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Tim Ferriss

Derren Brown — A Master Mentalist on Magic, Mind Reading, Ambition, Stoicism, Religion, and More (#776)

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“Gather yourself afresh.”
— Derren Brown

Derren Brown (@derrenbrown) is a psychological illusionist who can predict, suggest, and even control human behavior. Starting his TV career with shows such as Mind Control and Trick or Treat for Channel 4 (the UK’s equivalent of PBS), Derren has combined spectacular illusions with insights into how we see the world and those around us, or expect to see them. Rather than guard the mystery behind his illusions and manipulations, he lays bare his techniques and demonstrates how the human mind works.

A prolific creator and performer, Derren has appeared in blockbuster stage and television shows alike, including the sold-out Broadway run of his one-man show Secret, his Olivier Award-winning tour of Svengali, and his Netflix specials The Push, Miracle, and the harrowing Sacrifice, in which he tries to manipulate an ordinary person into taking a bullet for a stranger.

Derren is the author of multiple books, including Happy: Why More or Less Everything Is Absolutely Fine and A Book of Secrets: Finding Comfort in a Complex World. Derren’s new tour, Only Human, materializes on stages across the UK beginning April of 2025.

Please enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, LinkedIn Ads, the go-to tool for B2B marketers and advertisers who want to drive brand awareness and generate leads, and ExpressVPN high-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the interview on YouTube here.

The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

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#776: Derren Brown — A Master Mentalist on Magic, Mind Reading, Ambition, Stoicism, Religion, and MoreDerren Brown

This episode is brought to you by ExpressVPN. I’ve been using ExpressVPN to make sure that my data is secure and encrypted without slowing my Internet speed. All you need to do is download the ExpressVPN app on your computer or smartphone and then use the Internet just as you normally would. Use my link ExpressVPN.com/Tim today and get an extra three months free on a one-year package!

This episode is brought to you by Eight Sleep. Temperature is one of the main causes of poor sleep, and heat is my personal nemesis. But a few years ago, I started using the Pod Cover, and it has transformed my sleep. Eight Sleep has launched their newest generation of the Pod: Pod 5 Ultra. It cools, it heats, and now it elevates, automatically. With the best temperature performance to date, Pod 5 Ultra ensures you and your partner stay cool in the heat and cozy warm in the cold. And now, listeners of The Tim Ferriss Show can get $350 off of the Pod 5 Ultra for a limited time! Click here to claim this deal and unlock your full potential through optimal sleep.

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Ads, the go-to tool for B2B marketers and advertisers who want to drive brand awareness, generate leads, or build long-term relationships that result in real business impact. To redeem your free $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to LinkedIn.com/TFS!

Want to hear another episode with someone who delights audiences with feats of magic? Listen to my conversation with Simon Coronel, in which we discuss radical earliness, neurodivergence, categories of stage magic, late (but timely) blooming, mentalism misgivings, jigsaw puzzles, spending time at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, and much more.

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

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

  • Connect with Derren Brown:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

SHOW NOTES

  • [00:06:45] Sacrifice, The Push, and Apocalypse.
  • [00:12:21] Derren’s transition from student to magician.
  • [00:14:43] How Martin Taylor inspired Derren to pursue hypnosis.
  • [00:16:42] Strange audience reactions to hypnosis.
  • [00:20:00] Hypnosis, mentalism, and cold reading.
  • [00:24:34] How a TV medium uses hot reading techniques.
  • [00:26:22] How can someone learn to be a healthy skeptic?
  • [00:34:24] How learning magic influenced Derren’s skepticism and faith.
  • [00:40:57] Why did Derren wait until his 30s to come out?
  • [00:43:18] Finding meaning.
  • [00:47:06] High status struggles.
  • [00:48:20] Making sense of the human experience.
  • [00:56:59] Ambition and productivity.
  • [01:02:25] The counterintuitive assembly of Derren’s creative projects.
  • [01:09:17] Ensuring ethics and safety in TV social experiments.
  • [01:15:50] Suggestion as self-defense.
  • [01:20:27] Why Derren takes care not to abuse his superpowers in real life.
  • [01:24:01] Recommended reading.
  • [01:28:02] TED Talks in treacherous terrain.
  • [01:29:53] A new belief or habit that has improved Derren’s life.
  • [01:33:27] Derren’s billboard and parting thoughts.

MORE DERREN BROWN QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW

“Life’s difficult. Life has this centripetal quality. It brings us to this difficult central point. The thing that makes us feel most isolated is the one thing that actually connects us the most.”
— Derren Brown

“If you want to keep the seat next to you free on a train, don’t put your bag there, because that’s what everybody does. Instead, pat the seat and nod and smile at people. No one’s going to sit next to you.”
— Derren Brown

“The experience of something bigger than yourself is how we find meaning.”
— Derren Brown

“I think just how you make peace with life that’s not always going to go your way, that’s the project, that’s a successful life.”
— Derren Brown

“If you’ve got all the energy and self-promotion, but no talent to back it up, it’s not going to be very helpful. And if you’ve got all the talent in the world, but no energy of getting it out there for people to see, that’s also not great.”
— Derren Brown

“Sometimes a bit of conflict is important because it isn’t really about conflict, is it? It’s about being able to have some faith in what you actually are and want to say and stand for.”
— Derren Brown

“Gather yourself afresh.”
— Derren Brown

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Ricardo
Ricardo
1 year ago

Hi Tim,

Long time listener/reader; is there any compendium of all the 5 Bullet Fridays? I currently have 20 clogging my gmail so I can rummage through the quotes and articles on a rainy day.

Love,
RL

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Paul
Admin
Paul
1 year ago
Reply to  Ricardo

Hi, Ricardo –

Though there is no compendium of all the 5-Bullet Fridays, you can find some “best of” lists on the blog. Just search “5-Bullet Friday” in the search field at the top, right corner.

Thank you for being a longtime listener/reader!

—Team Tim Ferriss

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Derek Sivers
Derek Sivers
1 year ago

Oooooh Derren Brown has been my #1 wish-list for the Tim Ferriss show for over 10 years now. So glad it finally happened.

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Gary Fletcher
Gary Fletcher
1 year ago

Tim this is one of my favorite conversations you’ve ever done, and I’ve watched hundreds of your interviews. I love Derren and his outlook on life and think he has a brilliant mind. The ease and flow of this podcast is so good and I know that’s not by accident. The best in the business. Please don’t stop podcasting. Keep em coming

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John Merk
John Merk
1 year ago

Tim,
Jim Merkel is a childhood friend of mine who is doing great work on a global level. Please check out Saving Walden’s World.
Blessings,
John

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MarthaJFowler
MarthaJFowler
1 year ago

nice

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Tanya King
Tanya King
1 year ago

Long time podcast listener. Please consider Dr. Stephanie Gripne, a visionary leader in impact financing, as a guest.

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Maria Schroeder
Maria Schroeder
1 year ago

Been listening off and on since around 2017. One thing I will say about your ads – they are the least intrusive ads I’ve ever heard on a podcast. They always sound more like “hey by the way, you might find this helpful” and I definitely purchased my helix mattress because of it (and have loved it for 5 years now).

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