The Tim Ferriss Podcast is Live! Here Are Episodes 1 and 2

Fuckin’ A–it’s finally here!

After fantasizing about starting a podcast for nearly two years, after being asked hundreds of times, The Tim Ferriss Show is now live.

Sometimes you have to stop over-thinking things, bite the bullet, and figure it out as you go.

To launch, I’ve posted two episodes that are vastly different.  They are available on iTunes and, for Android folks, Stitcher.

I have an important favor to ask, which I don’t do often:

1) Please listen to one or both episodes.
2) Then, PLEASE leave a review on iTunes.

I will read EVERY review and, based on that feedback, I’ll either stop or keep doing this podcast.

If you seem to like them, I promise to do at least 6 total episodes in the next 1-2 months.  And trust me: I have some amazing people lined up and ready to go. Constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement are welcome, whether on iTunes or in the comments below.

All that said, here are the first two episodes! I really hope you enjoy them.

EPISODE 1: KEVIN ROSE

I consider Kevin Rose one of the best “stock pickers” in the startup world. He can predict even non-tech trends with stunning accuracy…

Kevin is a tech entrepreneur who co-founded Digg, Revision3 (sold to Discovery Channel), Pownce, and Milk (sold to Google). Since 2012, he is a venture partner at Google Ventures. He’s also a hilarious dude, and this episode involves heavy drinking.

In this finding-my-feet episode, Kevin and I get down on a bottle of Gamling and McDuck while discussing, among dozens of topics: why Kevin would love to work at McDonald’s, how he kicked my ass on the Twitter deal, and — just a wee tad — biohacking.

Dive in, folks!

It’s the first episode of The Tim Ferriss Show!  Listen to it here, and please subscribe!

EPISODE 2: JOSH WAITZKIN

Josh Waitzkin was the basis for the book and movie Searching for Bobby Fischer.

Considered a chess prodigy, he has perfected learning strategies that can be applied to anything, including his other loves of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (he’s a black belt under phenom Marcelo Garcia) and Tai Chi Push Hands (he’s a world champion). These days, he spends his time coaching the world’s top performers, whether Mark Messier, Cal Ripken Jr., or hedgefund managers.  I initially met Josh through his incredible book, The Art of Learning, which I loved so much that I helped produce the audiobook (download here, at Audible or DRM-free Gumroad).

This episode is DEEP, in the best way possible.  Josh will blow your mind.

And for a change from Episode 1, I’m totally sober.  I’d be curious to know which Tim you prefer.

Listen to it here, and please subscribe!

Special thanks to my friend Ian for helping with show notes. Much obliged, kind sir.

These notes only partially cover the conversations, but they will give you a taste.

EPISODE 1: KEVIN ROSE

What makes a good wine bar?The story of Kevin Rose: Growing up in Vegas, starting Digg, joining Google Ventures, and beyondWhat makes Kevin Rose so good at predicting what’s next, spotting trendsThe characteristics of winners. What makes a successful angel investor?Hear the story of Odeo – The company that birthed TwitterTips on choosing angel investments

“What new app will find itself on the front screen of your iPhone?”

Dissecting the success of Philip Rosedale, Elon Musk and — the “Oracle of Silicon Valley” — Reid HoffmanHow to say no to an investment or pitchExperiences and lessons learned running the roller coaster of DiggWhere is Kevin Rose world-class?  Which skills define his success?The M7 chip on iPhone – An opportunity to build new appsLearn more about My Basis, a biometric company that Tim invested in [Update: sold to Intuit for $100M]Why Kevin wants to get a job at McDonald’sIdeas and suggestions for the podcast. Where should it go, and how should it be different?

SOME LINKS FROM EPISODE 1

Connect with Kevin Rose: Instagram | Twitter | Website

EPISODE 2: JOSH WAITZKIN

The origins of The Art of Learning.What it takes to play 30-50 games of chess simultaneously (!).About Josh’s focus on moving from world-class to world champion. How to cross the gap between the twoThe many dimensions of Josh Waitzkin’s creative life:FamilyJW Foundation – The Art of Learning ProjectBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) school with Marcelo GarciaConsulting for “Master of the Universe”-type financiers; what commonalities the best haveAbout the learning (and UNlearning) processes that distinguish the good from the great and from the eliteInsights on the strategic movement from Tai Chi to BJJAbout the profound kinesthetic intelligence of Marcelo Garcia and how he uses it to “navigate the world”A deep understanding of what makes world-class performers tick and thrive

“If you can really train people to get systematic about nurturing their creative process, it’s unbelievable what can happen. Most of that work relates to getting out of your own way at a very high level. It’s unlearning, it’s the constant practice of subtraction, reducing friction.” – Josh Waitzkin

Strategies for aligning peak energy periods with peak creativity to achieve a relentless, proactive lifestyleOn Hemingway’s creative writing process:End the workday with something left to writeRelease your mind from the work – Let GoUnderstanding cognitive biasesUnderstanding how to use specific questions for deconstruction (e.g. “Who’s good at this who shouldn’t be?”)Core themes/habits that Josh teaches to top performers:

Meditation | Journaling | “Undulation” (Capacity to turn drive on and off)

How Josh Waitzkin meditatesMeditation styles: contemplative Buddhist sitting meditation, Tai Chi and moving meditation.What Josh’s morning rituals look likeWhy you should study the artists rather than the art critics.Remember to love.

“The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear and projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs.” – Cus D’Amato, original trainer of Mike Tyson

“One of the things we have to be wary in life is studying the people who study the artists, as opposed to the artists themselves” – Josh Waitzkin

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The Tim Ferriss Experiment Cometh! All 13 Episodes At Once, House of Cards-Style

Let’s get this party started!

For months now, I’ve wanted show you all of my TV episodes.

Over the last year, the team at ZPZ (the production company behind Anthony Bourdain) and Turner Broadcasting have helped me capture incredible footage and characters all over the country. I’m thrilled with every episode.

Alas, for reasons I won’t bore you with, the TV broadcasting puzzle piece is taking ages to sort out. I’ve been fighting hard behind the scenes, and it’s been a sumnabitch process for an impatient Long Island boy (me).

The waiting has driven me absolutely insane. I’ve felt a lot like this:

But…no más waiting already!

Enough. While the entertainment folks are sussing out cable details, I’d like to give you everything — and I mean EVERYTHING — digitally.

Turner’s all for it. This world is a changin’, and distribution is changing with it.

ON MAY 27, ALL 13 EPISODES WILL BE RELEASED ON ITUNES SIMULTANEOUSLY.

In each episode, I team up with world-class teachers to “hack” a different skill….then I get thrown through a gauntlet of tests. Sometimes I do well, othertimes I face-plant and decimate myself. You get to see all the struggles, nervous breakdowns, and little breakthroughs. It ain’t always pretty, but it’s real.

Here are some of the topics I jump into:

Music and drummingRally car racingLanguage learningBrazilian jiu-jitsu (and chess) — ouch.Parkour — super, double ouch.High-stakes poker (with real money)Tactical gun fightingDating and the pick-up gameBuilding a business in one week (I co-teach a student)GolfLong-distance swimming (I co-teach a student)SurfingAnd the mysterious finale episode…

And another thing…

One of the things that bugs me most about TV is that five days of shooting gets cut down to 30 minutes. In reality, it’s around 21:30 after subtracting commercials. Whaaaa?! “Isn’t that a waste?” you ask. Yes, it’s a maddening amount of great footage that ends up on the cutting room floor.

I want to give you more.

So…

If you’ve bought — or buy — an iTunes season pass (click “View in iTunes” here to purchase), more good news: you’ll get a ton of bonus footage. Current estimates are 10+ minutes of extras per episode, and I’m fighting to release much more footage into the wild, hopefully hours and hours.

If you can’t use iTunes or can’t afford to pay, here’s the solution: Each week after the May 27th launch, one episode will be released on YouTube for free viewing. It won’t contain bonus footage, and you’ll have to wait 3+ months to see the whole season, but you’ll be able to see them all.

If you’d like a sneak peek, the first episode can be watched here for free.

Much more coming soon, and thank you for your patience! It’s been a long road for everyone. Phew.

View the original article here

The Tim Ferriss Podcast, Episode 3: Kelly Starrett and Dr. Justin Mager

It’s my first podcast threesome! [blush]

THE TIM FERRISS SHOW, EPISODE 3:

This episode features two incredible guests: Dr. Justin Mager and Kelly Starrett. We all drink wine and get crazy.

Dr. Mager is my personal doctor and has helped me with dozens of my crazy experiments, complete with blood testing and next-generation tracking. He’s brilliant (and hilarious).

Kelly Starrett is one of the top Crossfit coaches in the world, and one of my favorite PTs and performance trainers. His clients include Olympic gold medalists, Tour de France cyclists, world and national record holders in Olympic lifting and powerlifting, Crossfit Games medalists, ballet dancers, and elite military personnel. If you’re interested in taking your body or brain to the next level, or attempting to become the guy from Limitless, this episode is for you.

Enjoy!

And…want to win some cool stuff today? Tweet out your favorite quote or line from this episode, using the following format, and I’ll pick a few of my favorites for prizes:

“[Insert quote]” More: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tim-ferriss-show/id863897795?mt=2 #TFS”

To encourage other people to retweet you, try and ensure your entire Tweet is 120 characters or less. The iTunes link above will be automatically shortened.

If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! My iTunes rank — largely determined by subscriber count — is critical for recruiting future guests. Other options for download are the end of this post, but iTunes (here) really helps me out, even if just for the first few episodes. Help me make this podcast as strong as possible, and click subscribe here!

If you’d like a teaser of Episode 3, some of the subjects we cover are below. Learn more about Kelly at MobilityWOD and through his Twitter account:

Defining a “performance whore”The potent combination that is Justin MagerWhat makes people “well” and what makes people thriveMixing passions for endocrinology and eastern philosophyHow chakras described in Ayurvedic medicine correspond to nerve plexuses and endocrine glandsHow Justin Mager changes lives by exploring the body as a wholeExperimenting on the fringes of physiology and what limits can be pushedWorking with high-end athletes and military to exceed supposed “optimal” performanceBlood testing is a snapshot, not a overall description of health — how do you improve it? What do you measure?Delving into the effects of travel on circadian rhythms, and how to correct problemsExploring the Quantified Self (QS) movement and Kevin KellyTesting quality of sleepWhy science isn’t the cause-and-effect master of the universe, or shouldn’t be viewed as suchPattern recognition and “chunking” for improved talent acquisitionThe diverse role of genetics; what can be changed and what cannotThe health and performance implications of testosterone, boners, sleep, and moreMattress selection from the mobility expert (Kelly)Hacking the nervous system for rejuvenating sleep, utilizing body temperature as a toolRebooting the parasympathetic nervous system“Supple Leopard” morning ritualsKelly’s test of functional mobilityHow pain tolerance, mobility, and movement come togetherCommon qualities of top physicians, coaches, and bio-hackers, and how you can emulate them…

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For Android users, this podcast can also be found on Stitcher.

Just want the plain old RSS feed? Here it is! http://feeds.feedburner.com/thetimferrissshow

Users of Pocket Casts (and similar apps) can copy the Feedburner link above, then paste it in the app’s search bar. It’ll take you straight to the good stuff.

Hai!

The Tim Ferriss Podcast, Episode 4: Ryan Holiday The Tim Ferriss Podcast is Live! Here Are Episodes 1 and 2 The Random Show, Episode 22 – Home Defense, Start-ups, Raccoon Throwing, Public Stock Investing, and Mail-Order Urine The Random Show, Episode 24: Porn Attacks, Eating Insect Protein, Tech Finds, and More Announcing: "The Tim Ferriss Experiment" on Primetime TV (And How to Join Me)

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The Tim Ferriss Podcast, Episode 4: Ryan Holiday

“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius

This post includes:
- Sponsor intro (please visit them)
- Episode description
- Quick favor
- Show notes and tons of useful links, including mentioned books and documentaries
- Non-iTunes options for listening

This episode of The Tim Ferriss Show is sponsored by HipDial, which I’ve been a fan of for ages.

I use HipDial for conference calls: no stupid PIN numbers, no hitting #, and you get a text when people join, so you don’t have to wait. It’s rocks–try it for a free month, and you’ll never go back.

Now, on to the main event…

My guest is Ryan Holiday, who became Director of Marketing at American Apparel at age 21 (!). He’s a beast.

Since dropping out of college at 19 to apprentice under strategist Robert Greene (author of The 48 Laws of Power), Ryan has advised many New York Times bestselling authors and mega-multi-platinum musicians. He is a master of the media, and he knows how to build massive buzz while responding to unexpected crises. He can compete or counterpunch with the best.

I hired Ryan to help with the launches of The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Chef. His unorthodox approaches always impress me.

I loved his new book (The Obstacle Is The Way) so much that I bought the audiobook format and produced it with him. It is the newest addition to The Tim Ferriss Book Club.

In this episode, we discuss dozens of topics, including the real-world strategies he uses to thrive (not just survive) when the world is exploding around him.

And…want to win some cool stuff today? Tweet out your favorite quote or line from this episode, using the following format, and I’ll pick a few of my favorites for prizes:

“[Insert quote]” More: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tim-ferriss-show/id863897795?mt=2 #TFS”

To encourage other people to retweet, try and keep your entire tweet to 125 characters or fewer. The iTunes link above will be automatically shortened.

Deadline is 8:30pm PST.

QUICK FAVOR – If you haven’t already, can you pretty please:

1) Leave a review of the podcast on iTunes here?
2) Vote as “helpful” the reviews you most agree with? Here’s the link. The vast majority are 5 stars (290 out of 333), but there’s some wild Haterade, too, if that’s your thing.

The surprising story of how Ryan was introduced to stoicism by Dr. DrewWhat makes a “quake book”?How Marcus Aurelius helped Ryan survive a tough breakupAbout esoteric philosophical ideas that are excellent tools in the modern worldDeconstructing the “Big 3? stoics – Seneca | Epictetus | AureliusFriend curation, and the factors that guide Ryan’s decision makingRapid-fire questions:Ryan’s fight entrance song?One thing he would change about himself?When he thinks of the word “successful,” who comes to mind, and why?If he could study any expert in the world, who would it be and why?Advice to his younger self?What Ryan orders at the bar?Who should drop out of college versus who should stay in collegeAnd much, much more…

SOME LINKS FROM EPISODE 4

Fake Jeff JarvisFelixSolomonMedia Redefined by Jason HirschhornMariaPapova of BrainPickingsFeedlyTa-Nehisi Coate’s blogMark Cuban’s blog

Stoicism | Philosophy | History Porn | Ask Historians

Today I Learned | First World Problems | Reddit Books

BOOKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 4

The Black SwanFooled by RandomnessAntifragileOrangesLevels of the GameThe Survival of the Bark CanoePlymouth Rock (Free Online)The Control of NatureGiving Good Weight

DOCUMENTARIES MENTIONED FROM EPISODE 4

Connect with Ryan Holiday: Twitter | Website | Thought Catalogue | Observer

NO ITUNES? NO PROBLEM:

Just listen on Stitcher, or you can listen using the player below –

View the original article here

The Tim Ferriss Book Club Launches — Book #1: Vagabonding

The book Vagabonding traveled with me around the globe for 18 months.

This post is a dream come true.

Starting in college, I’ve fantasized about somehow driving fantastic but under-appreciated books into the limelight. I have a soft spot for out-of-print tomes and niche publications.

Flash forward, nearly 15 years later…

After three #1 bestsellers, I’ve finally pulled the trigger. For the last several months, I’ve been quietly buying audiobook and e-book rights to books that have changed my life, and producing audiobooks in professional studios.

Fun!

This post launches the Tim Ferriss Book Club, and the first book is incredible: Vagabonding.

There are several reasons…

I was greatly influenced by books recommended by Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club (e.g. Love in the Time of Cholera), despite the fact that I wasn’t her demographic.I could never find a book club for 20-40-year old males, or a curator for that demo. I’m now in a position to give it a shot myself (and extend it to women, of course).Based on recent experiments (BitTorrent and elsewhere), I think I can at least double an author’s print sales with my marketing of their audio/e-book. I like helping good writers.This blog’s community is incredible…and we like books (see comparison to TV and NYT Op-Ed impact). The idea of having thousands of people read the same book each month, all interacting with one another and the book’s author, is thrilling to me. And, last but not least…You’ve asked me to start a book club for years!

The time has come.

This leads us to Rolf Potts and a little tome with a huge impact…

“Vagabonding packs a serious philosophical punch and has a cult-like following among independent travelers…”
— The Oregonian

“This book will become a travel classic, and belongs in all travel collections.”
— Library Journal

Starting in 2004, I traveled the world for roughly 18 months. The lessons learned formed the basis for much of The 4-Hour Workweek.

On my journey — from the back alleys of Berlin to the hidden lakes of Patagonia — I had next to nothing: one suitcase, one backpack, and only two books. One of those books was Walden by Henry David Thoreau (naturally), and the other was Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel, written by Rolf Potts.

Since 2005, I’ve continued to read 1-3 books per week on average, or 50-150+ books a year.

Vagabonding easily remains in my top-10 list for life-changing books. Why? Because one incredible trip, especially a long-term trip, can change your life forever. And Vagabonding teaches you how to travel (and think), not for one trip, but for the rest of your life. Tim Cahill, founding editor of Outside magazine and a brilliant travel writer himself, has said of Vagabonding, “I think this is the most sensible book of travel related advice ever written.”

In my own dog-eared copy of Vagabonding, I have notes, underlines, and highlights on practically every page, ranging from the tactical (how to pack intelligently, what to bring, what not to bring, where to go, etc.) to the philosophical (the Upanishads, how to slow down after a lifetime of rushing and caffeine, etc.). I also have a wish list of dream destinations on the inside cover, including places like Stockholm, Prague, Paris, Munich, Berlin, and Amsterdam. The list goes on and on.

Using the Rolf’s tips, the same tips you can learn in Vagabonding, I checked them all off. I was able to explore many of them for 2-3 months at a time at my own pace, unrushed and unworried. It was a dream come true.

Everything in Vagabonding works. This book changed my life completely, and I wish the same for you.

Enjoy the adventures. May you have many of them.

Here is Chapter One from the brand-new audiobook, which includes new case studies and a Preface by yours truly:

From there, each chapter is better than the last. Click here for the full audiobook.

If you’re an author, agent, or publisher who’d like to talk about including your book in the Tim Ferriss Book Club, please tell me here.

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Still on this page?  Let’s keep going, then.

Here’s the jacket description of Vagabonding:

“Vagabonding” is about taking time off from your normal life — from six weeks, to four months, to two years — to discover and experience the world on your own terms. Veteran shoestring traveler Rolf Potts shows how anyone armed with an independent spirit can achieve the dream of extended overseas travel, once thought to be the sole province of students, counterculture dropouts, and the idle rich. Potts gives the necessary information on:

Financing your travel time
Determining your destination
Adjusting to life on the road
Working and volunteering overseas
Handling travel adversity
and re-assimilating into ordinary life

Not just a plan of action, vagabonding is an outlook on life that emphasizes creativity, discovery and the growth of the spirit.

More goodies:
- Reader and media praise for Vagabonding
- Vagabonding BitTorrent Bundle
- Vagabonding excerpt on YouTube (Part II – “Someday” is a disease)

Any special requests for this book club? Ideas or suggestions? Please let me know in the comments.

We’ll have some special reader-only events with Rolf soon, so be sure to listen to the book! It’s also available on iTunes, but it helps both Rolf and me more if you download the book through Audible.

I hope you benefit from this book as much as I have over the years. If you pay attention, it can change your life.

Posted on November 11th, 2013

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Premiere! The Tim Ferriss Experiment – Live Tweeting, Giveaways, Q&A, Behind-The-Scenes, and More

The big night has come: the premiere of The Tim Ferriss Experiment!

Starting now (3pm PT, 6pm ET) and ending around 8pm PT/11pm ET on December 1st, I’ll be doing everything possible to get #TFX to trend high on Twitter. If you’re seeing this the day after, it’s still important!

This is a new critical metric that TV show execs are using to determine success or failure. Traditional Nielsen rankings aren’t enough.

Want to see my attempts to deconstruct parkour, professional poker, guns, language learning, and much more? Please help me ensure this first episode does well!

See below for how you can best help…

FIRST, WHAT I’LL BE DOING

- Live Twitter Q&A from 4:30pm PT (7:30pm ET) to at least 6pm PT (9pm ET). Ask me anything, but you must include #TFX.
- Giveaways! I’ll be giving away super cool stuff, including:

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

If you’re up for it (and it’d mean the world to me), here are the things you can do to help. This TV show has been years in the making…

If you have cable, tune in to “The Tim Ferriss Experiment” on HLN at 5pm PT (8pm ET). If you can’t make it today, please DVR it and watch in the next few days. It counts.If you don’t have cable, please watch the show online starting at exactly 5pm PT (8pm ET). YouTube is here, and iTunes is here.  I’ll offer play-by-play commentary and live Twitter Q&A on what you’re seeing.In any case, please participate in the live Twitter Q&A and giveaways! Use #TFX as much as possible. Original tweets are worth more than retweets of other people.Do whatever you can to get people to use #TFX on Twitter between now and midnight!  Rally the troops, your friends, your mailing lists, your Facebook friends, your imaginary friends… Offer giveaways of your own using #TFX, reuse your most popular tweets using #TFX, etc.In short, as Gary Oldman in The Professional would say:

IMAGES OF QUOTES & ANIMATED GIFS

Special thanks to Brendan Gahan, who helped organized the below materials.

Sharing any of the below helps ensure I can film more episodes for y’all. Thank you in advance! Much more content coming (about Jony Ive, actually) soon. Here goes…

If you feel so inclined, below are some images with quotes from the show as well as a few fun animated gifs for you to easily share. Please note, if you download the images and upload any of them your Twitter account directly, it will take up a bit more real estate in the newsfeed (and lead to more exposure for the show). Have fun and enjoy.

IMAGES

One of the best ways to learn something fast is to set stakes #TFX (IMAGE )
Innoculate yourself against making mistakes when you’re afraid #TFX (IMAGE 1) (IMAGE 2)
What other impossibles do I have in my life, that I should really question? #TFX (IMAGE 1) (IMAGE 2) (IMAGE 3)
D.I.S.S. Deconstruction, Selection, Sequencing & Stakes #TFX (IMAGE 1)
What’s up now David Lee Roth? #TFX (IMAGE 1)
M.E.D. The Minimum Effective Dose to unlock this song #TFX (IMAGE 1)

GIFS

Swewart showing me the ‘annoying things guitarists do’ (GIF)
That annoying thing guitarists really do, do #TFX (GIF)
The pressure. The pressure. (GIF)
The 80/20 rule (GIF)
Stewart drumming like he lives in The Matrix #TFX (GIF)

QUOTES TO TWEET

I’ve pulled some of my all time favorite quotes, as well as some memorable lines from the show. You can simply click to tweet.

Some of my all time favorites:

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” – George Bernard Shaw #TFX (Click To Tweet)
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”#TFX – Winston Churchill (Click To Tweet)
“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” #TFX – George Bernard Shaw (Click To Tweet)
“Worrying is like praying for what you don’t want.” #TFX via Aileen Norton Swift (Click To Tweet)
“A goal is not always meant to be reached. It often serves simply as something to aim at.” #TFX – Bruce Lee (Click To Tweet)
What other impossibles do I have in my life, that I should really question? #TFX (Click To Tweet)

Memorable lines from the show:

What other impossibles do I have in my life, that I should really question? #TFX (Click To Tweet)
What’s up now David Lee Roth #TFX (Click To Tweet)
I need to figure out the minimum effective dose to learning this song, the smallest piece I can focus on to pull this off #TFX (Click To Tweet)
One of the best ways to learn something fast is to set stakes. #TFX (Click To Tweet)
Innoculate yourself against making mistakes when you’re afraid #TFX (Click To Tweet)

Thank you in advance for your support. It’s what keeps me going.

Posted on December 1st, 2013

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Premiere TV Episode! “The Tim Ferriss Experiment” — Online for Free

You asked, and I heard you.

To those outside of the US, and to those of you who don’t own TVs — we’ve done two things:

- All episodes of The Tim Ferriss Experiment will be available on iTunes.
– The first full episode is entirely free and available everywhere online! This includes…

Just for this post, I’ve disabled comments below.  Please let me know what you think of Episode One on this page!  This has been a labor of love, and I hope you enjoy it.

ALSO:  For the TV premiere — 8pm ET (5pm PT) this Sunday on HLN — I will be live tweeting (#TFX) from about 7:30-9pm ET (4:30pm-6pm PT), including Q&A, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes goodies.  Please join me!

Much more to come…

Posted on November 26th, 2013

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Announcing: “The Tim Ferriss Experiment” on Primetime TV (And How to Join Me)

After ages of planning, I’m VERY excited to share big news with you all.

Starting this December 1st, I will have my own primetime TV show, airing Sundays at 8pm on HLN, formerly known as CNN Headline News. I’m both host and co-executive producer, and I’m currently filming my ass off. It’s all part of a big Turner Broadcasting initiative called Upwave.

Here are the basics:

Name of show: The Tim Ferriss Experiment (TFX)
The premise: Showing viewers how to become superhuman through better tools and tricks, not better genetics.
Easily thought of as: “Anthony Bourdain meets Jason Bourne” or “Jackass meets A Beautiful Mind”
Production company: Zero Point Zero (ZPZ), the team behind Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and Parts Unknown.
Spirit animal: Ocelot.

Synopsis:

In his #1 bestsellers, “The 4-­Hour Workweek,” “The 4­-Hour Body” and “The 4-­Hour Chef,” Tim Ferriss proposes radically counter-­intuitive solutions that take readers from zero to hero in minimal time.

Newsweek calls him “the world’s best human guinea pig,” as he tests the extremes for the rest of us. He believes that nearly any skill can be “hacked” and learned in 1/100th the time most people expect… but can he do it in a matter of days?

The Tim Ferriss Experiment (TFX) will push Ferriss to the breaking point as he attempts just that.

In each episode, Tim will find the world’s most unorthodox teachers and – together — demystify some of the world’s coolest and most dangerous skills. Sometimes he’ll succeed, and other times, he’ll fail spectacularly while risking life and limb.

Tim believes that there is the potential for greatness in every “normal” person, and as he overcomes his own fears each week, he’ll help viewers do the same.

[TIM NOTE: Sorry I can't share exact episodes yet, but just imagine Jason Bourne + my biggest fears + my personal bucket list, all wrapped into one. What would *you* like to see me tackle? Please let me know in the comments, as we still have a few open slots!]

Would you like to join me for a week? Here is one opportunity, which expires tonight (Sorry!) at midnight: Swim with Tim. There will be more fun opportunities if you miss this one.

Next: would you like to interview me about TFX for your TV show, magazine, radio program, podcast, blog, e-mail newsletter, or other? It would mean the world to me, and I have plenty of insider stories and takeaways. If interested in discussing options, please fill out this short form here.

More details coming soon!

Thank you all so much for your support. It’s what keeps me going.

Posted on October 13th, 2013

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Tim Ferriss Interviews Neil Strauss, 7x New York Times Bestselling Author, on the Creative Process

Did you enjoy this sample of creativeLIVE content?

If so, sign up for the new Secrets from Silicon Valley series, a week of free classes taught by luminaries like LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. Check out a partial list of teachers here — you’ll recognize a lot of them.

Posted on June 14th, 2013

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Tim Ferriss: A Day In The Life

(Trouble viewing? See Tim Ferriss: A Day In The Life on Hulu. If you’re international, try using Hotspot Shield first.)

I’m often asked, “What does your typical day look like?”

In an attempt to answer this difficult question, I met up with Morgan Spurlock’s film crew for an episode of “A Day In The Life.” The full Friday we shot (I reserve Fridays for in-person meetings) reiterates a point I’ve driven home before: The 4-Hour Workweek is, and always has been, about using time optimally, not being idle.

It also shows how much I love my POS VW Golf, which is having its 10th birthday soon.

To clarify the intro, here’s a mostly complete list of start-ups I advise and have invested in:

About.me (acquired by AOL)
DailyBurn (acquired by IAC)
Milk (acquired by Google)
Posterous (acquired by Twitter)
StumbleUpon
Uber (The Escalade in the above video was via Uber, which I use whenever parking will be a hassle.)
Evernote
DonorsChoose.org (educational non-profit)
Shopify
Trippy
BranchOut
CrowdFlower
Foodzie
RescueTime
WellnessFX
Graphicly
TaskRabbit
Schematic Labs (makers of SoundTracking)

Other investments, excluding late-stage and stealth companies, include:

Facebook
Twitter
SimpleGeo (acquired by Urban Airship)
Unsubscribe.com (acquired by TrustedID)
Digg
Reputation.com
Basis

Would you like to work together? If so, watch the “Advise This!” video below and tell me about your company in the comments, ideally in 200 words or fewer. Stats are always helpful.

Look forward to checking it out. In the meantime, I have to wrap up The 4-Hour Chef!

It’s shaping up to be a fun one… :)

——-
Odds and Ends:

WellnessFX Competition – Would you like to spend 30 minutes with me? I’d love to learn what you’re up to and see if I can help. WellnessFX, featured in the above episode, is sponsoring a giveaway for six 30-minute slots. Click here to learn more.

SXSW – “Advise This” Panel – So, what do start-up “advisors” do, exactly? How do you recruit A-listers to your cause? Or, better yet, how do you assemble and leverage the *right* team? In the below panel, Gary Vaynerchuk, Tony Conrad, JR Johnson, Chase Charvis, and I discuss the relationships between founders, investors, and advisors in start-ups. You’ll recognize the now familiar “14 minutes into my 15 minutes…,” which I say to keep my head from getting too damn big. It’s a Seneca thing:

Posted on April 24th, 2012

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Tim Ferriss Getting His Ass Kicked + How to Survive a Physical Attack (Video Series)

This post might seem odd, as it starts with a random sequence from a random skill. There are three reasons for this:

1) I like to expose readers to things they’ve never explored.
2) The best long-term policy for keeping a blog fun to read (and write) is to cover things that subsets of your readers love, not things that everyone merely likes.
3) I think all of you should know how to respond to a real physical attack.

Keeping these in mind, I hope you enjoy a lil’ taste of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, often nicknamed “human chess.”

If it’s not your thing, I still suggest you skip to the end, where you can see the free (and short) video series I did with Dave Camarillo on defending against real-world attacks of various types. I had these videos up at one time in 2007, but the code became corrupted, so I’m updating them here.

One of the last videos is of me getting thrown on my head, or heels-over-head, repeatedly.

Since the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) came to prominence in 2005, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) has been the most sought-after skill-set in the marital arts world. There are many world-class athletes, but there are only a few world-class teachers. Dave Camarillo, who’s coached UFC fighters like Cain Velasquez, is one of them…

I’ve known Dave for nearly a decade and trained with him at AKA in San Jose, CA. I also had the chance to be a crash-test dummy for his new book, Submit Everyone, which is the book I always wanted him to write. It is (finally) a principle-based system for learning submissions and game strategy, as opposed to a hodge-podge of random techniques. Dave, though he’d never admit it, used to teach chess in addition to BJJ. It comes through and, as of this writing, his book has 100% 5-star reviews on Amazon.

For grappling fans, the below pass will give you a submission to try at your next practice. This scenario comes up a lot on the mats.

PHOTO 1: SUBJECT CAMARILLO is approaching the open guard of CONTACT FERRISS, TIMOTHY. As always, Camarillo does not delay in establishing control of Ferriss’s heels. At this point, Ferriss is focused solely on defending these grips and has been momentarily taken out of his previous mindset.

PHOTOS 2-4: Without delay, Camarillo pushes Ferriss’s legs overhead and waits for him to rock back in defense. As Ferriss falls into the first trap, Camarillo steps inside of his seated guard. Ferriss does not wait and grabs the single-leg to gain advantage and attack.

PHOTO 5: However, Camarillo realizes that the single-leg is the most common reaction and is already cross-stepping backward with his left leg before Ferriss can execute a sweep or takedown. Due to his perfect timing, Camarillo does not have to wait for Ferriss to establish a stronger defense of the backward cross-step.

PHOTO 6: Having reached Ferriss’s left side, Camarillo now focuses on the arm by securing a figure-four kimura lock on Ferriss’s exposed (from holding the single-leg) left arm. [TIM: See third pic here for hand position] Camarillo’s right leg is still technically inside of the guard, but Camarillo has little concern for it; he is completely focused on the finish.

PHOTO 7: To break Ferriss’s posture and initiate the final sequence, Camarillo jumps his left foot to Ferriss’s left hip and sits down onto Ferriss’s left shoulder. This collapses Ferriss toward the mat and sets him up for the submission.

PHOTO 8: As Camarillo falls to his back, he slides a belt line hook with his left leg and uses his right foot as a hook to steer Ferriss away from his trapped arm. This keeps Ferriss planted to his back where it is far more difficult to defend.

PHOTO 9: Ferriss locks the triangle on Camarillo’s right leg, but it does not matter. Camarillo’s right leg blocks Ferriss’s right arm from making a proper defense and his triangle makes it impossible to roll to either side to escape.

Camarillo stretches Ferriss’s arm for the finish.

First, before the instructionals, here is me getting thrown over and over again. I did this video to illustrate the importance knowing how to fall (ukemi) without getting injured. The music is a bit loud:

The instructionals follow. If you want to skip around, they cover, in order: punch defense, choke defense, bottom defense, and bottom defense/offense. Women should focus on the latter three, especially the last two.

Originally filmed in 2007, most take place at AKA in San Jose, where Dave coached at the time:

Posted on January 8th, 2012

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Foundation: Kevin Rose and Tim Ferriss

Kevin Rose and I go deep on a few subjects in this longer-format episode of “Foundation,” on which he’s interviewed many of my favorite entrepreneurs and investors, including Jack Dorsey (Twitter, Square) and Chris Sacca (Lowercase Capital), among others.

I had a great time, as should be clear from the wine and laughter. It’s quite different from The Random Show and more of a Larry King-like format… but with more cursing.

Hope you enjoy!

Happy holidays and Merry Christmas, everyone!

Posted on December 19th, 2011

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Random Episode 87 (or not): Kevin Rose and Tim Ferriss talk knives, iPhone apps, flutes, and dog handling

After a long hiatus, here is a new episode of The Random Show! It’s not episode 87, but we couldn’t remember the number. Click here for all of our magical past episodes.

In this hang-out discussion, we enjoy a frolicking romp (c’mon, not that kind) through:

- Booking media and how-to tips
- How to build iPhone apps, how Kevin’s doing it, how to assemble (and pay) a team, and DIY tips
- How Kevin’s puppy effectively bites through mic cables
- Knives for military or survival use — Tim’s newest and perhaps oldest obsession
- 2010's resolutions and 2011 New Year’s Resolutions…

A few URLs mentioned are:

foodzie.com/subscription
curetogether.com/
patientslikeme.com/?
spectracell.com/
michaelpollan.com – The Omnivore’s Dilemma
foodincmovie.com
fourhourbody.com/

Knives:
Kershaw Leek knife (what I had on my belt, recommended to me by Jason DeFillippo)
The Grayman Warrior
Boeker fixed blade (suggested by Yvon Chouinard)
ESEE-5 Randall

Evasive driving and Special Ops training:
http://www.safehouse.com/

Grayman “warrior” knife one-pager — outstanding (click to enlarge):

Posted on January 28th, 2011

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The 4-Hour Body: The Tim Ferriss Interview on Zen Habits

Tim Ferriss’ new book The 4-Hour Body is now out and I’ve been reading it for a week now. It’s utterly fascinating.

Tim as you know is the author of The 4-Hour Workweek, a huge best-selling book, and his new book looks to be just as successful.

I had the pleasure of talking with Tim this week about his book. It was a great conversation — full of interesting and useful stuff. My apologies for the quality of the video.

It was a fun conversation, and again, Tim’s new book is a fascinating read.

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