This episode is a rare exception to the rule — unlike my usual long-form interviews, this is a drunk-dialing Q&A with you guys, which I’ve done a few times in the last few years, including for the celebration of the 100th episode of this podcast. In preparation for this episode, I solicited phone numbers from listeners who wanted to receive a call from me, and then I started drinking and dialing, answering questions and getting a little frisky along the way.

This time, I came in hot, starting after a few preliminary drinks with friends on a weekend — so it’s double trouble.

I ended up covering topics including:

• How to reassess existing projects, specifically ones which you’ve put a lot of capital and time into, using 80/20 analysis and other tools.
• How to learn to care less about what people think, social perception, and how to minimize herd mentality.
• A framework for thinking about entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and how to cut your teeth as a business builder or creator.
• How to learn to ask better questions, whether in dating or sales.
• How to let the silence do the work.
• And so much more!

Please enjoy this tequila-fueled Q&A!

Want to hear another episode when I’m drunk and called fans? — Listen to this one, in which I discuss my thoughts on sex as a “doorway to a higher perception,” past experiences with stimulants and psychedelics, how Jocko Willink has influenced my approach to discipline, and much, much more.(Stream below or right-click here to download):

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn and its job recruitment platform, which offers a smarter system for the hiring process. If you’ve ever hired anyone (or attempted to), you know finding the right people can be difficult. If you don’t have a direct referral from someone you trust, you’re left to use job boards that don’t offer any real-world networking approach.

LinkedIn, as the world’s largest professional network — used by more than 70 percent of the US workforce — has a built-in ecosystem that allows you to not only search for employees, but also interact with them, their connections, and their former employers and colleagues in a way that closely mimics real-life communication. Visit LinkedIn.com/Tim and receive $50 off your first job post!

This podcast is also brought to you by 99designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. I have used them for years to create some amazing designs. Whether 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 Tao of Seneca, 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. 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.

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

• Casa Dragones
• Fear-Setting: The Most Valuable Exercise I Do Every Month, Tim Ferriss, tim.blog
• Balkans War: A Brief Guide, BBC News
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
• The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz
• The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Global Entrepreneurship Organization
• Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World by Timothy Ferriss
• You Are the Average of the Five People You Most Associate With by Melia Robinson, Business Insider
• Shopify
• The Quiet Master of Cryptocurrency — Nick Szabo, The Tim Ferriss Show
• Teespring
• Dom D’Agostino on Fasting, Ketosis, and the End of Cancer, The Tim Ferriss Show
• My Life Extension Pilgrimage to Easter Island, The Tim Ferriss Show
• Barbell Shrugged
• 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly
• When to Quit — Lessons from World-Class Entrepreneurs, Investors, Authors, and More, The Tim Ferriss Show
• Understanding the Pareto Principle (The 80/20 Rule), Better Explained
• The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
• The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life by Timothy Ferriss
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Timothy Ferriss
• The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done by Peter F. Drucker
• Cal Fussman’s work at Esquire
• 23 Signs You’re Secretly An Introvert by Carolyn Gregoire, HuffPost
• The Tim Ferriss Podcast is Live! Here Are Episodes 1 and 2, The Tim Ferriss Show

SHOW NOTES

• As an immigrant living in Salt Lake City, Danny asks how he can learn to care less about the expectations of others — especially parents whose plans for his life differ greatly from his own. [05:05]
• How does one go about building a world-class support system? [15:51]
• Why the best time to test the waters of entrepreneurship is when you already have a steady paycheck. [19:33]
• Here’s a little dietary advice from someone on tequila, chocolate chip cookie, bullsh*t caloric surplus mode after a rough couple of weeks. [27:50]
• Joseph asks how I pick projects — specifically, how do I know what to pull the trigger on and what to let go? [32:01]
• Who are my “five people?” [42:45]
• Regina asks how I strike the balance between asking questions to better get to know a guest and asking questions that will be useful and interesting to my listeners. How might someone apply this to their own everyday conversations? [45:06]
• Simple is usually better than clever. Remember to let silence do the work. [48:14]
• Are the questions you’re asking too personal, or just too early? [49:35]
• A brief introvert’s guide to leading conversation and how to get someone to open up without putting them on the spot. [52:13]
• Conversation is a skill, and the only way to get better is to practice. Just make sure to practice before the big game. [57:03]

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Posted on: July 30, 2018.

Please check out Tribe of Mentors, my newest book, which shares short, tactical life advice from 100+ world-class performers. Many of the world's most famous entrepreneurs, athletes, investors, poker players, and artists are part of the book. The tips and strategies in Tribe of Mentors have already changed my life, and I hope the same for you. Click here for a sample chapter and full details. Roughly 90% of the guests have never appeared on my podcast.

Who was interviewed? Here's a very partial list: tech icons (founders of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Craigslist, Pinterest, Spotify, Salesforce, Dropbox, and more), Jimmy Fallon, Arianna Huffington, Brandon Stanton (Humans of New York), Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Ben Stiller, Maurice Ashley (first African-American Grandmaster of chess), Brené Brown (researcher and bestselling author), Rick Rubin (legendary music producer), Temple Grandin (animal behavior expert and autism activist), Franklin Leonard (The Black List), Dara Torres (12-time Olympic medalist in swimming), David Lynch (director), Kelly Slater (surfing legend), Bozoma Saint John (Beats/Apple/Uber), Lewis Cantley (famed cancer researcher), Maria Sharapova, Chris Anderson (curator of TED), Terry Crews, Greg Norman (golf icon), Vitalik Buterin (creator of Ethereum), and nearly 100 more. Check it all out by clicking here.