Harsh truth time: if you live in Silicon Valley and haven’t heard of Tim Ferris, you’re living under a rock. He operates a famous podcast (The Tim Ferriss Show) and writes prolifically. His self-authored bookshelf includes The Four Hour Workweek and Tools of Titans. He represents the classic Silicon Valley hero.
His newly released book, Tribe of Mentors, bursts at the seams with wisdom (I mean this semi-literally…it is over 500 pages long). Rather than trying to write a book of his own advice, Tim cleverly crowdsources advice from a smattering of the world’s most successful people. The book represents a compilation of many successful people’s responses to the same set of 11 questions (e.g., “What book do you gift most often and why?”).
I don’t particularly enjoy podcasts, so reading this book allowed me to access many of the same insights in written format. Not every profile packs equal impact, but after dozens of responses to the same questions, the themes emerge with startling clarity. Though I expected healthy living to make it to the list, it still shocked me how much the world’s most successful people credit their success to executing the basics of good health with ruthless precision: eating well, sleeping eight hours a night, and exercising daily. My biggest revelation, however was the following:
The concept of ‘micro speed, macro patience’ was one I’d never considered prior, but an idea that I — and many others — can certainly benefit from. The interviewee, Gary Vaynerchuck, wisely observes that many people (definitely I!) spend an inordinate amount of time stressing about the future, while at the same time whiling away their present watching Netflix. However, he proposes that true success and freedom lies in making the most of the short-term and not worrying about the long-term. I’ve come across variants of this idea before, for example in this Instagram post I often see (don’t judge pls), but never had the idea struck me with such force.
I highly recommend this book. I typically don’t enjoy nonfiction, but Tribe of Mentors provides therapy and motivation in potent doses. As a #millenial prone to my fair share of angst and mini existential crises, I found it the best possible book with which to end 2017. And given that my previous blog post focused on reading more, a recommendation was in order!
All aboard the Ferris Wheel! Let me know what you think of the book.
