A Note from James
I’ve been on and off writing. From 2004 to 2021, I wrote one to two books a year, without fail. Since then, nothing. But I’ve been working on an idea: obsession. When I’m not obsessed, I can’t do much—sometimes not even the basics. But when I am obsessed, I can turn that energy into real outcomes: a business, a book, a skill, sometimes success, sometimes failure.
This episode comes from a recent conversation I had with the Ventura Labs team. We talked about obsession, but also about AI, crypto, and how those obsessions have led to building TAO Synergies ($TAOX), a public company on Nasdaq. I’d love to hear your thoughts: should I write this as a book? Reach out on Twitter or anywhere.
Episode Description
James Altucher joins the Ventura Labs Podcast to explore the link between obsession, creativity, and execution. From contributing to IBM’s Deep Blue in the 90s to co-founding TAO Synergies, James shares how obsessions with chess, AI, and crypto have shaped his life and career.
The conversation covers the philosophy behind decentralized AI, the rise of treasury strategies, and why writing down ten ideas a day can change everything. This episode isn’t about trends—it’s about frameworks: how to spot real opportunities, how to build around them, and how to know when obsession is worth pursuing.
What You’ll Learn
- Why obsession can be both a weakness and a superpower—and how to channel it productively.
- How Bittensor ($TAO) creates decentralized AI opportunities at a fraction of traditional costs.
- The mechanics of treasury companies and how TAO Synergies is building its playbook.
- The risks and rewards of subnet investing, and how tokenomics actually drive value.
- Lessons James learned from failure, from HBO web series experiments to company collapses, and why generating ideas daily can reset your career.
Timestamped Chapters
- 02:15 – Introduction
- 02:58 – What is Bittensor
- 06:24 – AI background and Deep Blue
- 09:34 – Chess interest and journey
- 11:46 – $TAOX inspirations and getting TAO-pilled
- 14:09 – TAO Synergies origin story
- 16:57 – Reaching 100M and playbook
- 19:41 – Treasury strategies and validators
- 22:02 – Launching TAO Daily
- 25:51 – Bitcoin adoption and involvement
- 29:32 – Subnet investing and analysis
- 30:59 – Token warnings and TAO demand
- 35:46 – Subnet proposals and increases
- 37:36 – Successful sectors and examples
- 40:04 – Yanez and Metanova
- 43:17 – Decentralization benefits
- 46:13 – AI jobs and countering fears
- 49:34 – Beneficial sectors: AI and stablecoins
- 53:59 – Bryan Johnson documentary
- 55:17 – Starting podcast and interviews
- 57:14 – Interests and obsessions
- 01:00:56 – Daily writing obsession and origins
- 01:03:47 – Confidence and opinions
- 01:07:33 – Company failures and lessons
- 01:10:42 – HBO series and 3AM show
- 01:14:26 – Hesitancy, regrets, pivotal points
- 01:17:38 – Advice on time and experiments
Additional Resources
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