10 Best Tim Ferriss Episodes of All Time

1) #60: Tim Ferriss Interviews Arnold Schwarzenegger on Psychological Warfare (And Much More)

Arnold is known for wearing many hats, as a professional bodybuilder, actor and even as California’s 38th Governor. In one of Tim’s earliest episodes, he sits down with Arnold for a casual, yet fascinating conversation that reflects on his unique career path, and the unwavering confidence that carried him through years of rigorous training plans and strict diets. We even learn of the strategic “psychological warfare” Schwarzenegger used to attack the vulnerabilities of fellow competitors, and his brilliant real estate investments which made him a millionaire before the kick-off of his acting career.

2) #277: Sharon Salzberg, World-Renowned Meditation Teacher

A world-renowned meditation teacher, known for her down-to-earth and secular Buddhist approach, Sharon Salzberg shares how this practice revitalized her life after growing up amongst turmoil. Having lost her mother at a young age, and later having to accept her father’s poor mental health, Salzberg discovered Buddhism by happenstance, while taking an Asian philosophy course in college. Guided by Tim, Sharon explains how to integrate meditation into your daily routine to help find peace, and how its discovery helped her move past her painful childhood. Her honest discussion makes its listing as one of the best Tim Ferris episodes well-deserved.

3) #221: Mr. Money Mustache — Living Beautifully on $25-27K Per Year

Pete Adeney, aka “Mr. Money Mustache” is applauded for doing the seemingly impossible — retiring at the age of 30. As someone who shuns the world’s high-consumer mentality, Pete’s tips for efficiently spending money have earned him a cult-like following and a blog with over 23,000,000 pageviews. Together, Ferriss and Adeney explore the philosophies and routines that made Pete’s early retirement achievable, while maximizing the level of happiness in his life, and reducing his expenses. Within the first five minutes, you’ll understand why this was one of the show’s most requested interviews, and why it will surely remain one of the best Tim Ferriss podcasts.

4) #484: Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify — The Art of Seeing Around Corners, Two-Year Missions, Top Books, and the Essence of Fire Soul

Nearly everyone recognizes Spotify, one of the top audio streaming services in the world, but less know the man behind it all: Daniel Ek. Daniel is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Spotify which he began in his native Sweden.

Throughout his time with Tim, Daniel shares how his European upbringing allowed him to feel comfortable taking risks and ultimately fostered his entrepreneurial spirit. Now, Daniel is instilling this structured creativity in his own children to help them flourish. An avid reader, he also speaks to the learnings he has gained on leveraging mental models for decision making. Business professionals may also appreciate the explanation behind his supportive leadership style, where he empowers each team member to complete internal missions that align with their goals.

5) #214: How to Design a Life - Debbie Millman

Debbie Millman and Tim Ferris are a delight to listen to throughout this motivational episode. Millman is an exceptional graphic designer, author, and artist, who has helped create everything from notebooks to playing cards. Her career has also allowed her to develop an impressive resume, working for multinational brands including Star Wars, Tropicana, and Hersheys. Yet, despite her long list of formidable achievements, Millman discusses the numerous rejections that caused her to shy away from opportunities she was once passionate about pursuing. Through her uplifting conversation, Debbie encourages you to re-knit you confidence, go at your own pace, and most importantly — try again.

6) #186: Tony Robbins on How to Resolve Internal Conflict

A repeat guest, any list showcasing the best of the Tim Ferriss podcast, has to include Tony Robbins. This episode may be short and sweet, but within it, Robbins teaches an exercise praised so highly by listeners, that Ferriss had to place it in an episode of its own. Guided by the gripping words of the business strategist and motivational speaker, you’ll learn to align your mind with your heart to find gratitude and let go of anger. Labelled as a life-changing experience, we encourage you to follow along with Tony as you listen.

7) #485: Jerry Seinfeld — A Comedy Legend’s Systems, Routines, and Methods for Success

8) #326: Reid Hoffman of LinkedIn, Brian Chesky of Airbnb, and How to Scale to 100M+ Users

9) #298: Dr. Gabor Mate - New Paradigms, Ayahuasca, and Redefining Addiction

10) #409: Brené Brown — Striving versus Self-Acceptance, Saving Marriages, and More

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