The Tim Ferriss Show

This episode is one of my favorite I've ever done. Jamie Foxx (@iamjamiefoxx) is an Academy Award-winning actor, a Grammy Award-winning musician, and a famous standup and improv comedian. He is, without a doubt, the most consummate performer and entertainer I have ever met. In the 2.5 hours we spent together in his home studio, he blew my mind. We cover a TON in this wide-ranging episode, including many never-before-heard stories. Here's just a tiny sample of what you'll hear: Jamie's workout routine Jamie's origin story -- how he used $400 to match a $1,000,000 party thrown by Puff Daddy; building up his network with Kanye, Jay Z, and Pharrell; expanding his fan base; and bombing horribly at the beginning. What he learned during the magic of In Living Color Jamie playing live music throughout our interview. Impersonations (and lessons learned from many of the following) -- Quincy Jones, Ed Sheeran, Ray Charles, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Cosby, Doc Rivers,

Enjoy the teaser sample! Full episode coming in a few days. 2.5 hours of stories and impromptu performances in Jamie's studio, digging into acting, music, comedy, hustling, parenting, and much more. It blew my mind.***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.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice

Rainn Wilson (@rainnwilson) is best known for playing "Dwight" on NBC's Emmy-Winning, "The Office”. He has also acted in "Super", "Cooties", "Juno", "Monsters vs. Aliens" and "The Rocker" among other movies. He co-founded SoulPancake, a media company that seeks to tackle "Life's Big Questions." He's a board member of Mona Foundation and co-founded Lidè, an educational initiative in rural Haiti that empowers young, at-risk women through the arts. He is the author of the brand-new book, The Bassoon King, which is his laugh-out- loud memoir. We cover a lot in this episode, including: - The value of “as if” exercises from drama school - Meditation practices, and what constitutes a "win" in a session - The origins of SoulPancake and the Kid President video mega-hit - Favorite books, documentaries, and movies - Acting as therapy (even for non-actors) - The basics of Baha'i and what Rainn would put on a billboard - The Sexy Nostril exercise Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.c

This is another special episode of The Tim Ferriss Show. Usually, when I talk about strategies for living a better life, I focus on strategies for effectiveness and efficiency. That is, finding ways for you to be better without wasting time. Both of these are important, but fine-tuning those traits come naturally for me. Mindfulness is something that is difficult and usually overlooked by most people. So why is mindfulness essential? When it comes to achievement, most people just work harder. In reality, you want to first achieve more focus and clarity, which can help guide your effort. This is the real benefit of mindfulness. Once you incorporate it into your life, you complain less, appreciate more, react less, and fill your life with what's most important to you. More than anything, you'll learn how to be present and live in the moment. Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest

This tactical episode covers principles and tactics for creating amazing careers, comedy, writing, and much more. Hilarious stories weave it all together. My guest is B.J. Novak (@bjnovak), best known for his work on NBC's Emmy Award-winning comedy series "The Office" as an actor, writer, director, and executive producer. He has appeared in films such as Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds and Disney's Saving Mr. Banks. He is also the author of the acclaimed short story collection "One More Thing" and the #1 New York Times Best Seller "The Book With No Pictures" (great Christmas gift), which has more than one million copies in print. Last but not least, he is co-founder of The List App. In other words, he does a lot and does it well. What are the habits, tools, and routines that help him to do this? That's what we explore in this conversation. Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Vimeo Pro, which is ideal for entrepreneur

Will MacAskill (@willmacaskill) is an Associate Professor in Philosophy at Lincoln College, Oxford. Just 28 years old, he is likely the youngest associate (i.e. tenured) professor of philosophy in the world. Will is the author of Doing Good Better and a co-founder of the "effective altruism" movement. He has pledged to donate everything he earns over ~$36,000 per year to whatever charities he believes will be most effective. He has also cofounded two well-known non-profits: 80,000 Hours, which provides research and advice on how you can best make a difference through your career, and Giving What We Can, which encourages people to commit to give at least 10% of their income to the most effective charities. Between them, they have raised more than $450 million in lifetime pledged donations, and are in the top 1% of non-profits in terms of growth. He is one of the few non-profit founders who have gone through Y Combinator; for-profit companies get $120,000 for 7% of equity; as a non-profit, 80,000 Hours got $100

Kevin Costner (@modernwest) is an internationally renowned filmmaker. He is considered one of the most critically acclaimed and visionary storytellers of his generation. Costner has produced, directed, and/or starred in such memorable films such as Dances with Wolves, JFK, The Bodyguard, Field of Dreams, Tin Cup, Bull Durham, Open Range, Hatfields & McCoys, and Black or White, among many others. He has been honored with two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and an Emmy Award. This episode also features Jon Baird, the author and illustrator of the novels Day Job and Songs from Nowhere Near the Heart. He is the co-developer, along with Costner, of the Horizon miniseries. Their first book collaboration is a beautiful tome -- The Explorers Guild: A Passage to Shambhala. Kirkus described it: "With its colorful cast, exotic locales, and intertwined fates, the book slowly addicts. A rousing throwback whose spinning plates never stop, even at the end." Show notes and links for this episode can be found a

Alain de Botton (@alaindebotton) is many things, but I think of him as a rare breed of practical philosopher. In 1997, he turned away from writing novels and instead wrote an extended essay titled How Proust Can Change Your Life, which became an unlikely blockbuster. His subsequent books have been described as a ‘philosophy of everyday life’ and subjects include love, travel, architecture, religion and work. His other bestsellers include Essays In Love, Status Anxiety, and The Architecture Of Happiness. More recent works include The News: A User’s Manual, which looks at the impact our obsession with checking news has on our minds, and Art as Therapy, co-written with the art historian John Armstrong. In 2008, de Botton helped start The School of Life in London, a social enterprise determined to make learning and therapy relevant in today's uptight culture. His goal is (through any of his mediums) to help clients learn "how to live wisely and well." In our wide-ranging conversation, we cover many thin

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. He’s a beast and — no big surprise — he’s a good buddy of Dr. Peter Attia, my MD friend who drinks "jet fuel" in search of optimal athletic performance. The primary focus of Dom's laboratory is developing and testing metabolic therapies, including ketogenic diets, ketone esters and ketone supplements to induce nutritional/therapeutic ketosis. D’Agostino’s laboratory uses in vivo and in vitro techniques to understand the physiological, cellular and molecular mechanism of metabolic therapies and nutritional strategies for peak performance and resilience. His research is supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Department of Defense (DoD), priva

Casey Neistat (@caseyneistat) is a New York-based filmmaker. His online films have been viewed more than 50,000,000 times in the last 3 years. He is the writer, director, editor, and star of the series The Neistat Brothers on HBO and won the John Cassavetes Award at the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards for the film Daddy Long Legs. His main body of work consists of dozens of short films he has released exclusively on the Internet, including regular contributions to the New York Times critically acclaimed Op-Doc series. He is also the founder of Beme, a startup aiming to make creating and sharing video dead simple. Casey is excellent at breaking every rule imaginable and having people (fans, sponsors, big brands, etc.) thank him for it. In this conversation, we dig into his history, techniques, influences, habits, and more... Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Vimeo Pro, which is ideal for entrepreneurs. In fact, a b

Professor Lisa Randall (@lirarandall) researches particle physics and cosmology at Harvard, where she is a professor of theoretical physics. Professor Randall was the first tenured woman in the Princeton physics department and the first tenured female theoretical physicist at Harvard. In autumn 2004, she was the most cited theoretical physicist of the previous five years. In 2007, Randall was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People (Time 100) under the section for "Scientists & Thinkers". Randall was given this honor for her work regarding the evidence of a higher dimension. She has written several mind-expanding books, the newest of which is Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe. If you want a semi-psychedelic experience (viewing the world through a new lens) without imbibing substances, this is worth checking out. Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Thriv

Jimmy Chin (@jimkchin) is an artist and professional athlete, often at the same time. If Chase Jarvis and Laird Hamilton had a love child, it would be Jimmy. He has participated in and documented breakthrough expeditions around the planet, from climbing first ascents in the Karakoram to skiing first descents in the Himalayas. He is one of the few people to both climb Mount Everest and ski it from the summit. Most recently, he filmed and directed the incredible feature documentary MERU, which is in theaters now and won the 2015 Audience Award at Sundance. What is MERU? In the high-stakes game of big-wall climbing, the Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru is the ultimate prize. Everest is a cakewalk by comparison. Sitting at the headwaters of the sacred Ganges River in Northern India, the Shark’s Fin has seen more failed attempts by elite climbing teams over the past 30 years than any other ascent in the Himalayas. This movie is the story of one group’s journey to conquer it—a white-knuc

This short (~20 min) episode covers the latest tools, gadgets, and tactics I'm using for faster and better sleep. As a lifelong insomniac, I've tried everything, and these are the critical few that make the cut. Enjoy! This podcast is brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade. Give it a test run… This podcast is also 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 and world-famous investors. It has exploded in popularity in the last 2 years, and now has more than $2.5B under management. In fact, some of my good investor friends in Silicon Valley have millions of their own money in Wealthfront. Why? Be

Sophia Amoruso (@Sophia_Amoruso) is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Nasty Gal, a global online destination for both new and vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories. Founded in 2006, Nasty Gal was named “Fastest Growing Retailer” in 2012 by Inc. Magazine, thanks to its 11,200% three-year growth rate. Sophia has been called "fashion's new phenom" by Forbes magazine, and she has become one of the most prominent and iconic figures in retail. She recently founded the #GIRLBOSS Foundation, which awards financial grants to women in the worlds of design, fashion, and music. Sophia's first book, #GIRLBOSS, is a New York Times bestseller published in fifteen countries. Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “if you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body

"I should be used as a mercenary, not a lifer." - Tim Ferriss In this episode, we have a change of pace... Expa (@expa) is a startup studio. It was founded by Garrett Camp, who co-founded Uber. Every once in a blue moon, they put together a night of education. I was invited to participate. In this episode, I discuss the topic of startup design vs. lifestyle design. Some of you may be aware that I've been involved with various startups ranging from Uber to Facebook, Twitter and DuoLingo, and other businesses that have grown to more than 100 million users and customers. Simultaneously, I have written many times about lifestyle design, and I've suggested that it should come before career planning. The question is, how do we reconcile these two different approaches to business? Should you focus on building your muse and creating cash-flow focused business to fuel your ideal lifestyle...or should you swing for the fences and bet it all on a startup that is equity driven

Richard Betts (@yobetts) served as the wine director at The Little Nell in Aspen from 2000 to 2008. Much more interesting to me, Richard passed the Court of Master Sommeliers' Masters Exam on his first attempt, becoming the ninth person in history ever to do so. I first met Richard through investing wunderkind Chris Sacca, and we immediately hit it off. Richard can help you train your senses for anything, including wine, whiskey, his current love of mezcal, and far beyond. He's also done a lot of wild experiments, got a lot of tattoos, almost been shot in Mexico, and developed an incredible ability to simplify the complex. We get along. In this conversation, we talk about nearly everything, ranging from the value of quitting to tricks of the trade, travel tips (he's traveling 300+ days per year), and "starter" wines. We also drink a boat-load of whiskey, me tasting and Richard teaching. The pictures below show a sample. Side note and cool rule of thumb: did you know it's spelled "whiskey" when from count

I get asked a lot about investing. This is mostly due to start-up investing and the hoopla around it, but I've expanded my experiments to late-stage deals, real estate, and more. So far, my startup bets are 10x+ more successful (on paper) than my publishing career. Based on cashed-out positions, they're still several times more successful. I've had a lucky stretch. By no means am I an elite investor, but I've borrowed from elite investors since 2007. I'm incredibly fortunate that amazing people have been very generous with their time. Thank you, all! I've made hundreds of survivable mistakes, networked my little bald head off, and--net-net--I'm happy with the results. In this short podcast episode, I'll explain the 5 (or so) steps I took to become a better investor, starting at ground zero. Caveat emptor: I am NOT a financial advisor, and none of this advice should be taken without speaking to a qualified professional first. Also, my results could be due to pure luck and zero skill. M'kay? M'kay. Ho

This episode features a dynamic duo. Seth Rogen (@SethRogen) is an actor, writer, producer, and director. Evan Goldberg (@EvanDGoldberg) is a Canadian director, screenwriter, and producer. Together, they get into a lot of mischief and create amazing comedy. They’ve collaborated on films such as Superbad (which they first conceived as teenagers), Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, The Green Hornet, and Funny People. They have also written for “Da Ali G Show” and “The Simpsons.” In 2013, Evan and Seth released their directorial debut, This Is the End. In 2014, Seth starred in and produced (alongside Evan) Neighbors, which was a worldwide comedy hit and has taken in more than $268 million worldwide. In December 2014, Rogen and Goldberg’

Jocko Willink (@jockowillink) is one of the scariest human beings imaginable. He is a lean 230 pounds. He is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert who used to tap out 20 Navy SEALs per workout. He is a legend in the Special Operations world. His eyes look through you more than at you. He rarely does interviews, if ever. But a few weeks ago, Jocko ended up staying at my house and we had a caffeinated mind meld. Here's some background... Jocko enlisted in the Navy after high school and spent 20 years in the SEAL Teams, first as an enlisted SEAL operator and then as a SEAL officer. During his second tour in Iraq, he led SEAL Task Unit Bruiser in the Battle of Ramadi--some of the toughest and sustained combat in the SEAL Teams since Vietnam. Under his leadership, Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated Special Operations Unit of the entire war in Iraq and helped bring stability to Ramadi. Jocko was awarded the Bronze Star and a Silver Star. Upon returning to the United States, Jocko served as the Officer-i

Scott Adams (@scottadamssays) is a famous cartoonist and the creator of the Dilbert comic strip, which has been published in more than 2000 newspapers in 57 countries and in 19 languages. In my conversation with Scott, we cover topics ranging from the rise of Dilbert's success, to how he uses affirmations to impact stock market decisions, success with women, and building his career. We also talk about Scott’s interest in hypnosis and its role in Dilbert's success. Plus, we dive into his current fascination -- Donald Trump. You'll also find out more about: Goals vs. systems, and how he has used them to get what he wants in life His first ever Dilbert paycheck The six dimensions of humor How he got into the best shape of his life at age 58 and much, much more. It is a really fun conversation. Scott is one hell of a character and a hilarious guy. Enjoy! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Vimeo Pro, which is the