#390: Q&A With Tim — On Happiness, Dating, Depressive Episodes, and Much More

whatshot 54 snips

Oct 10, 2019

In a lively Q&A session, Tim dives into dating and the complexities of happiness, encouraging listeners to separate self-worth from achievement. He shares insights on navigating depressive episodes and the 'trough of sorrow' that many entrepreneurs experience. Practical strategies for personal growth and effective goal-setting are discussed, alongside the importance of mindfulness in everyday choices. The conversation also touches on the value of accountability and innovative language learning techniques, all while expressing gratitude to the podcast's supporters.

01:43:33

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Pre-Date Prep

Frequent the same restaurant or bar multiple times before your date.
This builds familiarity and comfort, giving you an edge.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Build Confidence Through Action

Build confidence by repeatedly doing things just outside your comfort zone.
This expands your sphere of comfortable action, much like progressive resistance training.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Foundational Habits for Mental Health

Prioritize exercise, diet, and sleep to combat depressive episodes.
Physical state influences story and strategy, so start with improving your state.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Engaging Live Q&A: Exploring Self-Love and Brain Health

06:09 • 3min

chevron_right

Navigating Life's Complexities

08:41 • 44min

chevron_right

Navigating the Trough of Sorrow

52:26 • 5min

chevron_right

Navigating Goals: Defining Rules and Quitting Time

57:10 • 2min

chevron_right

Embracing Change and the Pursuit of Happiness

59:34 • 18min

chevron_right

The Power of Accountability and Growth

01:17:53 • 13min

chevron_right

Language Learning and Personal Growth

01:30:29 • 13min

chevron_right

The 4-Hour Body

An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

Tim Ferriss

In 'The 4-Hour Body,' Tim Ferriss shares the results of over a decade of self-experimentation and research, involving hundreds of elite athletes, dozens of MDs, and thousands of hours of personal testing. The book covers more than 50 topics, including how to lose weight quickly, gain muscle without steroids, sleep less and perform better, and improve sexual health. Ferriss emphasizes the importance of finding the smallest changes that produce the biggest results, making it accessible for readers to achieve significant improvements in their physical health and performance.

The Way of the Superior Man

A Spiritual Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Women, Work, and Sexual Desire

David Deida

In 'The Way of the Superior Man,' David Deida explores the most important issues in men’s lives—from career and family to women and intimacy to love and spirituality. The book offers a practical guidebook for living a masculine life of integrity, authenticity, and freedom. Deida challenges men to evolve beyond traditional masculine ideals, advocating for a balance between heart and spine. The book provides straightforward advice, empowering skills, and body practices to help men realize a life of fulfillment without compromise. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and mastering oneself to contribute more meaningfully to the world.

The Game

Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists

Neil Strauss

N. Strauss

In 'The Game', Neil Strauss chronicles his transformation from an 'average frustrated chump' (AFC) to a successful pickup artist. The book recounts his experiences living among the seduction community, learning from gurus like Mystery, and adopting the pseudonym 'Style'. Strauss shares numerous seduction techniques, his encounters with celebrities, and the psychological and social dynamics involved in the pickup artist culture. The book also explores the author's eventual realization that these techniques, while effective in picking up women, were not conducive to forming meaningful relationships.

Trickster Makes This World

Lewis Hyde

Lewis Hyde's "Trickster Makes This World" is a captivating exploration of trickster figures in mythology and folklore across various cultures. Hyde delves into the roles of tricksters as agents of change, challenging established norms and disrupting social structures. The book examines how tricksters embody paradox and ambiguity, often acting in ways that are both disruptive and creative. Hyde's analysis reveals the importance of trickster figures in fostering innovation and adaptation within societies. The book offers a rich tapestry of mythological narratives and insightful interpretations, providing a unique perspective on the dynamics of power, creativity, and social transformation.

The Art of Possibility

Transforming Professional and Personal Life

Rosamund Zander

Benjamin Zander

In this book, Ben and Rosamund Stone Zander offer practical advice on how to approach life's challenges with a positive and creative mindset. They advocate for changing one's story rather than battling the world as it appears, and provide techniques such as redefining problems, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and leading from any position. The book emphasizes the importance of mindset, collaboration, and personal growth in both professional and personal contexts.

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.

Awareness

a de Mello spirituality conference in his own words

Anthony de Mello

In 'Awareness', Anthony de Mello combines Christian spirituality, Buddhist parables, Hindu breathing exercises, and psychological insight to challenge readers to wake up from the go-go-go world of illusion. The book, composed of short chapters and lectures, encourages readers to become aware of their thoughts, actions, and motivations. De Mello argues that true happiness and freedom come from dropping illusions and living in the present, free from the constructs of culture, conditioning, and fear. He emphasizes the need to observe oneself, understand negative feelings, and practice detachment to achieve a more authentic and fulfilling life.

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

Violate Them at Your Own Risk

Al Ries

Jack Trout

In this book, Al Ries and Jack Trout present 22 immutable laws of marketing that are essential for understanding and succeeding in the international marketplace. These laws, such as the Law of Leadership, the Law of the Category, and the Law of Perception, emphasize the importance of being first in the market, creating new categories, and focusing on perceptions rather than products. The authors argue that violating these laws can lead to marketing failure, regardless of the resources or creativity invested. The book provides a clear path to successful marketing by adhering to these timeless principles.

The 4-Hour Chef

The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life

Tim Ferriss

In 'The 4-Hour Chef', Tim Ferriss uses cooking as a vehicle to teach 'meta-learning', a step-by-step process for mastering any skill quickly. The book is divided into five sections: Meta-Learning, The Domestic, The Wild, The Scientist, and The Professional. It includes tips and stories from world-class chefs, athletes, and other experts, and focuses on overcoming common obstacles in learning and cooking. The book aims to make readers self-sufficient in the kitchen and in life, applying principles of failure points and margin of safety to ensure success.

1000 True Fans

null

Kevin Kelly

Kevin Kelly's '1000 True Fans' challenges the conventional wisdom of needing millions of customers for success. Kelly argues that a creator or business can thrive by cultivating a dedicated following of just 1000 true fans who deeply appreciate their work and are willing to pay for it. The book emphasizes the importance of direct connection with fans and building a loyal community. It provides a practical framework for identifying and engaging with true fans, regardless of the field. This approach allows for sustainable growth and creative freedom.

How to Get Anything You Want

Elsie Lincoln Benedict

In 'How to Get Anything You Want,' Elsie Lincoln Benedict reveals the secrets of achieving personal and professional goals. The book emphasizes the importance of controlling one's moods and maintaining a positive outlook. It explores the concept of the Law of Attraction, suggesting that thoughts and moods have the power to shape reality. Benedict provides practical lessons on transforming one's spirit, clarifying desires, setting precise goals, and undertaking necessary steps to achieve them. The book also delves into the subconscious mind and its role in shaping experiences, highlighting the need to manage one's inner world to achieve success and happiness.

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.

Welcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is my job to sit down with world-class performers of all different types to tease out the habits, routines, favorite books, and so on that you can apply and test in your own life. This time, we have a slightly different episode.

As many of you know, I tested a "fan-supported model" earlier in the year, but I ended up reverting back to ads. That's a long story, and you can read more about that at tim.blog/podcastexperiment. One of the bonuses that I offered to supporters was a live Q&A with me, and this audio is from the first round that we did.

We covered 40 or so questions! It was a lot of fun, the questions were great, and while it was scheduled as a one-hour session, we went for longer.

I answered questions on dating, depressive episodes, major life transitions, networking, uncoupling happiness from achievement, what I would hypothetically ask Richard Feynman, and much, much, more.

Please note that there were a few small glitches in the audio when the connection was poor. That's one of the unfortunate risks of doing these live sessions. We've cleaned it up and it's not too bad.

I also want to reiterate how grateful I am to everyone who contributed to and supported the podcast, as well as to all of you who listen to the podcast. I wouldn't be able to do what I do without you, so thank you.

This podcast is brought to you by Peloton, which has become a staple of my daily routine. I picked up this bike after seeing the success of my friend Kevin Rose, and I’ve been enjoying it more than I ever imagined. Peloton is an indoor cycling bike that brings live studio classes right to your home. No worrying about fitting classes into your busy schedule or making it to a studio with a crazy commute.

New classes are added every day, and this includes options led by elite NYC instructors in your own living room. You can even live stream studio classes taught by the world’s best instructors, or find your favorite class on demand.

Peloton is offering listeners to this show a special offer: Enter the code you heard during the Peloton ad of this episode at checkout to receive $100 off accessories with your Peloton bike purchase. This is a great way to get in your workouts, or an incredible gift. That’s onepeloton.com and enter the code you heard during the Peloton ad of this episode to receive $100 off accessories with your Peloton bike purchase.

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

With a community of more than 575 million professionals, LinkedIn is gigantic, but it can be hyper-specific. You have access to a diverse group of people all searching for things they need to grow professionally so you can build relationships that really matter and drive your business objectives forward. LinkedIn has the marketing tools to help you target your customers with precision, right down to job title, company name, industry, etc. Why spray and pray with your marketing dollars when you can be surgical? To redeem your free $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to LinkedIn.com/TFS!

***

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!

For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.

Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.

For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.

Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please fill out the form at tim.blog/sponsor.

Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.

Follow Tim:

Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss

Instagram: instagram.com/timferriss

Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss

YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss

Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Home Top podcasts Popular guests