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The James Altucher Show

Ep. 261 - A.J. Jacobs: The Intersection Between Discomfort and Curiosity

The James Altucher Show

James Altucher

Education, Business

4.62.7K Ratings

🗓️ 5 October 2017

⏱️ 95 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

AJ's about to launch a TV show. A few months ago he started a podcast. He's 49 years old. And it all started because he decided to write a book on a weird idea he had. "I wonder what it would be like to live the Bible." It's especially weird if you consider the fact that he's Jewish. AJ is a living example that anyone at age 49 could've decided to do this idea. Anyone at ANY age could've done this idea. He told me to be curious about everything. "Even things you're not curious about." That didn't make sense to me. How do you do that?  "Read books you don't think are interesting," he said. Explore new podcasts, watch old movies. Then observe yourself. One of the original Saturday Night Live writers, Alan Zweibel, said you need to have two heads. "The head that's having an experience and the head that's observing." That's how you find your next big idea or small step forward in your life. You peel back the layers crusted on top of yourself. You dig into fresh layers and discover something new. AJ calls is "Fun-comfortable" (it's the intersection between discomfort and curiosity).  This episode teaches you how to find that intersection.  Thanks for reading! Make sure to check out the show notes here: https://jamesaltucher.com/2017/10/aj-jacobs-3/ And don't forget to subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" on Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts! ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

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0:00.0

This isn't your average business podcast and he's not your average host.

0:06.4

This is the James Altiger Show on the Choose Yourself Network.

0:10.4

Today on the James Altiger Show.

0:15.1

I actually am a vegetarian so I didn't eat much meat.

0:18.7

Wait I didn't know that. How have you been a vegetarian?

0:20.7

I have been about for a long time I didn't eat fish.

0:25.3

But this is something I'm actually very excited about.

0:27.8

I'm a vegetarian for ethical reasons.

0:30.0

I actually am not a huge fan of animals.

0:32.2

I think they're pretty terrible people.

0:34.6

I don't think that they're wonderful.

0:36.4

But I do feel they suffer pain.

0:38.4

So if I am trying to decrease the amount of pain in the world,

0:43.1

an easy way is not to have meat.

0:45.2

I have no idea.

0:46.2

So what's another easy way to decrease the pain in the world that you do?

0:49.5

Well I'm thinking of some weird ones.

0:53.8

I want to go to suspect how do you come up with that initial idea?

0:57.6

Like how someone listening to this can start coming up with fun ideas

1:02.2

of something that's worth exploring and yet so simple to explain.

1:06.4

I try to have everything have a net benefit.

1:08.6

That's how I make decisions.

...

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