Reading Notes For:
My reading notes for, Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss. Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss distills insights from hundreds of interviews with top performers in business, sports, and thought leadership.
The book is divided into three sections. Healthy, wealthy and wise, each offering practical tips and life lessons. Ferris presents actionable advice on morning routines, productivity hacks and philosophical reflections in a conversational and accessible style. Whether you’re looking to improve your health, increase productivity or find inspiration, Tools of Titans provides a wealth of valuable knowledge.
Is it an itch or a burn? I have a lot of conversations with people who want to start their own thing, and one of my favorite questions to ask is, Is this an itch, or is it burning? If it is just an itch, it is not sufficient. It gets to this point of how badly you really want it. For me, I burned the boats.
There was no way I was going to get a job. Failure was never an option. I had to make this work. This is a story about a tiger named Mohini that was in captivity in a zoo, who was rescued from an animal sanctuary. Mohini had been confined to a ten by ten foot cage with a concrete floor for five or ten years.
They finally released her into this big pasture. With excitement and anticipation, they released Mohini into her new and expensive environment. But it was too late. The tiger immediately sought refuge in the corner of the compound, where she lived for the remainder of her life. She paced and paced in that corner until an area ten by minus ten feet was worn bare of grass.
Perhaps the biggest tragedy in our lives is that freedom is possible. Yet we can pass our years trapped in the same old patterns. What past limitations, real or perceived, are you carrying as baggage? Where in your life are you pacing in a ten by ten foot patch of grass? Is that a dream or a goal? If it isn’t on the calendar, it isn’t real.
They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds. Mexican proverb. Oh each morning, express heartfelt gratitude to one person you care about, or who’s helped, or supported you. Text, message, write, or call. Can’t think of anyone? Don’t forget, pass teachers, classmates, co workers from early in your career, old bosses, etc.
Oh, if you can’t seem to make yourself happy, do little things to make other people happy. This is a very effective magic trick. Focus on others instead of yourself. Start with why if you go to an actor and say, Hey, I’m a filmmaker and I’m making a low budget movie, and I kind of need your name as a marquee to help sell it.
I can’t pay you very much, and it’s going to be probably a lot of work, but if you want to be in it, you’re thinking about only yourself. And the answer will be, No, get the hell out of here, because all you’re talking about is what you do and how you do it. Which is, I make low budget movies. Yeah, so what?
It means you’ve got no money. Instead, I always start with a why. I go to them and say, I love what you do. I’ve always been a big fan. I’ve got a part that you would never get. I believe in creative freedom. I don’t work with the studios. I work independently. I’m the boss there. It’s just me and my crew.
It’s very creative. Ask any of your actor friends. They’ll say, go have that experience. Quickly. Robert De Niro did Machete in four days. I’m gonna shoot you out in four days. You’ll be on your next movie for six months. You’re on my movie for four days, and it’s gonna be the most fun you’ve ever had, and you’ll probably get great reviews.
Your performance is gonna be really free, because I’m gonna give you that freedom. That’s why I do it. How do I do it? Well, I work very independently. I have very few people on my crew. We all do multiple jobs. We do it with less money, so that we have more freedom. From Jocko Willink. When something is wrong or going bad, you just look at me and say, Good.
Oh, oh, mission got cancelled. Good. We can focus on another one. Oh, didn’t get the new high speed gear we wanted? Good. We can keep it simple. Oh, didn’t get promoted? Good. More time to get better. Didn’t get funded? Good. We own more of the company. Oh, didn’t get the job you wanted? Good. Go out, gain more experience, and build a better resume.
O got injured? Good. Needed a break from training. Oh, got tapped out? Good. It’s better to tap out in training than to tap out on the street. Oh, got beat? Good. We learned. Oh, unexpected problems? Good. We have the opportunity to figure out a solution. That’s it. When things are going bad, don’t get all bummed out, don’t get startled, don’t get frustrated.
No, just look at the issue and say, Good. Now, I don’t mean to say something clichéd. I’m not trying to sound like Mr. Smiley Positive Guy. I’m That guy ignores the hard truth. That guy thinks a positive attitude will solve problems. It won’t. But neither will dwelling on the problem. No. Accept reality, but focus on the solution.
Take that issue, take that setback, take that problem, and turn it into something good. Go forward. And if you are part of a team, that attitude will spread throughout. Finally, to close this up, if you can say the word good, Guess what? It means you’re still alive. It means you’re still breathing. Here are just a few lines from Sekou’s art to set the tone.
The letters I am are all that lies between possible and impossible, which means I’m the only thing between possible and impossible, so every day I choose to do the I’m possible. Don’t believe everything you think. Desire is a contract that you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want.
