How to Improve Ourselves

Naval Ravikant is the CEO and co-founder of AngelList. He’s invested in more than 100 companies, including Uber, Twitter, Yammer, and many others. It’s difficult to nail down exactly what we discuss in our conversation because I had so many questions to ask him. Naval is an incredibly deep thinker who challenges the status quo on so many things. This is an interview you’ll want to listen to, think a bit, and then listen to again. Here are just a few of the many things we cover in this episode: What a “typical day” looks like (not the answer I expected, and not one you’ve likely heard before) How Naval developed his legendary reading habits and how he finds time to read no matter how busy life gets How the internet has impacted book reading (both good and bad) and how to make sure you’re getting the best information from the most reliable sources What popular habit advice Naval thinks is BS and why Naval’s habit stacking technique that helped him overcome a desire for alcohol and other potentially destructive habits How Naval’s core values give direction to his life and how those values developed over time Naval’s thoughts on the current education system and what we can do to facilitate better learning for our children Naval’s favorite mental models for making critical high-stakes decisions His brilliant two-factor calendar authentication concept to keep him focused on only the most important projects Naval’s definition for the meaning of life (buckle up for this one) His amazing response to the investor who wanted to be just like Steve Jobs And so, so much more. Just a heads up, this is the longest podcast I’ve ever done. While it felt like only thirty minutes, our conversation lasted over two hours! And although it is the longest, it’s also our most downloaded episode on the Knowledge Project, so make sure you have a pen and paper handy. There’s a lot of wisdom up for grabs here. Enjoy this amazing conversation. GO PREMIUM: Support the podcast, get ad-free episodes, transcripts, and so much more: https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-premium/  

Steven Pressfield on fighting resistance and finding your best self 

Welcome to the first episode of "Gettin' Better with Ron Funches" Today I talk about why I am starting a podcast, what you can expect from it, my first job, popular vs good, growing up poor, having a kid at 20, losing 150 lbs, what is on my vision board, anti-effort people, what I'm reading, and much more! For tour dates and merch go to ronfunches.com

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 Experiment! There are 13 episodes, including ones with surfer Laird Hamilton and "top 10 drummer of all-time" Stewart Copeland. ### This episode is sponsored by Onnit. I 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 Body? Here are some of the impressive results. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade. ***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/timferriss