43 FoldersThe Guy Who Invented Inbox Zero Says We’re All Doing It Wrong | Inc.comThe Best (And Worst?) Autoresponders of 2007 | The Tim Ferriss BlogTim Ferriss Interviewed by Robert Scoble | PodTech 2007PBwiki | WikipediaThe Rise and Fall of Getting Things Done by Cal Newport | The New YorkerThe Scientists: A History of Science Told Through the Lives of Its Greatest Inventors by John Gribbin | AmazonOn Pace and Productivity | Study HacksDon’t Just Do Something; Stand There | Quote InvestigatorThe Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel | AmazonMorgan Housel — The Psychology of Money, Picking the Right Game, and the $6 Million Janitor | The Tim Ferriss Show #576How I Built The Tim Ferriss Show to 700+ Million Downloads — An Immersive Explanation of All Aspects and Key Decisions (Featuring Chris Hutchins) | The Tim Ferriss Show #538Geographic Arbitrage: How I Save $20000+ A Year Living Abroad | Nomadic FireThe Future of Work After COVID-19 | McKinsey4-Hour Workweek Referenced | The Office S08E03 LottoIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The 7 Secrets of Awakening the Highly Effective Four-Hour Giant, Today by The Gang | AmazonI Am So Over Productivity Porn | Bitches Get RichesEssentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown | AmazonGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen | AmazonHyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction by Chris Bailey | AmazonSHOW NOTESSome of the first cracks in my post-Princeton life that hinted at the unsustainable nature of Silicon Valley workaholic culture and led me toward a realization that The 4-Hour Workweek might be a book worth writing. [07:36]The fatal flaw in my first startup that ensured I wouldn’t be able to easily sell it. [17:22]A snapshot of Silicon Valley in the early 2000s: a prototyping and testing ground for new technologies and a hotbed of hustling. [22:16]Cal says I mentioned email four times in the opening six minutes of my first South by Southwest talk. In retrospect, what bigger problems did this portend, and how was my approach somewhat transgressive, considering the audience? [26:44]Defying the cult of productivity to be more effective than efficient with the 80/20 principle (aka Pareto’s law). [39:43]On slow productivity and playing your own game while understanding the rules by which other people play theirs.[44:33]How the launch of this podcast was, in a sense, a reexamination of what my own game was after working on The 4-Hour Chef turned out to be more a labor of labor than love. [47:57]My mindset going into that first South by Southwest speech in 2007 and how I tried to make the pain points of efficiency relatable rather than presenting them as judgment against my go-getting, startup-hustling audience. [50:41]If prioritizing your own self-care inconveniences other people from time to time, so be it. (To the people pleasers in the audience, please reread that last sentence to yourself a little louder until it sticks.) [53:50]After the South by Southwest speech, what was the general reception like? What points seemed to resonate most with people? [56:44]How a mutual friend put concepts presented in The 4-Hour Workweek to work and changed his own life, how some of those concepts that were radical when the book was published 15 years ago are now considered commonplace, and which concepts I hope continue to gain momentum. [1:00:56]How the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly made the work-disrupting scenarios posited in The 4-Hour Workweek viable alternatives to the status quo rather than intangible, impossible thought experiments, though some challenges remain. [1:06:40]Pop culture references to The 4-Hour Workweek and common misinterpretations of its primary tenets that come from casual skimming and second-hand sources. [1:10:38]Digging deeper, why do so many readers who pick up the bestselling productivity and time management books seem to miss the points they’re really trying to make? [1:15:57]Cal’s optimistic parting thoughts that society is finally catching up with what The 4-Hour Workweek was trying to convey. [1:20:58]PEOPLE MENTIONEDRuth Bader GinsburgHenry A. KissingerEd ZschauJames H. ClarkRamit SethiRay PorterMichael LewisWilliam GibsonRobert ScobleMerlin MannWinston ChurchillPeter DruckerUlysses S. GrantWarren BuffettCharlie MungerMorgan HouselHugh ForrestGreg McKeownDavid AllenFrederick Winslow Taylor

Illustration via 99designs

“My mantra is always: ‘What is the scientific underpinning of these ideas?'”

— Richard Wiseman

Richard Wiseman (@richardwiseman) holds Britain’s only professorship in the public understanding of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles examining the psychology of magic and illusion, the paranormal, luck, and self-help. His books on psychology, which include The Luck Factor: The Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind and 59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot, have sold more than three million copies worldwide, and his psychology-based YouTube videos have garnered more than 500 million views.

Elizabeth Loftus, former president of The Association for Psychological Science, described Richard as “one of the world’s most creative psychologists,” and The Independent On Sunday chose him as one of the top 100 people who make Britain a better place to live. In addition to his work in the field of psychology, Richard served as director of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival for eight years.

He recently co-authored David Copperfield’s History of Magic, and his next book, Psychology: Why It Matters, will be published later this year.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.

Brought to you by UCAN endurance products powered by SuperStarch®, Headspace easy-to-use app with guided meditations, and Helix Sleep premium mattresses. More on all three below.

Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercast#593: Richard Wiseman on Lessons from Dale Carnegie, How to Keep a Luck Diary, Mentalism, The Psychology of the Paranormal, Mass Participation Experiments, NLP, Remote Viewing, and Attempting the Impossible

This episode is brought to you by UCAN. I was introduced to UCAN and its unique carbohydrate SuperStarch® by my good friend—and listener favorite—Dr. Peter Attia, who said there is no carb in the world like it. I have since included it in my routine, using UCAN’s powders to power my workouts, and the bars make great snacks. Extensive scientific research and clinical trials have shown that SuperStarch provides a sustained release of energy to the body without spiking blood sugar. UCAN is the ideal way to source energy from a carbohydrate without the negatives associated with fast carbs, especially sugar. You avoid fatigue, hunger cravings, and loss of focus.

Whether you’re an athlete working on managing your fitness or you need healthy, efficient calories to get you through your day, UCAN is an elegant energy solution. My listeners can save 30% on their first UCAN order by going to UCAN.co/Tim.

This episode is brought to you by Headspace! Headspace is your daily dose of mindfulness in the form of guided meditations in an easy-to-use app. Whatever the situation, Headspace can help you feel better. Overwhelmed? Headspace has a 3-minute SOS meditation for you. Need some help falling asleep? Headspace has wind-down sessions their members swear by. And for parents, Headspace even has morning meditations you can do with your kids. Headspace’s approach to mindfulness can reduce stress, improve sleep, boost focus, and increase your overall sense of well-being.

Go to Headspace.com/Tim for a FREE one-month trial with access to Headspace’s full library of meditations for every situation.

This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep! Helix was selected as the #1 overall mattress of 2020 by GQ magazine, Wired, Apartment Therapy, and many others. With Helix, there’s a specific mattress to meet each and every body’s unique comfort needs. Just take their quiz—only two minutes to complete—that matches your body type and sleep preferences to the perfect mattress for you. They have a 10-year warranty, and you get to try it out for a hundred nights, risk-free. They’ll even pick it up from you if you don’t love it. And now, Helix is offering up to 200 dollars off all mattress orders plus two free pillows at HelixSleep.com/Tim.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear an episode with someone else you might meet at the Magic Castle bar? Listen to my conversation with sleight-of-hand wizard Richard Turner in which we discuss finagling free suits, why practice does not necessarily make perfect, how Richard has managed not to miss a single workout in 49 years, fighting 10 rounds in a sweltering Tijuana sweatbox with peripheral vision, channeling Charles Bonnet Syndrome like a superpower, and much more.

#411: Richard Turner — The Magical Phenom Who Will Blow Your MindSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Richard Wiseman:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

David Copperfield’s History of Magic by David Copperfield, Richard Wiseman, and David Britland | AmazonPsychology: Why It Matters by Richard Wiseman | AmazonThe Luck Factor by Richard Wiseman | Amazon59 Seconds: Change Your Life in Under a Minute by Richard Wiseman | AmazonParanormality: Why We See What Isn’t There by Richard Wiseman | AmazonNight School: Wake Up to the Power of Sleep by Richard Wiseman | AmazonQuirkology: How We Discover the Big Truths in Small Things by Richard Wiseman | AmazonMoonshot: What Landing a Man on the Moon Teaches Us About Collaboration, Creativity, and the Mind-set for Success by Richard Wiseman | AmazonEdinburgh Festival FringeThe 15 Best Places for Fudge in Edinburgh | FoursquareAll Blacks RugbyWhere J.K. Rowling Wrote Harry Potter in Edinburgh | Independent Travel CatsHarry Potter Complete Boxed Set by J.K. Rowling | AmazonThe Control Group Is Out Of Control | Slate Star CodexExperimenter Effects and the Remote Detection of Staring | The Journal of ParapsychologyAn Honest Liar | Prime VideoUniversity of EdinburghUniversity of HertfordshireFeeling the Future: Experimental Evidence for Anomalous Retroactive Influences on Cognition and Affect | Journal of Personality and Social PsychologyThe Magic CircleUniversity College LondonThe Magic Castle | The Academy of Magical ArtsThe Psychology of Magic and the Magic of Psychology | Frontiers ResearchThe Entertainment Gathering – How to Hang with Bezos, Yo-Yo Ma, and More | Tim FerrissThe Magic, Misdirection, and Mindset of David Blaine | The Tim Ferriss Show #245AMORALMAN: A True Story and Other Lies by Derek DelGaudio | AmazonDerek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself | HuluTypes of Magicians | Christopher HowellHow Does Cold Reading Work? | Vanishing Inc. Magic ShopRichard Turner — The Magical Phenom Who Will Blow Your Mind | The Tim Ferriss Show #411Dealt | Prime VideoTomorrow’s World | BBCThe MegaLab Truth Test | NatureA Psychologist’s Tips on How to Spot a Liar | BBC Radio 4 in FourScience Declares This Is the Funniest Joke in the World | CNETLaughLab | Richard WisemanNeuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) | WikipediaThe Eyes Don’t Have It: Lie Detection and Neuro-Linguistic Programming | PLOS ONEWhy Most Brainstorming Sessions Are Useless | ForbesStargate Project | WikipediaPhenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government’s Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis by Annie Jacobsen | AmazonWhere’s Wiseman? An Experiment into the Paranormal Using Twitter | The GuardianGhostbusters | Prime VideoSecrets of the Seance | Richard WisemanHampton Court PalaceGhosts and Hauntings | Richard WisemanWhy We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker | AmazonExploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LaBerge and Howard Rheingold | AmazonNight Terrors | Sleep FoundationLucid Dreaming: A Beginner’s Guide | Tim FerrissHow to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie | AmazonHow to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie | AmazonHow To Make Your Own Luck | Fast CompanyHedonic Treadmill: How Does it Affect Your Happiness? | HealthlineWise Man | The New YorkerWhere Can I Find Information on Yale’s 1953 Goal Study? | Ask Yale LibraryCargo Cult Science: Richard Feynman’s 1974 Caltech Graduation Address on Integrity | The MarginalianSelective Attention Test | Simons & ChabrisColour Changing Card Trick | Richard Wiseman‘It’s Still Bending’: Verbal Suggestion and Alleged Psychokinetic Ability | The British Psychological SocietyHelp Us Put an End to Wrongful Convictions! | Innocence ProjectFalse-Uniqueness Effect | WikipediaPreregistration | American Psychological AssociationShoot For The Moon! | Richard WisemanMasterpiece Theater | PBSMan on Wire | Prime VideoBad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. | NetflixCirque du Soleil: Fire Within | IMDbDerren Brown: Miracle | NetflixSHOW NOTESWhat is The Edinburgh Fringe Festival? [06:01]Richard explains how he, as a skeptic, got recruited into the world of parapsychology research, and why he dedicated years of his life to it. [07:23]What is the Magic Circle Society? [14:00]What disciplines and frameworks do magicians like Richard pick up that prove useful in other areas of life? [15:44]Who among Richard’s fellow magicians do we find particularly impressive, and what’s the real reason they’re not likely to tell you how they perform their illusions? [17:40]What is mentalism? [24:47]Two recommendations: a card mechanic and a mentalist worth your while. [26:03]Richard has carried out a number of mass participation studies. What are they, and which ones has he found most memorable? [27:06]What is NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), and what has Richard’s research had to say about its efficacy? [36:15]A more effective alternative to brainstorming. [39:32]In Richard’s estimation, what areas of scientific study are woefully underfunded and underresearched? [40:22]What did Richard discover while researching remote viewing that the CIA might have missed? Can remote viewing be faked? [43:26]How does Richard choose the subjects his books cover, and how did an annoying heckler once inspire him to improve a working title? [47:10]Twitter remote viewing, Victorian-style seances, and a ghost hunt in one of Henry VIII’s old…haunts. [50:28]Why is Richard fascinated by dreaming, and how has his experience with lucid dreaming been disappointing thus far? Might one of his future books be titled The Upside of Night Terrors? [54:11]How has my experience with lucid dreaming differed from Richard’s? [59:40]What has Richard learned about improving sleep since writing a book about it? Has he stopped having night terrors? [1:02:25]Self-development books Richard has actually found helpful, and why he takes issue with so much of the rest. [1:05:57]What is a luck diary, and why should you consider keeping one? [1:09:51]How Richard avoids overthinking idea generation. [1:12:40]Why the mass participation study that attempted to crowdsource the world’s funniest joke may have just resulted in pinpointing the world’s blandest. [1:13:45]How does Richard feel certain facets of his work could be applied in schools? Has this been tested? [1:14:51]What was (or wasn’t) the Yale Goal Study, and what is its most important lesson? [1:16:41]On the malleability of observation and memory — which can result in anything from seance manipulation to false convictions. [1:20:43]Are there any researchers currently delving into the mysteries of parapsychology who Richard respects deeply? Why might a well-respected scientist risk their career and reputation to pursue something so difficult to prove? [1:25:26]What makes studying what went on psychologically behind the scenes at NASA during the Apollo moon landings so compelling for Richard? [1:30:35]Whose picture is on Richard’s mantel? Knock if you know the answer. [1:33:47]What would Richard’s billboard say? [1:35:49]Recommended documentaries. [1:37:00]How does a performer like Derren Brown keep their show fresh after 578 performances without burning out? [1:44:11]Parting thoughts. [1:46:18]MORE RICHARD WISEMAN QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“Magic tricks have to work every single time. Not only when people see them, but when they talk about it in the bar afterwards.”
— Richard Wiseman

“Magicians withhold their secrets for the good of the audience.”
— Richard Wiseman

“People have difficult lives. We know that. And we know that psychology can help them.”
— Richard Wiseman

“My mantra is always: ‘What is the scientific underpinning of these ideas?'”
— Richard Wiseman

“This is going to go at some point. So make tonight count.”
— Richard Wiseman

“Smile.”
— Richard Wiseman

PEOPLE MENTIONEDElizabeth F. LoftusJ.K. RowlingJames RandiRobert L. MorrisMarilyn SchlitzDaryl BemDavid CopperfieldPenn & TellerDavid BlaineDerek DelGaudioHarry LorayneRichard TurnerDerren BrownSimon SinghRobin DayWalter CronkiteDavid NuttRobin Carhart-HarrisMatt WalkerBarry J. JacobsStephen LaBergeJohn SmithDale CarnegieFrancis BaconKarl PopperRichard P. FeynmanDaniel SimonsCaroline WattHelen KeenNeil ArmstrongJerry Bostick

Illustration via 99designs

“To make the world comprehensible, you have to selectively filter what gets in. You inhabit this filtered — you could almost use the word curated — version of reality. Otherwise, it would just be a blooming, buzzing confusion you wouldn’t be able to navigate. And then you can take a psychedelic. You can disable those mechanisms. You can disable this default mode mechanism, open the gates of the reducing valve, and that can be very beneficial in terms of helping you get outside of your reference frame.”

— Dennis McKenna

Dennis McKenna (@DennisMcKenna4) has spent more than 40 years researching the interdisciplinary study of Amazonian ethnopharmacology and plant hallucinogens. He has conducted extensive ethnobotanical fieldwork in the Peruvian, Colombian, and Brazilian Amazon.

His doctoral research at the University of British Columbia focused on the ethnopharmacology of ayahuasca and oo-koo-he, two tryptamine-based hallucinogens used by indigenous peoples in the Northwest Amazon.

He is a founding board member of the Heffter Research Institute and was a key organizer and participant in the Hoasca Project, the first biomedical investigation of ayahuasca used by the UDV, a Brazilian religious group. He is the younger brother of Terence McKenna.

From 2000 to 2017, he taught courses on ethnopharmacology as well as Plants in Human Affairs at the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota. In 2019, in collaboration with colleagues, he incorporated a nonprofit, the McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy. Currently, the Academy has several projects underway, with the most immediate being preparations for an upcoming conference in the UK May 23rd–26th, ESPD55 , which will cover a wide range of topics related to psycho-ethnopharmacology and feature an exclusive, pre-release screening of the McKenna Academy’s first short documentary, BioGnosis, Bridges to Ancestral Wisdom.

Dennis emigrated to Canada in the spring of 2019 with his wife Sheila and now resides in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.

Brought to you by Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, and Shopify global commerce platform providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business. More on all three below.

Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercast#592: Dennis McKenna — An Ethnopharmacologist on Hallucinogens, Sex-Crazed Cicadas, The Mushrooms of Language, BioGnosis, and Illuminating Obscure Corners

This episode is brought to you by Shopify! Shopify is one of my favorite platforms and one of my favorite companies. Shopify is a platform designed for anyone to sell anywhere, giving entrepreneurs the resources once reserved for big business. In no time flat, you can have a great looking online store that brings your ideas to life, and you can have the tools to manage your day-to-day and drive sales. No coding or design experience required.

More than a store, Shopify grows with you, and they never stop innovating, providing more and more tools to make your business better and your life easier. Go to Shopify.com/tim for a FREE 14-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features.

This episode is brought to you by Eight Sleep! Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover is the easiest and fastest way to sleep at the perfect temperature. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to offer the most advanced (and user-friendly) solution on the market. Simply add the Pod Pro Cover to your current mattress and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F. It also splits your bed in half, so your partner can choose a totally different temperature.

And now, my dear listeners—that’s you—can get $250 off the Pod Pro Cover. Simply go to EightSleep.com/Tim or use code TIM at checkout. 

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear the last time Dennis McKenna was on this show? Give a listen to our conversation here in which we discussed the psychedelic ecosystem, cultural back stories of now-common medicinal compounds, exploring the mysteries of ayahuasca with scientific curiosity, how the experiment at La Chorrera (as chronicled in brother Terence McKenna’s True Hallucinations) went off the rails, new thoughts on the stoned ape theory, and much more.

#523: Dennis McKenna — The Depths of Ayahuasca: 500+ Sessions, Fundamentals, Advanced Topics, Science, Churches, Learnings, Warnings, and BeyondSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Dennis McKenna:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Connect with McKenna Academy:

Website | Donate | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

ESPD 55 | McKenna Academy BioGnosis: Bridges to Ancestral Wisdom | McKenna AcademyDennis McKenna — The Depths of Ayahuasca: 500+ Sessions, Fundamentals, Advanced Topics, Science, Churches, Learnings, Warnings, and Beyond | The Tim Ferriss Show #523The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss: My Life with Terence McKenna by Dennis McKenna | AmazonHeffter Research InstituteThe Hoasca Project | MAPSBanisteriopsis Caapi | WikipediaUnderstanding MAO Inhibitors: Types, Side Effects, and More | HealthlineBreaking Down the Brew: Examining the Plants Commonly Used In Ayahuasca | Psychedelic TimesWhat is a Dieta? | Ayahuasca.comCultural Awareness: Understanding Curanderismo | ACAThe Curare Plant: A Cure All, or Kill All? | The Evergreen State CollegeSet and Setting: Why Preparation Matters | DoubleBlindMike Tyson on Smoking DMT: ‘Do You Understand the Toad?’ | The Art of Conversation with Dan Le BatardTetrahydroharmine – Mysterious Alkaloid of the Banisteriopsis Caapi | Gaia StorePsilocybe Cubensis | WikipediaKetamine Infusions vs. Intramuscular Ketamine Injections | SKICannabinoid Receptors in the Central Nervous System: Their Signaling and Roles in Disease | Frontiers in Cellular NeuroscienceBrain Activity of Anandamide: A Rewarding Bliss? | Acta Pharmacologica SinicaHow Opioid Drugs Activate Receptors | National Institutes of HealthReceptors & Ligands | 2-Minute NeuroscienceDMT Is in Your Head, but It May Be Too Weird for the Psychedelic Renaissance | Scientific American Blog NetworkJohn Chavez: How To Create DMT Naturally Inside Your Body | Wellness Force MediaMeet LUCA, the Ancestor of All Living Things | The New York TimesSignal Transduction Pathways | Bozeman ScienceThese Fungi Drug Cicadas with Psilocybin or Amphetamine to Make Them Mate Nonstop ⁠— The Insects Keep At It Even If Chunks of Their Abdomens Fall Off | Science NewsMassospora Cicadina | WikipediaKhat: Effects, Risks, and How to Get Help | Verywell MindAfter This Fungus Turns Ants Into Zombies, Their Bodies Explode | The New York TimesCordyceps | WikipediaParasite Makes Mice Lose Fear of Cats Permanently | NatureLSD May Offer Viable Treatment for Certain Mental Disorders | Neuroscience NewsHallucinogens and Culture by Peter T. Furst | AmazonThe Mushrooms of Language by Henry Munn | The Psychedelic LibraryThe Concept of Logos | Classical Wisdom WeeklyWhat Is It Like To Have Synesthesia? | The Royal InstitutionTrippy Research: Chemically-Induced Synesthesia | Technology NetworksSynesthesia on Psychedelics | ViceUnderstanding the Default Mode Network | Verywell HealthProfessor Donald Hoffman — The Case Against Reality, Beyond Spacetime, Rethinking Death, Panpsychism, QBism, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #585Aldous Huxley: The Reducing Valve Theory | Nexus Void50 Years Ago, an Apollo 14 Astronaut Played Golf on the Moon. Here’s the inside Story. | SpaceConsciousness: Edgar Mitchell’s Samadhi in Deep Space | Hinduism TodayOverview Effect and the Experience of Savikalpa Samadhi of the Astronauts | Technology of the HeartInstitute of Noetic Sciences (IONS)What is the Mystical Experience Questionnaire? | Psychedelic Science ReviewBicycle Day by Brian Blomerth | AmazonThe Mind of a Mnemonist: A Little Book about a Vast Memory by Aleksandr R. Luria | AmazonRain Man | Prime VideoBrainman: Inside the Mind of an Autistic Savant | The Marginalian5 Mind-Blowing Things Kim Peek Could Do That You Can’t | ABAThe Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs: Reflections on a Book that Changed My Life by Dennis MeKenna | American Botanical CouncilEthnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs (Vol. 1 & 2): 50 Years of Research Edited by Dr. Dennis McKenna, PhD; Professor Sir Ghillean T. Prance; Professor Wade Davis, PhD; Benjamin De Leonen | AmazonESPD 50 | VimeoIndigenous Communities in Post-FARC Colombia Struggle to Destigmatize Sacred Coca Leaf | MongabayKratom (Mitragyna Speciosa): Recent Advances in Understanding the Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Human Uses | ESPD 55Integral Projection Models: A Road Map for Sustainable Ayahuasca Production | ESPD 55Psychedelic Fauna for Psychonaut Hunters | ESPD 55A History of Psychoactive Plants and Fungi in Chinese Medicine | ESPD 55Farming Psychedelics and Other Tryptamine Medicines from Marine Sponges: Yield Enhancing Lessons from Psilocin | ESPD 55The Harpy’s Gift and the Jaguar’s Curse: Hunting Medicines Among the Matsigenka | ESPD 55Ethnopharmacology and Phytochemical Profiling of Huachuma | ESPD 55Expanding Evidence of Anadenanthera in the Pre-Columbian Andes: Identifying Depictions of Anadenanthera in the Iconographic Records of Cupisnique, Paracas and Nazca Cultures | ESPD 55Creation of an Ethnopharmacological Plant Repository in Southern Brazil. Presentation of a Collaborative Project to Establish a Collection of Sacred Psychoactive Medicinal Plants at Wasiwaska Research Center in Florianópolis, Brazil | ESPD 55Chemically-Induced Otherworldly Experiences of Zoroastrians in Iran | ESPD 55Huachuma Collective | InstagramInternational Society of Environmental Relationship And Sustainability (ISERS)What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about the Brain | Scientific AmericanNear-Death Experiences Evidence for Their Reality | Missouri MedicineHamlet’s Soliloquy | Monologue ArchiveCan Psychedelics Help Make Dying Easier? | Rolling StoneInterview: Celebrity Psychonaut Dennis McKenna | NAILED MagazinePharmahuasca: Can a Chemical Ayahuasca Alternative Compare? | KhapiAn Urgent Plea to Users of Psychedelics: Let’s Consider a More Ethical Menu of Plants and Compounds | Tim FerrissThe Native American Church and Peyote Ceremonies | Learn ReligionsIndigenous Peyote Conservation InitiativeMesoamerican Cosmovision | WikipediaLophophora Williamsii (Mescal, Mescal Buttons, Peyote) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxThe English Diggers (1649-50) | The Digger ArchivesFailed ‘Utopias’ Throughout History | ViceScarface | Prime VideoWhat Is a Bodhisattva? | TricycleIn ‘Stoned Ape’ Theory, Consciousness Has Roots in Psilocybin | InverseCannabis 101: Educational Information & Resources | LeaflyMarijuana Is 67,200 Times Stronger than It Used to Be (According to the Media) | CrackedDifference Between Hashish And Marijuana? | Sunrise House Treatment CenterWeed Rituals: A Cross-Cultural Connection to Calm | LeaflyAmazonian Digital Herbarium Project | Botanical DimensionsA Plant Whose Virtues Remain Undiscovered | Mother Earth NewsSHOW NOTESHow Dennis and his brother Terence tuned in to “vegetable television” with the addition of an ayahuasca ingredient to their regular consumption of mushrooms and cannabis, and why even the components of tried-and-true ayahuasca are in constant flux depending on who’s making it. [07:39]Why is it that psychoactive drugs don’t always work — even in people who usually feel their effects — and what keeps us from finding out through controlled studies? [13:51]As much as Dennis has experimented with adding and subtracting ingredients to various psychoactive admixtures, he’s come to believe it’s best to avoid combinations if possible. There are often alternative ways to dial the effects of these substances up or down as desired. [21:43]Why would we have cannabinoid, opiate, and other molecular receptors in our brains unless we’re designed to consume these substances from external sources? [29:45]Tales of terror from the world of psilocybin cicadas, cordyceps zombies, and toxoplasmic rodents. [36:34]Dennis shares his thoughts on psychedelics as a potential treatment for dyslexia and other language-based disorders. [42:20]What happened to Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell after having his savikalpa samadhi experience — a mystic glimpse beyond the self into the true nature of things? Does Dennis believe current psychedelic pioneers are misguided in downplaying the mystical experiences certain compounds bring out in people? [50:18]For anyone curious about Albert Hofmann’s discovery of LSD, Dennis recommends the graphic novel Bicycle Day by Brian Blomerth. [53:48]My recommended resources for learning more about the perceptual phenomenon of synesthesia. [54:58]What ESPD 55 entails: its history, its itinerary, and how you can participate even if you can’t physically make it to the conference in the UK from May 23rd to the 26th. [56:51]How does Dennis relate to mortality and the inevitability of death? [1:08:54]What is BioGnosis? [1:11:56]How does Dennis feel about synthetic substitutes for psychedelic compounds that have been traditionally harvested from natural — and often endangered — sources? What adaptations might groups who see these plants as sacred have to make to ensure that some of them don’t go extinct? [1:14:16]Most communities of any size eventually have to deal with in-fighting and power grabs from a certain element, and the psychedelic community is no exception. Can Dennis imagine any solutions to this unfortunate reality? [1:25:31]What would Dennis choose if he could only partake of three psychoactive substances for the rest of his life? [1:35:02]The pros and cons of cannabis consumption and its methods of delivery, and how modern strains can induce experiences akin to psychedelics. [1:36:38]What we can expect from an upcoming second edition of The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss, The BioGnosis Project (and its first associated documentary (to be screened at ESPD 55), virtualizing the Herbarium in Iquitos, and other parting thoughts. [1:42:46]MORE DENNIS MCKENNA QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“There is no such thing as a standardized mixture of ayahuasca because each preparation is as different as the practitioners that prepare it. It has their idiosyncratic stamp on it.”

— Dennis McKenna

“I think psychedelics are our co-evolutionary partners. I think they help us become better people, but you have to work at it. Like any kind of spiritual, moral, ethical development, you’re not going to make it unless you actually try and believe in it.”

— Dennis McKenna

“A lot of these plants are not very well investigated from a scientific point of view, but it’s an empirical science. And the point is in some ways these practitioners, shamans, curanderos, they’re really scientists in a certain sense. They’re experimental about it and they don’t hesitate to say, ‘Well, what if I take this and mix it with that? What’s going to happen? How is that going to change the effect?’ Those who survive this process make discoveries, but there is the potential to take the wrong things.”

— Dennis McKenna

“Nature is drenched in DMT.”

— Dennis McKenna

“Long before I heard of default mode network, I was calling it the reality hallucination. Effectively, we live in a hallucination. We live in an artificial world reality that our brains construct. And it must reflect whatever’s out there, because we’re not wandering around stepping in front of buses and things like that. So it does map to reality in some ways, but it’s actually an impoverished version of reality. A lot of what the brain does is filter things out.”

— Dennis McKenna

“To make the world comprehensible, you have to selectively filter what gets in. You inhabit this filtered — you could almost use the word curated — version of reality. Otherwise, it would just be a blooming, buzzing confusion you wouldn’t be able to navigate. And then you can take a psychedelic. You can disable those mechanisms. You can disable this default mode mechanism, open the gates of the reducing valve, and that can be very beneficial in terms of helping you get outside of your reference frame.”

— Dennis McKenna

“I have nothing against synthetics. I think synthetics have their place. Like I like to tell people, synthetics are made by all-natural organic chemists. They come from nature, ultimately.”

— Dennis McKenna

“It’s hard to find consensus. Everybody’s got a different idea and we have a hard time listening to each other.”

— Dennis McKenna

“I know lots of people who take lots of psychedelics. They’re still assholes. It’s not a cure for that.”

— Dennis McKenna

“It’s just tough to be a kind and gentle and insightful and wise person. That’s kind of what we’re here for, though, I think.”

— Dennis McKenna

“We’re midway between the apes and the angels right now.”

— Dennis McKenna

PEOPLE MENTIONEDTerence McKennaMark PlotkinDon Fidel MosambiteAndrew WeilJohn ChavezHenry MunnPeter T. FurstAldous HuxleyAlan ShepardEdgar MitchellRoland R. GriffithsAlbert HofmannBrian BlomerthAleksandr R. LuriaJerome S. BrunerDaniel TammetKim PeekWade DavisDonna TorresPaul StametsLaurel Anne SugdenJosip OrlovacMichael CoeWilliam ShakespeareQuanah ParkerRalph Waldo Emerson

“Dangerous times demand dangerous songs.”

— Tom Morello

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

You’ll get plenty of that in this special episode, which features my interview with Tom Morello from my 2017 TV Show Fear{less}. The “less” is in parentheses because the objective is to teach you to fear less, not to be fearless.

Fear{less} features in-depth, long-form conversations with top performers, focusing on how they’ve overcome fears and made hard decisions, embracing discomfort and thinking big.

It was produced by Wild West Productions, and I worked with them to make both the video and audio available to you for free, my dear listeners. You can find the video of this episode on YouTube.com/TimFerriss, and eventually you’ll be able to see all episodes for free at YouTube.com/TimFerriss.

Spearheaded by actor/producer and past podcast guest Vince Vaughn, Wild West Productions has produced a string of hit movies including The Internship, Couples Retreat, Four Christmases, and The Break-Up.

In 2020, Wild West produced the comedy The Opening Act, starring Jimmy O. Yang and Cedric The Entertainer. In addition to Fear{less}, their television credits include Undeniable with Joe Buck, ESPN’s 30 for 30 episode about the ’85 Bears, and the Netflix animated show F is for Family.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.

Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercastTom Morello of Rage Against the Machine Fame — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss (#591)

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

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

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear an episode with another phenomenal musician featured on Fear{less}? Have a listen to my conversation with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stewart Copeland, in which we discussed having fun with music without worrying about the consequences of making mistakes, the energy-generating properties of righteous anger, advice for rock musicians who want to score films, making Machiavellian power moves in the music management business, gig preparation, and much more.

#581: Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stewart Copeland — Fear{less} with Tim FerrissSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Tom Morello:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

Rage Against The MachineAudioslave | WikipediaThe Nightwatchman | WikipediaProphets of Rage | WikipediaMarseilles, IllinoisOffice of the Presidency | KenyaLibertyville, IllinoisBrown’s ChickenTom Morello Shares Racist Experiences with Police, the KKK + Fans | LoudwireKISSAC/DCBlack SabbathMaster of Puppets by Metallica | Amazon MusicLed ZeppelinDetroit Rock City by Kiss | Amazon MusicJimmy Page and His Black Magic Highland Home | The ScotsmanNever Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols by Sex Pistols | Amazon MusicLibertyville Theatre | Libertyville High SchoolStyxKansasJourneyToolThe ClashAragon BallroomErnie Ball Music Man Amplifiers & Effects | Guitar CenterHarvard UniversityStudents Protest Investment in Apartheid South Africa | The Harvard CrimsonSoweto, Johannesburg | South African History OnlineHistory of the Chevy Astro Van | LoveToKnowThe Beginner’s Guide to Hollywood | Discover Los AngelesRUN-DMCAerosmithPublic EnemyIron MaidenRage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello Worked as a Stripper | Far OutBrick House by The Commodores | Amazon MusicLock Up (American Band) | WikipediaAl’s Bar (CLOSED) | YelpRed Hot Chili PeppersThe Problem with Music by Steve Albini | The BafflerPearl JamThe Bomb Squad | WikipediaTake the Power Back by Rage Against the Machine | Amazon Music5 Guys Who′ve Been Called the ′Fifth Beatle′ | DWBulls on Parade (Live) by Rage Against the Machine | Amazon MusicWoodstock ’99: Worst Things About Infamous Music Fest | Rolling StoneThe Garden of Gethsemane by The Nightwatchman at Guitar Center Sessions | YouTubeJameson WhiskeyNebraska by Bruce Springsteen | Amazon MusicMetallica by Metallica | Amazon MusicThis Is Spinal Tap | Prime VideoHotel Intercontinental | NairobiWatership Down: A Novel by Richard Adams | AmazonWhite Riot by The Clash | Amazon MusicTire Me by Rage Against the Machine | Amazon MusicCypress HillProphets Of Rage by Prophets Of Rage | Amazon MusicProphets of Rage Perform Free Show on Skid Row in L.A. | LoudwireProphets of Rage Play Surprise Set Outside California Prison | Rolling StoneProphets of Rage Bring Their Anger to the Republican Convention | The New York TimesWhoomp! There It Is (Radio Edit) by Tag Team | Amazon MusicChicago Cubs | MLB.comSHOW NOTESTom shares what it’s like to try something musically for the first time and then present it to others — whether it’s to bandmates or an audience. [05:24]My first impressions upon hearing Tom’s work in Rage Against the Machine. [09:16]Where did Tom’s parents meet, and what was it like to grow up as an interracial child with a single mother in Libertyville, Illinois during the mid-1960s when they parted? [09:49]How did Tom’s mother encourage him to respond to the racism he would sometimes encounter in this otherwise idyllic Midwestern suburb? [12:46]What politicized Tom even more than reading Noam Chomsky in high school? [14:54]When did music enter the picture for Tom, and what precipitated his first band coming together? What experience really drove home the fact that making music was an accessible goal? [16:32]How did Tom learn guitar? [20:59]How did Tom become the first person from Libertyville, Illinois to ever go to Harvard, and what did he take away from his experience there? [22:24]After graduation, Tom drove his Chevy Astro van west to Hollywood with a thousand dollars and a dream. How long did the money last, how supportive was his mom of this endeavor, and what was his plan B if things didn’t go as intended? For that matter, how thought-out was plan A? [23:36]Exotic dancing as a makeshift plan B. [25:32]How did Tom become involved in the band Lock Up, and why was getting signed to a major record label more of a curse than a blessing? [26:32]How did Rage Against the Machine come together, and what kind of experimentalism did Tom bring to the band? [28:27]When did Tom know Rage Against the Machine was working, and how did his experience with Locked Up inform his approach to dealing with the music industry when it came knocking this time around? [30:51]Who finally succeeded in signing Rage Against the Machine, and to what does Tom credit the enthusiastic response of the fandom to the band’s live performances? [33:17]How performing as a solo acoustic act in front of eight people in a coffee shop can be a more vulnerable experience than playing as part of a band live on television for millions. [36:26]How Tom prepares for a gig. [39:01]What factors contributed to the end of Rage Against the Machine? [40:40]How did Tom’s father come back into his life? [41:42]If Tom weren’t a guitar player, what would he do for a living? [47:23]If Tom had to teach someone guitar in three months, what would the curriculum be? [47:44]What are the biggest wastes of time Tom sees novice musicians making? What are the wrong things to focus on? [48:58]As a teacher, what advice might Tom have for an aspiring young artist who can’t seem to make a connection with their audience? [50:14]What book has Tom gifted most? [51:12]An inspiring quote Tom ponders often. [51:56]An inexpensive purchase that has had a positive impact on Tom’s life. [52:44]How did Prophets of Rage come together? [53:30]What would Tom’s billboard say? [55:54]Advice for artists who might feel too intimidated to try changing the world. [56:22]MORE TOM MORELLO QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“Dangerous times demand dangerous songs.”
— Tom Morello

“Any time you broadcast your soul artistically, be careful because somebody may be listening and you can make a connection that you wouldn’t otherwise.”
— Tom Morello

“I got to, with smug satisfaction, watch as the young racist child’s mouth was washed out with soap in front of the whole crew. And I went, ‘There might be something to this Malcolm X.'”
— Tom Morello

“People ask, ‘How were you politicized?’ And it wasn’t from reading Noam Chomsky in high school. It was recognizing that there was grave injustice on the playground.”
— Tom Morello

“I naively put out ads in all the local press saying, ‘Shredding guitar player seeks awesome Marxist front man. Influences: Run DMC and Iron Maiden.’ I did not get a lot of replies to that.”
— Tom Morello

“You think, when you’re in suburban Illinois, when you get a record deal that you’re a millionaire. Exactly the opposite.”
— Tom Morello

PEOPLE MENTIONEDRandy RhoadsEddie Van HalenMary MorelloNgethe NjorogeMalcolm XNoam ChomskyRobert PlantKirk HammettJoe StrummerZack De La RochaTim CommerfordBrad WilkEddie VedderTerminator XJam Master JayDr. DreChuck BerryJimi HendrixMichael GoldstoneJames BrownBob DylanWoody GuthrieBruce SpringsteenJohnny CashAngus YoungRichard AdamsB-RealChuck DDJ Lord

Illustration via 99designs

“It’s about the mission, not about your ego.”

— Tony Fadell

Tony Fadell (@tfadell) is an active investor and entrepreneur with a 30+ year history of founding companies and designing products that profoundly improve people’s lives. As the principal at Future Shape, a global investment and advisory firm coaching engineers and scientists working on foundational deep technology, he is continuing to help bring technology out of the lab and into our lives. Currently, Future Shape is coaching 200+ startups innovating game-changing technologies. 

Tony began his career in Silicon Valley at General Magic, the most influential startup nobody has ever heard of. He is the founder and former CEO of Nest, the company that pioneered the “Internet of Things” and created the Nest Learning Thermostat. Tony was the SVP of Apple’s iPod Division and led the team that created the first 18 generations of the iPod and the first three generations of the iPhone. Throughout his career, Tony has authored more than 300 patents. In May 2016, TIME named the Nest Learning Thermostat, the iPod, and the iPhone as three of the “50 Most Influential Gadgets of All Time.” 

His new book is Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making. 

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by LinkedIn Marketing Solutions marketing platform with ~770M users, LMNT electrolyte supplement, and Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating. More on all three below.

Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercast#590: Tony Fadell of iPod, iPhone, and Nest Fame — Stories of Steve Jobs on “Vacation,” Product Design and Team Building, Good Assholes vs. Bad Assholes, Investing in Trends Before They Become Trends, The Hydrogen Economy, The Future of Batteries, and More

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, the go-to tool for B2B marketers and advertisers who want to drive brand awareness, generate leads, or build long-term relationships that result in real business impact.

With a community of more than 770 million professionals, LinkedIn is gigantic, but it can be hyper-specific. You have access to a diverse group of people all searching for things they need to grow professionally. LinkedIn has the marketing tools to help you target your customers with precision, right down to job title, company name, industry, etc. To redeem your free $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to LinkedIn.com/TFS!

This episode is brought to you by Eight Sleep! Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover is the easiest and fastest way to sleep at the perfect temperature. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to offer the most advanced (and user-friendly) solution on the market. Simply add the Pod Pro Cover to your current mattress and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F. It also splits your bed in half, so your partner can choose a totally different temperature.

And now, my dear listeners—that’s you—can get $250 off the Pod Pro Cover. Simply go to EightSleep.com/Tim or use code TIM at checkout. 

This episode is brought to you by LMNT! What is LMNT? It’s a delicious, sugar-free electrolyte drink mix. I’ve stocked up on boxes and boxes of this and usually use it 1–2 times per day. LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or Paleo diet. If you are on a low-carb diet or fasting, electrolytes play a key role in relieving hunger, cramps, headaches, tiredness, and dizziness.

LMNT came up with a very special offer for you, my dear listeners. For a limited time, you can claim a free LMNT Sample Pack—you only cover the cost of shipping. For US customers, this means you can receive an 8-count sample pack for only $5. Simply go to DrinkLMNT.com/Tim to claim your free 8-count sample pack.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear the last time Tony was on the show? Listen to our conversation here in which we discussed the repercussions of quitting caffeine cold turkey, why companies sometimes fail in spite of retaining a solid roster of talent, advice for people learning to lead on the fly, valuable lessons learned from Steve Jobs, seeing problems and building skills from a curious beginner’s perspective, managing impatience as a driving force without ticking off the other people working on a project, and much more.

#403: Tony Fadell — On Building the iPod, iPhone, Nest, and a Life of CuriositySELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Tony Fadell:

Personal Twitter | Future Shape Twitter | Instagram

Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making by Tony Fadell | Amazon Out of the Lab and Into Our Lives | Future ShapeTony Fadell — On Building the iPod, iPhone, Nest, and a Life of Curiosity | The Tim Ferriss Show #403Organizational Chart | WikipediaTribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World by Timothy Ferriss | AmazonSteve Jobs’ Favorite Vacation Spot | Steve Jurvetson, FlickrGeneral Magic (Documentary) | Prime VideoJodorowsky’s Dune | Prime VideoComplete Dune Series by Frank Herbert | AmazonAlien | Prime VideoWhat is ADHD? | CDCJob Burnout: How to Spot It and Take Action | Mayo ClinicThe Future of Work After COVID-19 | McKinseyYour Digital HQ | SlackSimple, Secure, Reliable Messaging | WhatsAppStay Connected With Free Video Calls Worldwide | SkypeFor Tony Fadell, the Future of Startups Is Connected and Sustainable | TechCrunchThe Key to Tackling Climate Change: Electrify Everything | VoxSustainability Is Just Good Business | Turntide TechnologiesThe Next Generation of Electrification | Menlo MicrosystemsOf Wolves and Men by Barry Lopez | AmazonJamie Foxx on Workout Routines, Success Habits, and Untold Hollywood Stories | The Tim Ferriss Show #124Steve Jobs’? Lesson about Storytelling | LinkedInWhy a Former Employee Thinks Apple Is ‘Boring’ under Tim Cook | MashableWhat “Machiavellian” Really Means | TED-EdNest Founder Says Plastic Apologists Are ‘Lying’ | FortuneFrequently Asked Questions about Plastic Recycling and Composting | US EPAWhat is E-waste Recycling? | Conserve Energy FutureSustainable Materials Power the Future | Redwood MaterialsTony Fadell Looks to Disrupt Silicon Valley | SURFACE“The World’s First Trillionaire Will Be Made in Climate Change.” | Chamath Palihapitiya, TwitterBuilding the Global Hydrogen Economy | CSISBiomass Fueling America’s Growing Clean Energy Economy | Department of EnergyGigaton Carbon Removal and the Paris Climate Agreement | Atlantic CouncilAchieve Net Zero Targets | ClimeworksBiochar | WikipediaWhat is Carbon Sequestration? | US Geological SurveyCarbon Capture, Utilization, & Storage | Department of EnergyPut Oil Back Underground | Charm IndustrialNext-Generation Carbon Removal | Carbo CultureCarbon Capture for Semi-Trucks | RemoraThe Shark and Remora Relationship | Scuba.comA Look inside China’s Timely Charging Infrastructure Plan | GreenbizAmerica’s Electric-Vehicle Charging Infrastructure | McKinseyWhat the War in Ukraine Means for Energy, Climate and Food | Nature10 Alternatives to Lithium-Ion Batteries: Which New Tech Will Power the Future? | Green AuthorityThe New US Plan to Rival China’s Dominance in Rare Earth Metals | CNBCReforming Global Fossil Fuel Subsidies: How the United States Can Restart International Cooperation | The Brookings InstitutionTo Counter China’s Economic Influence, Rebuild the American Heartland | The Brookings InstitutionOpinion: Inflation Myths Have Reached Fan-Fiction Proportions | The Washington PostThe Coming Revolution in the American Economy | The New RepublicYou Are What You Read: Six Ways to Change Your Media Diet | Ethical Journalism NetworkIt’s Time to Unite the World to Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic | ForbesLegendary Investor John Doerr on Picking Winners — From Google in 1999 to Solving the Climate Crisis Now | The Tim Ferriss Show #543Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now by John Doerr | AmazonUnleashing Climate Innovation | MCJ CollectiveThe Hundred-Year Marathon: China’s Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower by Michael Pillsbury | AmazonThe Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail by Ray Dalio | AmazonSHOW NOTESHow did Tony overcome his lack of patience long enough to write Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making ? [07:38]What did Tony learn from Steve Jobs about taking vacations, and why did he lead the “Killing Yourself for Work” chapter in Build with this story? [12:30]As a CEO, what did Tony accomplish in his downtime? [21:03]Tony shares his thoughts on managing big jobs with small teams, and how to chalk up wins that best alleviate burnout. [24:07]The best practices Tony has found for efficiently dividing labor among the members of a small team. [28:40]What do the headcount and org chart look like within Future Shape? [36:20]How does Future Shape differ from a VC firm, and what is its mission? Why was the COVID pandemic minimally disruptive to the way the company handles meetings and does business? [39:17]What is programmable electrification, and how is Future Shape involved in its development? [44:50]“The story doesn’t exist to sell your product. It’s there to help you define it.” Tony shares how this concept played into the creation of Build, and what Build is intended to provide to its readership. [51:00]How did Steve Jobs use story to define projects and products at Apple? [59:47]Tony admits that plenty of people think he’s an asshole. But what differentiates an acceptable asshole from an unacceptable asshole? [1:01:43]In our last conversation, Tony drove home the necessity of finding creative ways to cope with the world’s overabundance of plastics. What progress has been made on this front since then, and what other materials can be reclaimed from the things we throw away regularly? [1:06:12]How does Tony’s small team leverage its time and resources to focus on solving the problems that will have the largest impact? [1:09:17]Underestimated targets related to climate change that Tony thinks deserve more attention. [1:13:16]Tony’s thoughts on the efficacy of carbon removal, and companies that are aiming to do it right. [1:17:45]How will geopolitics figure into the supply chain for an electron-based economy? [1:24:28]How can we cultivate optimism in our younger generations when the constant barrage of doom and gloom from the media is generating higher-than-ever levels of apathy and passivism in the populace? What can we do to consume a healthier media diet? [1:30:34]Audience asks and parting thoughts. [1:37:58]MORE TONY FADELL QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“The story doesn’t exist to sell your product. It’s there to help you define it.”
— Tony Fadell

“All energy in the world today that is created, 60 percent of that is lost in inefficiencies. It doesn’t even do work. So just imagine what our climate crisis would be if we just saved that energy.”
— Tony Fadell

“To me, waste is horrid. I abhor waste. I loathe waste. When I go to the trash can each day, I’m like, ‘Okay, this is organic. I know where that could go. But where is this thing going? Where is that thing going?’ And it drives me nuts. And so when I see something like 60 percent of energy goes away just in losses, I’m like, ‘Where can we go target that?'”
— Tony Fadell

“We don’t ever want to add more people to the team because we think lean and mean is better, but at some point you’re killing each other because you’re trying to do too much. So either do less, or you’ve got to add capabilities and hands to the situation.”
— Tony Fadell

“We call ourselves mentors with money.”
— Tony Fadell

“Our planet is incredibly sick and we caused it. Nobody else did. You can’t just sit around and go, ‘Well, it’s sick. I don’t know what to do.’ It’s a family member. It’s so important. What are you doing to be on the right side and trying to find solutions, both personally and professionally?”

— Tony Fadell

“It’s about the mission, not about your ego.”
— Tony Fadell

PEOPLE MENTIONEDDina LovinskySteve JobsAlejandro JodorowskyH.R. GigerMolly FerrissBarry LopezJamie FoxxNiccolò MachiavelliChamath PalihapitiyaMichael PillsburyRay Dalio

Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash

The following is a guest post from A.J. Jacobs (@ajjacobs), a bestselling author, journalist, and human guinea pig. It is excerpted from his new book The Puzzler: One Man’s Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaws to the Meaning of Life. A.J. has written four New York Times bestsellers, including The Year of Living Biblically (for which he followed all the rules of the Bible as literally as possible) and Thanks a Thousand (for which he went around the world and thanked every person who had even the smallest role in making his morning cup of coffee possible). He has given four TED talks with a combined 10M+ views. He contributes to NPR and The New York Times and wrote the article “My Outsourced Life,” which was featured in The 4-Hour Workweek. He was once the answer to one down in The New York Times crossword puzzle. 

You can find my interview from 2016 with A.J here, and you can find last week’s interview with A.J. here.

Please enjoy!

Enter A.J…

My father was the one to introduce me to math puzzles.

He didn’t focus on the traditional kind. His were weirder than that, more homegrown. My dad’s greatest joy comes from baffling unsuspecting people—strangers, friends, family, whomever—and he often accomplishes this with math-based hijinks.

One time, when I was about eight years old, I asked my dad how fast race cars went. This was before Google, so my father was my version of a search engine.

“The fastest ones get up to about 50 million,” my dad said.

Even to my unschooled mind, 50 million miles per hour seemed off.

“That doesn’t sound right,” I said.

“Yes it is,” he said. “50 million fathoms per fortnight.”

I just stared at him.

“Oh, you wanted miles per hour?” my dad said. “I thought you meant in fathoms per fortnight.”

As you might know, a fathom equals six feet, and a fortnight is two weeks. My dad had decided that fathoms per fortnight would be his default way to measure speed, on the probably correct theory that no one else on earth had ever used that metric. I thanked him for this helpful information.

So, as you can see, I was exposed to recreational math early on, leaving me with a mixed legacy—a love of numbers, a healthy skepticism about numbers, and paranoia.

For this puzzle project, I’ve bought a dozen books with math and logic brainteasers. Reading these books often induces a mild panic. How would I know how many spheres can simultaneously touch a center sphere? I can’t even figure out where to start. What’s the entry point?

To remedy this problem, I decided to consult one of the world’s experts on math puzzles, hoping to learn some of her methods. Tanya Khovanova greets me on a video call. But before I’m allowed to ask her anything, she has a question for me.

“I have two coins,” she says, in a Russian accent. “Together they add up to 15 cents. One of them is not a nickel. What are the two coins?”

My palms begin to sweat. I did not expect a pop quiz.

Maybe she’s talking about foreign coins? Maybe rubles are involved, I say?

“Not foreign coins,” she says. “American currency.”

I employ one of the puzzle-solving strategies that I do know: Look closely at all of the words and see if you have fallen for any hidden assumptions.

Two coins.
Add up to 15.
One of them is not a nickel.

That last phrase is kind of ambiguous. She didn’t say “neither of them are nickels.” So . . . what if one is not a nickel, but the other one is?

“A dime and a nickel?” I say, tentatively. “Because the other one is a nickel?”

“Okay. You passed the test. So you can continue,” she says, smiling.

This is a relief. Because Tanya is a fascinating character. She is a Russian émigré who is now a lecturer at MIT. She writes a popular blog about the world’s twistiest math and logic puzzles (it’s called simply Tanya Khovanova’s Math Blog). And she has cracked pretty much every great math puzzle ever created. We’re talking coin puzzles, matchstick-arranging puzzles, river-crossing puzzles, math equation puzzles.

Tanya is on a mission. “I am very upset at the world,” she says. “There is so much faulty thinking, and puzzles can help us think better.”

Consider probability, she says. We are terrible at thinking probabilistically, and puzzles about odds can help us learn. They could teach us, for instance, the folly of playing the lottery. “The situation is unethical. I think that lottery organizers should spend part of the money they make on lotteries to educate people not to play the lottery.”

Tanya has been fascinated with math since her childhood in Moscow.

“The first thing that I remember, it wasn’t a puzzle, it was an idea. I remember that I was five years old and we were on a vacation in a village, and I was trying to go to sleep and I was thinking after each number there is the next number, and then there is the next number. At some point, I realized that there should be an infinity of numbers. And I had this feeling like I’m touching infinity, I’m touching the universe, just a euphoric feeling.”

Being a female Jewish math genius in 1970s Soviet Russia was not easy. She faced sexism and anti-Semitism. Tanya says the test for the prestigious Moscow State University—the Soviet equivalent of MIT—was rigged against Jews. Jewish students were given a separate and more difficult test. The problems were called “coffin problems,” which translates to “killer problems.” Tanya studied with other Jewish students and managed to pass the unfair test.

In 1990, Tanya left Russia. She moved to the United States and married a longtime American friend. She worked for a defense contractor near Boston but hated it because “I thought it destroyed my karma.” She started teaching as a volunteer at MIT before they hired her as a full-time lecturer.

Her philosophy: puzzles should be used more often in teaching math. First of all, they entertain us while teaching us how to think rigorously. And second, puzzles can lead to genuine advances in mathematics—topics such as conditional probability and topology were originally explored in puzzle form.

Math Puzzles 1.0

The very first math puzzles—at least according to some scholars—date back to Egypt’s Rhind Papyrus, about 1500 B.C.E. They’re closer to problems than puzzles, since they don’t require much ingenuity. But the unnamed author did try to spice them up with some whimsical details, such as in Problem 79.

Problem 79. There are seven houses.
In each house there are seven cats.
Each cat kills seven mice.
Each mouse has eaten seven grains of barley.
Each grain would have produced seven hekat (a unit of measurement).
What is the sum of all the enumerated things?

Arguably the first book with actual twisty and turny math puzzles came several centuries later. The ninth century Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne was a puzzle addict, and he hired a British scholar named Alcuin of York to be his official puzzlemaker. Alcuin’s book Problems to Sharpen the Young introduced, among other things, the first known river-crossing problem. Here it is:

A man has to transport a wolf, a goat, and a bunch of cabbages across a river. His boat could take only two of these at a time. How can he do this without leaving the wolf alone with the goat (as he might eat it) or the goat alone with the cabbages (as it might eat them)?

For river-crossing problems, you need to realize that you must take a counterintuitive step backward before continuing forward. You must think outside the box.

Way Outside the Box

Tanya reminds me that “thinking outside of the box” wasn’t always a cliché. The origin of the phrase is an actual puzzle: Connect all the dots in this diagram using just four straight lines:

The answer:

Nowadays the phrase is overused and is often a punchline, as in the cartoon of the cat thinking outside its litter box. But it’s still an important concept: to find a solution, you often have to break expectations.

“My students have taught me as much as I have taught them about this,” she says.

“How do you mean?” I ask.

She tells me to think about this puzzle: “You have a basket containing five apples. You have five hungry friends. You give each of your friends one apple. After the distribution, each of your friends has one apple, yet there is an apple remaining in the basket. How can that be?”

The traditional answer is: you give four friends an apple, and then hand the fifth friend the basket with the apple still in it. So each friend has an apple, and there’s still one in the basket.

“For that answer, you have to think out of the box,” says Tanya. “But my students have come up with answers that are even farther out of the box.”

Their suggestions include:

One friend already has an apple.
You kill one of your friends.
You are narcissistic and you are your own friend.
The friend who didn’t get an apple stops being your friend.
An extra apple falls from the tree to the basket.
And Tanya’s favorite: The basket is your friend. We should not discount people’s emotional connection with inanimate objects.

“The lesson my students taught me is that I’m good at thinking outside the box. But I realized, I’m inside my own bigger box. And maybe we all are.”

How to Solve Problems

But how do you get yourself to think outside the box? How do you approach a math problem? I know how to start a jigsaw puzzle (the edges, usually) and a crossword (look for plurals and fill in the Ses). But how do you approach a math problem?

After talking to Tanya and another great math puzzle expert, Dartmouth professor Peter Winkler, I’ve come up with a list of tools for math and logic problems. Here are three of my favorites.

1) Reverse it.

When confronted with a problem, try reversing it. Turn it upside down.

Sometimes quite literally, turn it upside down.

Such as this problem:

What number belongs in the blank in this sequence:
16 06 68 88 __ 98
(It’s 87. Turn the page upside down to see why.)

There are other puzzles that require you to reverse your thinking in a slightly less literal way. Like this one:

A man is imprisoned in a ten-foot by ten-foot by ten-foot room. The walls are made of concrete, the floor is made of dirt, and the only openings are a locked door and a skylight. The man has a small shovel and starts to dig a hole in the floor. He knows that it is impossible to tunnel out of the prison cell, but he continues to dig anyway. What is the man’s plan?

Pause here if you want to figure it out yourself.

The solution is: The man wasn’t just digging a hole. He was also doing the opposite: building a little mountain of dirt. And his plan was to climb the mountain and get to the skylight.

I love reversing my thinking. Earlier this week, I was cleaning up the trail of clothes left by the males in our family (including me) that littered our apartment. I picked up an armload of clothes, then went to the hamper in my bedroom and dumped the clothes, then went back out. But wait. What if I . . . took the hamper with me. If I bring the hamper to the clothes. I’d save myself several trips. As Will Shortz once suggested, I took a bow.

2) Figure out the real goal.

One of my favorite brainteasers comes from Martin Gardner, who wrote a famous monthly column about math puzzles in Scientific American for three decades, starting in 1962. He died in 2010, but he still has tons of devotees, hundreds of whom attend a biannual event, the Gathering 4 Gardner, where they talk puzzles, paradoxes, and the genius of Martin.

Martin posed this puzzle in his book Entertaining Mathematical Puzzles:

Two boys on bicycles, 20 miles apart, began racing directly toward each other. The instant they started, a fly on the handlebar of one bicycle started flying straight toward the other cyclist. As soon as it reached the other handlebar, it turned and started back. The fly flew back and forth in this way, from handlebar to handlebar, until the two bicycles met.

If each bicycle had a constant speed of 10 miles an hour, and the fly flew at a constant speed of 15 miles an hour, how far did the fly fly?

Pause here if you want to try it yourself, spoilers ahead.

So how to solve this? Most people’s first instinct—including mine—is to trace the back-and-forth path of the fly and try to add up the distance.

With this method, you’d try to calculate the distance from Biker 1’s handlebars to Biker 2’s handlebars. Then the fly would make a U-turn, so you’d calculate the next distance, from Biker 2 to Biker 1. And so on until the bikes met.

This turns out to be a highly complex computation involving the speed of the bikers, the speed of the insect, and time and distance. The operation is called “summing an infinite series.”

This calculation is impossible to do in your head. Well, practically impossible. Legend has it that the brilliant Hungarian mathematician John von Neumann was once asked this brainteaser at a party, and, to the amazement of the quizzer, gave the correct answer by summing the “infinite series” in his head, no calculator needed.

Von Neumann was too smart for his own good. If he had paused for a moment, he might have realized there’s a much easier way to solve this problem.

Which brings me back to the strategy: What is the real goal?

You want to phrase the problem in the simplest possible way. Strip the problem to its basics, and you’ll realize you are looking for one thing: the distance the fly can fly in an allotted amount of time.

You can ignore the fly’s back and forth switch of directions. You can ignore the handlebars. They’re irrelevant. You just need to know how far the insect can go in the time it takes the bikes to meet.

Which turns out to be a pretty easy calculation:

If each bike was going at 10 miles per hour, and they were 20 miles apart, then it would take the bikes one hour to reach each other.

So the fly was buzzing around for one hour. What is the distance the fly can cover in one hour? Well, it’s going 15 miles per hour. So the answer is fifteen miles.

We often complicate problems when there’s an easier method right in front of us. I think this is true in more than just math puzzles.

I’m not sure if this is exactly analogous, but it’s staring me in the mirror, so let me tell you about one example. Recently, I was faced with the puzzle of how to cut my own hair. During quarantine, I couldn’t go to the barber, and Julie claimed she wasn’t qualified. I had to do it myself using YouTube tutorials.

My first attempt to cut my own hair had mixed results. The front turned out okay, but the harder-to-reach back of my head was a disaster, filled with uneven patches.

So I paused. I rephrased the problem. The goal is not to cut my hair flawlessly. The goal is to look respectable on Zoom. And on Zoom, no one ever sees the back of my head.

So the simplest solution: Just cut the front of my hair and leave the back alone to grow wild and free. Puzzle solved! Though for the first time in my life, I do have a mullet.

3) Break it down into manageable chunks 

One type of logic puzzle—often called Fermi Problems—provides excellent training for solving some real-life problems. A Fermi Problem is one like this: “How many piano tuners are there in New York City?” You have to estimate the size of something about which you are totally ignorant. 

If you just take a wild guess without reflecting, you’ll probably be off by orders of magnitude. Instead, as David Epstein explains in the psychology book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, the best method is to break the problem down into parts you can reasonably estimate.

As Epstein writes: “How many households are in New York? What portion might have pianos? How often are pianos tuned? How long might it take to tune a piano? How many homes can one tuner reach in a day? How many days a year does a tuner work?” 

You won’t guess it exactly, but you’ll be much more likely to be in the ballpark. As Epstein writes, “None of the individual estimates has to be particularly accurate in order to get a reasonable overall answer.”

Epstein calls it an important tool in his “conceptual Swiss Army knife.” I too find it helpful when reading statistics from dubious media sources, or listening to wild cocktail party speculation. 

Breaking problems into chunks even works when trying to motivate yourself. Take the puzzle of how I can get my lazy butt to walk the treadmill for a few minutes a day. If I say to myself, “You have to walk on the treadmill for an hour today,” I will delay this task forever. So I break it down. I put the big picture out of my mind. First, I tackle the subgoal of putting on my sneakers. I can do that. Then the subgoal of turning the treadmill on. I can do that. And just step onto the rubber belt for just five minutes. I can do that. And eventually, I’m walking and realize this isn’t so bad. I can do this. I stay on for the full hour.

Excerpted with permission from THE PUZZLER: One Man’s Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaws to the Meaning of Life by A.J Jacobs.  

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

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

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

Please enjoy! 

***

Timestamps:

Morgan Housel: 00:01:42

Matt Mullenweg: 00:09:18

Susan Cain: 00:15:35

Mark Zuckerberg: 00:26:26

Stewart Copeland: 00:30:35

***

Full episode titles:

Morgan Housel — The Psychology of Money, Picking the Right Game, and the $6 Million Janitor

Tim Ferriss and Matt Mullenweg in Antarctica: Exploring Personal Fears, Bucket Lists, Facing Grief, Crafting Life Missions, and Tim’s Best Penguin Impressions

Susan Cain on Transforming Pain, Building Your Emotional Resilience, Exploring Sufi Wisdom, Tapping into Bittersweet Songs, and Seeking the Shards of Light

Mark Zuckerberg on Long-Term Strategy, Business and Parenting Principles, Personal Energy Management, Building the Metaverse, Seeking Awe, the Role of Religion, Solving Deep Technical Challenges (e.g., AR), and More

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stewart Copeland — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercast#589: In Case You Missed It: March 2022 Recap of The Tim Ferriss Show

Illustration via 99designs

“Getting caught in a mental rut is the enemy of coming up with good solutions.”

— A.J. Jacobs

A.J. Jacobs (@ajjacobs) is a bestselling author, journalist, and human guinea pig. He has written four New York Times bestsellers, including The Year of Living Biblically (for which he followed all the rules of the Bible as literally as possible) and Thanks a Thousand (for which he went around the world and thanked every person who had even the smallest role in making his morning cup of coffee possible). He has given four TED talks with a combined 10M+ views. He contributes to NPR and The New York Times and wrote the article “My Outsourced Life,” which was featured in The 4-Hour Workweek. He was once the answer to one down in The New York Times crossword puzzle. You can find my 2016 interview with A.J. at tim.blog/aj. 

His new book is The Puzzler: One Man’s Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaws to the Meaning of Life.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 770M+ users, Helix Sleep premium mattresses, and Headspace easy-to-use app with guided meditations. More on all three below.

Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercast#588: A.J. Jacobs — How to Be Less Furious and More Curious

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Whether you are looking to hire now for a critical role or thinking about needs that you may have in the future, LinkedIn Jobs can help. LinkedIn screens candidates for the hard and soft skills you’re looking for and puts your job in front of candidates looking for job opportunities that match what you have to offer.

Using LinkedIn’s active community of more than 770 million professionals worldwide, LinkedIn Jobs can help you find and hire the right person faster. When your business is ready to make that next hire, find the right person with LinkedIn Jobs. And now, you can post a job for free. Just visit LinkedIn.com/Tim.

This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep! Helix was selected as the #1 overall mattress of 2020 by GQ magazine, Wired, Apartment Therapy, and many others. With Helix, there’s a specific mattress to meet each and every body’s unique comfort needs. Just take their quiz—only two minutes to complete—that matches your body type and sleep preferences to the perfect mattress for you. They have a 10-year warranty, and you get to try it out for a hundred nights, risk-free. They’ll even pick it up from you if you don’t love it. And now, Helix is offering up to 200 dollars off all mattress orders plus two free pillows at HelixSleep.com/Tim.

This episode is brought to you by Headspace! Headspace is your daily dose of mindfulness in the form of guided meditations in an easy-to-use app. Whatever the situation, Headspace can help you feel better. Overwhelmed? Headspace has a 3-minute SOS meditation for you. Need some help falling asleep? Headspace has wind-down sessions their members swear by. And for parents, Headspace even has morning meditations you can do with your kids. Headspace’s approach to mindfulness can reduce stress, improve sleep, boost focus, and increase your overall sense of well-being.

Go to Headspace.com/Tim for a FREE one-month trial with access to Headspace’s full library of meditations for every situation.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to hear the last time A.J. was on the show? Have a listen to our conversation here, in which we discussed radical honesty, a worldwide family reunion, strategic chutzpah, ethical cannibalism, personal advice from George Clooney, biblical slavery, the lingering lessons of ephemeral self-experimentation, and much more.

#211: A.J. Jacobs: Self-Experimenter ExtraordinaireSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with A.J. Jacobs:

Personal Website | The Puzzler Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

The Puzzler: One Man’s Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaws to the Meaning of Life by A.J. Jacobs and Greg Pliska | Amazon The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs | AmazonThanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey by A.J. Jacobs | AmazonA.J. Jacobs | TED TalksMy Outsourced Life | A.J. JacobsA.J. Jacobs on Radical Honesty, Following the Whole Bible, and Reframing Global Problems as Puzzles | 80,000 Hours27+ Puzzle Types {The Ultimate List} | Bailey’s PuzzlesTen Days in a Madhouse: The Woman Who Got Herself Committed | Mental FlossAround the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne | AmazonHow to Solve the New York Times Crossword | The New York TimesWorld Jigsaw Puzzle ChampionshipHugh Jackman on Best Decisions, Daily Routines, The 85% Rule, Favorite Exercises, Mind Training, and Much More | The Tim Ferriss Show #444‘It’s an Attack on Everyone’: Russian Activists under Increasing Pressure for Opposing War on Ukraine | The GuardianPuzzles, Games and Crafts, & Science | RavensburgerMystery Hunt / Puzzle Club | MITWhat Pi Sounds Like | MIchael BlakeDrop Dead Healthy: One Man’sDrop Dead Healthy: One Man’s Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection by A.J. Jacobs | AmazonThe 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss | AmazonNew Clue May Be the Key to Cracking CIA Sculpture’s Final Puzzling Passage | Smithsonian Magazine15 Puzzle | NetlifyScavenger Hunts & Virtual Games for Groups | Watson AdventuresThe Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning by Paul Bloom | AmazonJargon Genesis: “Think Outside the Box” | University of St. ThomasThe Tangled History of mRNA Vaccines | NatureGauss’ Day of Reckoning | American ScientistThe 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss | AmazonGaussian Distribution | WikipediaThe Differences Between an American Crossword and a British Crossword | My Crossword MakerGeg | Urban DictionaryDoes Brilliant Bill Gates Love Jigsaw Puzzles? Here Are Three Possible Reasons Why | The Good Men ProjectMeet the Tormentors | StaveThe NATO Phonetic Alphabet: What It Is and How to Use It | EffectiviologyRiddle Me This: Prison Escape | PEimpactHow Elevators Work | HowStuffWorksMasked Man Riddle | RiddlesRiddle of the Week #28: The Bicycle Killer | Popular MechanicsBicycle Standard Face Playing Cards | AmazonJapanese Puzzle Box | Hakone Maruyama Inc.Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Retention by by John Ruhlin | AmazonVisions of Japan: Kawase Hasui’s Masterpieces by Kawase Hasui | AmazonFilmmaker Darren Aronofsky — Exploring Creativity, Ignoring Critics, and Making Art | The Tim Ferriss Show #263Kagen Sound Demonstrates His Masterpiece at Plus Gallery | YouTubeThe Monty Hall Problem: The Math Problem That Stumped Thousands of Mansplainers | VoxThe Sleeping Beauty Problem: A Data Scientist’s Perspective | Towards Data ScienceJacobs Ladder: The Puzzle that Will Outlast the Universe | A.J. Jacobs, FacebookSudoku | WikipediaRange: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein | AmazonThe Polymath: Unlocking the Power of Human Versatility by Waqas Ahmed | AmazonThe Color Psychology of White | Verywell MindWhat Diddy’s White Party Was Like | The AV ClubSpelling Bee | The New York TimesWordle | The New York TimesTed Lasso | Apple TV+Zodiac Killer Official WebsiteElonka’s Kryptos PageThe Cryptic Crossword that Recruited for Bletchley Park | Alaric StephenAll About Apophenia I Psych CentralWhy Some See the Face of Jesus in Their Toast | ABC NewsThe Illuminati, QAnon, Lizard People, and Other Bizarre Conspiracy Theories | SpyscapeGreat Vermont Corn MazeGilroy Garlic FestivalHow to Solve Chess Puzzles | ChessfoxTim Ferriss: Smash Fear, Learn Anything | TED TalkWhy I Should Have Listened to Garry Kasparov about Putin | Financial TimesGrotesque Chess Problems | ChessBaseBe Curious, Not Furious: On Student Behavior | Mr. Anderson Reads & WritesThere Are 4 Modes of Thinking: Preacher, Prosecutor, Politician, and Scientist. You Should Use One Much More | Inc.comThe 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs | Verywell MindTango World Record: Tim Ferriss and Alicia Monti | Live with Regis and KellySHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Timestamps will be added shortly.

Why have A.J.’s kids lately deigned to show him a modicum of respect?For most of his books, A.J. has a number of friends read the draft and offer suggestions for edits — what to cut and what to keep. Why was this usually sound strategy a bust for The Puzzler?Why did A.J. abandon his next planned book midway and pivot to writing The Puzzler?Is A.J. more of a George Plimpton or a Nellie Bly?Why puzzles are worthwhile and not, as I once believed, frivolous time-wasters, and what happened when A.J. discovered he was a clue in world-famous The New York Times‘ crossword puzzle.How does one compete in the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship? For that matter, how does someone who doesn’t really even like jigsaw puzzles wind up representing their whole country in one? What did A.J. and his hastily assembled Team USA learn about jigsaw diplomacy and strategy when they unwittingly became participants in this annual event?What would “the Ironman triathlon for nerds” look like? A.J. reckons it would be something like an MIT puzzlehunt.“Don’t get furious. Get curious.” Every problem or disagreement is just a puzzle in search of a solution.A.J.’s writing process is strong on structure and outlining, but he likes to allow room for surprises. One of these surprises while penning The Puzzler: a decades-unsolved CIA puzzle sculpture called Kryptos.On puzzle trolls, fabulous prizes, and what you can win if you solve one of A.J.’s designated puzzles in The Puzzler.What makes a good puzzler (and why does A.J. consider himself a better puzzle solver than puzzle creator)? As an aside: A.J. shares the origin of the phrase “Think outside the box.”Transferable ways we can apply our puzzle-solving skills to other areas, with examples from a preteen Gauss, British crosswords, tormenting jigsaw puzzles, and reverse-thought riddles.What puzzles does A.J. consider to give the most bang for their buck? It all depends on what you’re hoping to retain from the act of doing them, but Japanese puzzle boxes take things to a whole new level.The shadow side of puzzles that drive people mad: the Monty Hall problem, the Sleeping Beauty problem, and a puzzle A.J. commissioned that can’t be solved within the lifespan of the universe.If researching and writing Thanks a Thousand imparted A.J. with a lifelong appreciation for gratitude, what residual takeaways from writing The Puzzler does A.J. predict will remain with him for years to come?In what puzzle-oriented subculture would A.J. feel most at home?Obsessed with puzzles? Beware the perils of apophenia.According to A.J., the hardest corn maze in the world is run by a sadist in Vermont. What has this sadist learned about human nature during the time he’s spent observing people trying to escape from this maze?On puzzle creation epicenters, Gary Kasparov, and how chess puzzles differ from chess games.How do puzzles pertain to the meaning of life?Parting thoughts.MORE A.J. JACOBS QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“Little puzzles like crosswords and logic or secret codes, they’re just ways to help you come up with strategies to solve the big problems in life. So little puzzles help you with the big puzzles.”
— A.J. Jacobs

“I did not love jigsaws until this project. And now I have tremendous respect for jigsaws, which is all about flexible thinking.”
— A.J. Jacobs

“Gratitude and curiosity to me are two amazing forces.”
— A.J. Jacobs

“If I’m talking to someone from the opposite side of the political spectrum, instead of seeing it as a debate, a war of words, I try to see it as a puzzle that we can try to solve together. What do we really believe? What [are] our real differences and how can we overcome them? Is there any evidence I can present to him or her to make her change her mind? How do we solve this puzzle?”
— A.J. Jacobs

“You have to be a little sadistic to be a great puzzler, and I don’t have it in me. So I stick with the masochism of doing puzzles.”
— A.J. Jacobs

“Getting caught in a mental rut is the enemy of coming up with good solutions.”
— A.J. Jacobs

“Another big theme of puzzles, I think, is don’t trust your gut. I am very wary of my gut. I feel my gut is an idiot, especially when it comes to matters of probability.”
— A.J. Jacobs

“Part of the meaning of life is the search for the meaning of life.”
— A.J. Jacobs

PEOPLE MENTIONEDHugh JackmanJulie SchoenbergGeorge PlimptonSonny ListonNellie BlyLady GagaLeBron JamesVladimir PutinJustin BieberJohn Horton ConwayJohn von NeumannAlex TrebekJim SanbornEdward ScheidtFidel CastroWill ShortzNoyes Palmer ChapmanSam LoydGreg PliskaPaul BloomCarl Friedrich GaussAbraham LincolnGroucho MarxMahatma GandhiBill GatesStephen RichardsonJohn RuhlinHasui KawaseKatsushika HokusaiMaria PopovaDarren AronofskyKagen SoundMarilyn vos SavantMonty HallOskar van DeventerMaki KajiJohann Wolfgang von GoetheDavid EpsteinDiddyZodiac KillerElonka DuninMike BoudreauGarry KasparovKing DavidGoliathAdam GrantAbraham Maslow

Illustration via 99designs

“You can either have success or revenge, but you can’t have both.”

— Terry Crews

Terry Crews (@terrycrews) can do it all: author, action-movie hero, sitcom star, children’s book illustrator, advertising pitchman, playable video game character, talent show host, high-end furniture designer, and human rights activist. The list goes on and on. 

Terry’s new memoir is Tough: My Journey to True Power. In it, he chronicles the story of how he went from being a six-year-old boy with a goofy, toothless smile to being utterly selfish and angry to being a man who can finally acknowledge his own weaknesses and vulnerabilities and use his experiences to help motivate those around him. 

Terry has starred as a series regular in three consecutive TV series that have surpassed the coveted 100-episode mark: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Are We There Yet?, and Everybody Hates Chris. Terry is set to star in Tales of the Walking Dead and hosts NBC’s top-rated alternative series America’s Got Talent and its spin-offs, AGT Champions and AGT Extreme.

He recently added yet another title, children’s book illustrator, to his resume for his first-of-its-kind augmented reality book, Come Find Me. Terry’s Crew is Terry’s latest children’s lit entry, a graphic novel set to be released in November 2022. Terry’s Crew provides insight into his childhood in Michigan and what it was like trying to find his place. In 2021, Terry and his wife, Rebecca King Crews, released an exclusive Audible audiobook, Stronger Together, sharing the staggering ups and downs of their relationship and how they have weathered the myriad crises that have rocked their marriage. 

Terry, a lifelong artist, released his furniture collection with Bernhardt Designs in 2017, which premiered at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York and was awarded the prestigious “Best of NeoCon 2017.”

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.

Brought to you by Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, Gravity weighted blankets, and Allform premium, modular furniture. More on all three below.

The transcript of this episode  can be found here . Transcripts of all episodes  can be found here .

Listen onApple Podcasts[image error]Listen onSpotify[image error]Listen onOvercast#587: Terry Crews on Masculinity, True Power, Therapy, and Resisting Cynicism

This episode is brought to you by Gravity! I place sleep at the top of my list for optimizing health, energy, and performance. If good sleep is in place, it helps everything else; if not, it hurts everything else. I’ve had sleep issues almost my entire life, which is why I’m always experimenting and adding great sleep aids. One of my new favorites is the Gravity Weighted Blanket. 72% of Gravity users have reported better, more restful sleep, and 76% have reported falling asleep faster and feeling more rested in the morning.

Gravity has been named “Best Weighted Blanket” by CNN, Business Insider, Good Housekeeping, and many more. Gravity is offering my listeners a special discount: order a blanket of any size or weight and receive 15% off your order. Just go to GravityBlankets.com/Tim, and the discount will be automatically applied.

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.

This episode is brought to you by Allform! If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about Helix Sleep mattresses, which I’ve been using since 2017. They also launched a company called Allform that makes premium, customizable sofas and chairs shipped right to your door—at a fraction of the cost of traditional stores. You can pick your fabric (and they’re all spill, stain, and scratch resistant), the sofa color, the color of the legs, and the sofa size and shape to make sure it’s perfect for you and your home.

Allform arrives in just 3–7 days, and you can assemble it yourself in a few minutes—no tools needed. To find your perfect sofa and receive 20% off all orders, check out Allform.com/Tim.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…

Want to find out what Terry Crews and I talked about the last time he was on the show? Have a listen to our conversation in which we discussed Terry’s art background, the vow that got Terry through his teenage years, maintaining optimism through tough times, the consequences of competition on creativity and overall success, advice for new and expecting parents, letting go of relationships and old friendships that have run their course, coping with self-induced anxiety, and much more.

#287: Terry Crews — How to Have, Do, and Be All You WantSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Terry Crews:

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Tough: My Journey to True Power by Terry Crews | Amazon Come Find Me by Ken Harvey and Terry Crews | AmazonTerry’s Crew by Terry Crews and Cory Thomas | AmazonStronger Together: How Fame, Failure, and Faith Transformed Our Lives by Terry Crews and Rebecca King Crews | AudibleTerry Crews Collection | Bernhardt DesignTerry Crews — How to Have, Do, and Be All You Want | The Tim Ferriss Show #287Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Prime VideoTales of the Walking Dead Terry Crews, Parker Posey, Jillian Bell | The Hollywood ReporterIntermittent Fasting 101 — The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide | HealthlineWalter Isaacson on CRISPR, Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race | The Tim Ferriss Show #503The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson | AmazonDiscovery of DNA Double Helix: Watson and Crick | ScitableJames Watson Has a Remarkably Long History of Sexist, Racist Public Comments | VoxDNA Pioneer James Watson Loses Honorary Titles Over Racist Comments | Smithsonian MagazineThe Last Dance | NetflixMichael Jordan’s “And I Took That Personally” | Know Your MemeWhat’s Behind Self-Righteous Attitudes? | PsychCentralTerry Crews Says His Porn Addiction Almost Cost Him His Marriage | Men’s HealthThe Twelve Steps | Alcoholics AnonymousThe Serenity Prayer and Twelve Step Recovery | Hazelden Betty FordPayback – The Director’s Cut | AmazonDeath Wish | Prime VideoWrath Of Man | Prime VideoTaken | Prime VideoMan on Fire | Prime VideoWill Smith–Chris Rock Slapping Incident | WikipediaPsychological Counseling Services, Ltd.Terry Crews Says ‘I Will Not Be Shamed’ as He Shares Details of Alleged Sexual Assault | PeopleRalph Waldo Emerson: “God Will Not Have His Work Made Manifest by Cowards.” | GoodreadsMan’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl | Amazon“Competition Is the Opposite of Creativity.” | Terry Crews, TwitterTerry Crews’ Secret to Creativity | SiriusXMTerry Crews Defends His ‘Black Lives Matter’ Stance | ET CanadaInternet Is Surprised That Terry Crews Is Also a Talented Artist | Bored PandaHow Long Did Terry Crews Play in the NFL? | SportskeedaThe Cult That Inspired “Drink the Kool-Aid” Didn’t Actually Drink Kool-Aid | VoxStanding on the Shoulders of Giant Jerks (Like Nobel Prize Winners James Watson and William Shockley) | ViceThelonious Monk: Monk’s Advice (1960) | GeniusSHOW NOTESHollywood life isn’t all glamorous red carpets and spotlights. What does an average working day look like for Terry, and what supplemental duty has he had to push back against? [07:43]A lot of busy people don’t get around to reading one or two books a week, but for Terry, it makes being busy all the more possible. [13:36]What are some realizations about success that have come to Terry while reading Walter Isaacson’s The Code Breaker and watching the Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance? [15:04]What’s the biggest mistake a lot of people make — in every walk of life — that causes the most amount of unnecessary suffering? [19:29]How did Terry break himself of the habit of “victimology?” What initiated the event his family now refers to as “the D-Day moment,” and why did he carry a lifelong aversion to therapy that could have possibly helped him sooner? [23:32]What you should be prepared to do without if you’re intent on living life as if you’re in a revenge movie, and what Terry did to regain control of his own actions instead of defaulting to chaos. [33:52]Terry shares real-life examples that demonstrated — to his family as well as himself — that he could break destructive, impulsive patterns of behavior in favor of positive, responsible ones. [42:35]How endurance plays into the way Terry demonstrates strength these days compared to how he expressed it in his earlier, more bombastic iteration. [53:35]Why Terry believes the world determines winners way too early — and what we should be doing instead. [56:35]How can competition be the opposite of creativity if resistance is crucial to growth? Terry explains. [58:58]Terry’s thoughts on protest movements that don’t begin with the aim of reconciliation. [1:02:44]Terry illustrates why he really is a category of one — even when he sometimes lapses in the midst of trying to live his most teachable life. [1:05:04]Genius words from a (Thelonius) Monk, Terry’s war with cynicism, and other parting thoughts. [1:12:43]MORE TERRY CREWS QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“If I lose my focus, I could lose my career.”
— Terry Crews

“Even when you’ve succeeded, when you’ve got this thing, you’re still starting at day one. Every day.”
— Terry Crews

“When you are self-righteous, you can now do the most heinous, inhuman things to other people, because you feel right.”
— Terry Crews

“You can either have success or revenge, but you can’t have both.”
— Terry Crews

“The greatest boxers in the world took punches.”
— Terry Crews

“The world really, really determines winners way too early. … But most of these people don’t end up winning long-term.”
— Terry Crews

“Competition is the opposite of creativity.”
— Terry Crews

“Any movement that doesn’t start with reconciliation, I don’t want any part of. We have to reconcile. We have to reconcile men to women. We have to reconcile black to white. We have to reconcile Republican to Democrat. We have to reconcile. That’s the first rule. Because if we don’t, what you’re doing is postponing a war. That’s all you’re doing.”
— Terry Crews

“I’m at war with cynicism. I’ve decided to be positive and be hopeful and believe the best about every human being.”
— Terry Crews

PEOPLE MENTIONEDRebecca King CrewsYves BeharJaime HayonRoss LovegroveWalter IsaacsonJennifer DoudnaJames WatsonFrancis CrickMichael JordanTerry Crews, Sr.Chris RockWill SmithAri EmanuelRalph Waldo EmersonGeorge ForemanMuhammad AliViktor FranklThelonious MonkJohn ColtraneWilliam ShockleyJim Jones