The Tim Ferriss Show

This episode explores pain, struggle, and how to turn both into amazing creative projects.

Whitney Cummings is a Los Angeles-based comedian, actor, writer and producer.

Whitney is executive producer and, along with Michael Patrick King, co-creator of the Emmy-nominated CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls, which was recently picked up for a fifth season.

She also wrote, produced and starred in Whitney, which aired on NBC from 2011 to 2013.

She has headlined with comics including Sarah Silverman, Louis C.K., Amy Schumer, Aziz Ansari, and others.

Her first one-hour stand up special, Money Shot, premiered on Comedy Central in 2010 and was nominated for an American Comedy Award. Her second stand-up special, Whitney Cummings: I Love You, debuted on Comedy Central in 2014 and she is shooting a third hour for HBO this August, which is set to air in 2016.

For all links, show notes, resources from this episode, please visit fourhourworkweek.com/podcast

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This podcast is brought to you by MeUndiesHave you ever wanted to be as powerful as a mullet-wearing ninja from the 1980’s, or as sleek as a black panther in the Amazon? Of course you have, and that’s where MeUndies comes in. I’ve spent the last 2-3 weeks wearing underwear from these guys 24/7, and they are the most comfortable and colorful underwear I’ve ever owned. Their materials are 2x softer than cotton, as evaluated using the Kawabata method. Check out MeUndies.com/Tim to see my current faves, some of which are awesomely ridiculous.

This episode is also sponsored by OnnitI have used Onnit products for years. If you look in my kitchen or in my garage you will find Alpha BRAIN, chewable melatonin (for resetting my clock while traveling), kettlebells, maces, battle ropes, and steel clubs. It sounds like a torture chamber, and it basically is. A torture chamber for self-improvement! Ah, the lovely pain. To see a list of my favorite pills, potions, and heavy tools, click here.

Direct download: TFS_Whitney_Cummings.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:01pm EDT

"My lab is interested in pursuing how we can enhance cognition to improve quality of life."
- Adam Gazzaley

Dr. Adam Gazzaley (@adamgazz) obtained an M.D. and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, then postdoctoral training in cognitive neuroscience at UC Berkeley. He is now the director of the Gazzaley Lab at UC San Francisco, a cognitive neuroscience laboratory.

His recent studies go far beyond mere description — he and his lab are exploring neuroplasticity and how we can optimize cognitive abilities, even in healthy adults. So, what happens when you combine cognitive-focused video games with neurofeedback, magnetic and electrical stimulation, and even performance-enhancing drugs? Well, that’s just one of many things we cover in this conversation.

As someone with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease on both sides of my family, I find Adam's work to be of incredible importance and promise.  I hope this discussion blows your mind, in the best way possible.

Enjoy!

Show notes, links, and resources can be found at fourhourworkweek.com/podcast

This podcast is brought to you by a new sponsor, LegalZoom. Matt Mullenweg (CEO of Automattic - now worth more than a billion dollars) first incorporated his company on LegalZoom.  LegalZoom, which I've used myself, can help you with almost anything legal, including setting up a will, doing a proper trademark search, forming an LLC, setting up a non-profit, or finding simple cease-and-desist letter templates. LegalZoom is not a law firm, but they do have a network of independent attorneys available in most states. They can give you advice on the best way to get started, provide contract review, and otherwise help you run your business. Use the code "Tim" at checkout to get $10 off your next order. Take a gander at everything you can get for a fraction of what you'd expect -- LegalZoom.com

This podcast is also 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 BodyHere are some of the impressive results.  Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  Give it a test run..

Thanks for listening!

Direct download: TFS_Gazzaley.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:54am EDT

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...please visit the sponsors for this episode! I've used them both.

Mizzen + Main makes the only “dress” shirts I now travel with — fancy enough for important dinners but made from athletic, sweat-wicking material. No more ironing, no more steaming, no more hassle. Click here to see the exact shirts I wear most often.

99Designs is the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body, which hit #1 New York Times. Here are some of the impressive results.  Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  Give it a test run…

 
Direct download: TFS_Sam_Kass.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:42pm EDT

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 (Mattternet), and reimagine food using biology (Hampton Creek), among others.
 
Enjoy!
 
Please check out the sponsors for this episode, which Ive used myself:

Athletic Greens —My all-in-one nutritional insurance policy.
99Designs  Your one-stop shop for all things graphic design related.  I used them for the book cover mockups for The 4-Hour Body, which later hit #1 New York Times.

Show notes (links, resources, books, etc.) from this episode can be found on my blog here: http://fourhourworkweek.com/podcast
Direct download: TFS_Bryan_Johnson_Edited_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:49pm EDT

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.

Direct download: RHoliday_Edison_TFS.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:09pm EDT

"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 MeUndiesHave you ever wanted to be as powerful as a mullet-wearing ninja from the 1980's, or as sleek as a black panther in the Amazon? Of course you have, and that's where MeUndies comes in. I've spent the last 2-3 weeks wearing underwear from these guys 24/7, and they are the most comfortable and colorful underwear I've ever owned. Their materials are 2x softer than cotton, as evaluated using the Kawabata method. Check out MeUndies.com/Tim to see my current faves (some are awesomely ridiculous) and, while you're at it, don't miss lots of hot ladies wearing MeUndies.

This podcast is also 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 BodyHere are some of the impressive results.  Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  Give it a test run..

Thanks for listening!

Direct download: TFS_Sacca_Ep.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:15pm EDT

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

Direct download: TFS_Audience_Building_QA_Ep.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:06pm EDT

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 

This podcast is sponsored by LSTN Headphones. LSTN Headphones are gorgeous headphones that I use. They're made of real exotic, reclaimed wood. Proceeds from each purchase help a hearing-impaired person hear for the first time through the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Here are some of the headphones I wear and travel with: LSTNHeadphones.com/TimOn that page, use the code “TIM” to get $50 off orders of $99 or more!

This podcast is also 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 resultsClick this link and get a free $99 upgrade. Give it a test run and share your results!

Direct download: Tim_Ferriss_Show_-_Danielle_and_Astro_Teller_64kbps.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:14pm EDT

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, Lana Del Rey, and Lady Gaga. He's also been credited with helping to popularize hip hop with artists like LL Cool J, The Beastie Boys, Eminem, Jay Z, and Kanye West.  And that's just a small sample.

This conversation teaches a cohesive lesson in breaking down complex skills with deep and subtle problem solving.

The sauna caused the microphones to burn our hands and us to nearly pass out. DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME, folks! I think it adds a hilarious element to the whole thing, but it's not without risks.

Enjoy!

Last but not least, if you haven't seen my new TV show, which is #1 on iTunes as I write this, please check out The Tim Ferriss ExperimentThere are 13 episodes, including ones with surfer Laird Hamilton and "top 10 drummer of all-time" Stewart Copeland.

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This episode is sponsored by OnnitI have used Onnit products for years. If you look in my kitchen or in my garage you will find Alpha BRAIN, chewable melatonin (for resetting my clock while traveling), kettlebells, maces, battle ropes, and steel clubs. It sounds like a torture chamber, and it basically is. A torture chamber for self-improvement! Ah, the lovely pain. To see a list of my favorite pills, potions, and heavy tools, click here.

This podcast is also 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 BodyHere are some of the impressive results.  Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  

 

Direct download: Tim_Ferriss_Show_-_Rick_Rubin_64kbps.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:55am EDT

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 he gained 40 pounds of (mostly) muscle in the last six months or so.

Full show notes and links from this episode can be found at fourhourworkweek.com/podcast

If you loved the resource-rich business interviews with Ramit Sethi and Tracy DiNunzio, you'll love this one.

This podcast is brought to you by Athletic Greens (AG), my all-in-one nutritional insurance policy. It's a whole food-derived greens powder that I've used since 2008 or so to cover my bases in a busy world. If I need to skip meals or eat sub-optimal food, AG allows me to worry less. For travel, I take pouches with me to prevent fatigue. For a limited time, you can try AG at 50% offClick here.  It ain't cheap, but I find it totally worth it.

This podcast is also 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 BodyHere are some of the impressive results.

Enjoy!

Direct download: Noah_Kagan2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:54am EDT