The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss

Bestselling author David Bach used to use Flonase, Alegra D, and Singulair. He used Advair for almost ten years before he made one change that eliminated all of these medications.

He moved into a The Solaire, a green-optimized building in NYC.

Going green is something we all know we should do, but somehow most of us never quite get around to it, unless an accident or experiment shows us clear personal benefits. David moved into The Solaire for the location, for example, not the green effect.

But what if you could help the world by being self-interested? Self-interest and contribution need not be mutually exclusive, after all.

It can be done… Continue reading “The Unusual ROI of Going Green: From Saving to Eco-Friendly Index Funds that Beat the Market”

April 1, 2008January 16, 2020

Low-Cost, High-Reward Mini-Retirements: Explore the World with International Volunteering

83 Comments

Topics: Mini-retirements

One great method for taking an expenses-paid “mini-retirement”–or adding more time to your travels without adding costs–is to work with an international volunteer organization.

Some volunteer groups charge a participation fee, but there are some that will cover your food, housing–and provide you with good meaningful work–at no cost. I would like to share with you a few stories from friends who have all taken mini-retirements with Hands On Disaster Response, one such group.

Marc Young, Volunteer

A Little Back Story

Breakdowns of any sort can be great experiences: nervous, communication, etc. They allow us to return to center and to refocus on what it is that truly matters. For Tim, it was a one-way ticket to London in June 2004.

My breakdown came just a few months later and took me to Thailand to find anyone or any place I could help recover from the Tsunami that had just destroyed tens of thousands of homes and lives. I had been living in L.A. working as a freelance designer, treading water and occasionally getting mouthfuls of it, and my adventure to Thailand was a conscious decision to give up treading and to dive down deeper to explore just what was around me… Continue reading “Low-Cost, High-Reward Mini-Retirements: Explore the World with International Volunteering”

March 31, 2008January 16, 2020

Happy Japanese April Fool's Day!

77 Comments

Topics: Nonsense, Uncategorized

Happy Japanese April Fool’s Day!

Man, oh, man. I was going to wait until tomorrow to publish this follow-up to the last post, but it kicked up some dust, so I wanted to own up. Yessir, it’s an April Fool’s Day joke. Sorry for any confusion! It would have been too obvious on April 1st in the US, so I used the alternate time zone. The hardest part was creating realistic names. Here’s where I got “Van”‘s name:

First name

Last name (see Northern India)

I do indeed write all the posts (minus attributed guest posts) myself. As _Jon put it in the comments: “a personal blog shouldn’t be work, it should be a passion. If you need to outsource it, you have the wrong motivation.”

I couldn’t agree more. That’s why I’m here writing the posts, including the stupid ones (man crush anyone?). I love hanging out–virtually or in-person–with you guys.

This little prank has been in my head since Jan. 10th, when the infamous Tucker Max suggested a much better version that I was unable to pull off due to this London trip… Continue reading “Happy Japanese April Fool's Day!”

March 31, 2008January 16, 2020

The Grand Illusion: The Real Tim Ferriss Speaks

190 Comments

Topics: Outsourcing Life

[IMPORTANT: Please note this was an APRIL FOOL’S DAY joke! Please read the whole post, especially the postscript.]

Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?

This is Tim Ferriss. The real Tim Ferriss.

This is the first time I have written a post on this blog since March 30, 2007, 366 days ago, when I penned “How to Live Like a Rock Star in Buenos Aires.”

In the meantime, a virtual pair–Vanhishikha “Van” Mehra and Roger Espinosa–have taken my blog to the Technorati-1000 (around 600 at best) and had their content featured, under my name, in media from The New York Times to CNBC.

I’ve suggested topics and asked explicitly for some when I had photos or video to post, but Van and Roger are the short answer to the common question: how can you work four hours a week if you spend so much time on the blog?

The answer is: I don’t.

The impetus was an on-stage challenge at the 2007 SXSW two weeks earlier, and I resolved to demonstrate just how well the concepts in 4HWW could work. This is one of several pending year-long examples… Continue reading “The Grand Illusion: The Real Tim Ferriss Speaks”

March 30, 2008December 14, 2020

How to Use Chopsticks – Become an Expert in 90 Seconds

59 Comments

Topics: Travel

I once used chopsticks like Papua New Guinea tribesman spear fish. Then I developed a vice-like power technique that often ended with wet seafood catapulting across the table. Both experiences left me with a strong dislike for chopsticks — seriously, why on earth would someone not use a fork?

Then I spent a year abroad in Japan during 1992 and 1993. It was a revelation.

The 90-second video above provides all the basics you need to become a chopstick pro and never drop food again. Several finer points…

March 26, 2008January 16, 2020

The Lazarus Philosophy: The Danger of Expectations and The Beauty of Duty

59 Comments

Topics: Protecting Time

Here are some excellent tenets of self-interested (not self-centered) lifestyle design from The Notebooks of Lazarus Long by the inimitable Robert Heinlein:

Do not confuse “duty” with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.

But there is no reward at all for doing what other people expect of you, and to do so is not merely difficult, but impossible. It is easier to deal with a footpad [a thief] than it is to deal with a leech who wants “just a few minutes of your time, please – this won’t take long”… Continue reading “The Lazarus Philosophy: The Danger of Expectations and The Beauty of Duty”

March 25, 2008January 16, 2020

Anti-Snob Wine Appreciation: 7 Tips from Sonoma

66 Comments

Topics: Filling the Void

In Sonoma: Kevin Rose and my attempt at an artsy wine photo.

Thick legs, full body, good structure. Sounds to me like a bad Match.com description. But no, it’s a cabernet sauvignon. Huh?

Alas, maybe wine just isn’t for a lad who grew up on Long Island with a rat tail.

Then again, as the soon-to-be wine demigod Gary Vaynerchuk sayeth: “Most people in the wine business are douche bags.”

Sad but true. So how do you appreciate wine without turning up your polo collar and becoming someone worthy of a slap in the face? I just came back from a weekend in Sonoma, and here are 7 tips I learned to follow after bumbling through wine for a few years in Nor-Cal… Continue reading “Anti-Snob Wine Appreciation: 7 Tips from Sonoma”

March 25, 2008January 16, 2020

4HWW Invades London Next Week: Pre-orders and Parties

94 Comments

Topics: The Book - 4HWW

The 4-Hour Workweek launches in the UK next week on April 3rd, and I’ll be in London to bring it to the Motherland with a bang.

For all you readers and friends in Europe, come have a pint with me!

From the UK publisher: order before April 3rd with “ESCAPE” as a promo code at checkout and you get 30% off and free shipping in the UK (maybe Europe?). This is cheaper than in the US. Learn more here.

Party and Reader Meetup in London on April 2nd at 6pm:

I invite all blog readers, book readers, and friends to come to London on Wednesday, April 2nd from 6pm – 9pm GST to have a drink with me at the reserved room at the Pitcher and Piano in Trafalgar Square.

Please register here if you might come so we have an idea of head count, though walk-ins are welcome:

Pitcher and Piano (reserved room)

40-42 William IV St, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4D

Colette Bacalhau / Andy Seach

T: 020 7240 6180

It’s a good idea to follow me on Twitter for any last-minute changes or other parties and mischief.

The location might change, so please refer back to this post before heading over, but there will be a get together in London with lots of laughs and joie de vivre… and no little amount of alcohol. If you have recommendations for a cooler place that can hold 100+ people, please let me know in the comments. This is a BYOB (buy your own beer) event, but I’ll sponsor the next one when we’re dealing with pesos 🙂

See you all in the land of funny cars, funnier policemen, and ridiculously expensive sandwiches!

###

Odds and Ends:

-Uberblogger Robert Scoble discusses my blog PR tactics in the newest issue of Fast Company

–I dissect the travel bag contents of a Sci-Fi TV show host on DVICE

-The Wall Street Journal looks at why people are helpless to stop grazing on web data

March 18, 2008January 16, 2020

4 Anti-Cold Cocktails That Work: From Ancient China to German Alcoholics and Modern Labs

202 Comments

Topics: Physical Performance

The 2,000-year old cocktail: it tastes as bad as it looks… but it works.

My back hurts. So does my throat, and I feel like a sumo wrestler is sitting on my head trying to pop my eyes out.

Alas, the common cold has got me. Fortunately, I expect to be rid of it in 48-72 hours.

Like millions this time of year, I have the bug. But, thanks to Chinese and German friends and several helpful doctors, I’ve found a few effective treatments — the closest to cures I’ve experimented with — that can get you back on your feet faster. I suggest you test them in stages, from oldest to newest, as the side-effects tend to increase as we include modern drugs.

Continue reading “4 Anti-Cold Cocktails That Work: From Ancient China to German Alcoholics and Modern Labs”

March 17, 2008January 16, 2020

Interview with Gina Trapani, Founder of Lifehacker – Morning Routine, Little Hacks with Big Results, and More…

42 Comments

Topics: Interviews

Lifehacker was one of the first blogs I ever read. Its tag line echoes the sentiments of most digital workers:

“Computers make us more productive. Yeah, right. Lifehacker recommends the software downloads and web sites that actually save time. Don’t live to geek; geek to live.”

Gina Trapani, the founding editor at Lifehacker and author of the brand-new book, Upgrade Your Life, which comes out today, is largely responsible for the popularity of the term “lifehacks.” I figured I’d ask her to share a few of her favorites. From morning routine to top downloads and more, we were able to cover a lot of topics in just 8 questions.

Continue reading “Interview with Gina Trapani, Founder of Lifehacker – Morning Routine, Little Hacks with Big Results, and More…”