5-Bullet Friday — How to Get Unstuck, Life Advice from Ethan Hawke, Music for This Wild Week, and More

Hi All!

Here is your weekly dose of 5-Bullet Friday, a list of what I’m pondering and exploring. Feel free to forward along if the spirit moves you.

This edition is brought to you by Waking Up, one of my favorite life tools. Be sure to see their offer in the P.S.

Short TED Talk I’m watching once again

“Give yourself permission to be creative” by Ethan Hawke. This clocks in at roughly nine minutes. And thanks to Laird Z. for the recommendation. From the description: “Reflecting on moments that shaped his life, actor Ethan Hawke examines how courageous expression promotes healing and connection with one another—and invites you to discover your own unabashed creativity. ‘There is no path till you walk it,’ he says.”

What I’m reading

“So you wanna de-bog yourself” by Adam Mastroianni. I only just found Adam, but his writing is some of the most hilarious—and helpful—I’ve seen in a long time. Really worth the read. Big thanks to Crazy B for sending this to me.

What I’m listening to

“Nasty” (YouTube, Spotify) by Polyphia, feat. Jason Richardson. This seemed to me like an appropriate soundtrack for the week, no? Give the track a minute or so to warm up, and if you think it’s all synth, think again. Here’s an unplugged version of a track called “Playing God,” featuring lead guitarist Tim Henson. It’s bananas.

Documentary I’m watching

​Stutz. This doc pairs well with Adam’s “what I’m reading” post above. Stutz was recommended to me by multiple friends, and it does a beautiful job of sharing both a loving relationship and effective therapeutic tools for changing your life. I was hesitant to watch this at first. I worried that it might dredge up old, painful personal issues that I feel I’ve spent enough time on, but it didn’t open Pandora’s box at all. As my friends correctly reassured me, it’s nothing but upside. Here’s the official description: “In candid conversations with actor Jonah Hill, leading psychiatrist Phil Stutz explores his early life experiences and unique, visual model of therapy.” Watch the trailer here.

Quote I’m pondering

“Money is like gasoline during a road trip. You don’t want to run out of gas on your trip, but you’re not doing a tour of gas stations.”
​— Tim O’Reilly
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You can complement this edition of 5-Bullet Friday with my interview with The Atlantic’s “Dear Therapist” advice columnist Lori Gottlieb; this clip on how to get unstuck, featuring Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong; and the latest supercombo podcast episode, featuring bestselling author Anne Lamott and learning expert Josh Waitzkin.
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And, as always, please give me feedback on Twitter. Which bullet above is your favorite? What do you want more or less of? Other suggestions? Please let me know. Just send a tweet to @tferriss and put #5BulletFriday at the end so I can find it.
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Have a wonderful weekend, all.
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Much love to you and yours,
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Tim

P.S. Deal of the Week — Waking Up meditation app.

The Waking Up app, created by my friend and renowned author Sam Harris, is an absolutely world-class program for mind training. I was a beta tester back in 2018 and have recommended it to nearly all of my friends. Whether you want to sharpen your mind or experience more peace of mind, the Waking Up app can help, and it’s helped me. I have used it for more than five years, and it’s like adding a buffer of calm between me and our fast-paced, often high-stress, world.
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I love Waking Up for its guided meditation *progression* that builds multiple skills as you move from one class to the next. I suggest starting with Sam’s 30-day introductory class, which I revisit myself at least once a year. It’s a logical sequence instead of a collection of ad hoc readings. Subscribers to 5-Bullet Friday can get 30 days free when you sign up at WakingUp.com/Tim. Sign up today and experience a new operating system for your mind.