Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss

Here are my highlights from a highly recommended book Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss, broken down into few sections.

Just as a note for myself; of all the people (excluding the world-known like Schwarzeneger), I’d say that Derek Sivers peaked the most interest for me.

Personal Growth and Ambition

• Routine in an intelligent man is a sign of ambition
• The quality of your questions determines the quality of your life
• You realize that you will never be the best looking, smartest, or most educated person in the room, but you can always compete on hard work
• Never go to sleep without a request to your subconscious

Success and Life Balance

• Success is about being the best dad who is always approachable and an expert in your field
• Being busy is a form of laziness
• Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage (to have the unpleasant conversations)
• Most people will choose unhappiness over uncertainty (don’t be like most people)

Health and Well-being

• Magnesium is one of the best anti-aging minerals
• Depression may be the body’s way of saying you need to deal with something that’s making you sad
• Full hip and ankle range of motion is crucial; fix it if you can’t squat all the way down
• Give meditation an honest shot

Innovation and Creativity:

• The goal isn’t to get good ideas, but to get enough bad ones so the good ones start showing up (divide your paper into columns for ideas and their first steps)
• Perfectionism is the enemy of the idea muscle
• Have fun with your creative process, or it won’t stick

Business and Entrepreneurship

• In negotiation, he who cares the least wins
• It’s not what you know, it’s what you do consistently
• Money can always be regenerated. Time and reputation cannot.
• What you choose to work on and who you work with are more important than how hard you work

Overcoming Challenges:

• The dirty little secret is that every success was almost a failure
• Perfectionism leads to procrastination, which leads to paralysis
• Ask yourself: what am I continuing to do myself that I’m not good at?
• Desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want

(Unique) Concepts

• The jar of awesome
• Daily journaling (by adding a gratitude section)
• Sauna (followed by a cold shower or a tub) FTW
• Physchodelics (not something I’m keen on trying any time soon 🙂)