I did this publicly once before in 2014, and someone recently messaged to say that it changed their life, so we’re doing it again!
Your 30 days can start whenever you see this post, so don’t worry about missing the 1st.
You know who you are, you filthy animals.
Secret bookmarks to Pornhub (“Discount airfare” – Ha!), secret folders labeled “Tax Returns 2019” for when wifi fails, ExpressVPN for when you’re in countries that block your cherished videos…
Oh, wait. Am I projecting again?
Yes, I’ve admitted it before, and I’ll admit it again: dudes watch porn on the Internet. Shocker, I know. All those guys on the magazine covers? They do it, too.
Less obvious, perhaps, is how dramatically your life can change if you quit porn and masturbation for a short period.
I did this for 30 days recently, and—oddly enough—I found it much easier and more impactful to quit booze for the same 30 days.
I highly recommend watching this short clip from The Drive by Peter Attia, MD, in which he interviews Anna Lembke, MD on a cannabis-using patient. Dr. Lembke discusses how to reset the brain’s reward system and joy set point to improve mental health. Often, four weeks of abstinence from compulsive behaviors is enough to dramatically reduce anxiety and depression without medication.
Just a few of the specific benefits I experienced included…
- A dramatic surge in free testosterone and sex drive. Dozens of my seemingly healthy male friends, techies in particular, have approached me over the years about chronically low testosterone. There are many potential causes, including late-night blue light and laptop heat on the lap, but removing booze and porn appears to open the flood gates. Research (example, example) shows that alcohol reduces testosterone levels. So… should you be dating more? Trying a little harder instead of wanking, watching Netflix, and calling it a night? This will help motivate you.
- Increased ability to focus and cognitive endurance. This goes along with the increased “T” mentioned above.
- Getting a LOT more done. When you aren’t nursing hangovers, destroying your sleep with booze, or procrastinating with porn (you know who you are)—miracle of miracles—you get more done! A LOT more done. In my mind, this alone easily justifies a 30-day booze and porn fast. You’ll clear off that goddamn to-do list faster than the Flash. And remember: sex is still allowed.
Join Me For Another 30 Days
Given how transformative this was for me, I’m inviting you to join me for the month of November (30 days). I need it, too. After that, you can go back to your hedonistic ways. I enjoy porn, but I’ve concluded I can level up by taking breaks.
I’ll refer to our 30-day challenge as NOBNOM (NO Booze, NO Masturbating), as the acronym itself sounds pornographic. We gotta make this sumnabitch memorable.
If you don’t masturbate, or if you otherwise don’t watch enough porn to care about abstaining, here’s another option: NOBNOC — No Booze, No Complaining. For this version, please first read “Real Mind Control: The 21-Day No-Complaint Experiment.”
Suggested resources
Reddit communities
Quitting porn:
- r/NoFap — Porn Addiction and Compulsive Sexual Behavior Peer Support Forum
- r/pornfree — Overcoming porn addiction one day at a time
- r/NoNutNovember — Support and meme community for those attempting No Nut November, an internet challenge to abstain from sexual activity during the month of November
Quitting alcohol:
- r/Sober — Getting sober and sober living
- r//stopdrinking — A support group in your pocket! This subreddit is a place to motivate each other to control or stop drinking.
The Tim Ferriss Show — relevant episodes:
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.
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I quit drinking almost 5 years ago and it’s been life changing. At that point even 1 or 2 beers with dinner was leaving me restless at night and not feeling 100 percent the next day. Today the thought of being hungover is a hard no for me. Can’t say the same for porn, but it’s certainly been kept to a minimum these days. Since I’m off the sauce already (even on a break from cannabis), I’ll go with no porn and no complaining for November. Good luck to all!
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the inspiration, I’m going to give NOBNOC a whirl. I live in France, where complaining is a national pass time! It’s too easy to get swept up in that wave and this is a great way to get back on track.
Lets go buddy! I think I really needed this at this time!
I am in!
I understand the no masturbation and no porn part, but can I still have sex with my partner? Or is this a full month of celibacy?
Try fasting the month of ramadan, not only abstinence from porn and alcohol for thirty days you can add detox, intermittent fasting , mild dehydration, mild Keto and watch how your physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing soar into unprecedented highs!
Totally agree on the booze! But not the other one entirely: porn is a waste, use your imagination instead. I recommend to keep practicing and use sexual Kung Fu to retain your semen, you will find yourself energized instead of depleted. Plus you get your first step on the stairway to real full-body orgasms.
“The multi-orgasmic man” by Grandmaster Mantak Chia is a great read to get you started on this exciting journey.
Here we go!
Nov 05 2024
I saw your email Tim, and I’m intrigued to see where this leads. As a health coach I can 100% vouch for coming off booze (other than occasional socially meaningful celebrations) and porn. But I got to say, the lady in the photo is not merely ‘distracting’ : she is a beautiful, vibrant, confident woman, someone’s beloved daughter, a woman with love and dreams for the future. If we could just pause for a second and think more lovingly before we objectify women (and men) maybe it would make resolving these first world problems a little easier to crack. Easier said than done I know…
The video on the website yourbrainonporn changed my life. It was created by Gary Wilson.
It will help you understand the neuroscience of how porn affects your brain and why it’s so addictive.
This plan sounds like a path I need at this point in my life. I at this moment pledge a month of abstinence!
good and very helpful
I’m in. To complement: Great panel discussion about porn and what it does to our brains and our society. With pros and cons: Diary of a CEO, “The big porn debate”.