by

Tim Ferriss

How to Cage the Monkey Mind (#175)

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This episode is a little different. I visited the Googleplex — the Mountain View-based headquarters of Google — and had a public chat. I was interviewed and made sure that we covered some ground that has not been discussed before. There were questions such as:

  • What has been the most important Stoic teaching that I’ve come across?
  • How do I manage the many requests I receive?
  • What are the factors or elements that have led to the success of the podcast?
  • Where do I see myself in five years?
  • If I could pick three people — alive or dead — to be in my personal board of directors, who would they be?
  • How do I experiment with my dog training?
  • What are my recommendations for longevity?
  • How do I fight insomnia?
  • And much, much more…

If you only have 5 minutes, here’s how I cage my monkey mind.

As always, I hope you enjoy this episode and find it useful.

#175: How to Cage the Monkey Mind

Want to hear another podcast packed full of actionable tips that I use in my own life? — Listen to this short episode on the magic of mindfulness. In this episode, I discuss how to complain less, appreciate more, and live a better life (stream below or right-click here to download):

#122: The Magic of Mindfulness: Complain Less, Appreciate More, and Live a Better Life

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This episode is also brought to you by Headspace, the world’s most popular meditation app (with more than 4,000,000 users). It’s used in more than 150 countries, and many of my closest friends swear by it. Try Headspace’s free Take10 program — 10 minutes of guided meditation a day for 10 days. It’s like a warm bath for your mind. Meditation doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive, and it’s had a huge impact on my life. Try Headspace for free for a few days and see what I mean.

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

Show Notes

  • What stoic teaching has been most important to my life? [06:40]
  • What is the monkey brain (and how do I cage it)? [10:36]
  • How can we stay humble?  [15:15]
  • How do I manage the numerous requests I receive? [20:09]
  • What drives the success of the Tim Ferriss Show? [26:57]
  • Based on my interviews, what do I think drives success? [31:29]
  • Am I planning to write a book about my interviews? [41:22]
  • Where do I see myself in five years? [45:08]
  • If I could pick three people — alive or dead — to be in my personal board of directors, who would they be and why? [50:28]
  • How do I experiment with my dog’s training? [53:02]
  • There is a lot of talk and focus on human longevity. What would I actually recommend for people as they approach their forties and beyond? [58:11]
  • How did I conquer insomnia? [1:01:18]
  • How does 2016 Tim react to 2007’s The 4-Hour Workweek pitch and asks? [1:04:57]
  • What is my vision for my life? [1:07:22]
  • I have experimented with the interview structure of the podcast a few times (see: sharing a bottle of wine with Astro Teller). What has worked best? [1:12:50]
  • If I had an adult bootcamp with 20 people, what would I have them do? [1:16:40]

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