Everything Tim Ferriss has recommended in 5-Bullet Friday — 2,095 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.
Ocean Ramsey (Instagram:@oceanramsey), freediver, conservationist, and shark whisperer. Here is one of dozens of incredible shots. I wanted to be a marine biologist for more than a decade, and I care deeply about shark protection. Apex predators are extremely important for balance in marine ecosystems. This all led me to several people, including photographer Paul Nicklen (@paulnicklen), who then led me to Ocean.— Tim Ferriss
Articles on parthenogenesis in larger vertebrates, like this in Scientific American: “Strange but True: Komodo Dragons Show that ‘Virgin Births’ Are Possible”— Tim Ferriss
Especially to wind down after a full day, or when cooking: Cirkus by Gramatik (@Gramatik)— Tim Ferriss
Hamilton's Pharmacopeia (VICELAND, Amazon) — I have no idea how I missed this show until now, but better late than never. Both seasons are incredibly intelligent, well produced, and, at points, hilarious. If you want an immediate “WTF?!” response, watch “The Psychedelic Toad” episode. Here’s the official description: “Hamilton Morris (@hamiltonmorris) is fascinated by drugs. Join him on an incredible journey as he investigates the history, chemistry, and social impact of the world's most extraordinary mind-altering substances in Hamilton's Pharmacopeia.”— Tim Ferriss
“Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness.” -
The Tikker watch, which counts down to your expected death. I was exposed to this watch by Chris Cole, an investor and principal at Artemis Capital Management. If you want a constant memento mori — a reminder of your mortality and encouragement to make each hour count — this might be for you. If the watch is too full frontal, but you’d still like a short essay on the topic, here you go.— Tim Ferriss
Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature — This book was introduced to me under unusual circumstances that I might write about another time. For now, I can offer this context: I ordered it in response to a therapist saying to me, “I suggest you explore art, music, and so on. The problem with most books is that there are too many words!” If this exact book sells out, nearly all of Andy’s books appear gorgeous, and his Twitter account shares many examples of his art.— Tim Ferriss
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - (551- 479 BC)
“The History of Singapore: The Miracle of Asia” full documentary (ignore nonsense description). Or… perhaps you’d prefer lighter fare from China? Here you go: “Woman eating candy floss for competition is the best thing you’ll see all day.” The after-glance is the best part.— Tim Ferriss
25 Things You Might Not Know About the Birds in Your Backyard. I’ve become quite interested in birds and bird song in the last few months, and this gives me even more to ponder. Why is bird poop white? How do so many sleep standing up? Turns out there are plenty of good (and curiosity-piquing) answers.— Tim Ferriss
The Chocolate Conspiracy blackberry and ginger bar (73% cacao).— Tim Ferriss
“Humor is what happens when we're told the truth quicker and more directly than we're used to.” -
DCT ProFlex for strengthening, prehabbing, and rehabbing my lower legs and ankles, especially the right ankle, in which I recently tore two ligaments (disgusting pics here). I learned about this device from the amazing Ryan Flaherty, nicknamed the “savant of speed.”— Tim Ferriss
National Geographic photographer Frans Lanting on Instagram. Here is the pic and description that caught my attention.— Tim Ferriss
Uber Creator Invents New Cryptocurrency—And Wants Your Help Making It Reality from Fortune. I don’t follow most crypto and blockchain chatter, but I am following this one exceptionally closely. If you want to check out the Uber co-founder’s new site directly, you can visit Eco.com.— Tim Ferriss
Chef Marco Canora (@marcocanora) of Brodo Broth Co. in NYC recently came to Austin, and we had dinner together. Among other things, he made this incredible vegetable salad. You could easily (as he did) substitute cauliflower and other veggies for the summer squash, and the potatoes give it all a wonderful creaminess. It’s absolutely fantastic. A more complete version of the recipe, and much more, can be found in his book, A Good Food Day.— Tim Ferriss
Video for the podcast! Thousands of you have asked for video podcasts for years, and I’m finally giving it a shot. Two recent episodes were recorded with a full video crew -- Dr. Gabor Maté and Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb. Please let me know what you think and how I can improve it! Is it even worth doing? My opinion jumps back and forth, so please share your feedback. All new videos will go up on my YouTube channel (be sure to subscribe for all updates) full of experiments, injuries, TV episodes, and other antics. And as always, please let me know your requests and suggestions on Twitter.— Tim Ferriss
Following my podcast with Tim O’Reilly, I’ve been thinking about the below quote and considering Tim’s similar recommendations: “You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.” -
Siete Family Foods grain-free tortillas. Siete is a local Austin, Texas, company that I was introduced to not long ago. These tortillas have become a rare double hit in both the paleo/CrossFit and vegan communities. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with breakfast tacos (scrambled eggs, cilantro, hot sauce, a little guacamole) and dinner tacos (e.g., salmon, guac, greens, beans). The almond flour tortillas are my favorite for taste, but be sure to use two tortillas at a time, lest you end up with food in your paws. The coconut/cassava is great for single layers, and the chia/cassava is the mos— Tim Ferriss
Panasonic "Advanced" eneloop rechargeable batteries with 3-hour quick charger. After lamenting to a videographer about the constant waste of batteries in podcasting, and the hassle of proper disposal, she recommended this rechargeable setup. They come pre-charged, take three hours to recharge fully, and Panasonic claims that the batteries will hold a 70% or greater charge for up to 10 years. So far, they are working out spectacularly well, and I’m carrying far less karmic guilt by no longer amassing half-dead normal batteries.— Tim Ferriss
City of Thieves by David Benioff. I’ve been aching for fiction as therapy recently, and this novel was highly recommended to me by screenwriter, filmmaker, and co-creator of Billions, Brian Koppelman (my conversation with him here). For whatever reason, it took me months to finally open it in my Kindle, and now I’m hooked. It’s just what the doctor ordered -- a fantastic blend of comedy and tragedy that forces you to feel gratitude amidst any personal storm you might be facing… all while laughing out loud and embarrassing yourself on airplanes (as I just did).— Tim Ferriss
Some time ago, many of you (and I personally) helped to fund a scientific study at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine investigating the use psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. It is now (finally!) underway, and below is an update emailed to me by Roland R. Griffiths, Ph.D., professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. Be sure to read to the end, especially if you suffer from depression and live within driving distance of Baltimore: “This study is evaluating the antidepressant and psychological effects of psilocybin in people ages 21 through 75 who have unipo— Tim Ferriss
AllTrails. This has been a game changer for finding great trails all over the country and quickly filtering for “dog friendly” and other criteria that matter to me.— Tim Ferriss
“The days of thinking of time as a river—evenly flowing, always advancing—are over. Time perception, just like vision, is a construction of the brain and is shockingly easy to manipulate experimentally.” - , all! Tim P.S. -- If you’re looking for an OUTSTANDING book to read, here is one to order. I got an advanced copy, and my quote on Twitter says it all: “Not to sound like a mullet-wearing Long Island boy (which I’ve been), but Michael Pollan’s new book is going to make a HUGE fucking impact. Mark my words: tide shift.”
He Predicted The 2016 Fake News Crisis. Now He's Worried About An Information Apocalypse. This piece should be required for anyone on the Internet. These technologies are going to affect everything. Things are sometimes murky and misleading on the web, and it’s going to get much more challenging. Here’s just a small taste from this article: “Already available tools for audio and video manipulation have begun to look like a potential fake news Manhattan Project. In the murky corners of the internet, people have begun using machine learning algorithms and open-source software to easily create po— Tim Ferriss
Conquest Maps Push-Pin Map (I got the largest three-section version). I’ve always wanted a large world map on my wall, and now I have one. Favorite places I’ve been get one colored pin, and places I’d love to visit get another. A few places I’d love to visit: Seoul, Korea; Lisbon, Portugal; Cartagena, Colombia; Venice, Italy; Latvia; and Estonia.— Tim Ferriss
“If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is: infinite.” -, all! Tim
Draft No. 4 by John McPhee. This is the best book on non-fiction writing that I’ve ever read. Be forewarned that it skips the platitudes and gets straight to the nitty-gritty details, all wrapped in entertaining McPheesian stories. From the official description: “Draft No. 4 is a master class on the writer’s craft. In a series of playful, expertly wrought essays, John McPhee shares insights he has gathered over his career and has refined while teaching at Princeton University, where he has nurtured some of the most esteemed writers of recent decades. McPhee offers definitive guidance in the de— Tim Ferriss
Solstice Chocolate 70% Kilombero from Tanzania. Made in Salt Lake City, Utah. Why does so much good chocolate come out of Utah? A friend from Salt Lake City recently made this observation, true or not: “Mormons aren’t allowed to have coffee or alcohol, so they get really good at minor vices like chocolate.” I have no idea if this company is Mormon-run, and it doesn’t matter -- if Mormons do love chocolate, why not sell it to them from the center of the beehive?— Tim Ferriss
“You must acknowledge deep in your heart of hearts that people are supposed to fuck. It is our main purpose in life, and all those other activities—playing the trumpet, vacuuming carpets, reading mystery novels, eating chocolate mousse—are just ways of passing the time until you can fuck again.” — , all! Tim
Two very different tracks have caught my attention, and I’ve been using both as background for working and writing: Commodores - Look What You’ve Done to Me. Upon hearing it, I thought it might be a contemporary of Lenny Kravitz, only later realizing that the Commodores (1975 for this track) could well have been one of Lenny’s influences. Sturgill Simpson (@SturgillSimpson) - Poor Rambler. I first heard this at June’s restaurant in Austin, TX. It caught my ear, I asked the bartender to check on the name, and I tracked down a live version to see how good Sturgill really is. Check it out for you— Tim Ferriss
My favorite coffee mug I’ve found in a while. Also my first non-beverage purchase from Starbucks.— Tim Ferriss
Vivino -- I have seen wine apps before, but I casually dismissed them, as I don’t buy *that* much wine. I might have 3-5 bottles at home at any given time, but there’s certainly no cellar. Last week, John Price, CEO of Vast, explained to me why he uses Vivino. Of course, you can take a picture of any wine label, or the wines as they appear on a menu, see both critic and user reviews, and easily buy online… but that’s not what caught my interest. I don’t care about frictionless purchasing of wine, but I *do* love the ability to make easier, better decisions at restaurants. This is where John sh— Tim Ferriss
Gunnar Optiks VER-06701 Vertex Computer glasses, smoke/amber. These glasses were recommended to me by one of my favorite doctors and thinkers, Peter Attia, MD, after I noticed him wearing them at a group dinner. Among other things, these glasses block blue light from screens and elsewhere, and I (like Peter) have found them to substantially speed up falling asleep and reduce tossing and turning. What makes this new? Unlike most options, these glasses don’t make you look like a complete idiot, and you’re more likely to get compliments instead of laughs.— Tim Ferriss
“The problem is not to find the answer, it's to face the answer.” - , all! Tim
If you haven’t listened already, I highly recommend that you check out two podcast episodes featuring Terry Crews and Tim Urban. Recorded in December, they are still receiving hundreds of thousands of downloads each month. Both contain equal parts hilarity, tactical advice, and profound a-ha moments. It was a gift to be part of these.— Tim Ferriss
Hang Massive (hang drum duo) And separately... ”Vivrant Thing” by Q-Tip— Tim Ferriss
Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures by Robert K. Wittman (@robertwittman) and John Shiffman (@johnshiffman). This fast read was recommended to me by a friend in the intelligence community. I finished the book in three days. There’s much more to it, but here is the description from Publisher’s Weekly: “Former FBI agent Wittman, who created the agency's Art Crime Team and pursued a lifelong interest in antiques and collectibles, goes undercover to hobnob with infamous art thieves. The ineffective, the stupid, the clever, and the dangerous; Wittman befriends th— Tim Ferriss
Here it is...— Tim Ferriss
“Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see.” -, all! Tim
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington: The Complete Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington Sessions. I found this as a discarded CD in an old house, where everything -- otherwise to be thrown out -- was up for grabs. It’s incredible. Normally, I can’t listen to music with lyrics and work on a laptop; the words interfere with my typing and thinking. For whatever reason, that isn’t so with this album. It’s soothing tracks allow my body to relax and mind to wander into corners I didn’t even know were productive. Your mileage may vary, but it’s been a wonderful new audio sanctuary for both calming down and— Tim Ferriss
The Shape of Water. This movie exceeded all expectations. Brought to life by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT), who previously made one of my all-time favorite fantasy movies (Pan’s Labyrinth), is a love story and a war between good and evil, including the FBI, Russians, a mute, and a god. I took my parents to see this, and we were all blown away. See it on the big screen if you can, and pay attention to the sheer beauty and richness of the colors and reflections. It’s a true piece of art. Warning if you decide to bring your parents or kids: there is a fair amount of sex and masturbation— Tim Ferriss
Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work, authored by Steven Kotler (@steven_kotler) and Jamie Wheal. Steven and Jamie have done a wonderful job of balancing the promises, perils, and how-to prescriptions of engineering peak states such as “flow.” Steven is a friend and interviewed me for this book perhaps 2-3 years ago, but I sadly wasn’t ready to open up about the details of my own experiences (apologies again, Steven!). Coming full circle, I’m happy to cheer from the sidelines, as the book is impressively well re— Tim Ferriss
“The opposite of a true statement is a false statement, but the opposite of a profound truth is usually another profound truth.” - Tim
Masters of the Silicon Valley fitness universe (San Francisco Chronicle). I’m so proud of my friends Jerzy and Aniela Gregorek. Their work is transformative. Jerzy, a world-record holder and former political refugee, has been on my podcast and also appeared heavily in my latest TED talk. His favorite mantra is now one of my favorites: “Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.”— Tim Ferriss
The Rocketbook Everlast reusable/scannable notebook, paired with Pilot FriXion erasable pens. After filling endless paper notebooks and worrying about losing them, and in an effort to further go paperless, I’m experimenting with limiting myself to this notebook and Evernote for capturing handwritten notes. This all began with a recommendation in Tribe of Mentors from Laura Walker, president and CEO of New York Public Radio, the largest public radio station group in the nation. I asked her “What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent— Tim Ferriss
“Delusion is a divine curse that makes someone envious, conceited, malicious, so that he doesn't know the evil he does will strike him back. If he could see his nothingness and his deadly, festering wound, pain would arise from looking within, and that pain would save him.” - Tim P.S. -- Here’s a bonus question I’ve been asking myself as a practice: “How can I even more enjoy and appreciate this as a gift right now?” [Explanation: “This” could be any problem, hardship, person, or otherwise that would historically cause me stress.]
I recently made the entire season of The Tim Ferriss Experiment available on Facebook Shows. I’ve been releasing one episode per week, including some bonuses. You can find all of the episodes here.— Tim Ferriss
I just learned about the following YouTube keyboard shortcuts: press J to rewind 10 seconds, press K to pause, press L to fast forward 10 seconds. All three keys are alongside one another, so it’s easy to do without looking. This might not seem like much, but it’s incredibly helpful when moving around in longer videos (or audio on YT) or trying to repeat what you just saw/heard, as clicking on the progress bar itself can lead to jumping around in 4-5-minute increments.— Tim Ferriss
“We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are.” -, all! Much love to you and yours... Tim P.S. -- It’s hard to believe, but it’s been more than 10 years since The 4-Hour Workweekwas published. And it amazes me that the book is still the most highlighted book across all of Amazon in 2017. This new post highlights six different people who built a million dollar business after reading The 4-Hour Workweek. I hope the post inspires you to accomplish more than you thought possible.
Mandarin VS Cantonese | Learn Chinese Now -- I discovered this short video when trying to polish my “Happy new year!” in Cantonese. What most people think of as “Chinese” is typically called “Mandarin” in English and refers to northern mainland Chinese dialect. “Cantonese” is spoken in Hong Kong, among other areas, and is very, very different. This cute video does a great job of explaining basic differences. Jiā yóu! (“add gas” in Mandarin, which means “good luck” or “try hard,” often heard from supporters at sports events)— Tim Ferriss
The First Mess Cookbook: Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons. This book was recommended to me by an incredible chef at Spirit Rock Meditation Center named Mary (thanks, Mary!). I am not vegetarian, but I ate as a vegetarian for 10 days, and one dish in particular blew my socks off: mustard roasted broccoli pâté with leeks + lemon. I asked Mary how she made it, and she pointed me to First Mess… with a few modifications of her own: “[We] didn’t use nutritional yeast, added roasted pumpkin seeds, lots of fresh parsley, sherry vinegar, whole grain and dijon mustard.”— Tim Ferriss
“All our previous positions are now exposed as absurd. But people don’t draw the obvious conclusion: it must also mean then that our present situation is absurd.” - , all! Much love to you and yours... Tim P.S. -- I am often asked about how I approach New Year’s resolutions. The truth is that I don’t make them anymore, even though I did for decades. Why the change? First, I realized that without accountability to someone else, resolutions rarely get accomplished. This led me to experiment with working with a close friend to mutually assign each other resolutions
>From the NYTimes (@nytimes) as an “Op-Doc” - Santa is a Psychedelic Mushroom. Anyone else want to visit Lapland?— Tim Ferriss
I Made My Shed the Top Rated Restaurant On TripAdvisor. (via @VICE) Can you make a non-existent restaurant the #1-ranked spot in a major food city like London? Why, yes, you can. This article is absolutely hilarious and worth the read.— Tim Ferriss
Nature Made Melatonin + 200 Mg L-theanine. This past week, I’ve been jumping across time zones due to travel. I find the theanine in this combo seems to cut the AM drowsiness that sometimes results from melatonin taken by itself.— Tim Ferriss
Living On One Dollar. This short documentary was originally recommended to me by the incredible polymath, futurist, and world traveler Kevin Kelly. It’s been recommended several times since, and so far (I’m only 30 minutes in), I’m impressed by the quality and earnestness of this project. Here is the official description on Amazon: “Four young friends set out to live on just $1 a day for two months in rural Guatemala. Armed with only a video camera, they battle hunger, parasites, and extreme financial stress as they attempt to survive life on the edge.” Side note: more than a billion people in— Tim Ferriss
Cuphead video game. I don’t play video games much, mostly because I’ve been addicted before. Nonetheless, my friend’s son and I recently ended up playing Cuphead, which blew my mind. I have a soft spot for old animation like ancient Mickey Mouse and Looney Tunes, and the graphics of this game are precisely modeled after that look. Check out this trailer or this 8-minute example. Gotta say: awesome idea. Kudos to the team who created this. Beautiful work.— Tim Ferriss
“Of course, sometimes it’s quite difficult to know if you’re hallucinating. You might hallucinate a silver pen on your desk right now and never suspect it’s not real—because its presence is plausible. It’s easy to spot a hallucination only when it’s bizarre. For all we know, we hallucinate all the time.” -
Duke's Original "Shorty" Smoked Sausage. This past week, I completed my first Date with Destiny with Tony Robbins. It entails six days, 12+ hours a day, in a conference hall with nearly no breaks. To avoid eating endless bars, a friend brought a box of these smoked sausages, which saved us. Simple and unadulterated ingredients make them a great keto snack.— Tim Ferriss