The Tim Ferriss Show

Sam Kass almost became a pro baseball player. Instead, he pivoted a history major into becoming the private chef for the Obamas in the White House. He then broke into national nutrition policy and was named #11 on Fast Company magazine's 2011 list of "100 Most Creative People" for his work, which focused on establishing private-sector partnerships to reduce childhood obesity to just 5% by 2030. His story is amazing, his career turns are unexpected, and his trials by fire are hilarious. In this conversation, we talk about: - Baseball and the art of fielding - His odd leap to the culinary world and his escapades in Austria - How he met the Obamas - His favorite books, routines, and breakfast eggs - Simple cooking tricks and common mistakes - Nutrition, top-soil depletion, and organic food - Why he doesn’t like black pepper - And much, much more... Show notes (links, resources, books, etc.) for this episode can be found at fourhourworkweek.com/podcast And...

Bryan Johnson is an entrepreneur and investor. He is the founder of OS Fund and Braintree, the latter of which was bought by eBay in 2013 for $800 million in cash. Bryan launched OS Fund in 2014 with $100 million of his personal capital to support inventors and scientists who aim to benefit humanity by rewriting the operating systems of life. He cultivates real-world mad scientists. Our conversation includes his rags to riches story (and strategies), his philosophical hardwiring, negotiating/sales tactics, and even parenting. We cover a ton of ground with a fascinating and deep mind. Bryan's investments include endeavors to cure age-related diseases and radically extend healthy human life to 100+ (Human Longevity), make biology a predictable programming language (Gingko Bioworks & Synthetic Genomics), replicate the human visual cortex using artificial intelligence (Vicarious), mine an asteroid (Planetary Resources), reinvent transportation using autonomous vehicles (Mattterne

This episode is intended to help you with unexpected problems that will crop up this week. 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 knows how to build massive buzz while responding to unexpected crises. He can compete or counterpunch with the best. For this reason, I asked him to share one of his popular stories on Thomas Edison, as well as Jack Johnson and others. If you want to thrive in high-stress environments, this is well worth the time. The sponsors for this episode, both of which I use, are: Vimeo -- See some of my favorite movies here. Mizzen + Main -- These are the only dress shirts that I travel with. For more on Ryan and his books, check out this page.***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a

"Fuck it... I'm just not going to play this traditionally anymore." - Chris Sacca Chris Sacca was recently the cover story of the "Midas Issue" of Forbes Magazine. The reason: He is a newly-minted billionaire and the proprietor of what will likely be the most successful venture capital fund in history: LOWERCASE I of LOWERCASE Capital. He's an early-stage investor in companies like Twitter, Uber, Instagram, Kickstarter, and many more. In this interview, we discuss unfair advantages, how Chris chooses founders and investments, stories of missed opportunities, the styles that differentiate Wall Street from Silicon Valley investors, and how keg parties can liberate law students from the tyranny of class (Chris completed law school without attending any classes). Enjoy! All show notes, links, and resources from this episode can be found at http://fourhourworkweek.com/podcast This podcast is brought to you by MeUndies. Have you ever wanted

In this episode, I answer questions submitted by you all. 50% of this episode is spent explaining how -- if I had to start over today -- I would build an audience from scratch. For the movie picks I mention (shorts, documentaries, etc.), be sure to check out http://fourhourworkweek.com/vimeo All past episodes of the podcast, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rick Rubin, and others, can be found at http://fourhourworkweek.com/podcast Thanks for listening! Tim***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? Visit tim.blog/sponsor and fill out the form.Disco

Dr. Astro Teller is a computer scientist and entrepreneur who currently oversees Google[x], Google's moonshot factory. Dr. Danielle Teller is a physician specializing in intensive care and lung medicine; she has trained doctors and run research programs at Harvard University and the University of Pittsburgh. In this conversation — my first podcast with a couple — we cover a lot of my usual questions (favorite books, routines, philosophies of living, etc.) but focus on something I haven’t personally figured out: relationships. It's important to note that the Tellers are not “for” marriage but, rather, “for” the freedom to decide how to live most honestly and happily, whether as part of a couple or as a single person. Combining the rigor that has established them as leaders in their respective fields, Astro and Danielle walk me through how they think about relationships, and how they survive and thrive as two driven people.  All show notes and links can be found at&n

Rick Rubin has been called "the most important [music] producer of the last 20 years" by MTV. Rick is also revered as something of a Zen master across industries, and he is as deep as he is soft-spoken. He rarely grants interviews, and one condition of doing this one was the setting: his hyper-heated barrel sauna at home. [Show notes can be found at fourhourworkweek.com/podcast] In this episode, we delve into how Rick helps artists (e.g. Jay Z, Shakira, Johnny Cash, etc.) produce their best work. Not only that, we also discuss Rick's step-by-step experience losing 135+ pounds. He describes underwater weightlifting stories, training with Laird Hamilton, testing different diets, and much more. Rick's resume includes everyone from Johnny Cash to Jay Z. His metal artists include groups like Black Sabbath, Slayer, System of a Down, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, and Linkin Park. He's worked with pop artists like Shakira, Adele, Sheryl Crow

Noah Kagan was #30 at Facebook, #4 at Mint.com, and is the Chief Sumo (founder) at SumoMe, which offers free tools to help grow website traffic. To keep things extra spicy, he's become a taco connoisseur and created 4 separate products that have generated more than 7 figures. This podcast conversation is about all of the tools and tricks he uses to do it all. Noah was my co-teacher in the "Starting a Business" episode of The Tim Ferriss Experiment, which is now the #1 TV season across all of iTunes. In the episode, we help a novice entrepreneur named Cindy to develop and launch her business in a single week. See all the details here, and be sure to watch the bonus hour of behind-the-scenes footage. But back to the current podcast... Noah and I cover a ton, including his favorite tools, apps, books, routines, and more. It ranges from apps for preventing distractions, to how he blocks out time every Tuesday for learning, to how

Samy Kamkar is one of the most innovative and notorious computer hackers in the United States. He’s also a well-known whistleblower. If you want how Samy hacks everything from online dating to car alarms, this episode is for you. He is best known for creating the fastest spreading virus of all time, a MySpace worm named “Samy.” He got raided by the United States Secret Service for that one. More recently, he’s created SkyJack, a custom drone that hacks into any nearby drones, allowing him (or any operator) to control a swarm of devices; and Evercookie, which appeared in top-secret NSA documents revealed by Edward Snowden. He also discovered illicit mobile phone tracking by Apple iPhone, Google Android and Microsoft Windows Phone mobile devices, which were transmitting GPS and Wi-Fi information to their parent companies. His research and findings led to a series of class-action lawsuits against these companies and a privacy hearing on Capitol Hil

Josh Waitzkin was the basis for the book and movie Searching for Bobby Fischer. This episode is DEEP, in the best way possible. 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. Our first long conversation on the podcast (#2) can be found on iTunes or here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYaMtGuCgm8 ***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, plea

"Why would I be wound up? I'm either ready, or I'm not. Worrying about it right now ain't gonna change a damn thing." - Floyd Mayweather, Jr. just before a fight, as recalled by Paul Levesque [34:20] Paul Levesque, more popularly known as Triple H, is a 13-time World Heavyweight Champion in World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE). He is also the Executive Vice President of talent, live-events, and creative at the WWE. In this episode, we explore everything: the teachings of Killer Kowalski, how he avoids and repairs injuries (even if on the road 200+ days of the year), pre-game rituals, and habits developed with the support of trainer Joe DeFranco, The Undertaker, and boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr.. This podcast is not limited to athletic performance. We dig deep into Triple H's routines, and how he manages his responsibilities as a husband and father of three daughters. Enjoy, and thank you for checking out the prod

 Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) is a man of many talents. He burst onto the acting scene with his role in Rudy.  He first established himself as a writer with the iconic cult hit Swingers, in which he starred. Then, Favreau made his feature film directorial debut with Made, which he also wrote and produced. Other directing credits include Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Cowboys & Aliens, Elf, Zathura, and Chef, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in.  Lots of commas! This man does everything. Recent acting credits include The Wolf of Wall Street and Identity Thief. Favreau is currently directing a live-action film with groundbreaking technology that blow your mind — an adaptation of Disney’s Jungle Book, set to be released on April 15, 2016. In our conversation, we dig deep into his creative process, how he writes, the inflection points in his career, how he prepared for Chef, and much more. The impact o

This short episode is composed of two essays on "lifestyle," world travel, practical philosophies, and much more. Disclaimer: These might make you quit your job... even if you're the boss. I'm not kidding, as I've already seen it. If it happens, you'll thank me later. To see the movies I rave about in this episode, check out fourhourworkweek.com/vimeo For two free protein bars, visit exoprotein.com/tim (limited supplies) For more from my book club, check out audible.com/timsbooks Thanks for listening! - Tim***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 i

The goal of this blog and my podcast is to push you outside of your comfort zone and force you to question assumptions. This why I invite divergent thinkers and world-class performers who often disagree. I might interview Tony Robbins (Part 1, Part 2) and then Matt Mullenweg, as I did. Or I might have Sam Harris, PhD on and later invite a seemingly opposite guest like... Glenn Beck. This interview is a wild ride, and it happened — oddly enough -- thanks to a late-night sauna session. I was catching up with an old friend, who is mixed-race, a Brown University grad, and liberal in almost every sense of the word. I casually asked him, “If you could pick one person to be on the podcast, who would it be?" “Glenn Beck,” he answered without a moment’s hesitation. “His story is FASCINATING." He went on to describe how Glenn hit rock bottom and restarted his life in his 30’s. Fast forward to 2014, Forbes named him to th

This 15-minute episode is experimental, and it might just change your life. I suspect many of you will listen to it on an ongoing weekly basis, and that's precisely what I plan to do. It's a wonderful essay from the newest book in the Tim Ferriss Book Club: We Learn Nothing by Tim Kreider. The essay stands on its own and is titled "Lazy: A Manifesto." I loved this book so much that I reached out to Tim and we produced the audiobook together. If you want to stop feeling rushed, this is the medicine you need. Here is what writer/director Judd Apatow has to say about Tim Kreider: "Tim Kreider's writing is heartbreaking, brutal and hilarious—usually at the same time. He can do in a few pages what I need several hours of screen time and tens of millions to accomplish. And he does it better. Come to think of it, I'd rather not do a blurb. I am beginning to feel bad about myself." - Judd Apatow And one more: "Tim Kreider may be the most subversive soul in America and his subversion

Amanda Palmer first came to prominence as one half of the internationally acclaimed punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls. She is widely known as “The Social Media Queen of Rock-N-Roll” for her intimate engagement with fans via her blog, Tumblr, and Twitter (1,000,000+ followers), and she has been at the vanguard of using both “direct-to-fan” and “pay what you want” (patronage) business models to build and run her business. Amanda's new book, The Art of Asking, is a New York Times' best seller and a damn fine read. Show notes, links, and resources from this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast***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 newslett

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT CONSUME ANY DRUGS WITHOUT CONSULTING A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.JAMES FADIMAN, Ph.D., did his undergraduate work at Harvard and his graduate work at Stanford, doing research with the Harvard Group, the West Coast Research Group in Menlo Park, and Ken Kesey. He is the author of The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide.Called “America’s wisest and most respected authority on psychedelics and their use,” Jim Fadiman has been involved with psychedelic research since the 1960s. In this episode, we discuss the immediate and long-term effects of psychedelics when used for spiritual purposes (high dose), therapeutic purposes (moderate dose), and problem-solving purposes (low dose). Fadiman outlines best practices for safe "entheogenic" voyages learned through his more than 40 years of experience--from the benefits of having a sensitive guide during a session (and how to be one) to the importance of the setting and pre-session intention. And that's just the tip

This is a much anticipated follow-up discussion with Dr. Peter Attia. Peter is the co-founder and current president of the Nutritional Science Initiatives (NuSI). He is also an ultra-endurance athlete, compulsive self-experimenter, and one of the most fascinating human beings I know. Peter also earned his M.D. from Stanford University and holds a B.Sc. in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. He resided at John Hopkins Hospital as a general surgeon, then conducted research at the National Cancer Institute. For links, show notes, etc. for this episode and all others, please visit fourhourworkweek.com/podcast***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.

This episode delves into the good, the bad, and the ugly of all things CrossFit, straight from a world-class CrossFit coach. It answers many important questions, including: -What are the 3 most dangerous exercises in CrossFit gyms?- What are the most common nutritional mistakes of CrossFit athletes?- What do elite CrossFit athletes do differently than the rest? Example: How do Rich Froning and Jason Khalipa warm up?- Is the CrossFit Games really CrossFit?- Is CrossFit a fad?- What is the future of CrossFit? The man to answer all this (and much more) is Kelly Starrett. He's trained CrossFit athletes for more than 130,000 hours (!) and 10 years at San Francisco CrossFit, which opened in 2005 as one of the first 50 CrossFit Affiliates in the world. There are now more than 10,000 Affiliates worldwide. Kelly's clients include Olympic gold medalists, Tour de France cyclists, world record holders in Olympic lifting and powerlifting, Crossfit Games medalists

This is an experimental episode. It's a roundtable discussion with two hedge fund experts: Mark Hart and Raoul Pal. It digs into investment, physical training, and more -- all as tools for improving quality of life. How far can you push and improve yourself? These gents tackle this question every day, and it makes for a fun conversation in this episode. All show notes and links can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast Bio -- Mark Hart: Mark Hart is the founder of Corriente Partners, an investment fund focused on placing long/short equity trades based on macroeconomic themes. Mark launched his first hedge fund as a junior partner in November of 1998, and in 2001 launched Corriente Partners, where his macroeconomic framework led him to first question the security of the mortgage and housing market. Managing his portfolio accordingly, Mark earned a sizable return on his positions during the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis - one of the single best performances of that downturn.