#719: Walk & Talk with Greg McKeown — How to Find Your Purpose and Master Essentialism in 2024

The Tim Ferriss Show

chevron_right

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Structure for Focus

Without structure, the most important things won't get done.
Create a plan to ensure self-care, exercise, and relationships get attention.
Calendar these activities to improve the odds of them happening.
Don't rely on automatically having the time; proactively schedule it.
Stack the deck in your favor by planning since current circumstances are likely against you.

00:00

Transcript

Episode notes

Brought to you by AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement, Helix Sleep premium mattresses, and Momentous high-quality supplements.

Greg McKeown (@GregoryMcKeown) is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less and Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most. Together they have sold more than two million copies in 37 languages. He is also a speaker, host of The Greg McKeown Podcast and founder of The Essentialism Academy with students from 96 countries. More than 175,000 people have signed up to his 1-Minute Wednesday newsletter.

He is currently doing a doctorate at The University of Cambridge, and he is easily one of my favorite thinkers on all things related to effectiveness, efficiency, and—at the end of the day—quality of life.

Greg is originally from London, England, and he and his wife Anna are parents to four children.

Please enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep! Helix was selected as the best overall mattress of 2022 by GQ magazine, Wired, and Apartment Therapy. With Helix, there’s a specific mattress to meet each and every body’s unique comfort needs. Just take their quiz—only two minutes to complete—that matches your body type and sleep preferences to the perfect mattress for you. They have a 10-year warranty, and you get to try it out for a hundred nights, risk-free. They’ll even pick it up from you if you don’t love it. And now, Helix is offering 20% off all mattress orders plus two free pillows at HelixSleep.com/Tim.

This episode is also brought to you by AG1! I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG1 further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.

Right now, you’ll get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit DrinkAG1.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive your 1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive daily, foundational nutrition supplement that supports whole-body health.

This episode is also brought to you by Momentous high-quality supplements! Momentous offers high-quality supplements and products across a broad spectrum of categories, and I’ve been testing their products for months now. I’ve been using their magnesium threonate, apigenin, and L-theanine daily, all of which have helped me improve the onset, quality, and duration of my sleep. I’ve also been using Momentous creatine, and while it certainly helps physical performance, including poundage or wattage in sports, I use it primarily for mental performance (short-term memory, etc.).

Their products are third-party tested (Informed-Sport and/or NSF certified), so you can trust that what is on the label is in the bottle and nothing else. If you want to try Momentous for yourself, you can use code Tim for 20% off your one-time purchase at LiveMomentous.com/Tim. And not to worry, my non-US friends, Momentous ships internationally and has you covered.

[00:00] Start

[10:02] How 2023 informed 2024’s highest priorities.

[16:09] Greg’s system for effortless execution of daily tasks.

[27:42] Directional documents, shameless repentance, and shifting success.

[36:53] Poetic mysticism and matchmaking introspection.

[41:51] What compass guides you toward purpose?

[45:10] The truth as a path to your best possible future.

[50:34] Maslow’s forgotten pinnacle of self-transcendence.

[54:28] Why self-actualization is an insufficient foundation for meaningful relationships.

[1:03:09] Recommended reading for relationship cultivation.

[1:07:43] A true, bittersweet tale of progressively deepening love.

[1:13:28] The benefits of treating social media as an option rather than an obligation.