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The Tim Ferriss Show

#376: How Seth Godin Manages His Life — Rules, Principles, and Obsessions (Repost)

The Tim Ferriss Show

Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author, Human Guinea Pig

Lifestyle Design, Business, The 4-hour Workweek, Productivity, Timothy Ferriss Show, Startups, Tim Ferris, Entrepreneurship, Longform Interviews, Tools Of Titans, Timothy Ferriss, The Tim Ferriss Show, Tim Ferriss

4.617.4K Ratings

🗓️ 4 July 2019

⏱️ 119 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This interview originally aired in 2016. You can find the show notes here: https://tim.blog/2016/02/10/seth-godin/

“We can’t out-obedience the competition.” – Seth Godin

I expected this episode to be amazing, and Seth 10x’d expectations. He’s incredible.

Seth Godin (@thisissethsblog) is the author of 17 bestselling books that have been translated into more than 35 languages. He writes about the way ideas spread, marketing, strategic quitting, leadership, and — most of all — challenging the status quo in all areas. His books include LinchpinTribesThe DipPurple Cow, and What to Do When it’s Your Turn (and it’s Always Your Turn).

Seth has founded several companies, including Yoyodyne and Squidoo. His blog (which you can find by typing “Seth” into Google) is one of the most popular in the world. In 2013, Godin was inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. Recently, Godin turned the book publishing world on its ear by launching a series of four books via Kickstarter. The campaign reached its goal in just three hours and became the most successful book project in Kickstarter history.

In this episode, we cover dozens of topics and stories, including some he’s never discussed publicly before. Here’s a small sample:

  • A list of the audiobooks he listens to repeatedly, some once per month
  • His morning routine, breakfast, dietary habits, and email processing
  • Meditative practices
  • Why he’s fixated on and mastered coffee and vodka, despite the fact that he consumes neither
  • Suggestions for going from “wantrepreneur” to entrepreneur
  • How to determine if you’re better off a “freelancer” or “entrepreneur,” and the differences in his mind
  • Why he has the most impressive cookbook collection our mutual chef friends have ever seen
  • His rules for saying “no” to opportunities, how he thinks about public speaking, etc.
  • His recipe for honey oatmeal vodka, and his favorite chocolates in the world
  • Thoughts on improving how parents educate their children
  • General philosophies and guidelines he uses for life management


Enjoy!

***

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I'm a cyber nanny blogger.

0:19.6

Hello ladies and girmes this is Tim Ferris and welcome to another episode of the Tim

0:26.2

Ferris Show where it is my job to deconstruct world class performers whether they are from

0:31.3

chess sports, military, entertainment or otherwise.

0:36.0

I tease out the routines, the habits, the favorite books, etc. that you can use.

0:42.2

At least that's the goal.

0:43.5

And this episode was a massive success because the guest Seth Goden 10xed my expectations.

0:51.0

And I already expected him to be incredible, which of course he was.

0:55.9

Seth Goden is probably the best known marketing mind in the world.

0:59.1

The author of 17 bestselling books that have been translated into more than 35 languages.

1:03.7

He writes about the way ideas spread, marketing of course, strategic quitting, leadership

1:08.7

and most of all, challenging the status quo in all areas.

1:12.8

And he does this personally in his own life in many different ways.

1:16.8

His books include Linchpin, Tribes, the Dip Purple Cow, Your Turn and many others.

1:21.2

He's also founded several companies including Yolio Dynand Squidu.

1:24.9

His blog, which is easy to find, just type Seth into Google, is one of the most popular

1:29.3

in the world.

1:30.6

He's been inducted into the direct marketing hall of fame.

1:33.0

He's done all sorts of amazing things.

1:35.5

And generally speaking, Seth doesn't get into his personal life, his personal habits.

1:41.4

This interview is an exception.

1:43.6

He tells a lot of stories.

...

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