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#380: Ed Zschau — The Polymath Professor Who Changed My Life

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Aug 1, 2019

Guest

Ed Zschau

Ed Zschau, Interim President of Sierra Nevada College, is a polymath with a rich history in technology, education, and politics. He elaborates on the essence of entrepreneurship as a life approach rather than just starting companies. Zschau shares his transformative teaching experiences at prestigious universities, blending personal narratives with academic wisdom. He emphasizes the importance of nurturing creativity in education, supportive parenting, and embracing resilience on the journey of growth. His insights inspire a proactive mindset towards learning and leadership.

01:49:51

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INSIGHT

Entrepreneurship as a Life Approach

Entrepreneurship isn't just about starting companies.
It's an approach to life, combining innovation and implementation to make good things happen.

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ANECDOTE

From Physics to Philosophy

Ed Zschau initially planned to major in physics but discovered a passion for philosophy in his sophomore year at Princeton.
His senior thesis explored Immanuel Kant's theory of space and time in relation to Einstein's general relativity.

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ANECDOTE

A Rugby Game Changed Everything

A broken leg in a rugby game prevented Ed Zschau from entering the Navy.
This led him to Stanford Business School, where he discovered operations research.

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A Journey Through Influence: From Education to Entrepreneurship

03:52 • 4min

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Journey of Growth and Entrepreneurship

07:51 • 19min

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Journey of Transformation: From Physics to Philosophy and Teaching

27:14 • 21min

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From Politics to Purpose

48:38 • 19min

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Empowering Parenting Through Encouragement

01:07:24 • 15min

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Innovative Education and Entrepreneurial Leadership

01:22:46 • 5min

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Embracing Change Through Creative Learning

01:28:14 • 16min

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Closing Thoughts and Exciting Offers

01:44:05 • 6min

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#107

• Mentioned in 157 episodes

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.

#15

• Mentioned in 397 episodes

The 4 Hour Workweek

Tim 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.

#1652

• Mentioned in 24 episodes

The Tao of Seneca

Practical Letters from a Stoic Master

Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)

This book is a compilation of Seneca's letters, known as the *Epistulae Morales* (Moral Epistles), which provide practical advice on Stoic principles. It covers topics such as the importance of living in accordance with nature, the dangers of external influences on happiness, the value of self-control, and the pursuit of virtue. Seneca's writings emphasize the need to focus on inner strength, endurance, and the cultivation of a sound mind, rather than seeking happiness through external goods like fame and riches.

"Entrepreneurship isn't about starting companies. Entrepreneurship is an approach to life." — Ed Zschau

Ed Zschau is the Interim President of Sierra Nevada College, and he brings to the college 17 years of leading technology companies. He founded System Industries in Palo Alto, California in 1969, and as its CEO led it to a successful IPO in 1980. In the 1990s, he was the General Manager of the IBM Storage Systems Division headquartered in San Jose, California. Ed has a total of 10 years of teaching experience as a professor in the graduate business schools at Stanford University and Harvard University, and he has taught high tech entrepreneurship courses for a total of 22 years in the engineering schools at Princeton University, Caltech, and University of Nevada, Reno. In addition to serving on the boards of major public companies such as Reader's Digest and StarTek, Ed has helped to start and build several technology companies during the past 20 years, some of which were founded and led by his former students.

In the 1980s, Ed represented the Silicon Valley area of California for two terms in the US House of Representatives, serving on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Also, during the 1980s, he was a General Partner of Brentwood Associates, a venture capital firm, and he was the Founding Chairman of The Tech Interactive, (formerly The Tech Museum of Innovation), a non-profit educational institution in San Jose, California.

Ed holds an A.B. degree (cum laude) in Philosophy (bridging with Physics) from Princeton University, as well as M.B.A., M.S. (Statistics), and Ph.D. degrees from Stanford University and a Doctor of Laws degree (Honoris Causa) from the University of San Francisco. Currently, he is a Senior Fellow of the California Council on Science and Technology.

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