The Tim Ferriss Show

Shep Gordon (@SupermenschShep) has been named one of the "100 most influential people" by Rolling Stone magazine. He is the man behind some of the biggest names you've ever heard. If you like the storytelling and lessons of Cal Fussman, you're going to love this one. Shep has worked with, and befriended, some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, from Alice Cooper to Bette Davis, Raquel Welch to Groucho Marx, Blondie to Jimi Hendrix, Sylvester Stallone to Salvador Dali, Luther Vandross to Teddy Pendergrass. He is also credited with inventing the "celebrity chef" phenomenon, which revolutionized the food industry and turned the culinary arts into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today. He has worked with Nobu Matsuhisa, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, Roger Vergé (and many others, including his holiness, the Dalai Lama.) Anthony Bourdain, a huge fan of Shep's, released a memoir detailing Shep's life and adventures, titled They Call Me Supermensch: A Backstage Pass To The Amazing World

Cal (@calfussman) is a New York Times bestselling author and a writer-at-large for Esquire magazine, where he is best known for being a primary writer of the "What I Learned" feature. The Austin Chronicle has described Cal's interviewing skills as "peerless." He has transformed oral history into an art form, conducting probing interviews with the icons who've shaped the last 50 years of world history: Mikhail Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter, Ted Kennedy, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Jack Welch, Robert DeNiro, Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Dr. Dre, Quincy Jones, Woody Allen, Barbara Walters, Pelé, Yao Ming, Serena Williams, John Wooden, Muhammad Ali, and countless others. When I asked listeners for questions to present to Cal during this return appearance, about 70 percent of you replied with some version of: "He is my favorite storyteller of all time. Please just let him talk for another four hours!" I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. I neve

My guest on this episode of the podcast is Jason Nemer, co-founder of AcroYoga. Jason is an incredible character, who travels the world with next to nothing. He introduced me to my latest obsession -- AcroYoga. Along with Gymnastic Strength Training, I've been doing AcroYoga -- and I think about doing it all the time. AcroYoga is closer to partner acrobatics: Cirque du Soleil routine meets sensual-but-not-sexual contact. Even if you have no interest in doing AcroYoga yourself, there are many takeaways and recommendations in this episode that can benefit your life. And for those of you that are interested, we even do a couple of video demos, which can be found here. But don't feel like you need to step away from the purely audio experience of this podcast to follow along. Incidentally, the video was recorded at Creative Live, my favorite place to learn online. I've taken hundreds of courses there, but the one I'll recommend is Six Months to Six Figures by Peter Voogd. Enjoy the show! Show notes

This episode is not going to deconstruct a world-class performer, per usual. This is a short, but very actionable and practical episode about the inner workings of my business. I was asked recently how I choose my projects. I riffed on this topic, and shared many thoughts on delegating tasks, future projects, and my involvement -- and break from -- the start-up community. I realized that the real question at the root of many of my decisions is: "How can I waste money to improve my quality of life?" This seems like a bad thing, but it is not. It is trading pennies for dollars. So how can you waste money to improve the quality of your life? I delve into this topic and much more. I hope you'll get a lot out of it. Please enjoy! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Wealthfront. Wealthfront is a massively disruptive (in a good way) set-it-and-forget-it investing service led by technologists from places like Apple. It has expl

This is another jam-packed episode with Coach Chris Sommer, the former US national team gymnastics coach and founder of GymnasticBodies. As a world-renowned Olympic coach, Sommer is known for building his students into some of the strongest, most powerful athletes in the world. While this is a stand-alone episode, you can (and should!) check out his last appearance, which is one of the most popular podcast episodes. We cover a lot in this episode, including: What home equipment should someone invest in first (for $100 or less)? What are Coach Sommer's thoughts on weighted stretches? What does lower-body GST look like for a 40-year old former athlete? The best distinction between "mobility" and "flexibility." Exercise progressions for bar muscle-ups and most common mistakes in training for muscle-ups. Foam rolling or mobility tools: Do they have a place in GST? If so, favorite uses? How should taller people (say, over six feet tall) adjust GST? How should women adjust GST? And much, much more. Enjoy! Show

My job is usually to deconstruct world-class performers from business, military, entertainment, politics, or athletics, and then to tease out the routines and habits you can use. But in this in-betweenisode, Ryan Holiday, author of the book Ego Is the Enemy, shares a chapter called What's Important to You? This chapter alone is worth the price of the book, and it contains many fundamental truths that can be applied to business and life. (The book is also the newest addition to my book club, which can be found at audible.com/timsbooks.) If you like what Ryan has to say, check out the recent conversation we had, which dives deeper into what he's all about. Please enjoy! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This episode is also brought to you by Headspace, the world's most popular meditation app (with more than 4,000,000 users). It's used in more than 150 countries, and many of my closest friends swear by it. Try Headspace's free Take10 program&nb

I'm very pleased to welcome Tony Robbins (@tonyrobbins) back to the show. (You can check out our previous in-depth conversations here: Part 1 and Part 2). For those of you that aren't familiar, Tony Robbins is the world's most famous performance coach. He's advised everyone from Bill Clinton to Mikhail Gorbachev to Serena Williams, and Leonardo DiCaprio to Oprah (who calls him "superhuman"). This time around, we discussed a number of topics we didn't get to cover in our previous interviews. I also hit him with some new rapid-fire questions. Some of the highlights of our conversation include: Tony's best investment ever Quotes he lives by (and how he puts them into action) The worst advice he regularly hears Why he changed his diet for the first time since age 17 And much, much more Without further ado, please enjoy this follow-up conversation with Tony Robbins. Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. I have used Au

Seth Godin (@thisissethsblog) is the author of 17 bestselling books that have been translated into more than 35 languages. He writes about the way ideas spread, marketing, strategic quitting, leadership, and -- most of all -- challenging the status quo in all areas. His books include Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip, Purple Cow, and What to Do When it's Your Turn (and it's Always Your Turn). Seth has founded several companies, including Yoyodyne and Squidoo. His blog (which you can find by typing "Seth" into Google) is one of the most popular in the world. In 2013, Godin was inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. Recently, Godin turned the book publishing world on its ear by launching a series of four books via Kickstarter. The campaign reached its goal in just three hours and became the most successful book project in Kickstarter history. His last episode was quite a bit longer and dug deep into his bio, routines, philosophies, and suggestions. This one is much shorter -- think of it as philosophical ster

Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs) is one of the best-known and busiest working comedians in the world, both behind and in front of the camera. His standup blends elements of theater, film, storytelling, and comedy. Mike has been deliberate in studying many crafts and tying them together, which is reflected in a diverse string of successes: sold-out tours as a solo theater act, New York Times bestselling books, off-Broadway shows, feature film, TV, and more. In recent years, his work has appeared on public radio's This American Life, where he began a meaningful collaboration with host and producer Ira Glass. Currently, he is the creator, writer, and star of the new film Don't Think Twice, which was just released. I loved it, which I do not say lightly. Check it out. So...how the hell does he do it all? I aimed to find out. In this conversation, we cover a ton, including: His writing process and schedule Favorite books, documentaries, and TV shows Morning routines Stories and lessons from Oliver Stone, Ron Howard, and

This episode is a little different. I visited the Googleplex -- the Mountain View-based headquarters of Google -- and had a public chat. I was interviewed and made sure that we covered some ground that has not been discussed before. There were questions such as: What has been the most important Stoic teaching that I've come across? How do I manage the many requests I receive? What are the factors or elements that have led to the success of the podcast? Where do I see myself in five years? If I could pick three people -- alive or dead -- to be in my personal board of directors, who would they be? How do I experiment with my dog training? What are my recommendations for longevity? How do I fight insomnia? And much, much more... As always, I hope you enjoy this episode and find it useful. Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Wealthfront. Wealthfront is a massively disruptive (in a good way) set-it-and-forget-it investing se

Nicholas McCarthy (@NMcCarthyPiano) was born in 1989 without his right hand and only started to play the piano at the age of 14. He was told he would never succeed as a concert pianist. Fortunately, the doubters were wrong. His graduation from the prestigious Royal College of Music in London in 2012 appeared in press around the world, as he became the only one-handed pianist to graduate from the Royal College of Music in its 130-year history. Nicholas has now performed extensively throughout the world, including the U.K., U.S., South Africa, South Korea, Japan, Malta, and Kazakhstan. He has also played alongside Coldplay and given a rendition of the Paralympic Anthem in front of an audience of 86,000 people and half a billion worldwide viewers. His first album, entitled Solo (Warner Music) features 17 stunning pieces of left-hand repertoire spanning three centuries and has been released around the world to great acclaim. This was a blast of an interview, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thanks for li

Chris Young is an obsessive tinkerer, inventor, and innovator. His areas of expertise range from extreme aviation (world-record goals) to mathematics and apocalyptic-scale BBQs. Above all, he is one of the clearest thinkers I know. In this interview, we discuss a great many things, including his wild story and lessons learned from rainmakers like Bill Gates, Gabe Newell, Neal Stephenson, and many more. More topics we tackle: How he managed to get jobs working for the best in the world...despite having no credentials. Advice -- and incredible questions -- from self-made billionaires. Why raw foodism isn't always what it's cracked up to be. How geniuses show disappointment and ensure you correct yourself. The "emoji egg" breakfast. And much more... If you only have 5 minutes, I highly recommend listening to Chris's secret to working with hard-to-reach people. Enjoy! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. I have used

Dr. Dominic "Dom" D'Agostino (@DominicDAgosti2) is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, and a senior research scientist at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). He has also deadlifted 500 pounds for 10 reps after a seven-day fast. Many of you sent enthusiastic follow-up questions after the last conversation we had, so Dom took the time to answer your most popular questions. In particular, he focused on ketosis, ketones, and the ketogenic diet -- so you can consider it the ketosis master class (especially if you combine both episodes, though this one does stand alone). It takes a few minutes for Dom to warm up -- so be patient! If you have an interest in these types of metabolic therapies, whether for performance enhancement, endurance, weight loss, or fighting cancer, diabetes, or any number of other maladies, you will find a gem within this episode. Enjoy! Show notes and link

This is not going to be a long-form interview where I dissect and deconstruct a world-class performer...at least not in the usual fashion. Instead, this is a special edition of The Random Show. I am joined by Kevin Rose (@KevinRose), serial entrepreneur, world-class investor, and all around wild and crazy guy. We discuss a wide range of topics, including new favorite books, memory training, meditation tactics, multiple wives, and bets for or against virtual reality. Enjoy! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Wealthfront. Wealthfront is a massively disruptive (in a good way) set-it-and-forget-it investing service led by technologists from places like Apple. It has exploded in popularity in the last two years and now has more than $2.5B under management. Why? Because you can get services previously limited to the ultra-wealthy and only pay pennies on the dollar for them, and it's all through smarter software instead of retail

Shay Carl (@shaycarl) got his first computer at age 27. He was a manual laborer for ages and uploaded his first YouTube video while on break from a granite counter top job. Flash forward to today: His SHAYTARDS channel now has roughly 2.3 BILLION views. Celebs like Steven Spielberg have appeared alongside Shay and his family. He co-founded Maker Studios, which sold to Disney for nearly $1 billion. He has been married 13 years and has 5 kids. He has lost more than 100 pounds since his overweight peak. Shay came to San Francisco to spend 2 days with me, we did a bunch of weird shit together (a lot of firsts for Shay), and we covered a ton, including: The most important decisions and inflection points in his life Tools of the trade and tips for creating on YouTube Favorite books, quotes, etc. that he lives by Stories he’s never shared anywhere before And much, much more Enjoy! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Wealthfron

Ryan Holiday (@RyanHoliday) is a strategist and writer. He dropped out of college at 19 to apprentice under Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, and later served as the director of marketing for American Apparel. His company, Brass Check, has advised clients like Google, TASER, and Complex, as well as many prominent bestselling authors. Holiday has written four previous books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, which has been translated into 17 languages and has a cult following among NFL coaches, world-class athletes, TV personalities, political leaders, and others around the world. Ryan lives on a small ranch outside of Austin, Texas, and his latest book is Ego Is The Enemy. Ryan and I cover a lot in this conversation, including: Meltdowns and how Ryan handles them Workaholics Anonymous -- How it works, what worked for him, what didn't The tipping points for his last book, The Obstacle Is the Way External versus internal obstacles Sherman versus Grant leadership and "success" Howard Hughes ve

Malcolm Gladwell (@gladwell) is the author of five New York Times bestsellers -- The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw, and David and Goliath. He has been named one of the 100 most influential people by TIME magazine and one of the Foreign Policy's Top Global Thinkers. He has explored how ideas spread in the Tipping Point, decision making in Blink, the roots of success in Outliers, and the advantages of disadvantages in his latest book David and Goliath. In his latest podcast project, Revisionist History, Gladwell examines the way the passage of time changes and enlightens our understanding of the world around us. In this in-depth, in-person conversation, we cover a ton, including: His research and writing process How he learned to ask good (and "dumb") questions Favorite books Routines, habits, and tools How he pulls together seemingly unrelated stories into a cohesive theme (and eventually a book) Philosophies related to public speaking His obsession with running Why he eats as little as poss

Jamie Foxx (@iamjamiefoxx) returns to the show for a special role-reversal where he interviews me for his radio show. For those of you who didn't hear Jamie's first appearance on the podcast, which was voted 2015 Podcast of the Year by Product Hunt, you can check it out here. In this episode, you'll hear many stories and topics that haven't been discussed before -- including Jamie's exploration of past lives. It goes in many different directions, but I think you'll enjoy it. If you only have 5 minutes, listen to the first few minutes because Jamie is the consummate performer, which is what you'd expect from an Academy Award-winning actor, Grammy Award-winning musician, and famous standup and improv comedian. He has all the tools in the toolkit. Please enjoy this raucous romp! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by MeUndies. Have you ever wanted to be as powerful as a mullet-wearing ninja from the 1

This episode is actually a workshop on negotiating. Out of all the resources out there on how to negotiate, 99 percent of them are piss-poor -- but I guarantee you this isn't one of them. The teacher is Ramit Sethi. These lessons are all taken from a multi-day course Ramit taught on CreativeLive.com, which is one of the fastest growing startups. [Full disclosure: I am an advisor.] If you are an entrepreneur, perhaps just getting into entrepreneurship, thinking of taking the dive into entrepreneurship, or you just want to get out of a trap of your own making, I think you'll find a lot here. Pay a lot of attention to the exact scripting that Ramit uses. And if a particular section isn't clicking with you, just skip ahead 20 minutes or so and you'll find yourself in a new lesson. In this episode, you will learn about: Positioning Smart negotiation vs. dumb negotiation Overcoming mental barriers related to entrepreneurship What you should charge or how you should think about charging for your services M

My job is usually to deconstruct world-class performers from business, military, entertainment, politics, or athletics, and then to tease out the routines and habits you can use. In this particular episode, I'm going to share an overarching strategy that has been used by many of the greats. That includes Ben Franklin, legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick, and many, many more. It is also how I built my network, how my first book hit the tipping point, how I became successful at angel investing, and the list goes on. Of course, if you're interested in the networking part of it, you can also read the blog post and listen to the episode, How to Build a World-Class Network in Record Time. But that is additional credit. The secret to all of the above is the "canvas strategy." And in this episode, Ryan Holiday, author of the new book, Ego Is the Enemy, will teach you how to apply canvas strategy to your life. (The book is also the newest addition to my book club, which can be found at audible.com/t