“Smart people like to be challenged and they like smart people challenging them.”
– Kara Swisher
Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) has been called “Silicon Valley’s most feared and well-liked journalist” by New York Magazine. Here’s just one example: you can graph the impact on Yahoo’s stock price by various posts by Kara. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
She attended Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service prior to changing course to journalism. It turns out many of the skills that would make a good spy are those that make a good journalist: developing sources, asking good questions, scenario planning, and much more. She forged her reputation at the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, and now she spends the majority of her time as Executive Editor of Recode and the host of the Recode Decode podcast.
Over the last 11 years and alongside Walt Mossberg, she has also co-produced D: All Things Digital, a major high-tech conference with interviewees such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and many other leading players in the tech and media industries.
In this podcast episode, she and I cover a lot of subjects, enjoy quite a few laughs, and dig into details you can readily apply and test yourself. Topics include:
The art and craft of good questions
Lessons learned and favorite moments from interviewing Steve Jobs
What separates good from great journalists
War stories, missed opportunities, and “optimistic pessimism”
I hope that you enjoy this episode with Kara Swisher!
Want to hear a podcast with another influential journalist?— Listen to my conversation with Ezra Klein. In this episode, we discuss influencing the rules of the game by which this country is run (overall politics — not partisan), how Ezra lost 60 pounds, and his ascension into the ranks of the most respected media companies in the world (stream below or right-click here to download):
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 and did not get paid to do so. Listeners of The Tim Ferriss Show get $100 worth of travel packs for free when placing an order — that’s twenty free additional travel pouches — at AthleticGreens.com/Tim.
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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
A comprehensive index for the #1 New York Times bestseller, Tools of Titans!
We didn’t have room when it was first published, but I went back to the publisher and they burned the midnight oil to get it done (thanks, HMH!).
Give it a quick glance. I found it oddly fun to read by itself, and it can help you find nearly any type of advice imaginable, all by theme, category, and name. This index will be added to the ebook and print editions soon.
In the meantime, anyone who would like a PDF (and printable) version of the index can view it below or download it by clicking the Scribd link.
Martin Gibala, Ph.D. (@gibalam) is a professor and chair of the kinesiology department at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. His research on the physiological and health benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has attracted immense scientific attention and worldwide media coverage.
This podcast is brought to you by 99Designs,the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. I have used them for years to create some amazing designs. When your business needs a logo, website design, business card, or anything you can imagine, check out 99Designs.
I used them to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body, and I’ve also had them help with display advertising and illustrations. If you want a more personalized approach, I recommend their 1-on-1 service, which is non-spec. You get original designs from designers around the world. The best part? You provide your feedback, and then you end up with a product that you’re happy with or your money back. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade. Give it a test run…
This podcast is also brought to you by Audible. I have used Audible for years, and I love audiobooks. I have two to recommend:
All you need to do to get your free 30-day Audible trial is go to Audible.com/Tim. Choose one of the above books, or choose any of the endless options they offer. That could be a book, a newspaper, a magazine, or even a class. It’s that easy. Go to Audible.com/Tim and get started today. Enjoy.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
“Part of being successful is to give something back.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger (@Schwarzenegger) told you he’d be back.
In our first conversation (Episode 60), the former Mr. Olympia, Terminator, and Governator shared daily routines, psychological warfare tactics, favorite books, early entrepreneurial ventures (and tips), and many stories no one had heard before. This time around, the new host of The Celebrity Apprentice answered your most popular and upvoted questions, including some controversial ones. He does not shy away from anything, and this is no exception.
In this episode, Arnold talks about his recent Twitter battle with President-elect Donald Trump, his investment strategies, politics, the state of bodybuilding, his sleep schedule, and much more. [Special thanks to Daniel Ketchell for pitching the questions here.]
Want to hear another episode with Arnold Schwarzenegger? — Listen to his first appearance on the podcast. In this episode, we discuss the art of psychological warfare, how Twins became his most lucrative movie, mailing cow balls to politicians, how Arnold made millions before his acting career took off, and much, much more (stream below or right-click here to download):
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 and world-famous investors. It has exploded in popularity in the last two 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? 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 locations and bloated sales teams.
Check out wealthfront.com/tim, take their risk assessment quiz, which only takes 2-5 minutes, and they’ll show you — for free — exactly the portfolio they’d put you in. If you want to just take their advice and do it yourself, you can. Or, as I would, you can set it and forget it. Well worth a few minutes: wealthfront.com/tim.
This podcast is also 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 and did not get paid to do so. Listeners of The Tim Ferriss Show get $100 worth of travel packs for free when placing an order — that’s twenty free additional travel pouches. Just visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
“In order for art to imitate life, you have to have a life.” – Whitney Cummings
Whitney Cummings (@whitneycummings) is a Los Angeles-based comedian, actor, writer, and producer.
She is the executive producer and, along with Michael Patrick King, co-creator of the Emmy-nominated CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls. 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, I Love You, debuted on Comedy Central in 2014, and her latest special, I’m Your Girlfriend, premiered on HBO in 2016.
Whitney will be publishing her first book later this year, titled I’m Fine… And Other Lies.
In this episode, Whitney answers questions submitted by listeners, including:
Want to hear another episode with Whitney Cummings? — Listen to her first appearance on the podcast. In this episode, we discuss emotional intelligence, how to overcome workaholic tendencies, managing instant gratification and much, much more (stream below or right-click here to download):
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 and did not get paid to do so. Listeners of The Tim Ferriss Show get $100 worth of travel packs for free when placing an order — that’s twenty free additional travel pouches. Just visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim.
This podcast is also brought to you by Varidesk. You’ve probably heard of research concluding that sitting all day is terrible for you (“Sitting is the new smoking” is a phrase I hear a lot.). But standing all day isn’t an option for everyone, either.
My assistant and I have been enjoying the use of Varidesk, the middle ground that effortlessly converts your standard desk to a standing desk (and back again) in seconds. It comes fully assembled — just take it out of the box, put it on your desktop, and go. Models start at just $175. Check out Varidesk.com to see which one might be the right fit for you. It even comes with a 30-day, hassle-free return policy if you decide it’s not your style. That’s Varidesk.com.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
“Hard decisions are only hard when you’re in the process of making them.”
– Debbie Millman
For some of you, this may be most important podcast episode you ever listen to. I don’t say that lightly.
It has nothing to do with me and everything to do with my guest, who walks us through gripping stories, tactical details, humor, pain, and emotional redemption. We cover some sensitive and extremely important ground. Thank you, Debbie.
Graphic Design USA has named Debbie Millman (@debbiemillman) “one of the most influential designers working today.” She is also the founder and host of Design Matters, the world’s first and longest-running podcast about design, where she’s interviewed nearly 300 design luminaries and cultural commentators including Massimo Vignelli and Milton Glaser.
Debbie’s done it all. Her artwork has been exhibited around the world. She’s designed everything from wrapping paper to beach towels, greeting cards to playing cards, notebooks to t-shirts, and Star Wars merchandise to global Burger King rebrands.
Debbie is the President Emeritus of AIGA (one of only five women to hold the position in the organization’s one-hundred-year history), the editorial and creative director of Print magazine, and the author of six books. In 2009, Debbie co-founded (with Steven Heller) the world’s first masters program in branding at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, which has received international acclaim.
We cover a lot in this discussion: how to recover from rejection, how to overcome personal crises of faith, class exercises from her most impactful mentors, and much more.
Please enjoy (and reflect on) this wide-ranging conversation with Debbie Millman…
Want to hear another episode with an influential podcaster?— Listen to my interview with Stephen J. Dubner. In this episode, we discuss how to grow a podcast, the President’s actual influence over the economy, how virtual reality might affect education, and much, much more (stream below or right-click here to download):
This podcast is brought to you by FreshBooks. FreshBooks is the #1 cloud bookkeeping software, which is used by a ton of the start-ups I advise and many of the contractors I work with. It is the easiest way to send invoices, get paid, track your time, and track your clients.
FreshBooks tells you when your clients have viewed your invoices, helps you customize your invoices, track your hours, automatically organize your receipts, have late payment reminders sent automatically and much more.
Right now you can get a free month of complete and unrestricted use.You do not need a credit card for the trial. To claim your free month and see how the brand new Freshbooks can change your business, go to FreshBooks.com/Tim and enter “Tim” in the “how did you hear about us” section.
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 two 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? 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 locations and bloated sales teams.
Check out wealthfront.com/tim, take their risk assessment quiz, which only takes 2-5 minutes, and they’ll show you — for free — exactly the portfolio they’d put you in. If you want to just take their advice and do it yourself, you can. Or, as I would, you can set it and forget it. Well worth a few minutes: wealthfront.com/tim.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
After visiting dozens, maybe hundreds, of gyms all over the world, I decided to create a show that showcases some of my favorites. From home gyms to the training meccas of the world, welcome to the Rust and Iron® TV mini-series!
Thinks of it as Cribs for gyms.
The first episode of Rust and Iron® features the home gym of Kelly Starrett (@mobilityWOD), one of the top Crossfit coaches in the world, and one of my favorite PTs and performance trainers.
Links to nearly everything Kelly shows, plus some bonuses, can be found in the show notes below. His expanded bio is also included.
Please let me know what you think in the comments!
I’m not married to the idea of this series; this is just an experimental episode. Should I do more or focus elsewhere? Whose gyms or which gyms should I feature? What would you like more of, less of, etc.? All feedback is welcome and encouraged.
Rogue Folding Back Squat Rack: After your workout, you have the ability to quickly remove the pull-up bar and fold the sides of the rack back against the wall.
Rogue Garage Pull Up Bar: Standard pull up bar that can be mounted to both a concrete wall or garage support beams.
Rogue Parallettes: Meant for gymnastics training such as handstand pushups, planches, or L-sits.
Rogue Bumper Plates: Standard training plates with a rubber exterior to cut down on noise and damage to floors.
Rogue Barbells: The Rogue Beater Bar is a budget-priced barbell made to handle regular high-rep abuse. Kelly only uses basic barbells and does not use any of the $1000+ barbells, but any serious Olympic weightlifter should consider one.
Rogue Fat Bells: Just like a regular kettlebell, but with the handle on the inside. With this change, it allows you to use it like both a kettlebell as well as a dumbbell. It reduces the shearing force on your joints since the grip is centered around the weight.
Rogue Jump Ropes: Great for warming up or conditioning. Beginners often prefer heavier ropes, but as they progress, athletes often opt for lighter ropes so they can move at faster speeds.
If You Have Extra Budget…
Rogue Log Bar: Initially used as a strongman tool, it’s effective for any weightlifter looking to gain strength. The neutral grip handles are easier on your wrists and shoulders, and the thickness of the bar forces you to stay over the weight longer to maintain power during your initial pull.
Rogue Thompson Fat Pad: Thicker and wider than a regular bench, the Thompson Fat Pad is Kelly’s preferred training pad for benching. It promotes proper scapular movement and eliminates shoulder hangover.
Rogue Multi-Grip Bench Bar: Kelly has wrist issues from 30 decades of paddling, so this is his preferred bar to bench with. It has multiple handles, all in a neutral grip. This makes it easier to pin your shoulders back, thus putting you into a more stable and safer position.
Rogue Bandbell Earthquake Bar: A unique bar made with bamboo, meant to hold tons of weight attached with bands. Benching/squatting/pressing/overhead walking are all made extremely difficult due to the constantly moving weight. Just put some kettlebells on the end with some bands and wait to feel the burn.
Rogue Farmer’s Walk Handles: Simple but sinister tool to work your grip, shoulders, traps, posterior chain, etc.
Rogue Slam Balls: Ideal balls for overhead ball slams, as they are much sturdier than medicine balls.
Dynamax Medicine Balls: Good grip and durability, they are most often used for wall balls, but can be used for a variety of different exercises.
MobilityWOD Tools
Rogue Supernova: An alternative to foam rollers, the Supernova’s grooved design and firmness allow athletes to get deep into their larger muscles.
Voodoo Floss Bands : Kelly calls this his most versatile piece of equipment. Compression flossing (aka Voodoo flossing) works on so many levels to break apart adhesions and flush out swollen tissues and joints. Plus it’s easy to travel with.
Rogue Mobility Stick and Cradle: A short metal bar for mobilizing your janky tissues. Same look and feel as a barbell, but hand-held and easier to transport.
Watt Bike: This is a perfect indoor bike for any serious cyclists. The data it delivers is vast and extremely accurate.
Concept 2 Rower: The best selling indoor rower in the world, and for good reason. Great for cardiovascular training that taxes both your upper and lower body.
Concept 2 SkiErg: Think of it as a rower turned on its end. Fantastic aerobic trainer and especially ideal for anyone looking to maintain their aerobic training through a lower body injury.
Assault Bike: The resistance ramps up automatically as you push, pull and pedal with greater speed and force.
Onnit Mace Kelly loves to use this to hit a tractor tire. It’s an effective way to mimic real world movement and gives you a total body workout.
Tractor Tire: You could buy one online, but the easiest way to get one is to contact your local tire supplier as they most likely have some old, used ones lying around that will be perfect for your needs.
Armor Plyo Boxes: Kelly’s preferred boxes for box jumps or step ups. Lifetime guarantee.
Inflatable Tub: Kelly (and his wife Juliet) use this for their cold baths, alternating between a few minutes in their hot tub, and then jumping into this for 10-30 slow, controlled breaths.
About The Host: Kelly Starrett
Kelly Starrett (@mobilityWOD) is a coach, physical therapist, author, speaker, and creator of MobilityWOD, which has revolutionized how athletes think about human movement and athletic performance.
His 2013 release, Becoming a Supple Leopard, was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller. He teaches the wildly popular Crossfit Movement & Mobility Trainer course and has been a guest lecturer at the American Physical Therapy Association annual convention, Google, Perform Better Summit, Special Operations Medical Association annual conference, and elite military groups nationwide.
Kelly Starrett received his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2007 from Samuel Merritt College in Oakland, California. Kelly’s clients have included Olympic gold-medalists, Tour de France cyclists, world and national record-holding Olympic Lifting and Power athletes, Crossfit Games medalists, ballet dancers, military personnel, and competitive age-division athletes.
