#147: How to Avoid the Busy Trap (And Other Misuses of Your Time)
The Tim Ferriss Show
The End of Life, Farewell
Every one goes out of life just as if he had but late entered it. No thought in the quotation given above pleases me more than that it taunts old men with being infants. We have jettisoned our cargo of life and are in distress. Men do not care how nobly they live, but only how long. Although it is within the reach of every man to live nobly, but within no man's power to live long. Farewell.
Today's episode is a bite-sized morsel for your brain and for your life. This is an excerpt from my favorite writing of all time. This letter is #22, "On the Futility of Halfway Measures." As usual, Seneca takes a little time in his preamble to get warmed up. That is his style. He seems to enjoy feeling out the recipient of his letter before jumping into the details. I love this letter because it addresses how we spend our time, which is one of the biggest stresses for all people, and especially entrepreneurs. My favorite portion is: "Hence men leave such advantages as these with reluctance." I encourage you to listen to this and think of ways that you can adapt Seneca's wisdom to your own life. Enjoy! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Wealthfront. Wealthfront is a massively disruptive (in a good way) set-it-and-forget-it investing service, led by technologists from places like Apple. It has exploded in popularity in the last two years and now has more than $2.5B under management. Why? Because you can get services previously limited to the ultra-wealthy and only pay pennies on the dollar for them, and it’s all through smarter software instead of retail locations and bloated sales teams. Check out wealthfront.com/tim, take their risk assessment quiz, which only takes 2-5 minutes, and they’ll show you—for free–exactly the portfolio they’d put you in. If you want to just take their advice and do it yourself, you can. Well worth a few minutes to explore: wealthfront.com/tim. This podcast is also brought to you by 99Designs, the world's largest marketplace of graphic designers. I have used them for years to create some amazing designs. When your business needs a logo, website design, business card, or anything you can imagine, check out 99Designs. I used them to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body, and I've also had them help with display advertising and illustrations. If you want a more personalized approach, I recommend their 1-on-1 service. You get original designs from designers around the world. The best part? You provide your feedback, and then you end up with a product that you're happy with or your money back. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade. Give it a test run.
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