#603: In Case You Missed It: May 2022 Recap of "The Tim Ferriss Show"

13 snips

Jun 24, 2022

Guest

Dennis McKenna

Edward O. Thorp shares his secrets on beating the odds in blackjack and the stock market, emphasizing the importance of knowing when to walk away. Morgan Fallon reflects on his unique experiences with Anthony Bourdain, blending high standards and creativity in storytelling. Richard Wiseman dives into the psychology behind luck and dreams, offering intriguing insights on mentalism and sleep improvement techniques. Meanwhile, Dennis McKenna uncovers the wonders of Amazonian ethnopharmacology, exploring the impact of psychedelics on consciousness.

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ADVICE

Fitness Advice

Listen to your body and do what you enjoy for exercise.
Some exercise is better than none, and more (up to a point) is better than less.

ANECDOTE

Weightlifting Bet

Edward O. Thorp started weightlifting on a bet and doubled his strength in a year.
This experience sparked his lifelong interest in health and fitness.

ANECDOTE

Bourdain's Standards

Anthony Bourdain had high standards, like Michael Mann, but was also caring.
He pushed his crew to be fast and efficient, drawing from his kitchen experience.

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A Man for All Markets

From Las Vegas to Wall Street, How I Beat the Dealer and the Market

Edward O. Thorp

In this book, Edward O. Thorp recounts his remarkable career, from inventing card counting systems to beat blackjack dealers, to developing mathematical formulas that gave him an edge in the financial markets. Thorp's story includes his invention of the world's first wearable computer to predict roulette outcomes, his detection of the Bernie Madoff scheme, and his interactions with notable figures like Warren Buffett and Rudy Giuliani. The book offers practical wisdom on investing, asset allocation, and wealth management, making it an intellectual thrill ride for readers interested in finance and mathematics.

The luck factor

Richard Wiseman

In 'The Luck Factor,' Richard Wiseman presents the results of his extensive research on why some people are consistently lucky while others are not. The book is based on interviews and experiments involving over 1,000 people who self-identify as lucky or unlucky. Wiseman identifies four key principles that distinguish lucky people: they are skilled at creating and noticing chance opportunities, make decisions based on intuition, have positive expectations about the future, and adopt a resilient attitude that transforms bad luck into good. The book provides practical tips and scientific evidence to support the idea that luck is not random but can be influenced by one's behavior and mindset.

Beat the dealer

A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One

Edward O. Thorp

In 'Beat the Dealer', Edward O. Thorp shares the revolutionary point system that has been successfully used by professional and amateur card players for generations. The book includes an overview of the basic rules of blackjack, proven winning strategies ranging from simple to advanced, methods to overcome casino countermeasures, ways to spot cheating, and charts and tables to illustrate key concepts. It is considered the bible for players of this game of chance and has been instrumental in changing the rules in Las Vegas casinos. The book also includes perforated cards to help players implement the strategies in the casino.

The Man Who Beat the Market

How Ray Dalio, David Swensen, and Other Hedge Fund Managers Made Billions in the Financial Crisis and How You Can Too

Gregory Zuckerman

In 'The Man Who Beat the Market', Gregory Zuckerman delves into the strategies and philosophies of successful hedge fund managers such as Ray Dalio and David Swensen. The book provides insights into how these managers navigated and profited from the financial crisis, and offers lessons for individual investors on how to make informed investment decisions.

Deep Work

Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Cal Newport

In 'Deep Work', Cal Newport argues that the ability to perform deep work—professional activities in a state of distraction-free concentration—is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. The book is divided into two parts: the first part explains why deep work is valuable, rare, and meaningful, while the second part presents four rules to transform your mind and habits to support this skill. These rules include 'Work Deeply', 'Embrace Boredom', 'Quit Social Media', and 'Drain the Shallows'. Newport provides actionable advice and examples from various successful individuals to help readers master the skill of deep work and achieve groundbreaking results.

Digital Minimalism

Cal Newport

In 'Digital Minimalism', Cal Newport argues that we need to be more intentional about the technologies we allow into our lives. He proposes a philosophy of digital minimalism, where individuals focus their online time on activities that strongly support their values and ignore the rest. The book highlights the negative effects of behavioral addictions created by technology, such as solitude deprivation and the fleeting nature of social media satisfaction. Newport suggests a 30-day 'digital declutter' process and other practices to help readers integrate digital minimalism into their lives, emphasizing the importance of optimizing technology use to support personal goals and values[2][3][5].

Night School

Bentley Little

Night School, published in 1994 (and released as University in 1995 in some regions), is a horror novel by Bentley Little. The story delves into the darker aspects of an educational environment, characteristic of Little's style in blending everyday settings with elements of horror. The novel is part of Little's extensive body of work, which has garnered recognition and praise within the horror genre.

A World Without Email

Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload

Cal Newport

In 'A World Without Email', Cal Newport argues that the constant digital communication, which he terms the 'hyperactive hive mind', has become a productivity disaster. He contends that this workflow, driven by email and other messaging tools, reduces profitability, slows economic growth, and makes workers miserable. Newport proposes a workplace where clear processes, not haphazard messaging, define task management. He advocates for each person working on fewer tasks but doing them better, with significant investment in support to reduce administrative burdens. The book lays out principles and concrete instructions for streamlining important communication and reducing the central role of inboxes and chat channels in the workplace.

Exploring the world of lucid dreaming

Stephen LaBerge

This book provides a scientifically researched framework for lucid dreaming, based on Dr. Stephen LaBerge's laboratory work at Stanford University and the teachings of Tibetan dream yogis. It guides readers in using lucid dreaming to enhance personal growth, creativity, and spiritual exploration. The techniques outlined help individuals recognize and control their dreams, leading to profound personal transformations.

Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss

My Life with Terence McKenna

Dennis McKenna

This book chronicles the McKenna brothers’ childhood in western Colorado during the 1950s and 1960s, including their adolescent adventures and first encounters with alcohol and drugs. It weaves personal narrative through philosophical ideas and tales of psychedelic experimentation, such as the 'Experiment at La Chorrera'. Dennis McKenna reflects on his early interests in cosmology and astrology, his sometimes rocky relationship with his older brother, and their diverging paths later in life. The book also includes accounts of their mother’s and Terence’s battles with cancer and Dennis’s reflections on scientific revelations, climate change, and social and political crises in the 10th Anniversary edition.

The 4 Hour Workweek

Timothy Ferriss

In 'The 4-Hour Workweek', Timothy Ferriss presents a step-by-step guide to 'lifestyle design', encouraging readers to question the traditional notion of retirement and instead create a lifestyle that prioritizes freedom, adventure, and personal growth. The book teaches how to outsource life tasks, automate income, and eliminate unnecessary work using principles like the 80/20 rule and Parkinson’s Law. Ferriss shares his personal journey from a corporate workaholic to a location-independent entrepreneur and provides practical tips and case studies to help readers achieve similar results. The book emphasizes the importance of focusing on high-value activities, taking 'mini-retirements', and living life to the fullest in the present rather than deferring enjoyment until retirement.

59 seconds

think a little change a lot

Richard Wiseman

In '59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot', Richard Wiseman challenges traditional self-help myths by offering practical, research-proven advice that can be applied in less than a minute. The book covers a wide range of topics including happiness, persuasion, motivation, creativity, attraction, stress, relationships, decision making, and parenting. Wiseman draws on numerous psychological studies to provide simple yet effective tips, such as the importance of likability in job interviews, the benefits of keeping a gratitude diary, and how small favors can increase likability. The book aims to debunk common self-help myths and provide actionable advice grounded in scientific research.

Why We Sleep

Matthew Walker

This book delves into the purpose and power of sleep, explaining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Walker discusses how sleep enriches our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions, recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. He also explores the consequences of sleep deprivation and provides actionable steps to improve sleep quality, including ways to prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity.

The luck factor

Richard Wiseman

The Mushrooms of Language

Henry Munn

Halluzman Jensen Culture

Peter First