Deviate
Tim Ferriss and Rolf discuss travel, time wealth, and “success management”
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Money is a tool, not a metric for success, that allows for a time-rich and experience-rich life.
- Success management involves living in a way that reflects your true self, not what society expects.
- Overcoming fears, embracing new experiences, and getting lost can enhance creativity and enrich travel experiences.
- Finding a writing method that suits your style and being open to new experiences can enhance creative growth and perspective.
Deep dives
Money is a tool for living a time-rich life
Realizing that money is a tool, it's not a metric for success, it's a nice side product of success, but it's a tool for allowing you to live a time-rich and experience-rich life and really live in ways that allow you to not only follow but discover passions that you never realize you had.
Revisiting a podcast episode from 10 years ago
Today's episode revisits a conversation that took place well before I ever had a podcast of my own. Tim Ferriss interviewed me for episodes 41 and 42 of his podcast. The questions he posed to me tended to be a bit more rambling and circuitous than his eventual interview style, and that's part of the fun of listening to this episode.
Success management and living life authentically
In this conversation, Tim and I talk about the idea of success management, that is how to live your life once you technically become successful, and how to live that success in a way that reflects who you really are, rather than who your success would imply you're supposed to be. We also talk about achievement versus appreciation and the importance of present-state awareness and being willing to try new things.
The benefits of getting lost and trying new things
We discuss the fears that can keep us from traveling, how technology can both help and hinder journeys, and the benefits of getting lost and walking until your day becomes interesting on the road. We also touch on the importance of reading and writing, and how exploring different genres can benefit your prose, even if you don't master those genres.
The philosophy of writing and the importance of discipline
The podcast episode explores the speaker's personal writing habits and the importance of discipline in the creative process. The speaker emphasizes the need to overcome the allure of distractions and to create a structured writing routine. He highlights the value of setting goals and pushing through challenges to achieve creative success.
The benefits of challenging oneself with different writing projects
The speaker discusses the experience of writing a pulpy screenplay for fun and the insights gained from working on a low-stakes project. He reflects on the importance of experimentation and taking risks in creative pursuits. The speaker shares how challenging oneself with new and different writing projects can provide a fresh perspective and enhance creative growth.
The different approaches to writing: swoopers vs bashers
The podcast explores the concept of swoopers and bashers in the writing process. Swoopers are individuals who quickly draft their work and spend time revising and perfecting later, while bashers meticulously craft each sentence before moving on to the next. The speaker highlights the validity of both approaches and emphasizes the importance of finding a writing method that suits one's own style and preferences.
The concept of flâneur and the benefits of getting lost
The speaker introduces the concept of flâneur, the act of aimlessly wandering and observing one's surroundings. He discusses how getting lost and exploring without a set destination can lead to unexpected discoveries and inspire creativity. The speaker highlights the importance of embracing beginner's mind and being open to new experiences in order to enhance one's perspective on the world.
“Billionaires can’t take a week off? What’s the point of having a billion dollars if they have fewer options than I do?” –Tim Ferriss
In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Tim discuss common travel fantasies, and the fears that keep people from traveling (5:00); how we can redefine what “wealth” is and live fuller lives (18:00); why keeping a healthy perspective on information intake, technology, and “efficiency” is important, both on the road and in daily life (25:00); the “beginner’s mind,” and tips for writing and creativity (54:00); the merits of going on foot and “getting lost” on the road, and how this figured into Rolf’s writing classes (1:17:00); notions of “success,” and how to definite the notion of success in a way that enhances one’s way of being in the world (1:37:00); and Rolf’s recommendations for drinks, food, documentaries, books, and poetry (1:50:00);
Tim Ferriss (@tferriss) is a best-selling author and podcaster.
General Links:
- Paris Writing Workshops (Rolf’s summer writing classes)
- Vagabonding, by Rolf Potts (audiobook)
- The Game Camera (short film cowritten by Rolf and Kristen Bush)
- Tim Ferriss on how to create a successful podcast (Deviate episode)
- Arnold Schwarzenegger on The Tim Ferriss Show
- LeBron James on The Tim Ferriss Show
- Cheryl Strayed on The Tim Ferriss Show
- Jerry Seinfeld on The Tim Ferriss Show
- Tortuga (bags design for long-term travel)
- Unbound Merino (travel clothing company)
- AirTreks (round-the-world flight planner)
- BootsnAll (online travel community)
Interview Links:
- Van Life before #VanLife (Deviate episode)
- Man bites dog (aphorism about journalism)
- “War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography” (quote)
- Beginner’s mind (attitude of openness)
- Adaptation (2002 film)
- Anne Lamott (American author)
- Kurt Vonnegut (American author)
- The Hero’s Adventure with Joseph Campbell (podcast remix)
- Flâneur (urban wanderer)
- Situationists (1960s social and artistic movement)
- Psychogeography (exploration strategy)
- Dave Chappelle (comedian)
- John Hughes (filmmaker)
- Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah (American essayist)
- Grizzly Man (2005 documentary film)
- Werner Herzog Reads Curious George (satire)
- Con Air (1997 film)
- Aimee Nezhukumatathil (poet)
- Naomi Shihab Nye (poet)
- Major Jackson (poet)
- Donald Hall (poet)
Books mentioned:
- Walden, by Henry David Thoreau (book)
- The 4-Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss (book)
- The Art of Nonfiction, by Ayn Rand (book)
- Writing Tools, by Roy Peter Clark (book)
- To Show and to Tell, by Phillip Lopate (book)
- Screenplay, by Syd Field (book)
- Story, by Robert McKee (book)
- Save the Cat, by Blake Snyder (book)
- A Moveable Feast, by Ernest Hemingway (book)
- Leaves of Grass, by Walk Whitman (book)
- Good Hope Road, by Stuart Dischell (poetry)
- Alien vs. Predator, by Michael Robbins (poetry)
The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.
Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.
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