This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode No. 76 "Rick Rubin on Cultivating World-Class Artists (Jay Z, Johnny Cash, etc.), Losing 100+ Pounds, and Breaking Down the Complex" and episode No. 479 "Mary Karr — The Master of Memoir on Creative Process and Finding Gifts in the Suffering."

Please enjoy!

Sponsors:

AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://drinkag1.com/tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.)

Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save $350 on the Pod 4 Ultra)

LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 1B+ users:   / tim   (post your job for free)

Links to everything discussed:
https://tim.blog/2024/06/11/rick-rubi...

Timestamps:
[00:00] Start

[05:27] Notes about this supercombo format.

[06:31] Enter Rick Rubin.

[08:14] How Rick lost over 135 pounds in his late 30s.

[16:19] How artists can hurdle the obstacles that hinder their best work.

[19:47] Where to find world-class contemporary music.

[20:40] Approaching music production with a fan’s-eye view.

[23:09] Recommended reading.

[24:38] Helping artists break their creative blocks.

[27:10] Rick’s advice for his younger selves.

[29:22] Why practicing self-kindness isn’t just nice — it’s a necessity.

[32:17] Enter Mary Karr.

[32:41] Growing up in “The Ringworm Belt.”

[35:00] The catalyst for Mary expressing herself and publishing to the world.

[38:03] The role reading played for young Mary.

[40:47] The feeling that inspired Mary’s desire to become a poet at a young age.

[44:43] “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”

[45:33] How Mary, a high school dropout, got into college and became an A student.

[49:29] Mary’s struggle with bringing darkness with her even after leaving her traumatic past.

[53:39] The highly selective process for getting into Mary’s graduate seminar at Syracuse University.

[54:49] The first day of Mary’s class and what it illustrates about processing memoir-building memories.

[1:00:36] The value of a commonplace book and helping others find alternative perspectives.

[1:04:35] The importance and utility of prayer in Mary’s life and sobriety.

[1:17:25] The significance of Ignatian exercises in Mary’s Catholic faith and gratitude practice.

[1:23:26] Obligatory Texas talk about weaponry and hunting.

[1:26:57] The origins of Mary’s unique wordsmithing.

[1:34:40] Mary’s process of rough drafts, revision, and using past memories for storytelling.

[1:42:50] How Mary copes with the pain of dredging up memories through writing.

[1:46:25] Why Mary feels the happiest at 65 and her advice to her younger self about therapy.

[1:49:42] The most and least effective types of therapy for Mary.

[1:53:41] Mary’s solution to fear and getting through uncomfortable times.

[1:58:30] Recognizing the gifts from suffering through difficult times in retrospect.

[2:06:44] Mary’s billboard.

[2:07:51] Parting thoughts.

Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 900 million downloads and been selected for “Best of Apple Podcasts” three years running.

Sign up for "5-Bullet Friday" (Tim's free weekly email newsletter): https://go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-yt/
Follow the Tim Ferriss Podcast: https://tim.blog/podcast/
Visit the Tim Ferriss Blog: https://tim.blog/
Follow Tim Ferriss on Twitter:   / tferriss  
Follow Tim Ferriss on Instagram:   / timferriss  
Like Tim Ferriss on Facebook:   / timferriss