Tim Ferriss - 5-Bullet Friday — October 2, 2020

5-Bullet Friday

Hi All!

Here is your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Friday,” a list of what I’m pondering and exploring.

Audiobook that I’m listening to —
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, narrated by the one and only Stephen Fry (@stephenfry). Stephen Fry makes this audiobook incredible; it’s one of the best voice performances I’ve ever heard. Like many people, I’d come across this book now and again for decades, but I was turned off by the goofy cover. Shame on me, but… perhaps it was perfect that I landed on the audiobook, which has been an uplifting mood shifter as the days get colder and darker.

Clever tech tip I’ve been using —
Sometimes, you’d like to see the results of an active poll on Twitter or other platforms, but you don’t want to vote for any number of reasons (e.g., skewing the results). Rory Parle (@roryparle) offers this tip: “Turn on airplane mode and vote. It won’t register the vote but will flash up the results briefly.” The current workaround for poll creators is to add a “Show results” voting option, but this is clunky and crowds out other voting options. Perhaps Twitter team members who get this newsletter can see about offering this option natively? Could be important for election season...

Short video I’m watching repeatedly —
Speed bag magic. This was sent to me by a former world-championship-level kickboxer.

New research study I’m excited about —
Johns Hopkins survey about belief changes following psychedelic use. The Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research needs your help. They are conducting an anonymous online survey of changes in beliefs that can occur after taking a classic psychedelic (psilocybin-containing mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca, mescaline, DMT, etc.). Psychedelic-occasioned changes in belief may represent a vital, under-studied mechanism that could account for persisting therapeutic and nontherapeutic effects.

Examples of some of the persisting effects that have been observed in patient groups include large reductions in depressive symptoms, tobacco smoking, alcohol use, and distress associated with life-threatening illnesses. Even though psilocybin, as one example, typically wears off after 4–8 hours, some of the aforementioned persisting effects can be observed in some participants months, or even years, later.

Examples of persisting effects that have been shown in healthy participants include marked increases in well-being and life satisfaction, improved social relationships, increased self-confidence and self-efficacy, and increases in various healthy behaviors, such as improved diet, exercise, and creative activities.

Many of these remarkable persisting changes may be due to changes in fundamental beliefs about the very nature of self and the world.

The survey is an opportunity to revisit and contemplate a significant and possibly transformative experience of yours, you may find it meaningful to further explore some of the philosophical implications of your experience, and you will be making a unique and important contribution to science. Please click here to learn more and consider participating.

Maxim I’m pondering —
“Audacity augments courage; hesitation, fear.”
— Publilius Syrus

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.

Have a wonderful weekend, all.

Much love to you and yours,

Tim

P.S. Deal of the Week — LMNT no-sugar electrolytes. I’ve stocked up on boxes and boxes of LMNT, and I usually use 1–2 packs per day. Developed by Robb Wolf and his coaches, each serving delivers a meaningful dose of electrolytes without the garbage—no sugar, no artificial ingredients, no coloring, no junk. LMNT is used by three Navy SEAL teams as prescribed by their master chief, 10+ NFL and NBA teams, and is the Official Hydration Partner of Team USA Weightlifting.

Especially if you’re intermittent fasting or following a low-carb or ketogenic diet, electrolytes are key for relieving headaches, muscle cramps, and fatigue. I add electrolytes for many reasons: because I over-hydrate compulsively while stuck at home (which dilutes electrolytes and leads me to feel tired), because I’m on a low-carb diet, because I’ve lost electrolytes through exercise, etc. They also simply taste great, and I get bored of water. My favorite flavor is Citrus Salt, which makes for kick-ass, no-sugar margaritas when you get the itch.

Join Tim’s Club to receive the best pricing available for the lifetime of your subscription. You can pause or cancel anytime, and LMNT offers no-questions-asked refunds (you don’t even have to send it back). Your special offer is available here >> DrinkLMNT.com/TIM.

P.P.S. If you get value from the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in getting hard-to-get guests on the show. I also love reading them. Just click on the above link, then:

• If you’re on an iPhone, in the Podcasts app, simply scroll to the bottom to the “Ratings and Reviews” section.
• If you’re on a desktop, click on “Listen on Apple Podcasts” under “The Tim Ferriss Show.” Once inside iTunes, click on “Ratings and Reviews,” and you’re set. (If you’re on the new Podcasts app, which replaced iTunes, you might be missing this menu, and you’ll need to use your iPhone.)

Join millions of monthly readers. Get exclusive content, private Q&As, giveaways, and more. No spam, ever. Just great stuff.