Productivity Tactics – Two Approaches I Personally Use to Reset, Get Unstuck, and Focus on the Right Things (#771)

Welcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is usually my job to sit down with world-class performers of all different types to tease out the habits, routines, favorite books, and so on that you can apply and test in your own life. 

This time, we have a slightly different format. 

In this short and very tactical episode, I share some of my personal methods for how to get out of a rut, re-aim yourself at big outcomes, and make progress on a daily basis, despite the self-defeating tendencies that we all have.

Please enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by Momentous high-quality supplements, Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, and AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

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This episode is brought to you by Momentous high-quality supplements! Momentous offers high-quality supplements and products across a broad spectrum of categories, and I’ve been testing their products for months now. I’ve been using their magnesium threonate, apigenin, and L-theanine daily, all of which have helped me improve the onset, quality, and duration of my sleep. I’ve also been using Momentous creatine, and while it certainly helps physical performance, including poundage or wattage in sports, I use it primarily for mental performance (short-term memory, etc.).

Their products are third-party tested (Informed-Sport and/or NSF certified), so you can trust that what is on the label is in the bottle and nothing else. If you want to try Momentous for yourself, you can use code Tim for 20% off your one-time purchase at LiveMomentous.com/Tim. And not to worry, my non-US friends, Momentous ships internationally and has you covered. 

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This episode is brought to you by Eight Sleep. Temperature is one of the main causes of poor sleep, and heat is my personal nemesis. I’ve suffered for decades, tossing and turning, throwing blankets off, pulling them back on, and repeating ad nauseam. But a few years ago, I started using the Pod Cover, and it has transformed my sleep. Eight Sleep has launched their newest generation of the Pod: Pod 4 Ultra. It cools, it heats, and now it elevates, automatically. With the best temperature performance to date, Pod 4 Ultra ensures you and your partner stay cool in the heat and cozy warm in the cold. Plus, it automatically tracks your sleep time, snoring, sleep stages, and HRV, all with high precision. For example, their heart rate tracking is at an incredible 99% accuracy.

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And now, listeners of The Tim Ferriss Show can get $350 off of the Pod 4 Ultra for a limited time! Click here to claim this deal and unlock your full potential through optimal sleep.

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This episode is brought to you by AG1! I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG1 further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

Right now, you’ll get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit DrinkAG1.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive your 1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive daily, foundational nutrition supplement that supports whole-body health.

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What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

• Make Before You Manage | Tim Ferriss
• Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule | Paul Graham
• Neil Gaiman — The Best Commencement Speech You May Ever Hear (20 Minutes) | Tim Ferriss
• A 90-Second Video of Calligraphy | Tim Ferriss, Instagram
• Shakshouka and Caffeine. | Tim Ferriss, Instagram
• “Productivity” Tricks for the Neurotic, Manic-Depressive, and Crazy (Like Me) | Tim Ferriss
• A Day in the Life of Tim Ferriss — A Morgan Spurlock Production | Vimeo
• Rudy | Prime Video
• The Snooze Button is a Psychological Trick | Jocko Willink
• Why Moving Didn’t Solve Any of My Problems | Tiny Buddha
• Meditation, Mindset, and Mastery | The Tim Ferriss Show #201
• Pique Tea Organic Fermented Pu’erh Black Tea | Amazon
• Pique Tea Organic Fermented Pu’erh Green Tea | Amazon
• Gary Keller — How to Focus on the One Important Thing | The Tim Ferriss Show #401
• The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan | Amazon
• 31 Writing Lessons from Kurt Vonnegut | Industrial Scripts
• Pity the Reader: On Writing with Style by Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell | Amazon

SHOW NOTES

• [00:21] What to expect from this episode.
• [03:26] How many clowns fit in my clown car?
• [04:49] Am I solving or exacerbating my problems?
• [05:54] The saving mantra: “Make before you manage.”
• [09:11] Neil Gaiman on vulnerability.
• [09:32] A reality check.
• [10:13] The dangerous myths of “successful” people.
• [10:59] You take the good, you take the bad…
• [12:55] My eight-step process for maximizing efficacy.
• [16:20] Remember this when you’re feeling far from perfect.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

• Molly Ferriss
• Neil Gaiman
• Paul Graham
• Gary Keller
• Kurt Vonnegut

The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for "Best of Apple Podcasts" three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it's been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.