logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
2h 17m

#756: Anne Lamott and Josh Waitzkin

Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author, Human Guinea Pig
About this episode

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #522 "Anne Lamott on Taming Your Inner Critic, Finding Grace, and Prayer" and #148: "Josh Waitzkin, The Prodigy Returns"

Please enjoy!

Sponsors:

Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)

Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://HelixSleep.com/Tim (25–30% off all mattress orders and two free pillows)

Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: https://shopify.com/tim (one-dollar-per-month trial period)

Timestamps:

[04:49] Notes about this supercombo format.

[05:51] Enter Anne Lamott.

[06:21] What is it about Bird by Bird that has affected so many people so deeply?

[07:18] Where the title of Bird by Bird originated.

[09:40] How Neal Allen helps people tame (but not discard) their inner critic.

[10:45] Who controls the dial when you're tuned in to KFKD radio?

[11:51] How Anne recommends I pursue my fiction writing aspirations.

[12:37] The pros and cons of Anne's upbringing.

[19:08] What does being "spiritually fit" mean to Anne?

[24:40] How radical self-care became an imperative for Anne.

[32:25] The dark night that turned Anne's son Sam's life around.

[38:10] Enter Josh Waitzkin.

[38:43] On Dreaming Yourself Awake by B. Alan Wallace and Brian Hodel.

[39:58] Casual exercise.

[40:52] Josh's terrifying experience with the Wim Hof method.

[45:52] How Josh uses "flow" as therapy.

[48:19] Initiating a flow state.

[50:45] Cognitive biases and armchair professors.

[55:07] Developing high-level sensitivity and listening to your senses.

[57:53] Strategies for on-boarding newcomers to mindfulness training.

[1:02:40] Paddlesurfers in peril.

[1:03:36] Embracing the funk.

[1:06:03] On parenting.

[1:15:07] Fixed perspectives and growth mindsets.

[1:17:34] On training somatic sensitivity.

[1:22:06] On mitigating the dangers of a fixed identity.

[1:24:32] Marcelo Garcia and the principle of cultivating quality as a way of life.

[1:30:19] Quality and presence in parenthood.

[1:33:42] The fire-walking process.

[1:40:11] Translating techniques learned from martial arts to less obvious activities (like investing).

[1:42:19] Building slack into the system.

[1:46:17] Scarcity in the learning process.

[1:54:27] Josh's daily journaling process.

[1:56:25] Thematic interconnectedness in the context of education.

[2:04:08] The Art of Learning Project.

[2:05:59] Parting thoughts.

*

For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.

For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Showplease visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsors

Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.

For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.

Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.

Follow Tim:

Twittertwitter.com/tferriss 

Instagraminstagram.com/timferriss

YouTubeyoutube.com/timferriss

Facebookfacebook.com/timferriss 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss

Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry SeinfeldHugh JackmanDr. Jane GoodallLeBron JamesKevin HartDoris Kearns GoodwinJamie FoxxMatthew McConaugheyEsther PerelElizabeth GilbertTerry CrewsSiaYuval Noah HarariMalcolm GladwellMadeleine AlbrightCheryl StrayedJim CollinsMary Karr, Maria PopovaSam HarrisMichael PhelpsBob IgerEdward NortonArnold SchwarzeneggerNeil StraussKen BurnsMaria SharapovaMarc AndreessenNeil GaimanNeil de Grasse TysonJocko WillinkDaniel EkKelly SlaterDr. Peter AttiaSeth GodinHoward MarksDr. Brené BrownEric SchmidtMichael LewisJoe GebbiaMichael PollanDr. Jordan PetersonVince VaughnBrian KoppelmanRamit SethiDax ShepardTony RobbinsJim DethmerDan HarrisRay DalioNaval RavikantVitalik ButerinElizabeth LesserAmanda PalmerKatie HaunSir Richard BransonChuck PalahniukArianna HuffingtonReid HoffmanBill BurrWhitney CummingsRick RubinDr. Vivek MurthyDarren AronofskyMargaret AtwoodMark ZuckerbergPeter ThielDr. Gabor MatéAnne LamottSarah SilvermanDr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Aug 20
#823: Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg — Creating Supranormal Vision, Cutting-Edge Science for Eye Health, Supplements, Red Light Therapy, and The Future of Eyesight Restoration
Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg is Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology and Director of the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University, a leading scientist in the development and degeneration of the visual system from eye to brain, and a practicing ophthalmologist and surgeon.This episode i ... Show More
1h 44m
Aug 13
#822: The Random Show — Ketones for Cognition, Tim’s Best Lab Results in 10+ Years, How Kevin Hit 100 Days Sober, Home Defense, Vibe Coding Unleashed, and More
Welcome to another wide-ranging "Random Show" episode that I recorded with my close friend Kevin Rose (digg.com)! We cover Kevin's sobriety journey and marking 100 days without alcohol, my results with the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting, GLP-1 agonists, home security, th ... Show More
2h 7m
Aug 6
#821: My Two-Year Secret Project, COYOTE — The Strategies and Tactics for Building a Bestseller from Nothing with Elan Lee of Exploding Kittens
This is a very special episode for me. My brand-new card game, COYOTE, created in collaboration with Elan Lee and Exploding Kittens, is here. It is available in ~8,000 locations worldwide, including Walmart, Target, Amazon, and many others. Learn more: https://coyotegame.com.This ... Show More
3 h
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2024
272. Eric Chaffin — Doing Good by Doing Right [Encore Edition]
The real game changers aren’t just the ones who talk a good game — they’re the ones who take decisive action and make a tangible impact in their communities and with their clients. If your team isn’t genuinely committed to doing the right thing every single time… you’re on a fast ... Show More
36m 7s
Aug 4
Talking to Tim Ferriss about how to live a dope life
Want Sam's top 7 books for entrepreneurs (& his reading strategy)? Get it here: https://clickhubspot.com/kft Episode 731: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk to Tim Ferriss ( https://x.com/tferriss ) about what he’s been nerding out ... Show More
1h 32m
May 14
How to Hold On to What Really Matters, with Jo Malone
Essential Habits is a new weekly series from High Performance. Hosted by Damian Hughes, each episode breaks down powerful habits from world-class performers and thinkers - so you can apply them in your own life.Here’s Damian’s take on the first episode, featuring Jo Malone: "Some ... Show More
36m 9s
Nov 2023
Business Brainstorm: AG1 For Dogs, Sexy Sweaty Startups & Luxury Newsletters
Episode 517: Shaan Puri (https://twitter.com/ShaanVP) and Sam Parr (https://twitter.com/theSamParr) are joined by Greg Isenberg to brainstorm 6 business ideas you can start with no funding.  Want to see the best clips from MFM? Subscribe to our clips channel here. —Show Notes:(0: ... Show More
1h 2m
Mar 2025
HIGHLIGHTS: Debra Crew - CEO of Diageo
We've curated a special 10-minute version of the podcast for those in a hurry.   Here you can listen to the full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/diageo-ceo-shifting-drinking-trends-brand-innovation/id1614211565?i=1000700857139&l=nb Are our drinking habits changing? ... Show More
9m 48s
Apr 2025
The Josh Peck Interview | EP. 109
BUY YOUR TICKETS TO THE "MAN ON WATER" TOUR NOW! https://www.thegeorgejankoshow.com/ Sponsored By: Find CELSIUS near you: https://www.celsius.com/buy-locate/ celsiusbrandpartner celsiuslivefit CelsiusOfficial Text Me To Perform In Your City! (602) 932-8118 Get Your "Kingdom Come" ... Show More
2h 1m
Dec 2023
Holiday Special 2023
Ben has some big news. Actually, double big news! On what has become a holiday tradition here at Acquired, we cozy up to the fire to do our annual review of the show “in public”. We reflect on what can only be described as an absolutely mind-blowing 2023 (LVMH! Jensen! Costco! Ch ... Show More
2h 16m
Oct 2024
271: Specific Road-Tested Tips for Book Sales and Marketing with Todd Sattersten (Part Two)
Hi Friends! Although the podcast is still paused, I'm dropping into the feed this week and next with two very special conversations :) Today is a bonus episode from February for paid subscribers with Todd Sattersten, publisher and owner of Bard Press, and next week features Seth ... Show More
53m 40s
Aug 2024
42. The Motivate, Educate, Manage Formula With Gary Keller and Jay Papasan (Part 2)
Welcome back to Part 2 of our conversation with none other than Jay Papasan and Gary Keller! We do a deep dive into managing: How do we turn on self-discipline and accountability to ensure that we have success, and then how do we manage our time such that we get the most out of i ... Show More
39m 46s
Aug 2023
Newsletter Schemes, Copywriting Scams and Chaotic Singles
Episode 484: Shaan Puri (https://twitter.com/ShaanVP) and Sam Parr (https://twitter.com/theSamParr) talk about a questionable newsletter growth hack called co-reg, try to figure out how Bobbi Althoff became an overnight success, explore the wild world of Chaotic Singles Parties & ... Show More
1h 24m