Everything Tim Ferriss has recommended in 5-Bullet Friday — 2,122 books, articles, quotes, films, products and more, gathered from 480 issues since 2015. Browse by category, sort by what the community values or how often Tim has returned to it, and spend your 25 votes on what matters most to you. Each item's note is quoted from Tim's own words in the newsletter.
“To learn to be always in a state of meditation means never to let your vital energy wane. You would never allow it to do so if it were certain that you were to die tomorrow. It wanes because you forget about death. Grit your teeth, fix your gaze, and observe death at this moment. You have to feel it so strongly that it seems as if it’s attacking you. Fearless energy comes from this. At this moment, death is right before your eyes. It’s not something you can afford to neglect.” — (1579–1655)
Your responses here. My podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, is turning 10 years old next year, and I couldn’t be more excited. After almost 700 episodes and nearly 1B downloads, it’s arguably the biggest thing I’ve ever done, and without you all—my dear listeners—this show wouldn’t exist. Thank you so much for allowing me to do this work. As the big birthday approaches, I’d love to get to know you all better. By filling out this survey, you can help me choose the best guests, formats, topics/questions, sponsors, and much more. And as a thank-you, I’ll be giving away 20 signed copies of The 4-Hour W— Tim Ferriss
Arnold. This was recommended to me by at least a dozen friends, and it doesn’t disappoint. This three-part miniseries is from the same producers who gave us The Defiant Ones. The official description: “This intimate docuseries follows Arnold Schwarzenegger’s multifaceted life and career, from bodybuilding champ to Hollywood icon to politician.”— Tim Ferriss
“The Birth of Babylon” (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast) on The Rest Is History podcast with Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. “The Sumerians - Fall of the First Cities” (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast) on the Fall of Civilizations podcast with Paul M.M. Cooper. Quick reframe for fun: time-wise, you and I are closer to Cleopatra’s life (70/69 BC–10 August 30 BC) than Cleopatra was to the construction of the pyramids (c. 2570 BC). Huge thanks to T. Face for the above recommendations!— Tim Ferriss
“Is Bach the greatest achiever of all time?” by Tyler Cowen (@tylercowen).— Tim Ferriss
“How to Do Great Work” by Paul Graham (@paulg). One of the many great reminders in this essay: “Competition can be an effective motivator, but don’t let it choose the problem for you; don’t let yourself get drawn into chasing something just because others are. In fact, don’t let competitors make you do anything much more specific than work harder. Curiosity is the best guide. Your curiosity never lies, and it knows more than you do about what’s worth paying attention to.”— Tim Ferriss
“Enhancing low back health through stabilization exercise” (alternative link) by Stuart M. McGill, C.M., professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo. Professor McGill is also the author of Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention and Rehabilitation, which I plan on reading. Example videos of the exercises mentioned in the document: Cat-Camel, Curl-Up, Side Bridge (Beginners), Side Bridge (Advanced), and Bird Dog.— Tim Ferriss
“La Descarriá” (YouTube, Spotify) by Corina Lawrence featuring Miss Bolivia (Uji remix).— Tim Ferriss
12 leverage points to intervene in a system. From the page: “Meadows started with the observation that there are levers, or places within a complex system (such as a firm, a city, an economy, a living being, an ecosystem, an ecoregion) where a ‘small shift in one thing can produce big changes in everything.’” Pair it with “Theory of constraints.”— Tim Ferriss
Nayoya Acupressure Mat. This was originally introduced to me by acrobat phenom Andrii Bondarenko, but I’ve realized that the smaller portion intended for the neck is perfect for helping calm low-back stiffness and muscle spasms. I’ll lie on this for 5–10 minutes as I read before bed then ditch and go to sleep. It seems to substantially reduce tightness and discomfort throughout the night, and the neck-roll portion is much easier to pack for travel.— Tim Ferriss
The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics by Dennis O’Neil. Special thanks to Daniel Henriques for this recommendation. The advice is great, the sample scripts are a boon, and Dennis’ delivery is both deep and hilarious. Kudos to the author for a job spectacularly well done. It far exceeded my expectations. And… “Ten Burning Questions for John Wooden,” plus “Wooden as a Teacher: The First Lesson Was Shoelaces” Click here in case of any issues with accessing the latter link. This is a great case of optimizing the macro by refining the micro. For those who don’t recognize the name, John Wooden was n— Tim Ferriss
“I’ve always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, ‘Ain’t that the truth!’” —
“Interstate Love Song” (Spotify, YouTube) by Stone Temple Pilots (@STPBand).— Tim Ferriss
“Legendary Author John McPhee on Procrastination, Dread, and His Endless Final Project.”— Tim Ferriss
“Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator. But among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.” —
COCKPUNCH 3D Character Files! I am excited to make the 3D files from the project available to you all in Blender format. These are rotatable and 3D printable (with some tweaking), and there is a lot you can do with them. Feel free to create photo shoots, rig them, and otherwise go nuts. I can’t wait to see what you come up with! Tag me at @tferriss or @cockpunch on Twitter and share your creations and comments. My team will be retweeting some of our favorites.— Tim Ferriss
Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History by Dan Flores. So far, this is a great, blended story of cross-cultural myth, field biology, and American history. I’ve taken notes on everything from Teddy Roosevelt to incredible animal adaptations. Humans and coyotes bear some striking similarities as species. Here’s part of the official description: “Despite campaigns of annihilation employing poisons, gases, helicopters, and engineered epidemics, coyotes didn’t just survive, they thrived, expanding across the continent from Anchorage, Alaska, to New York’s Central Park. … An illuminating — Tim Ferriss
“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” —
Returning ancestral lands to the Indigenous Kogi people and many more. One of the most direct ways you can contribute to the psychedelic ecosystem is by helping Indigenous peoples reclaim and protect their ancestral territories. Without the deep knowledge of these peoples and the biodiversity of their sacred lands, “psychedelics” as we know them would not exist. Mycologist Paul Stamets and I are kickstarting a very specific land purchase. We will each commit $50,000 (so $100,000 combined) as a “challenge grant.” This means that our $100K will be activated and donated if others contribute at le— Tim Ferriss
The Cold Pod. For anti-inflammation and mood elevation, cold is the simplest solution I’ve found. I desperately wanted to cold plunge while at an Airbnb, but what to do that doesn’t leave a chest freezer behind? I found this inflatable Cold Pod on Amazon, and it works surprisingly well. Yes, you need to refill with ice, but it’s been a godsend. Pro tip: the less water you use, the less ice you need to lower the temperature.— Tim Ferriss
“Questions” by Alexey Guzey. The English is a little rough in places, but I found some of these questions to be excellent reminders and many others to be outstanding brain food.— Tim Ferriss
“The four-hour workday” by Oliver Burkeman. Hat tip to Cal Newport for this one. I love Oliver’s perspective and writing style. >From the essay: “Something I’ve long understood about myself is that whenever I get stressed about the number of things on my plate, or anxious about the challenges of a specific project, it’s an excellent idea to do the opposite of what comes naturally to me.” For a perfect pairing, also take a look at Parkinson’s Law, a satirical but practical concept I explored a lot in The 4-Hour Workweek.— Tim Ferriss
“Tibetan Buddhist texts liken this type of addictive behavior to ‘licking honey off a razor.’ The initial sensation may be sweet, but the underlying effect is quite damaging. Seeking satisfaction in others or in external objects or events reinforces a deep and often unacknowledged belief that we, as we are, are not entirely complete; that we need something beyond ourselves in order to experience a sense of wholeness or security or stability.” — Joyful Wisdom by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (with Eric Swanson) You can complement this edition of 5-Bullet Friday with my conversation with The War of Ar— Tim Ferriss
JEW by Ari Shaffir (@arishaffir), available for free on YouTube. This special will offend everyone, and I think that’s kinda the point. I and my friends, including Jewish friends, found this HILARIOUS, and I actually learned a ton while laughing my ass off. To make a show like this feel like a casual conversation requires superhuman effort, and Ari nailed it. מזל טוב!— Tim Ferriss
Sort by unread messages in iMessage. This has reduced my device anxiety tremendously. I get a lot of texts but will often lose unread messages several scrolls down and forget about them, disappointing a friend or losing a fun opportunity in the process. Last week, I was hanging out with a bunch of tech-savvy friends, and I noticed that one of them had an “Unread Messages” folder in iMessage. WTF?! I’d been begging Apple for this feature for years but had never seen it. He suggested it was because I hadn’t updated my iOS, but all of us were up-to-date, and he was the only one with this amazing — Tim Ferriss
Esther Crawford’s experience and lessons learned at Twitter. Esther was hugely helpful to me and my team during some Twitter login hiccups in December, and I found this long tweet fascinating. Many of her lessons and observations apply to scores of tech companies and, indeed, companies in general.— Tim Ferriss
“The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2023.” I am planning my next adventures, both in the U.S. and abroad, and this list had some unexpected gems.— Tim Ferriss
Introducing Wonder Studio. This tech could have a huge impact on leveling the moviemaking playing field. Advisors and investors include Steven Spielberg and Founders Fund, and the company was co-founded by Nikola Todorovic and Tye Sheridan. From the demo on YouTube: “An AI tool that automatically animates, lights, and composes CG characters into a live-action scene. No complicated 3D software, no expensive production hardware—all you need is a camera.” Here is a two-minute video taste of the tech.— Tim Ferriss
Fellow Gen 2 Ode Brew Grinder. The Gen 2 Ode makes me think of the legendary Dieter Rams and his “10 principles for good design.” It’s one of the few devices that I absolutely love using every morning. The elegance—in aesthetics, function, and space efficiency—really tickles my OCD. All that said, please be forewarned that this beauty is very expensive. If you’re looking for a more economical option that still does the job, I also have this burr grinder in Austin. If you want a portable hand grinder, you might try this. All of these devices combine well with today’s P.S.— Tim Ferriss
“Meet the Psychedelic Boom’s First Responders” by Chris Colin for WIRED. This is one of the best articles related to psychedelics that I’ve read in a long time. It reinforces a very important, and often misunderstood, point. As mentioned in the piece: “Difficult is not necessarily bad.” Most classical psychedelics could be considered anti-escapist; if you want to avoid your problems, your addictions, your past trauma, the things you’re ashamed of, and so on, these are the wrong drugs. It should be no surprise that when these things are put into inescapable high resolution for anyone, it can be— Tim Ferriss
Sadie Farrell, better known as “Sadie the Goat.” They just don’t make female NYC river pirates like they used to. Here’s a teaser from Wikipedia: “Upon encountering a lone traveler, she would headbutt, like a charging goat, a man in the stomach.” Her entry is short and definitely worth the read. Don’t gloss over the ear part. Thanks to N. for intro’ing me to this incredible character.— Tim Ferriss
The Filmmaker Says: Quotes, Quips, and Words of Wisdom. Short and sweet. I dog-eared a lot of pages in this book, which then inspired lovely twists and turns in my experiments with fiction and artwork. Here’s a short process video on the latter for those interested.— Tim Ferriss
“HAPPINESS. — A butterfly, which when pursued, seems always just beyond your grasp; but if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” — in The Daily Crescent (June, 1848)
Barr Hill Gin. From the description: “Barr Hill Gin is distilled once in our custom-built, botanical extraction still with hand-crushed, organic juniper and then finished with raw honey from our region. The raw honey contributes botanical depth from the countless wildflowers foraged by the bees. How do we extract such complexity from simple raw materials? Our secrets are kept in the hive.”— Tim Ferriss
“Blood from the shoulder of Pallas.” For those who don’t recognize The Watchmen, it is considered the Citizen Kane of graphic novels. This excerpt is, I think, a beautiful reminder of how the mystical and measurable can intermingle.— Tim Ferriss
“How Podcaster Andrew Huberman Got America to Care About Science” by Jamie Ducharme for TIME.— Tim Ferriss
“Mindjer dôce mel” (Spotify, YouTube) by Eneida Marta (@eneida_marta).— Tim Ferriss
“I had broken myself of the habit of thinking in short song cycles and began reading longer and longer poems to see if I could remember anything I read about in the beginning. I trained my mind to do this, had cast off gloomy habits and learned to settle myself down. … I began cramming my brain with all kinds of deep poems. It seemed like I’d been pulling an empty wagon for a long time and now I was beginning to fill it up and would have to pull harder. I felt like I was coming out of the back pasture. I was changing in other ways, too. Things that used to affect me, didn’t affect me anymore.
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon (@austinkleon). This fast read is for anyone who’d like to be more creative. >From the description: “An inspiring guide to creativity in the digital age, Steal Like an Artist presents ten transformative principles that will help readers discover their artistic side and build a more creative life.”— Tim Ferriss
“Global sperm counts are falling. This scientist believes she knows why” by Sarah Neville for the Financial Times. From the article: “The mystery is this. Since the late 1930s, sperm counts around the world appear to have dropped significantly. While the decline was initially observed in Western countries, there is evidence of the same phenomenon in the developing world, and it seems to be accelerating. Swan, a Berkeley-trained statistician-turned-epidemiologist, believes she knows why.” If you have issues reading with the above link, try this.— Tim Ferriss
“Kings of Kings” (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast) on Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcast. I’m often asked what my favorite podcast is, and Hardcore History is always the answer. Just be aware that these are long-form masterpieces and not quick-fix sound bites. That’s what makes them so special. If you’d like to learn more about the amazing Dan Carlin and how he became arguably the most famous “I’m not a historian” storyteller of history, my vintage interview with him can be found here.— Tim Ferriss
“still feel.” (Spotify, YouTube) by half•alive (@halfaliveco). This is one hell of a feel-good track, and if you need an extra booster shot of smiles, watch their video. Special thanks to Queen BS for this gem!— Tim Ferriss
“I have learned that what I have not drawn I have never really seen, and that when I start drawing an ordinary thing, I realize how extraordinary it is, sheer miracle.” — , The Zen of Seeing
Airalo. What to do for cellular data when traveling overseas? For a while, my answer was the app GigSky, but on a recent trip abroad, I had all sorts of problems, so I posted a plea for help on social media. Special thanks to Noah Kagan (@noahkagan) and everyone else who responded to my query in this Twitter thread. Airalo was extremely easy to use and did the trick. To avoid expensive roaming bills when traveling abroad and using data, you can install the Airalo app (iOS, Android) and buy a local eSIM. In minutes, you will have data at an affordable price. The app might be easiest, but I pers— Tim Ferriss
“Hugh Howey: Winning at the Self-Publishing Game” on The Knowledge Project podcast by Shane Parrish of Farnam Street fame. I really enjoyed this episode, especially the last 20–25 minutes, which get into publishing deals, contracts, and specific deal points. From the description: “In this fascinating discussion, Hugh and I talk about the ancient art of wayfinding, why traveling is such a powerful way to connect to other people, and how it has impacted his worldview. Hugh then gives a masterclass in writing and publishing your own book. We talk about his writing routine, dealing with insecuriti— Tim Ferriss
The Pez Outlaw. This hilarious adventure is like a surreal blend of King of Kong, Man on Wire, and Best in Show. From the description: “In the 1990s, Pez dispensers were worth more, gram for gram, than cocaine or even gold. Steve Glew, from rural Michigan, spent 10 years smuggling Pez dispensers into the USA from Eastern Europe, making millions of dollars. It was all magical until... it wasn’t. His arch-nemesis, the Pezident, decided to destroy him.”— Tim Ferriss
“How My Father and I Drew a New Life” by Brian Frazer for The New York Times. This is a truly remarkable essay with lessons for all readers. Short and easy.— Tim Ferriss
“The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenalin but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity.” —
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. This isn’t just for “artists.” This book is for anyone who’d like to be more creative and see the world with fresh eyes. Try the upside-down drawing exercise once, and it might just blow your mind. As Betty puts it in the Introduction: “Many of my readers have intuitively understood that this book is not only about learning to draw, and it is certainly not about Art with a capital A. The true subject is perception. Yes, the lessons have helped many people attain the basic ability to draw, and that is a main purpose of the book. But the l— Tim Ferriss
The Mandibles: A Family, 2029–2047 by Lionel Shriver (best known for We Need to Talk About Kevin) and narrated by George Newbern. From the description: “With dry wit and psychological acuity, this near-future novel explores the aftershocks of an economically devastating US sovereign debt default on four generations of a once-prosperous American family. Down-to-earth and perfectly realistic in scale, this is not an over-the-top Blade Runner tale. It is not science fiction.” Before committing too hard to a near-term dystopian future, however, it’s a good idea to read the predictions in Market Wi— Tim Ferriss
Michelle Khare — Challenge Accepted. It’s great to see someone finally make this premise work! Michelle puts the work in, and it makes a big difference. The production value is excellent. Here are two recent eps to give you a taste: I Tried Butler Academy and I Trained Like An Olympic Boxer. Sinix Design. Sinix has been saving my sanity, and keeping me focused, for the last few weeks of art practice. The video I’ve rewatched the most is How to Learn Digital Painting (Beginners). It’s not about lines, Ferriss! Shapes! Shapes! Shapes!— Tim Ferriss
“Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats.” —
“Bora Passear” (YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify) by Curumin (@curumineosaipins).— Tim Ferriss
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, created by Rafał Jaki (@GwentBro) and Mike Pondsmith, Cyberpunk ) universe creator. Thanks to Dr. Snapping Turtle for recommending this one. And to cover my ass upfront, a warning: this series is *very* intense. To be clear, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners isn’t all blood and guts. There’s some great character development and lots of well-designed plot twists, but… you gotta be able to handle extreme violence. What qualifies as extreme? Here’s the NSFW trailer, and you can judge for yourself. With my renewed interest in making art, it’s been fun to review Japanese while also stu— Tim Ferriss
Callipygian, “having well-shaped buttocks.” From Ancient Greek: κάλλος (kállos, “beauty”) + πυγή (pugḗ, “buttocks”). To easily remember it, think of this word: calligraphy, “the art of beautiful writing, elegant penmanship,” 1610s, from Latinized form of Greek kaligraphia, from kállos “beauty” + graphein “to write.”— Tim Ferriss
“Making: Jordan Peele” (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast) on the Making podcast. How are polymaths made? Who was Jordan Peele before Key & Peele? This podcast is a hilarious ride that touches on both. Here’s the episode’s description: “Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) is responsible for modern classics in the horror genre, including the films Us, Nope, and the Oscar-winning Get Out. Before all that, he was a self-described nerd. He majored in puppetry in college before dropping out with his friend Rebecca Drysdale to pursue a career in comedy. Hear from Drysdale, Peele’s early collaborator Brendan— Tim Ferriss
“Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work.” —
Sea Salt Espresso Bites. A delicious one-liner from the website: “A little salty, a little sweet, and decadently wild, this espresso bite is made with 100% Maui coffee and sprinkled with mineral-rich sea salt from Molokai.” Thanks to Jake Muise for bringing these goodies to Austin! Outside of cheat day, a single square right before podcast recording also gives me just the right cognitive boost without any jitters.— Tim Ferriss
Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death, compiled by Yoel Hoffmann. This was gifted to me by a dear friend and ultra-high performer. He and I both feel that getting more comfortable with death is a critical part of living fully. From the description: “Although the consciousness of death is, in most cultures, very much a part of life, this is perhaps nowhere more true than in Japan, where the approach of death has given rise to a centuries-old tradition of writing jisei, or the ‘death poem.’ Such a poem is often written in the very last moments of the po— Tim Ferriss
“Why is consciousness something worth talking about?” (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube) on the Philosophize This! podcast. “Consciousness” might seem esoteric, but this podcast does a great job of giving real-world examples of how assumptions about consciousness—even subconscious assumptions—strongly influence how we live our lives. I really enjoyed this one, and there’s a lot that will surprise you. From the description: “Today we talk about consciousness. The hard problem. Why it’s hard. The philosophical zombie thought experiment. What it’s like to be a bat. Blindsight. Hierarchies of cons— Tim Ferriss