Tim Ferriss

Brené Brown and Edward O. Thorp (#739)

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 #409 “Brené Brown — Striving versus Self-Acceptance, Saving Marriages, and More” and episode #596 “Edward O. Thorp, A Man for All Markets — Beating Blackjack and Roulette, Beating the Stock Market, Spotting Bernie Madoff Early, and Knowing When Enough Is Enough.”

Please enjoy!

Bios of guests may be found at tim.blog/combo.

Listen to the episode on Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastPodcast AddictPocket CastsCastboxYouTube MusicAmazon MusicAudible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

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Transcript of the full Brené Brown episode | Transcript of the full Edward O. Thorp episode | Transcripts of all episodes

#739: Brené Brown and Edward O. Thorp

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What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

SHOW NOTES

  • [06:06] Notes about this supercombo format.
  • [07:09] Enter Brené Brown.
  • [07:30] Changing in a lasting, meaningful way.
  • [08:03] Is self-accepted complacency possible?
  • [10:53] My woo confession about a crux skill.
  • [13:06] Narcissism: the shame-based fear of being ordinary.
  • [14:06] Efficacy isn’t always efficient.
  • [15:48] Pathology as armor that can’t be discarded.
  • [16:28] What are you unwilling to feel?
  • [17:04] Discarding armor that no longer serves us.
  • [21:26] Curiosity as midlife’s superpower.
  • [22:53] There’s trauma for all of us.
  • [23:33] An 80/20 marriage hack.
  • [25:18] Decisions in a family-focused family.
  • [27:04] Parenting from compliance to commitment.
  • [29:31] Enter Edward O. Thorp.
  • [29:54] Edward’s background, and what drew him to apply mathematics to gambling.
  • [37:04] Edward’s first blackjack trip to Vegas, reference materials used, and his meeting with Claude Shannon at MIT.
  • [40:13] Edward and Claude devised a method to beat roulette using the first wearable computer, according to MIT.
  • [42:16] Despite being 89, Edward looks great for his age; he discusses his approach to staying in shape over the years.
  • [50:22] Edward explains how he got into finance and investing, and the people he met along the way.
  • [59:25] Edward shares what convinced him that Warren Buffett would one day be the richest man in the world after their first meeting.
  • [1:03:58] Edward discusses the frameworks he would teach in an investing seminar for modern students, including those without a strong math aptitude.
  • [1:08:52] Edward shares lessons learned from investing that are transferable to other areas of life.
  • [1:11:02] Edward, a long-term thinker at 89, offers advice for those who struggle to think beyond the short-term.
  • [1:15:40] Edward explains how he discovered something suspicious about the Madoff brothers’ business practices 17 years before others caught on.
  • [1:24:17] Exploring mental models of externalities, the tragedy of the commons, and fundamental attribution errors.
  • [1:33:32] Edward recommends reading and listening material for those who want to enact positive change in the world, politically or evolutionarily.
  • [1:38:51] Edward shares which investors, besides Warren Buffett, impress him and why.
  • [1:42:52] Edward discusses how he balanced growing a business with personal life and what led him to wind things down.
  • [1:47:56] Edward defines independence and shares how he spent his time after winding down the investment side of his life.
  • [1:49:30] Edward shares what he’s particularly curious about learning at the moment.
  • [1:51:40] Reflecting on a conversation between Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut, and other parting thoughts.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Brené Brown:

Website | Unlocking Us Podcast | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

Connect with Edward O. Thorp:

Website | Twitter

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TraceyLShaw
TraceyLShaw
1 year ago

nice


Coyote

A card game by Tim Ferriss and Exploding Kittens

COYOTE is an addictive card game of hilarity, high-fives, and havoc! Learn it in minutes, and each game lasts around 10 minutes.

For ages 10 and up (though I’ve seen six-year olds play) and three or more players, think of it as group rock, paper, scissors with many surprise twists, including the ability to sabotage other players. Viral videos of COYOTE have been watched more than 250 million times, and it’s just getting started.

Unleash your trickster spirit with a game that’s simple to learn, hard to master, and delightfully different every time you play. May the wit and wiles be with you!

Keep exploring.