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The Episode of Everything: Balaji on Bitcoin and Ethereum, Media Self-Defense, Drone Warfare, Crypto Oracles, India as Dark Horse, The Pseudonymous Economy, Beautiful Trouble, Ramanujan, Life Extension, and More (#506)

Illustration via 99designs

“If code scripts machines, media scripts human beings.”
— Balaji Srinivasan

Balaji S. Srinivasan (@balajis) is an angel investor and entrepreneur. Formerly the CTO of Coinbase and general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, he was also the co-founder of Earn.com (acquired by Coinbase), Counsyl (acquired by Myriad), Teleport (acquired by Topia), and Coin Center.

He was named to the MIT Technology Review’s “Innovators Under 35,” won a Wall Street Journal Innovation Award, and holds a BS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering and an MS in Chemical Engineering, all from Stanford University. Balaji also teaches the occasional class at Stanford, including an online MOOC in 2013, which reached 250,000+ students worldwide.

To learn more about Balaji’s most recent project, sign up at 1729.com, a newsletter that pays you. They’re giving out $1,000 in BTC each day for completing tasks and tutorials. Subscribers also receive chapters from Balaji’s new (free) book, The Network State.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Wealthfront automated investing, Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, and Helix Sleep premium mattresses. 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#506: The Episode of Everything: Balaji on Bitcoin and Ethereum, Media Self-Defense, Drone Warfare, Crypto Oracles, India as Dark Horse, The Pseudonymous Economy, Beautiful Trouble, Ramanujan, Life Extension, and Morehttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/0c19202b-32bf-4d86-921e-ce7659b640b0.mp3 Download

This episode is brought to you by Wealthfront! Wealthfront pioneered the automated investing movement, sometimes referred to as ‘robo-advising,’ and they currently oversee $20 billion of assets for their clients. It takes about three minutes to sign up, and then Wealthfront will build you a globally diversified portfolio of ETFs based on your risk appetite and manage it for you at an incredibly low cost.

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This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually 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.

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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 this nearly four-hour episode isn’t enough for you, perhaps you’d like to hear my three-and-a-half-hour conversation with Basecamp’s David Heinemeier Hansson (aka DHH)? In it, we discussed the power of being outspoken, running a profitable business without venture capital, Stoic philosophy, parallels across disciplines, and much more.

The Episode of Everything: Balaji on Bitcoin and Ethereum, Media Self-Defense, Drone Warfare, Crypto Oracles, India as Dark Horse, The Pseudonymous Economy, Beautiful Trouble, Ramanujan, Life Extension, and More (#506)https://rss.art19.com/episodes/b4d4ea29-a5a0-4d96-bbcc-39f06fe506f3.mp3 DownloadSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Balaji Srinivasan:

Website | Twitter

Learn Skills & Earn Crypto | 1729.com 1729: The Magic Of Hardy-Ramanujan Number | NDTV Good Will Hunting | Prime Video The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan by Robert Kanigel The Man Who Knew Infinity | Prime Video Software Is Eating the World | Andreessen Horowitz Hubble Space Telescope | NASA A Complete List of MOOCs and Free Online Courses | MOOC List Chasing the Parallel Postulate | Scientific American Blog Network National Science Foundation Network and Acceptable Use Policy | Wikipedia “‘Balaji Was Right’ Might Be the Most Terrifying Phrase in the English Language.” | Conor White-Sullivan, Twitter Temptation at Checkout | Center for Science in the Public Interest Don’t Read This, Oracle… It’s the Rise of the Open-Source Data Strategies | The Register Block the New York Times | BlockNYT The Journalist and the Murderer by Janet Malcolm Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator by Ryan Holiday American Resistance to a Standing Army | Teaching History 8 Things You May Not Know About the Praetorian Guard | History 300 | Prime Video In Nagorno-Karabakh, Drones Gave Azerbaijan Huge Advantage and Showed Future of Warfare | The Washington Post The Future Has Arrived — It’s Just Not Evenly Distributed Yet | Quote Investigator 113 Journalists on Why They’re So Despised | NYMag The Case Against the Media, by the Media | NYMag The 11 Layers of Citizen Journalism | Poynter The Truth About Blockchain | Harvard Business Review Inside the Twitter Hack — and What Happened Next | Wired Smart Contracts | Investopedia Oracles: The All-Seeing Eyes That Guide Crypto Networks | CoinMarketCap Best Places to Live for a Digital Nomad | Nomad List Compare Cities’ Quality of Life | Teleport Cities LeanFIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) | Reddit Early Retirement Through Badassity | Mr. Money Mustache The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss Yes Chad | Know Your Meme Books & Resources | Beautiful Trouble Shift the Spectrum of Allies | Beautiful Trouble What Is Cancel Culture? Why We Keep Fighting About Canceling People | Vox The Cultural Revolution: All You Need to Know About China’s Political Convulsion | The Guardian GOP Voters Trust CNN, NY Times Over Breitbart, InfoWars | Politico Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed by James C. Scott First Bolshevik Decrees: Seventeen Moments in Soviet History | Michigan State University The Treaty of Westphalia | History Today SolarWinds Hack Was ‘Largest and Most Sophisticated Attack’ Ever: Microsoft President | Reuters Hackers Leak Customer Info from Crypto Wallet Ledger | Investopedia Balaji Srinivasan on Building a “Pseudonymous Economy” | Blockstack Corpse Husband | YouTube “What If This Coronavirus Is the Pandemic That Public Health People Have Been Warning About for Years?” | Balaji Srinivasan, Twitter Earn | Coinbase Few Developing Countries Can Climb the Economic Ladder | St. Louis Fed Learn the Latest Tech Skills; Advance Your Career | Udacity Build Skills with Online Courses from Top Institutions | Coursera Amazon Mechanical Turk Ask HN: How to Earn Karma on HN? | Hacker News Katie Haun on the Dark Web, Gangs, Investigating Bitcoin, and The New Magic of “Nifties” (NFTs) | The Tim Ferriss Show #499 Code Practice and Mentorship for Everyone | Exercism The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life by Timothy Ferriss Liberty, Equality, Fraternity | Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs ‘Sorry’: Brokerage Chief at Heart of GameStop Saga Apologises | Al Jazeera Discord Bans WallStreetBets for Hateful Conduct Amid GameStop Stock Surge | GamesIndustry.biz US Government Financial Bailouts | Investopedia A Deep Dive Into Satoshi’s 11-Year Old Bitcoin Genesis Block | Featured Bitcoin News Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Investopedia Balaji S. Srinivasan: The Network State | Foresight Institute How a Centrifuge Works | Federation of American Scientists China’s Communist Party Is at a Fatal Age for One-Party Regimes. How Much Longer Can It Survive? | Australian Broadcasting Corporation News Some Oregonians Want to Leave and Take Part of the State to Idaho with Them | All Things Considered, NPR Catalans Rally for Independence Despite Health Warnings | Reuters How is America Going to End? Who’s Most Likely to Secede? | Slate Silicon Valley’s Elite Don’t Want to Secede. They Just Want to Stay on Top | Wired Fiat Money | Investopedia Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino | FIAT Hacker Houses Offer Shared Living for the Young, Green, and Tech-Obsessed | Grist Bitcoin News: China’s Great Firewall to Block Crypto Websites | Fortune (American) Successes Of The 20th Century | Pew Research Center Music Piracy: From Napster to BitTorrents | The Runner Magnet Links Become the Official Currency of Pirate Bay | Ars Technica Popcorn Time The Block Chain and the CAP Theorem | Stuff Yaron Finds Interesting New York Moves to Lure Crypto Startups as BitLicense Turns Five | CoinDesk How Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Is Luring Tech Players from Silicon Valley and New York | CNBC “@LorenaSGonzalez: Message Received.” | Elon Musk, Twitter Colombia, Estonia Upload the Bitcoin White Paper to Their Governmental Websites | CoinDesk Wyoming Is Crypto’s ‘Wild West,’ Which Is Exactly What We Need | CoinDesk “‘Win and Help Win’ Will Always Outcompete ‘Live and Let Live.'” | Balaji Srinivasan, Twitter Little House on the Prairie | Prime Video Why Is the Three-Body Problem Unsolvable? | Popular Mechanics The Cause of… and Solution to… All of Life’s Problems. | The Simpsons Secure Storage Solutions for Bitcoin | Casa Vitalik Buterin, Creator of Ethereum, on Understanding Ethereum, ETH vs. BTC, ETH2, Scaling Plans and Timelines, NFTs, Future Considerations, Life Extension, and More (Featuring Naval Ravikant) | The Tim Ferriss Show #504 Proof of Work vs. Proof of Stake: Basic Mining Guide | Blockgeeks StarkWare Industries Ltd.ZK-Rollups | Ethhub How Life Has Changed in the Last 20 Years | Business Insider Balaji Srinivasan: Coronavirus Will Shape This Decade Like 9/11 Shaped the 2000s | ReasonTV Balaji Srinivasan: Applications: Today & 2025 | TechCrunch Balaji Srinivasan: Technology Will Lead to a Borderless World | ReasonTV Our Deepest Fears Realized: Most Couples Meet Online Now | Vice Link Between Health Spending and Life Expectancy: The US Is an Outlier | Our World in Data Balaji Srinivasan, Who May Run the FDA for Trump, Hates the FDA. But Silicon Valley Likes Srinivasan. | Vox “Y-Shaped Recovery…” | Balaji Srinivasan, Twitter Lung Cancer Immunotherapy Darkens Patients’ Hair | GEN Forget Exercise — These Mice Got Ripped with Gene Therapy | Singularity Hub Anarcho-Primitivism | Wikipedia Voluntary Human Extinction Movement | VHEMT No Death and an Enhanced Life: Is the Future Transhuman? | The Guardian Zoltan Vs. Zerzan | Stanford Transhumanists Superman II | Prime Video Ready Player One | Prime Video Another Inconvenient Truth: The World’s Growing Population Poses a Malthusian Dilemma | Scientific American The Lessons of History by Will and Ariel Durant From Third World to First: The Singapore Story – 1965-2000 by Lee Kuan Yew Disneyland with the Death Penalty | Wired The Opium Wars in China | Asia Pacific Curriculum Toomas Ilves: Lessons In Digital Democracy from Estonia | Stanford School of Engineering Dramatic Photos Show How Radically Dubai Has Changed in 50 Years | Business Insider Photos: Stunningly Green Dubai: What City Looks Like In 20 Years | Khaleej Times Facebook and Google Won’t Save Local News | The New Republic Switzerland: This European Nation Has Most Potential for Future Growth, Study Says | CNBC Israel and Iran Just Showed Us the Future of Cyberwar With Their Unusual Attacks | Foreign Policy Taiwan’s Digital Minister Knows How to Crush Covid-19: Trust | Wired Monaco: From Billionaire’s Playground to Crypto Paradise? | Copper The Hottest App in China Teaches Citizens About Their Leader — and, Yes, There’s a Test | The New York Times Why Did Alibaba’s Jack Ma Disappear for Three Months? | BBC News Balaji Srinivasan on Communist Capital vs. Woke Capital vs. Crypto Capital | CoinDesk Why All Soviet Jokes Needed to Be Approved by the Department of Jokes | We Are the Mighty US, Allies Announce Sanctions on China Over Uyghur ‘Genocide’ | Politico Who Lives? Who Dies? NYC Hospitals Could Soon Be Forced to Triage Coronavirus Patients | NBC New York The Maginot Line, Scapegoat of the French Defeat in May 1940 | Normandy American Heroes The Story Behind That Viral Chinese Train Station Video | Slate After Sinking 18 Inches, SF’s Millennium Tower Finally Has a Fix | SFGate Salesforce Transit Center: It Was Supposed to Be the Safest Building in the World. Then It Cracked. | Popular Mechanics Coronavirus: How Can China Build a Hospital So Quickly? | BBC News Dr. Vivek Murthy — Former Surgeon General on Combating COVID-19, Loneliness, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #417 Red Dawn (’84) | Prime Video Niall Ferguson: A Taiwan Crisis May End the American Empire | Bloomberg The Russo-Japanese War and its Impact on Anti-Colonial Nationalists | Faisal Ali, Medium Buster Douglas Shocks the World with 10th-Round KO of Mike Tyson | ESPN Archives What Happened to Occupy Wall Street? | The Atlantic How 9/11 Caused An Increase In Islamophobic Hate Crimes | Refinery29 Hate Is Haunting Asian Americans. Their Fear Underscores a Racial Reckoning That Is Far from Over | CNN Regaining the Edge In US Chip Manufacturing | SMG The Hidden Troubles of the F-35 | Defense News The Physics of the Fosbury Flop | Stanford University Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky Selling Votes Is Common Type of Election Fraud | The Washington Post Government Scraps ‘Shadow Mayor’ Plans for Big Cities | BBC News Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Thucydides Trap: An Overview | Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs How the SWIFT System Works | Investopedia Why India Should Buy Bitcoin | Balaji Srinivasan How India Legalizes Crypto | Balaji Srinivasan Jio 4G LTE Network | Reliance Stablecoin Price and Circulation Monitor | Stablecoin Stats China’s Massive Belt and Road Initiative | Council on Foreign Relations Explainer: The Non-Aligned Movement in the 21st century | The Conversation Socialism: Definition, Pros, Cons, Examples, Types | The Balance Soviet Denim Smuggling: Jeans Behind the Iron Curtain | Heddels China’s Fast Climb up the Value Chain | McKinsey What Is Bollywood? What to Know About Hindi Language Movies and Music | Oprah Tenet | Prime Video ArcelorMittal Black Mirror | Prime Video Super 30 | Official Trailer Rocky | Prime Video The Terminator | Prime Video India’s Ambitious Nuclear Power Plan – And What’s Getting in Its Way | The Diplomat House of Cards | Netflix Ghostbusters | Prime Video Dallas Buyers Club | Prime Video The Correction Heard ‘Round The World: When The New York Times Apologized to Robert Goddard | ForbesSHOW NOTESWhat is the significance of 1729, and what is Balaji’s mission in launching a website named after this “not boring” number? [06:02]What was the subject matter and the intent behind the MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) Balaji taught prior to joining Andreessen Horowitz? [10:21]Balaji’s thoughts on the state of media (particularly podcasts), how product is merit and distribution is connections, and why I trust my dog to tell me if a journalist is trying to set me up for a “gotcha.” [16:57]Just as the Founding Fathers advised against the establishment of a standing army in the United States, Balaji wonders if we should be cautious of relying on a standing media to deliver us the news of the day — or if there are better, decentralized options. [29:57]What can we do to protect ourselves as we wait for the future to be evenly distributed? We dive deep into everything from achieving financial independence to auditing our social ties to securing our privacy with a pseudonymous economy that could diminish the effects of cancellation and discrimination. [40:27]Roam Research co-founder Conor White-Sullivan once said: “‘Balaji was right’ might be the most terrifying phrase in the English language.” Eerily accurate early speculation about the COVID-19 pandemic aside, how would Balaji strategize a sizeable investment made today? (A reminding disclaimer: we’re not registered investment advisors, so do not take this or anything else here as legitimate financial advice.) [1:07:29]What participating in 1729 — “the first newsletter that pays you” — would ideally look like. [1:10:55]How Balaji envisions 1729 as a skyhook to rescue the world’s brightest minds from places that usually get overlooked — like developing countries and war zones — or allow them to operate on home ground pseudonymously. [1:14:01]A digital native solution to education that qualifies students to work as they go instead of waiting years until a full degree is earned. [1:17:37]How do you pseudonymously show proof of skill? Enter the crypto credential. [1:21:33]Don’t underestimate the power of microincentives. [1:25:27]How does Balaji rationalize a “half in Bitcoin, half in Ethereum” investment, and how does it tie into shifting establishment dynamics? [1:27:51]Why does Balaji believe that “not many institutions that predated the internet will survive the internet” — including nation states and fiat currencies? [1:35:44]Addressing downside risk, what circumstances might make Bitcoin or Ethereum bad investments? [1:45:06]How can we expect crypto regulation to play out in the United States? How are cities, states, and countries with an eye on the future currently signaling their friendliness toward innovation? [1:51:57]Why Balaji believes “win and help win” is neither progressive, nor conservative, nor libertarian, but a concept that beats them all. [2:02:22]How Bitcoin regulation thus far hasn’t followed the course that popular opinion predicted, and why you should hold your keys locally. [2:05:07]How do Ethereum risks differ from those faced by Bitcoin? [2:09:44]Want to get an understanding of how unrecognizable the near future will be? Consider how much the world has changed between the year 2000 and now — and how little it changed, comparatively, between then and 1970. [2:12:36]Does Balaji believe the changes we’re about to experience en masse will be mostly positive or mostly negative? [2:22:16]Thinkers, scientists, or resources Balaji would recommend for people who want to further explore life-extension and transhumanism. [2:32:16]Who was Lee Kuan Yew, and why he is interesting? [2:35:04]What countries are on Balaji’s shortlist to watch as examples of what the future holds? [2:39:56]Woke capital vs. communist capital vs. crypto capital, the Maginot Line revisited, and why China is so underestimated while the US is overestimated when it comes to facing the challenges of present and future. [2:45:28]If there were a conflict with China over Taiwan and the US lost, what would be the consequences? [2:56:44]Does Balaji see any obvious fixes the US could implement to mitigate against the risks of a cold war with China turning hot? Is there any way we can select our leaders for legitimacy and competence over popularity and inheritance? [3:01:38]Balaji explains how a 51 percent democracy is like a Fosbury Flop, and the types of votes that really make a difference in such a system. [3:05:18]What a convince-oriented “crypto” government versus a coercion-focused fiat government might look like. [3:12:41]India: the dark horse, what is currently at stake as it considers banning crypto, and what Balaji sees as its way forward — by embracing crypto, learning from China’s ascendancy in the global value chain, and claiming its rightful place in the media hierarchy. [3:17:42]Parting thoughts. [3:40:00]PEOPLE MENTIONEDSrinivasa Ramanujan G.H. Hardy Lee Kuan Yew Euclid Conor White-Sullivan Cassandra Peter Thiel Molly Janet Malcolm Ryan Holiday Mr. Money Mustache Taylor Swift Deng Xiaoping Vladimir Lenin Martin Luther Corpse Husband Katie Haun Vlad Tenev Christopher J. Dodd Barney Frank Jim Barksdale Niccolò Machiavelli Francis Suarez Steven Mnuchin Homer Simpson Jordan Peterson Ted Kaczynski David Sinclair Aubrey de Grey Zoltan Istvan John Zerzan Deng Xiaoping Toomas Ilves Audrey Tang Albert II, Prince of Monaco Xi Jinping Jack Ma Jeff Bezos Yakov Smirnoff Zayn Malik Winston Churchill Mike Tyson Buster Douglas Manmohan Singh Mark Zuckerberg Dick Fosbury Joseph Stalin Noam Chomsky Ronald Reagan Adolf Hitler Leon Trotsky Miles Dyson Robert Goddard

DISCLAIMER FROM TIM FERRISS: I am not an investment adviser. There are risks involved in placing any investment in securities or in Bitcoin or in cryptocurrencies or in anything. None of the information presented herein is intended to form the basis of any offer or recommendation or have any regard to the investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of any specific person, and that includes you, my dear listener or reader. Everything in this episode is for informational entertainment purposes only.

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Published on March 24, 2021 06:12

Elizabeth Lesser on Building Omega Institute, ADD (Authenticity-Deficit Disorder), and Seeking The Emotion of Illumination (#505)

Illustration via 99designs

“We really began to be tired of ourselves teaching this technology of inner awakening to the same people over and over. It’s like, how many times do you have to wake up in the morning? You’re awake. Do something.”
— Elizabeth Lesser

Elizabeth Lesser (@ElizabethLesser) is a bestselling author and the co-founder of Omega Institute, the renowned conference and retreat center located in Rhinebeck, New York. Elizabeth’s first book, The Seeker’s Guide, chronicles her years at Omega and distills lessons learned into a potent guide for growth and healing. Her New York Times bestselling book, Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow, has sold almost 500,000 copies and has been translated into 20 languages. Her third book, Marrow, chronicles the journey Elizabeth and her younger sister went through when Elizabeth was the donor for her sister’s bone marrow transplant. Her newest book, Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes, reveals how humanity has outgrown its origin tales and hero myths. Elizabeth has given two popular TED talks and is one of Oprah Winfrey’s Supersoul 100, a collection of a hundred leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity.

She co-founded Omega Institute in 1977—a time when a variety of fresh ideas were sprouting in American culture. Since then, the Institute has been at the forefront of holistic education, offering workshops and conferences in integrative medicine, meditation and yoga, cross-cultural arts and creativity, ecumenical spirituality, and social change. Each year close to 30,000 people participate in Omega’s programs on its campus, and more than a million people visit its website for online learning.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Tonal smart home gym, Laird Superfood clean, plant-based creamers, 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#505: Elizabeth Lesser on Building Omega Institute, Intentional Communities, ADD (Authenticity Deficit Disorder), The Value of Grief, and The Emotion of Illuminationhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/f4adab92-d554-405a-ac33-53008cb34b17.mp3 Download

This episode is brought to you by Laird Superfood. Founded by big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton and volleyball champion Gabby Reece, Laird Superfood promises to deliver high-impact fuel to help you get through your busiest days. Laird Superfood offers a line of plant-based products designed to optimize your daily rituals from sunrise to sunset.

My two favorite products are their Turmeric Superfood Creamer and Unsweetened Superfood Creamer. I put one of them in practically everything. Both can really optimize your daily coffee or tea ritual, and a $10 bag will last you a long time. For a limited time, Laird Superfood is offering you guys 20% off your order when you use code TIM20 at checkout. Check out LairdSuperfood.com/Tim to see my favorite products and learn more.

This episode is brought to you by Tonal! Tonal is the world’s most intelligent home gym and personal trainer. It is precision engineered and designed to be the world’s most advanced strength studio. Tonal uses breakthrough technology—like adaptive digital weights and A.I. learning—together with the best experts in resistance training so you get stronger, faster. Every program is personalized to your body using A.I., and smart features check your form in real time, just like a personal trainer.

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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 just launched a new company called Allform, and they’re making 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.

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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 another episode with someone who endeavors to awaken the best in the human spirit? Listen to my conversation with Buddhist monk and meditation teacher Jack Kornfield in which we discuss hang gliding, monk training in Thailand, unpleasant mystical experiences, the difference between compassion and empathy, lovingkindness meditation, and more.

#300: Jack Kornfield — Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy in the Presenthttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/f6381ff7-2f63-46c0-a888-052337df33f5.mp3 DownloadSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Elizabeth Lesser:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes by Elizabeth Lesser The Seeker’s Guide by Elizabeth Lesser Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser Marrow: Love, Loss, and What Matters Most by Elizabeth Lesser Omega Institute Sufism | Oxford Islamic Studies Online The New Yorker The Gift by Hafiz Tales of the Dervishes: Teaching-Stories of the Sufi Masters over the Past Thousand Years by Idries Shah An Esoteric View of the 1960s and ’70s | HuffPost Rudolf Otto and the Concept of the Numinous | Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Religion Naropa University Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior Mass Market Paperback by Chogyam Trungpa Buddhism | World History Encyclopedia WordPress Shaker Museum | New Lebanon, NY Woodstock Festival 10 Facts About the Ancient Library of Alexandria | Book Riot Bennington College Food As Medicine: It’s Not Just a Fringe Idea Anymore | The Salt, NPR Summer of Peace, Love, and Yiddish Song: The Legacy of New York’s Camp Boiberik | Smithsonian Folklife The Definitive Guide to Yoga for Beginners and Experts | Healthline Machine Elf | Non-Alien Creatures Wiki Is Ecumenism Biblical? Should a Christian Be Involved in the Ecumenical Movement (Ecumenicalism)? | GotQuestions.org Practicing Innervism | Omega What is Internal Family Systems? | IFS Institute Women, Power, Stories: An Interview with Author Elizabeth Lesser | An Injustice!God’s Grandeur by Gerard Manley Hopkins | Poetry Foundation Medical Definition of Hippocratic Oath | MedicineNet Do No Harm, Take No Shit | Mindful Necessities Elizabeth Lesser: Say Your Truths and Seek Them in Others | TED Talk Interview: Elizabeth Lesser | Lessons of the Soul | Best Self The Open Secret | Oprah In Grief, Try Personal Rituals | The Atlantic On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler How To Die Before You Die: Meaning and Meditation | The Joy Within A Letter of Consolation by Henri J. M. Nouwen Anita Hill Accuses Clarence Thomas | History The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler Women & Power Past Events | Omega Me Too Movement After Weinstein, Trump Sexual Misconduct Accusers Demand Action | BBC News Black Lives Matter The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli The Art of War by Sun Tzu How Was Larry Nassar Able to Abuse So Many Gymnasts for So Long? | The Guardian Cassandra in Greek Mythology | Greek Legends and Myths Gloria Steinem Reflects on Women’s Liberation 50 Years Later | Time Amateur: A Reckoning with Gender, Identity, and Masculinity by Thomas Page McBee The Tending Instinct: Women, Men, and the Biology of Relationships by Shelley E. Taylor How the Fight-or-Flight Response Works | Verywell Mind Tend and Befriend Theory | UCLA List of Central Park Statues | Central Park in BronzeSHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Timestamps will be added shortly.

Why visiting Omega Institute might feel a little like starring in your own Disney film.Who is Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan?Coming from an atheistic background, how did Elizabeth find herself on a spiritual path when she first encountered Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, and what did he help her discover?What did the prototype look like for Omega Institute, and how did Elizabeth and her co-founders decide on what to include versus exclude?What issues made the early Omega Institute pioneers rethink their intention of living communally?How was the curriculum safely and legally aligned with the tagline of “awakening the best in the human spirit” during this time, and how were teachers selected?On the exploration of ecumenical traditions and innervism.What is the movement from me to we?How would Elizabeth define “spiritual” — or does she prefer another term?Elizabeth talks about sharing a “soul marrow transplant” with her sister Maggie, and how she discovered a particularly poignant needlepoint slogan after Maggie’s death that she’s adapted to her own meditation: “Do no harm and take no shit.”What is Authenticity Deficit Disorder?In my own experience, it’s not always an answer that helps us unburden ourselves of what Rumi called an open secret, but the act of asking. Does Elizabeth agree?Recommendations for people going through the grieving process — especially in a culture that doesn’t really afford us time to mourn.The importance of, as Henk Kraaijenhof has said, doing as little as needed, not as much as possible.What is the origin story of Elizabeth’s latest book, Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes?Does Elizabeth believe an impulse toward aggression is inevitable in women who acquire power? If so, can it be mitigated to avoid the abuses exercised by many men in power? Why do people in power tend more toward the fight or flight school of thought over tend and befriend?What impact does Elizabeth hope to have with Cassandra Speaks? How does she believe that full-hearted fatherhood might save the world?What would Elizabeth’s billboard say?Parting thoughts.PEOPLE MENTIONEDJerzy and Aniela Gregorek Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan Stephan Rechtschaffen Hafiz Idries Shah Chogyam Rinpoche The Dalai Lama Matt Mullenweg Wavy Gravy Deepak Chopra Elisabeth Kubler-Ross David Kessler Terence McKenna Jack Kornfield Gerard Manley Hopkins Tara Brach Maggie Lake Buddha Kuan Yin Rumi Pema Chödrön Henri Nouwen Henk Kraaijenhof Merlene Joyce Ottey Anita Hill Clarence Thomas Eve Ensler Donald Trump Niccolò Machiavelli Sun Tzu Friedrich Nietzsche Cassandra Eve Larry Nassar Rosemarie Aqualina Pandora Gloria Steinem Walter Cannon Shelley Taylor William Tecumseh Sherman

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Published on March 16, 2021 06:54

Elizabeth Lesser on Building Omega Institute, Intentional Communities, ADD (Authenticity Deficit Disorder), the Value of Grief, and the Emotion of Illumination (#505)

Illustration via 99designs

“We really began to be tired of ourselves teaching this technology of inner awakening to the same people over and over. It’s like, how many times do you have to wake up in the morning? You’re awake. Do something.”
— Elizabeth Lesser

Elizabeth Lesser (@ElizabethLesser) is a bestselling author and the co-founder of Omega Institute, the renowned conference and retreat center located in Rhinebeck, New York. Elizabeth’s first book, The Seeker’s Guide, chronicles her years at Omega and distills lessons learned into a potent guide for growth and healing. Her New York Times bestselling book, Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow, has sold almost 500,000 copies and has been translated into 20 languages. Her third book, Marrow, chronicles the journey Elizabeth and her younger sister went through when Elizabeth was the donor for her sister’s bone marrow transplant. Her newest book, Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes, reveals how humanity has outgrown its origin tales and hero myths. Elizabeth has given two popular TED talks and is one of Oprah Winfrey’s Supersoul 100, a collection of a hundred leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity.

She co-founded Omega Institute in 1977—a time when a variety of fresh ideas were sprouting in American culture. Since then, the Institute has been at the forefront of holistic education, offering workshops and conferences in integrative medicine, meditation and yoga, cross-cultural arts and creativity, ecumenical spirituality, and social change. Each year close to 30,000 people participate in Omega’s programs on its campus, and more than a million people visit its website for online learning.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Tonal smart home gym, Laird Superfood clean, plant-based creamers, and Allform premium, modular furniture. More on all three below.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercast#505: Elizabeth Lesser on Building Omega Institute, Intentional Communities, ADD (Authenticity Deficit Disorder), The Value of Grief, and The Emotion of Illuminationhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/f4adab92-d554-405a-ac33-53008cb34b17.mp3 Download

This episode is brought to you by Laird Superfood. Founded by big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton and volleyball champion Gabby Reece, Laird Superfood promises to deliver high-impact fuel to help you get through your busiest days. Laird Superfood offers a line of plant-based products designed to optimize your daily rituals from sunrise to sunset.

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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 another episode with someone who endeavors to awaken the best in the human spirit? Listen to my conversation with Buddhist monk and meditation teacher Jack Kornfield in which we discuss hang gliding, monk training in Thailand, unpleasant mystical experiences, the difference between compassion and empathy, lovingkindness meditation, and more.

#300: Jack Kornfield — Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy in the Presenthttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/f6381ff7-2f63-46c0-a888-052337df33f5.mp3 DownloadSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Elizabeth Lesser:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes by Elizabeth Lesser The Seeker’s Guide by Elizabeth Lesser Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser Marrow: Love, Loss, and What Matters Most by Elizabeth Lesser Omega Institute Sufism | Oxford Islamic Studies Online The New Yorker The Gift by Hafiz Tales of the Dervishes: Teaching-Stories of the Sufi Masters over the Past Thousand Years by Idries Shah An Esoteric View of the 1960s and ’70s | HuffPost Rudolf Otto and the Concept of the Numinous | Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Religion Naropa University Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior Mass Market Paperback by Chogyam Trungpa Buddhism | World History Encyclopedia WordPress Shaker Museum | New Lebanon, NY Woodstock Festival 10 Facts About the Ancient Library of Alexandria | Book Riot Bennington College Food As Medicine: It’s Not Just a Fringe Idea Anymore | The Salt, NPR Summer of Peace, Love, and Yiddish Song: The Legacy of New York’s Camp Boiberik | Smithsonian Folklife The Definitive Guide to Yoga for Beginners and Experts | Healthline Machine Elf | Non-Alien Creatures Wiki Is Ecumenism Biblical? Should a Christian Be Involved in the Ecumenical Movement (Ecumenicalism)? | GotQuestions.org Practicing Innervism | Omega What is Internal Family Systems? | IFS Institute Women, Power, Stories: An Interview with Author Elizabeth Lesser | An Injustice!God’s Grandeur by Gerard Manley Hopkins | Poetry Foundation Medical Definition of Hippocratic Oath | MedicineNet Do No Harm, Take No Shit | Mindful Necessities Elizabeth Lesser: Say Your Truths and Seek Them in Others | TED Talk Interview: Elizabeth Lesser | Lessons of the Soul | Best Self The Open Secret | Oprah In Grief, Try Personal Rituals | The Atlantic On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler How To Die Before You Die: Meaning and Meditation | The Joy Within A Letter of Consolation by Henri J. M. Nouwen Anita Hill Accuses Clarence Thomas | History The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler Women & Power Past Events | Omega Me Too Movement After Weinstein, Trump Sexual Misconduct Accusers Demand Action | BBC News Black Lives Matter The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli The Art of War by Sun Tzu How Was Larry Nassar Able to Abuse So Many Gymnasts for So Long? | The Guardian Cassandra in Greek Mythology | Greek Legends and Myths Gloria Steinem Reflects on Women’s Liberation 50 Years Later | Time Amateur: A Reckoning with Gender, Identity, and Masculinity by Thomas Page McBee The Tending Instinct: Women, Men, and the Biology of Relationships by Shelley E. Taylor How the Fight-or-Flight Response Works | Verywell Mind Tend and Befriend Theory | UCLA List of Central Park Statues | Central Park in BronzeSHOW NOTES

Note from the editor: Timestamps will be added shortly.

Why visiting Omega Institute might feel a little like starring in your own Disney film.Who is Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan?Coming from an atheistic background, how did Elizabeth find herself on a spiritual path when she first encountered Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, and what did he help her discover?What did the prototype look like for Omega Institute, and how did Elizabeth and her co-founders decide on what to include versus exclude?What issues made the early Omega Institute pioneers rethink their intention of living communally?How was the curriculum safely and legally aligned with the tagline of “awakening the best in the human spirit” during this time, and how were teachers selected?On the exploration of ecumenical traditions and innervism.What is the movement from me to we?How would Elizabeth define “spiritual” — or does she prefer another term?Elizabeth talks about sharing a “soul marrow transplant” with her sister Maggie, and how she discovered a particularly poignant needlepoint slogan after Maggie’s death that she’s adapted to her own meditation: “Do no harm and take no shit.”What is Authenticity Deficit Disorder?In my own experience, it’s not always an answer that helps us unburden ourselves of what Rumi called an open secret, but the act of asking. Does Elizabeth agree?Recommendations for people going through the grieving process — especially in a culture that doesn’t really afford us time to mourn.The importance of, as Henk Kraaijenhof has said, doing as little as needed, not as much as possible.What is the origin story of Elizabeth’s latest book, Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes?Does Elizabeth believe an impulse toward aggression is inevitable in women who acquire power? If so, can it be mitigated to avoid the abuses exercised by many men in power? Why do people in power tend more toward the fight or flight school of thought over tend and befriend?What impact does Elizabeth hope to have with Cassandra Speaks? How does she believe that full-hearted fatherhood might save the world?What would Elizabeth’s billboard say?Parting thoughts.PEOPLE MENTIONEDJerzy and Aniela Gregorek Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan Stephan Rechtschaffen Hafiz Idries Shah Chogyam Rinpoche The Dalai Lama Matt Mullenweg Wavy Gravy Deepak Chopra Elisabeth Kubler-Ross David Kessler Terence McKenna Jack Kornfield Gerard Manley Hopkins Tara Brach Maggie Lake Buddha Kuan Yin Rumi Pema Chödrön Henri Nouwen Henk Kraaijenhof Merlene Joyce Ottey Anita Hill Clarence Thomas Eve Ensler Donald Trump Niccolò Machiavelli Sun Tzu Friedrich Nietzsche Cassandra Eve Larry Nassar Rosemarie Aqualina Pandora Gloria Steinem Walter Cannon Shelley Taylor William Tecumseh Sherman

View more on Timothy Ferriss's website »

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Published on March 16, 2021 06:54

Vitalik Buterin, Creator of Ethereum, on Understanding Ethereum, ETH vs. BTC, ETH2, Scaling Plans and Timelines, NFTs, Future Considerations, Life Extension, and More (Featuring Naval Ravikant) (#504)

Illustration via 99designs

“We wanted digital nations but we got digital nationalism.”
— Vitalik Buterin

Vitalik Buterin (@VitalikButerin) is the creator of Ethereum. He first discovered blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies through Bitcoin in 2011 and was immediately excited by the technology and its potential. He co-founded Bitcoin Magazine in September 2011, and after two and a half years of looking at what the existing blockchain technology and applications had to offer, wrote the Ethereum white paper in November of 2013. He now leads Ethereum’s research team, working on future versions of the Ethereum protocol. In 2014, Vitalik was a recipient of the two-year Thiel Fellowship, tech billionaire Peter Thiel’s project that awards $100,000 to 20 promising innovators under 20 so they can pursue their inventions in lieu of a post-secondary institution path. You can find his website at Vitalik.ca.

Naval Ravikant (@naval) is the co-founder and chairman of AngelList. He is an angel investor and has invested in more than 100 companies, including many mega-successes, such as Twitter, Uber, Notion, Opendoor, Postmates, and Wish. You can subscribe to Naval, his podcast on wealth and happiness, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find his blog at nav.al.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Wealthfront automated investing, Pique‘s Daily Immune (Vitamin C optimized for absorption), and Theragun percussive muscle therapy devices. 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#504: Vitalik Buterin, Creator of Ethereum, on Understanding Ethereum, ETH vs. BTC, ETH2, Scaling Plans and Timelines, NFTs, Future Considerations, Life Extension, and More (Featuring Naval Ravikant)https://rss.art19.com/episodes/2106301c-0a16-40a5-91e5-ab428cdbbe5a.mp3 Download

This episode is brought to you by Pique and their brand-new supplement, Daily Immune—Vitamin C optimized for absorption. Pique’s Daily Immune is maximized for absorption with liposomal encapsulation technology, and Pique’s unique formula supports a healthy immune system. It’s so easy to take—just a quick squeeze—and tastes so good—think black European elderberries—you might choose to enjoy it twice a day, as I do.

Try it for yourself risk-free with their 30-day satisfaction guarantee—you either love it or get your money back. Go to PiqueTea.com/Tim and use code TIM at checkout to get 5% off your first order plus free shipping when you purchase a bundle.

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Go to Theragun.com/Tim right now and get your Gen 4 Theragun today, starting at only $199.

This episode is brought to you by Wealthfront! Wealthfront pioneered the automated investing movement, sometimes referred to as ‘robo-advising,’ and they currently oversee $20 billion of assets for their clients. It takes about three minutes to sign up, and then Wealthfront will build you a globally diversified portfolio of ETFs based on your risk appetite and manage it for you at an incredibly low cost.

Smart investing should not feel like a rollercoaster ride. Let the professionals do the work for you. Go to Wealthfront.com/Tim and open a Wealthfront account today, and you’ll get your first $5,000 managed for free, for life. Wealthfront will automate your investments for the long term. Get started today at Wealthfront.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 learn more about cryptocurrency? Listen to the conversation Naval and I had with cryptographer Nick Szabo, in which we discuss the problems cryptocurrencies were designed to solve, wet versus dry code, quantum thought, future occupations, and the existential risks of blockchain governance.

#244: The Quiet Master of Cryptocurrency — Nick Szabohttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/30e669b9-67ac-41e7-b8b0-35ab10ead247.mp3 DownloadSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Vitalik Buterin:

Website | Twitter

Connect with Naval Ravikant:

Website | Twitter | Naval Podcast

Ethereum AngelList Naval Ravikant on Happiness, Reducing Anxiety, Crypto Stablecoins, and Crypto Strategy | The Tim Ferriss Show #473 The Quiet Master of Cryptocurrency — Nick Szabo | The Tim Ferriss Show #244 Ethereum Foundation What Is Bit Gold? The Brainchild of Blockchain Pioneer Nick Szabo | CoinCentral Zcash Blockchain: Everything You Need to Know | Investopedia Ethereum vs. Bitcoin | The Economist ENS (Ethereum Name System)Private, Secure Communication | Status What Is DeFi? | CoinDesk Smart Contracts | Investopedia LEGO Voltron | Wikipedia Justin Sun Recounts Steem-Hive Hard Fork at Virtual Blockchain Week | Coin Telegraph Hard Fork (Blockchain) | Investopedia Endnotes on 2020: Crypto and Beyond | Vitalik Buterin “Smart Contracts Are Castles Made of Math, Freely Trading with Each Other.” | Naval Ravikant, Twitter WordPress.org Automattic The Uncanny Mind That Built Ethereum | Wired How Ethereum Works: The History of Ethereum | CertiK What’s an NFT? And Why Are People Paying Millions to Buy Them? | NPR DAOs, Blockchain, and the Potential of Ownerless Business | Investopedia MakerDAO Stablecoin RAI Launches, a Pure, Decentralized Alternative for DeFi | Coin Telegraph Ethereum 2.0 Is Coming – Here’s What You Need to Know | Boxmining Layer 2 Scaling | Ethereum.org The Eth2 Upgrades | Ethereum.org BitTorrent Why Proof of Stake (Nov 2020) | Vitalik Buterin An Incomplete Guide to Rollups | Vitalik Buterin StarkWare Industries, Ltd.Moore’s Law | Investopedia Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) | Ethereum.org zkRollup Exchange and Payment Protocol | Loopring Optimism Bitcoin’s “Block Size” Debate: Big Blockers v. Decentralists | Lexology Bitcoin Cash Ethereum Classic Shock: Ethereum Miners Against Proposal to Reduce Block Rewards by 75% | Coin Telegraph ConsenSys Uniswap The Diaspora* Project Premining | Investopedia ‘Fair Launch’ Tokens Outshine the Average Coin’s Performance | Coin Telegraph Cryptocurrency Prices, Charts, and Market Capitalizations | CoinMarketCap SushiSwap Coinbase What’s Next for Crypto Regulation | The New York Times India’s Cryptocurrency Ban: Top 5 Things To Know | Bloomberg Quint Ethereum’s ‘EIP 1559’ Fee Market Overhaul Greenlit for July | CoinDesk Sound vs. Ultrasound Crypto Money | Reddit US Army Fort Knox A Sudden Loss of Faith in Tether Would Pose Risk to Bitcoin, JPMorgan Says | CoinDesk Bitcoin Maximalism | Investopedia Gini Index | Investopedia Tornado Cash Public Good | Investopedia Quadratic Payments: A Primer | Vitalik Buterin Tragedy Of The Commons | Investopedia Grants | Gitcoin Zero Knowledge Proof: Explain it Like I’m 5 (Halloween Edition) | Hacker Noon ZK-Rollups | Ethhub The Fable of the Dragon-Tyrant | Nick Bostrom ENIAC | CHM Bioconservatism, Bioenhancement, and Backfiring | Journal of Moral Education Tracking the Vaccine Race | Reuters Why America Abandoned Nuclear Power (and What We Can Learn from South Korea) | Vox Real Life Extension: Caloric Restriction or Intermittent Fasting? (Part 1) | Tim Ferriss Real Life Extension: Caloric Restriction or Intermittent Fasting? (Part 2) | Tim Ferriss My Life Extension Pilgrimage to Easter Island | The Tim Ferriss Show #193 Peter Attia, M.D. — Fasting, Metformin, Athletic Performance, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #398 12 Proven Health Benefits of Ashwagandha | Healthline The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss Differential Responses of Trans-Resveratrol on Proliferation of Neural Progenitor Cells and Aged Rat Hippocampal Neurogenesis | Scientific Reports Some Thoughts on For-Profit Psychedelic Startups and Companies | Tim Ferriss Meetup Official Moon Math An Approximate Introduction to How zk-SNARKs Are Possible | Vitalik Buterin On Collusion | Vitalik Buterin Ethereum Founder Vitalik Buterin Speaks Chinese during QnA | Top Studios Learn Languages Online | Pimsleur DuolingoSHOW NOTESWhat is Ethereum, and how does it differ from Bitcoin? [10:47]Ethereum applications Vitalik is most excited about. [14:48]What is DeFi? [18:41]How does intellectual property retain its value in such an interconnected system? [20:54]Digital nationalism, castles made of math, and comparing and contrasting how Ethereum and WordPress operate. [25:30]What was the initial vision for Ethereum, and what has Vitalik found most surprising about how it’s been used between concept and the current day? [27:53]Addressing the challenges of making Ethereum scale: enter Ethereum 2. [34:21]What does proof-of-stake mean in the context of the blockchain, and why is its efficiency debated? [41:45]How layer 2 operates more efficiently than layer 1, and to what degree when you factor in rollups and future computational capacity. [45:54]When can people betting their businesses on these improvements realistically expect them to be implemented? Is there a risk that some people won’t want to make the transition, and could this cause problems down the line? [54:37]As someone who prefers to coordinate rather than dictate, what happens when Vitalik disagrees with the way developers utilize Ethereum? [1:01:42]How the Ethereum Foundation, ConsenSys, and Uniswap (to name just a few organizations and applications) coexist and collaborate within the Ethereum community and how this dynamic differs from the Bitcoin ecosystem. [1:03:02]How tokens on the blockchain are like fire: crucial to progress but not without their own dangers. It really depends on the motivations of the person using them. [1:05:24]On the sovereign-resistant resilience of cryptocurrencies in the face of regulation and how some authorities are coming around to the idea that blockchain technologies can be useful. [1:13:14]What is Vitalik’s current point of view about where the ETH supply heads and what the ETH price means for the ecosystem? [1:18:05]As someone who’s concerned about wealth inequality, what does Vitalik think about the distribution of wealth in a crypto-run economy as opposed to an economy based on a fiat currency like the US dollar or the Euro? [1:23:08]These days, what’s Vitalik thinking about that falls outside the cryptosphere? [1:28:12]What is quadratic funding, and can it be done anonymously? [1:30:30]How quadratic funding can be combined with other means to finance scientific research. [1:35:39]Naval’s thoughts on campaign financing following a similar approach. [1:39:23]What areas of scientific research is Vitalik most interested in supporting? [1:40:17]What is Vitalik doing to live to 1,000 (and beyond), and what would he improve in the area of scientific research? [1:42:49]After 2020’s tumultuous changes, does Vitalik have ideas of where the world is headed in the next few years that his peers might disagree with? [1:49:54]What advice does Vitalik have for someone who wants to get involved in the Ethereum ecosystem? What are the points of leverage? [1:52:09]Another contrarian thing Vitalik believes. [1:55:57]As a lover of language learning, how does Vitalik recommend someone begin learning a language most effectively? [2:01:32]Parting thoughts. [2:04:54]PEOPLE MENTIONEDPeter Thiel Zooko Nick Szabo Justin Sun Matt Mullenweg Katie Haun Justin Drake Aya Miyaguchi Mark Zuckerberg Jack Dorsey Balaji Srinivasan Warren Buffett Methuselah Hal Finney Wei Dai Hayden Adams

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Published on March 08, 2021 12:57

Some Thoughts on For-Profit Psychedelic Startups and Companies

Credit: Lewis Minor

This week has been a fascinating firestorm for me.

Part of the excitement came after a series of tweets I published about some of the concerns I have as psychedelic medicine makes the leap from research to for-profit startups and companies. Here is what I wrote:

“I am very concerned by the patent land grab warming up in the for-profit psychedelic world. Is anyone working on an IP Defense Fund—or coalition of pro-bono lawyers—of some type to file USPTO objections/comments, etc. when companies attempt to secure broad patents that could hinder scientific research, reasonable competition (i.e., for “scale” and wide accessibility, we need competition to help drive costs down), and so on? Who are the smartest people thinking about this?
cc @michaelpollan, @Drug_Researcher, @RickDoblin, @RCarhartHarris”

[If helpful, here is the link to the actual thread on Twitter.]

Rick Doblin of The Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) replied with the below, which offers great food for thought. It demonstrates how non-profits and drug development can co-exist with innovative business models. It also demonstrates how a profit-first model is NOT always necessary for attracting excellent talent to work on tough problems:

@tferriss: @MAPS has recently engaged patent attorneys to assist in strengthening our anti-patent strategy for uses of MDMA, and to prepare easily accessible information for patent examiners so patents will not be issued in the first place. pic.twitter.com/ndcAELkDi4
— Rick Doblin, MAPS (@RickDoblin) March 4, 2021

Another response that got a fair amount of attention was from Christian Angermeyer, who has co-funded and co-founded two notable for-profit companies in the space, Compass Pathways and ATAI Life Sciences, respectively. I learned of his response in an excellent and comprehensive VICE article on the spectrum of IP being filed right now related to psychedelics, which ranges from weight-loss to e-cigarettes.

Before we go further, I want to note that I like Christian and have also moderated panels involving him (e.g., the psychedelic science panel at Milken Institute Global Conference 2019, which I think is the best 101 overview I’ve ever been a part of), where I’ve always found his perspectives valuable.

He is sincere in his goal to help millions with access to psychedelics, and here is his response to my thread (in case easier, screenshot is here):

Tim, I am a huge fan, but here is why you are wrong @michaelpollan @RickDoblin @RCarhartHarris pic.twitter.com/VIhdGeHdG8
— Christian Angermayer (@C_Angermayer) March 3, 2021

I planned on responding on Twitter, but it got long and Twitter wouldn’t let me. I also realized that the points, problems, and questions are relevant to nearly anyone starting or working for a for-profit company in the psychedelic space.

For those reasons and more, I decided to turn my response into a blog post.

Here it is…

###

Thank you for the response, Christian. I agree with nearly everything in your response and appreciate the dialogue.

That said, I don’t think it directly addresses my concerns. To further the conversation, please allow me highlight and clarify a few things:

1. I’m not anti-profit. I’m an early investor or advisor in 50+ companies that have created hundreds of billions of dollars of market cap (e.g., Shopify, Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Alibaba) and raised tens of billions of dollars in funding. I understand how important intellectual property (IP) can be and how critical it is to have financially sustainable models for scaling. 100% agreed there. For-profit structures, and markets in general, are excellent mechanisms for innovation and solving challenging problems.

2. Regarding my donations of “a few million dollars,” which seemed to be considered trivial — I think it’s worth noting that I began funding studies in psychedelic science circa late 2015, and I was a founding funder of the first dedicated research center in the world (Imperial College) and the first in the US (Johns Hopkins). I believe these and other “seed investments” have had large compounding effects, including cultural and institutional domino effects on an international scale. I judge my investments and philanthropy based on outcomes, not the size of my inputs. Little amounts can do a lot when put in early. Of course, I completely agree that massive amounts of capital will be needed to scale access.

Related to science — would you be willing to allow scientists who have signed deals with Compass or ATAI to share their agreements publicly (i.e., waive confidentiality clauses)? I believe that would quell some of the concerns among psychedelic advocates. If not, why not?

Of course, I realize that this would be unusual and not without challenges, but it might be a creative example of how companies can reassure the public that they are, net-net, contributing to, and not detracting from or disabling, the ecosystem.

3. You wrote that I’m “wrong” and “incredibly misguided” on the topic of IP. Can you please help me understand how I’m wrong and misguided? I’m always game to learn, but I could use more specifics.

As I stated in my initial tweet thread, I think it’s worth examining — and possibly pushing back on — “broad patents that could hinder scientific research, reasonable competition (i.e., for ‘scale’ and wide accessibility, we need competition to help drive costs down), and so on.” This also applies to anything in the public domain that should remain in the public domain. Please note that I didn’t mention specific companies, but since you engaged…

Do you disagree? Do you think a monopoly/duopoly of any type (Compass or ATAI or otherwise), or patents on basic elements of the psychedelic experience, would be good for the ecosystem, for innovation, or for ensuring affordable pricing?

I ask these things AS A CHEERLEADER. I WANT Compass and ATAI to succeed in helping many millions of people! I’ve met you, as well as the founders of Compass, and I believe you all to be good people. I really mean it. I believe that you all want to change the world for the better, and this field needs well-capitalized teams who can execute.

Compass and other for-profit companies have the potential to do a ton of good in the world. I also think that the nature and incentives of capitalism can breed strategies that are very bad for innovation, and we need individuals, groups, and third-party organizations to watch for them and mitigate them. Even the best of intentions can warp when they collide with the harsh realities of business.

None of this is Compass- or ATAI-specific. It applies to every startup and company in the space.

For-profit ventures have a critical role to play in the expansion of psychedelic medicine, but for-profit ventures don’t get a free pass. They can also cause harm, and they often do. There will be compelling temptations to make unethical decisions, pursue unfair anti-competitive practices (e.g., patenting “inventions” that aren’t inventions), generate revenue without adding value (e.g., IP trolling), charge as much as possible (e.g., NYT – “Drug Goes From $13.50 a Tablet to $750, Overnight“), and treat the psychedelic landscape as a winner-take-all or zero-sum game. “Disruption” can be white hat or black hat; “scaling” can be done with net-gain or net-loss to an ecosystem.

There are bad actors and mercenaries in every industry. But here’s the part that people forget — even if the founders of a company rival Mother Theresa in their moral character and strength, that isn’t enough. Leadership changes, incentives change, power dynamics change, and all situations change (Suggested reading: We Will Call It Pala). That’s why both internal guardrails and external watchdogs are important. Once again, even the purest of intentions can warp when they collide with the harsh realities of business. I’ve seen it.

In the end, the people who would most suffer as as a result of the problems I’ve outlined are the millions of people who most need psychedelic medicine. That is why I’m taking the time to write and publish my concerns.

Once again, thank you for the dialogue. I greatly appreciate it, and I greatly appreciate your mission to help as many people as possible.

Most sincerely,

Tim

View more on Timothy Ferriss's website »

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Published on March 05, 2021 15:42

Walter Isaacson on CRISPR, Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race (#503)

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“The molecule is going to become the new microchip.”
— Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson (@WalterIsaacson) is a professor of history at Tulane, has been CEO of the Aspen Institute, chair of CNN, and editor of Time. He is the author of Leonardo da Vinci; The Innovators; Steve Jobs; Einstein: His Life and Universe; Benjamin Franklin: An American Life; and Kissinger: A Biography. He is co-author of The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made.

His new book is The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race.

You can find our first conversation from 2017 at tim.blog/walter.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Magic Spoon delicious low-carb cereal, LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with ~720M users, and Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating. 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#503: Walter Isaacson on CRISPR, Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Racehttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/e7d73167-a163-4b3c-b14f-a2c35dfa87c1.mp3 Download

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.

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 722 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 Magic Spoon cereal! Magic Spoon is a brand-new cereal that is low carb, high protein, and zero sugar. It tastes just like your favorite sugary cereal. Each serving has 11g of protein, 3g of net carbs, 0g of sugar, and only 110 calories. It’s also gluten free, grain free, keto friendly, soy free, and GMO free. And it’s delicious! It comes in your favorite, traditional cereal flavors like Cocoa, Frosted, and Blueberry.

Magic Spoon cereal has received a lot of attention since launching in 2019 when Time magazine included it in their list of best inventions and Forbes called it “the future of cereal.” My listeners—that’s you—can get $5 off and a 100% happiness guarantee when you visit MagicSpoon.com/Tim and use code TIM. And some great news for Canadian listeners: Magic Spoon now also ships to Canada!

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 Walter’s first time on this podcast? Listen to our conversation in which we learn life lessons and tactics from Steve Jobs, Ben Franklin, Leonardo da Vinci, and more.

#273: Lessons from Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, and Ben Franklinhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/64d6f30c-7c2c-4982-bc35-4f1d40f25190.mp3 DownloadSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Walter Isaacson:

Tulane University | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

View more on Timothy Ferriss's website »

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Published on March 04, 2021 07:20

Jordan Peterson on Rules for Life, Psychedelics, The Bible, and Much More (#502)

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It seems to me that the purpose of life is to find a mode of being that is so meaningful that the fact that life is suffering is no longer relevant.
— Jordan Peterson

Jordan B. Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) has taught mythology to lawyers, doctors, and business people, consulted for the UN secretary-general, helped his clinical clients manage depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia, served as an adviser to senior partners of major Canadian law firms, and lectured extensively in North America and Europe.

With his students and colleagues at Harvard and the University of Toronto, Dr. Peterson has published more than one hundred scientific papers, transforming the modern understanding of personality, as his book Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief revolutionized the psychology of religion.

His book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos was published in 2018 and has sold more than 4 million copies internationally. His latest book is Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform. Watch on YouTube here.

Brought to you Wealthfront automated investing, Helix Sleep premium mattresses, and Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement. More on all three below.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercast#502: Jordan Peterson on Rules for Life, Psychedelics, The Bible, and Much Morehttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/e6527fc1-cf49-438a-af03-032d48d09251.mp3 Download

This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep! Helix was selected as the #1 best 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, to my dear listeners, 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 Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually 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 Wealthfront! Wealthfront pioneered the automated investing movement, sometimes referred to as ‘robo-advising,’ and they currently oversee $20 billion of assets for their clients. It takes about three minutes to sign up, and then Wealthfront will build you a globally diversified portfolio of ETFs based on your risk appetite and manage it for you at an incredibly low cost.

Smart investing should not feel like a rollercoaster ride. Let the professionals do the work for you. Go to Wealthfront.com/Tim and open a Wealthfront account today, and you’ll get your first $5,000 managed for free, for life. Wealthfront will automate your investments for the long term. Get started today at Wealthfront.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…

Do you want to hear an episode with one of Jordan’s more well-known debate partners? Listen to my most recent conversation with Sam Harris in which we discussed psychedelics, how to cope during the pandemic, taming anxiety, and much more.

#433: Sam Harris on Psychedelics, How to Cope During a Pandemic, Taming Anxiety, and Morehttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/084844f6-7026-43e6-8e4e-2d2fab01f3cd.mp3 DownloadSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Jordan Peterson:

Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief by Jordan B. Peterson Government of Alberta, Canada Canada’s NDP Great Books | Jordan Peterson One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Values and Morals | The Perspectives of Nietzsche “The Purpose of Life…” | Jordan Peterson, Goodreads Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl 16 Jordan Peterson Memes That Made Me Clean My Room with Laughter | HighExistence Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson Island by Aldous Huxley Jordan Peterson: The Mystery of DMT and Psilocybin | Bite-Sized Philosophy Jordan B. Peterson: Roland Griffiths’ Research with Psilocybin | Datun Center The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide – Risks, Micro-Dosing, Ibogaine, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #66 The World’s Largest Psychedelic Research Center | The Tim Ferriss Show #385 What Are the Big 5 Personality Traits? | Verywell Mind Carl Jung On Why You Should Be Wary of Psychedelics | Voicecraft Understanding the Relationship Between Amphetamines and Psychosis | Current Addiction Reports Everything You Should Know About Ego Death | DoubleBlind Ecstasy Tabs Destroying Forest Wilderness | The New Humanitarian Inner Paths to Outer Space: Journeys to Alien Worlds through Psychedelics and Other Spiritual Technologies by Rick Strassman Taking DMT Can Lead to Experiences Similar to Those Reported by People Who Claim to Have Been Abducted by Aliens, Study Shows | Newsweek Amanita Muscaria (Fly Agaric Mushroom) | First Nature Biblical Series XIII: Jacob’s Ladder Transcript | Jordan B. Peterson Mushroom Expert Exhumes the Stoned Ape Theory | Big Think The Animals That Love Doing Drugs | Animal Cognition Definition of Sequelae | Merriam-Webster Psychological Significance of the Biblical Stories | Jordan B. Peterson Sam Harris & Jordan Peterson in Vancouver, Night One | Pangburn Sam Harris & Jordan Peterson in Vancouver, Night Two | Pangburn Biblical Series V: Cain and Abel: The Hostile Brothers Transcript | Jordan B. Peterson Biblical Series II: Genesis 1: Chaos & Order Transcript | Jordan B. Peterson Yinyang (Yin-Yang) | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Phallogocentric | Bloomsbury Literary Studies BlogSHOW NOTESWho was Sandy Notley, and what role does she play in Jordan’s story? [05:23]Early influential books that have stood the test of time for Jordan, and what listeners can expect to gain by delving into the list of books he recommends at his website. [08:57]On the Nietzschean idea of morality as cowardice, and what we might do to cultivate courage while keeping our more dangerous inclinations in check. [11:37]Drawing a distinction between thinking and paying attention as a way to gain insight during a conversation that may turn adversarial, and why resentment, for all its ugliness, can be a valuable consultant. [16:18]On finding meaning to make life’s suffering irrelevant (or at least non-corrupting), and Jordan’s thoughts about how this perspective informs his conservative leanings. [24:10]What does Jordan feel is the right way to constructively criticize a social institution? [29:30]Jordan weighs in on what he finds fascinating about psychology and the physiology of drug and alcohol use, and what he considers to be the “Pandora’s Box” of seeking religious experiences through psychedelics. [34:43]If the contents of this Pandora’s Box facilitate greater openness, when might this not be a good thing? How does Jordan define openness in this context, and how does it relate to Carl Jung’s warning to “beware of unearned wisdom?” [39:48]In what ways does Jordan believe the world is, as he puts it, “deeply strange?” How did his son once inexplicably illustrate the chaos and order of this strangeness from a child’s perspective? [45:24]Stoned apes, high flies, and the risk of ontological shock faced by people who pursue psychoactive experiences too casually. [51:00]What might the average person in the Western world, religious or not, gain by studying the Bible? [53:57]Jordan believes that ancient stories — as found in the Bible — carry kernels of wisdom that have been stripped of superfluousness over time. When writing a book, how does he try to convey his own messages in a way that will remain intact over time to serve further generations? [59:54]How writing a book can be the meaning an author needs to keep going, and why finishing it can counterintuitively be a source of devastation rather than elation. [1:02:25]What would Jordan recommend to someone seeking meaning if they have reached a high level of competence in a certain area? [1:03:30]Why is Jordan’s new book called Beyond Order? [1:05:23]Beyond sales, what would make Jordan consider Beyond Order a success? [00:00]Parting thoughts. [1:16:48]PEOPLE MENTIONEDGrant Notley Ayn Rand Aldous Huxley George Orwell Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Rachel Notley Fyodor Dostoevsky Friedrich Nietzsche Abraham Lincoln Oscar Wilde Viktor Frankl Hunter S. Thompson Rick Strassman Roland Griffiths Matt Johnson Timothy Leary Carl Jung Terence McKenna Mircea Eliade Alfred North Whitehead Sam Harris Cain and Abel Pinocchio Jacques Derrida

View more on Timothy Ferriss's website »

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Published on March 01, 2021 09:32

Steven Pressfield — How to Overcome Self-Sabotage and Resistance, Routines for Little Successes, and The Hero’s Journey vs. The Artist’s Journey (#501)

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“Resistance with a capital R, that force of self-sabotage, will try to stop you as a writer or an artist or anybody from achieving your best work, from following your calling, will try to distract you, undermine your self-confidence, make you procrastinate, make you quit, make you give into fear, or, on the other hand, make you such a perfectionist that you spend all day on one paragraph and you accomplish nothing. The concept of little successes, or of a routine, is to help you overcome that Resistance.”
— Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield (@SPressfield), a former Marine and graduate of Duke University, became an overnight success as a writer after 30 years of abject failure. Identifying the omnipresence of “Resistance,” the interior force of self-sabotage he described in The War of Art, has saved his own artistic life and has helped many others struggling to find their creative calling. Steven’s novels of the ancient world, including the nonfiction The Warrior Ethos, are required reading at West Point, Annapolis, and in the Marine Corps. He lives in Los Angeles.

His new book is A Man at Arms, an epic saga about a reluctant hero, the Roman Empire, and the rise of a new faith.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Tonal smart home gym; LinkedIn Sales Navigator, the best version of LinkedIn for sales professionals; 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 onOvercast#501: Steven Pressfield — How to Overcome Self-Sabotage and Resistance, Routines for Little Successes, and The Hero’s Journey vs. The Artist’s Journeyhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/386939be-c8ae-4863-ae82-11de855d542e.mp3 Download

This episode is brought to you by Tonal! Tonal is the world’s most intelligent home gym and personal trainer. It is precision engineered and designed to be the world’s most advanced strength studio. Tonal uses breakthrough technology—like adaptive digital weights and A.I. learning—together with the best experts in resistance training so you get stronger, faster. Every program is personalized to your body using A.I., and smart features check your form in real time, just like a personal trainer.

Try Tonal, the world’s smartest home gym, for 30 days in your home, and if you don’t love it, you can return it for a full refund. Visit Tonal.com for $100 off their smart accessories when you use promo code TIM21 at checkout.

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually 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 LinkedIn Sales Navigator! LinkedIn Sales Navigator is the best version of LinkedIn for sales professionals. Tap into the power of LinkedIn’s 700 million+ member network. LinkedIn Sales Navigator gives you 20 monthly InMail messages, Lead Recommendations, Unlimited Searches, Actionable Insights and News, and access to free courses on LinkedIn Learning. Target the right prospects and decision-makers, unlocking 15% more pipeline from sourced opportunities, a 17% lift when saving leads on Sales Navigator, and 42% larger deal sizes.

Start your 60-day free trial—that’s a two-month free trial!—of LinkedIn Sales Navigator today by going to LinkedIn.com/Navigator.

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 prolific wordsmith? Lend an ear to my conversation with Joyce Carol Oates in which we discuss creative processes and obstacles, the joy of revision, the truth about “final” drafts, the relationship between quantity and enduring quality of one’s work, writing for contemporaries over posterity, and much more.

#497: Joyce Carol Oates — A Writing Icon on Creative Process and Creative Livinghttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/b76b957b-8387-4dc3-903e-cdfb9b6170ce.mp3 DownloadSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Steven Pressfield:

Website | Twitter | Instagram

View more on Timothy Ferriss's website »

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Published on February 26, 2021 07:08

Steven Pressfield on The Artist’s Journey, the Wisdom of Little Successes, Shadow Careers, and Overcoming Resistance (#501)

Illustration via 99designs

Resistance with a capital R, that force of self-sabotage, will try to stop you as a writer or an artist or anybody from achieving your best work, from following your calling, will try to distract you, undermine your self-confidence, make you procrastinate, make you quit, make you give into fear, or, on the other hand, make you such a perfectionist that you spend all day on one paragraph and you accomplish nothing. The concept of little successes, or of a routine, is to help you overcome that Resistance.
— Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield (@SPressfield), a former Marine and graduate of Duke University, became an overnight success as a writer after 30 years of abject failure. Identifying the omnipresence of “Resistance,” the interior force of self-sabotage he described in The War of Art, has saved his own artistic life and has helped many others struggling to find their creative calling. Steven’s novels of the ancient world, including the nonfiction The Warrior Ethos, are required reading at West Point, Annapolis, and in the Marine Corps. He lives in Los Angeles.

His new book is A Man at Arms, an epic saga about a reluctant hero, the Roman Empire, and the rise of a new faith.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Tonal smart home gym, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, the best version of LinkedIn for sales professionals, and Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement. More on all three below.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercast#501: Steven Pressfield on The Artist’s Journey, the Wisdom of Little Successes, Shadow Careers, and Overcoming Resistancehttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/386939be-c8ae-4863-ae82-11de855d542e.mp3 Download

This episode is brought to you by Tonal! Tonal is the world’s most intelligent home gym and personal trainer. It is precision engineered and designed to be the world’s most advanced strength studio. Tonal uses breakthrough technology—like adaptive digital weights and A.I. learning—together with the best experts in resistance training so you get stronger, faster. Every program is personalized to your body using A.I., and smart features check your form in real time, just like a personal trainer.

Try Tonal, the world’s smartest home gym, for 30 days in your home, and if you don’t love it, you can return it for a full refund. Visit Tonal.com for $100 off their smart accessories when you use promo code TIM at checkout.

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually 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 LinkedIn Sales Navigator! LinkedIn Sales Navigator is the best version of LinkedIn for sales professionals. Tap into the power of LinkedIn’s 700 million+ member network. LinkedIn Sales Navigator gives you 20 monthly InMail messages, Lead Recommendations, Unlimited Searches, Actionable Insights and News, and access to free courses on LinkedIn Learning. Target the right prospects and decision-makers, unlocking 15% more pipeline from sourced opportunities, a 17% lift when saving leads on Sales Navigator, and 42% larger deal sizes.

Start your 60-day free trial—that’s a two-month free trial!—of LinkedIn Sales Navigator today by going to LinkedIn.com/Navigator.

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 prolific wordsmith? Lend an ear to my conversation with Joyce Carol Oates in which we discuss creative processes and obstacles, the joy of revision, the truth about “final” drafts, the relationship between quantity and enduring quality of one’s work, writing for contemporaries over posterity, and much more.

#497: Joyce Carol Oates — A Writing Icon on Creative Process and Creative Livinghttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/b76b957b-8387-4dc3-903e-cdfb9b6170ce.mp3 DownloadSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Steven Pressfield:

Website | Twitter | Instagram

View more on Timothy Ferriss's website »

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Published on February 26, 2021 07:08

KevKev TimTim TalkTalk on Dragon Slaying, Lessons Learned, Viagra, and Assorted Nonsense (#500)

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Kevin Rose (@KevinRose)—technologist, serial entrepreneur, world-class investor, self-experimenter, and all-around wild and crazy guy—was the first guest on the podcast nearly seven years ago. We were in San Francisco, sitting at this huge wooden table, and I remember being very nervous. I didn’t know what to expect, but if people liked the idea, I promised to do at least six total episodes.

600M+ downloads and hundreds of guests later, Kevin is taking the reins and interviewing me for episode #500!

Hard to believe it all started off as a lark. It’s arguably the biggest thing I’ve ever done, and without you all—my dear listeners—it wouldn’t be possible.

Thank you for allowing me to do this work. I love it.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Wealthfront automated investing, Literati Kids, a try-before-you-buy subscription book club,, and Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement. More on all three below.

Listen onApple Podcasts [image error]Listen onSpotify [image error]Listen onOvercast#500: KevKev TimTim TalkTalk on Dragon Slaying, Lessons Learned, Viagra, and Assorted Nonsensehttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/23853200-867b-4d61-a159-3ca05906f6b0.mp3 Download

This episode is brought to you by Literati Kids, a try-before-you-buy subscription book club! Great children’s books open up new worlds for discovery. With Literati Kids, your child can explore uncharted places every month, with spellbinding stories handpicked by experts.

From art and escapades to tales of compassion and friendship, each Literati box follows a new, enriching theme. And with personalized extras like stickers, surprises, and special guest artwork, every box is a fun and fresh adventure. Head to Literati.com/Tim for twenty-five percent off your first two orders. Select your child’s book club and start them on a literary journey like no other.

This episode is brought to you by Wealthfront! Wealthfront pioneered the automated investing movement, sometimes referred to as ‘robo-advising,’ and they currently oversee $20 billion of assets for their clients. It takes about three minutes to sign up, and then Wealthfront will build you a globally diversified portfolio of ETFs based on your risk appetite and manage it for you at an incredibly low cost.

Smart investing should not feel like a rollercoaster ride. Let the professionals do the work for you. Go to Wealthfront.com/Tim and open a Wealthfront account today, and you’ll get your first $5,000 managed for free, for life. Wealthfront will automate your investments for the long term. Get started today at Wealthfront.com/Tim.

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually 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.

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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 episode where this thing all began? Give episode one with Kevin Rose a listen, in which we discuss what makes a good wine bar, why Kevin seems to be so good at predicting what’s next, the characteristics of winners, the story of Odeo (the company that birthed Twitter), tips on choosing angel investments, and more.

#1: Kevin Rosehttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/65722195-ea0e-4436-8c0e-078e3663aa6d.mp3 DownloadSELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEConnect with Kevin Rose:

The Kevin Rose Show | Oak Meditation | Zero | Instagram | Twitter

Note from the editor: Timestamps will be added shortly.

Reminiscing over accidentally copious quantities of wine about the time Kevin told me doing a podcast would be “stupid.” But then he helped me with the first episode of TimTim TalkTalk, anyway.What one thing do I eat that I’ve never wanted to admit to the 4-Hour Body tribe?After years of experimenting with so-called life hacks, have I found peace outside of having things or knowing things?As I’m constantly trying new things, how do I ensure I don’t become buried under a mountain of stuff?How do high performers know when to course correct (e.g., abandon faulty notions)?When was the last time a blood or urine sample was stored in my fridge?How did I meet and fall in love with my girlfriend?Have I ever made a mistake in one of my books that I wish I could take back?What supplements am I taking these days?Do I still practice the 4-Hour Body regimen? What’s my approach to longevity, and what is my overall level of fitness like these days?Best movie to watch on mushrooms?A failure I haven’t talked about.When it happens, what type of dad do I want to be? What attributes from my own father would I hope to carry over, and what tweaks might I make?What would my billboard say these days?Would I get a hair transplant?While it’s impossible to pick a favorite episode out of the 500 so far, here are a few that stand out.Do I believe in UFOs?A harder question: have I ever tried Viagra?Are there any more 4-Hour books on the horizon?Where do I see myself in the next 10-20 years? Is retirement in the cards, or is there another path for Tim-Tim+?What substances soothe my weary soul on an especially trying day?Is there anything that makes me feel old? Is there anything that makes me feel young?For what do I hope to be remembered when I shuffle off this mortal coil?At 500, how many more episodes do I think I have left in me?Parting thoughts.PEOPLE MENTIONEDDarya Rose Chris Sacca Bill Richards Mary Cosimano Warren Buffett Donald Knuth Tony Conrad David Blaine Glenn McElhose Peter Attia Kid ‘n Play Agent Clay Jean-Luc Picard Hugh Jackman Arnold Schwarzenegger Jamie Foxx Jerry Seinfeld BJ Miller Mary Karr Elon Musk Tony Stark

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Published on February 23, 2021 15:19

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