The Tim Ferriss Show   /     #722: Cal Newport — How to Embrace Slow Productivity, Build a Deep Life, Achieve Mastery, and Defend Your Time

Summary

Cal Newport is a professor of computer science at Georgetown University, where he is also a founding member of the Center for Digital Ethics. His books have sold millions of copies and been translated into over forty languages. He is also a contributor to The New Yorker and hosts the popular Deep Questions podcast. His new book is Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout. Please enjoy! Timestamps for this episode are available below. 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 Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/Tim (save $200 on the Pod Cover by Eight Sleep this winter) Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off) Timestamps: [06:14] Unforced Errors: The Internet Story. [09:41] Techno-selectionism. [18:06] Why YouTube and podcasts aren’t ideal bedfellows. [23:03] Amish technology and Steve Martin. [28:07] What prompted Cal to write Slow Productivity? [31:35] Becoming a better writer through blogging. [36:54] The benefits of obsessing over quality. [40:54] How did Cal decide to identify himself as a writer? [52:02] People who exemplify slow productivity. [58:45] Trade-offs on the path to 21st-century slow productivity. [1:03:16] Push systems vs. pull systems. [1:04:34] Quota systems. [1:06:08] Why slow productivity isn’t a zero-sum game. [1:09:33] Language that clarifies. [1:13:17] Sender filters. [1:16:20] What people might miss about Slow Productivity‘s message. [1:21:24] How Cal defines productivity. [1:25:36] Derek Sivers and money as a neutral indicator of value. [1:28:34] Contemporary slow productivity champions. [1:33:18] Asynchronous vs. real-time conversations. [1:35:51] Making group scheduling less hellish. [1:40:13] Cal’s problem with Frederick Winslow Taylor. [1:42:01] How The New Yorker maintains its old-timey charm where other publications fail. [1:49:05] Cal’s dream publications. [1:51:07] Mental models for cultivating a slow productivity mindset. [1:56:27] The consequences of playing the algorithm game. [2:03:14] The renewed viability of newsletters. [2:08:03] Parting thoughts. * Resources from this episode: https://tim.blog/2024/02/13/william-ury/ For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast. For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsors Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday. For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts. Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books. Follow Tim: Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss  Instagram: instagram.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Subtitle
Duration
02:19:35
Publishing date
2024-02-20 22:19
Contributors
Enclosures
https://rss.art19.com/episodes/d1a88aff-ad88-45f6-9f6c-cc0ab23a5565.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIgxNb3ppbGxhBjoGRVQ%3D--4f04cd103bfdd3e94cbbb356ead53321a4d63e94
audio/mpeg

Shownotes

Cal Newport is a professor of computer science at Georgetown University, where he is also a founding member of the Center for Digital Ethics. His books have sold millions of copies and been translated into over forty languages. He is also a contributor to The New Yorker and hosts the popular Deep Questions podcast. His new book is Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout.

Please enjoy!

Timestamps for this episode are available below.

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 Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/Tim (save $200 on the Pod Cover by Eight Sleep this winter)

Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)

Timestamps:

[06:14] Unforced Errors: The Internet Story.

[09:41] Techno-selectionism.

[18:06] Why YouTube and podcasts aren’t ideal bedfellows.

[23:03] Amish technology and Steve Martin.

[28:07] What prompted Cal to write Slow Productivity?

[31:35] Becoming a better writer through blogging.

[36:54] The benefits of obsessing over quality.

[40:54] How did Cal decide to identify himself as a writer?

[52:02] People who exemplify slow productivity.

[58:45] Trade-offs on the path to 21st-century slow productivity.

[1:03:16] Push systems vs. pull systems.

[1:04:34] Quota systems.

[1:06:08] Why slow productivity isn’t a zero-sum game.

[1:09:33] Language that clarifies.

[1:13:17] Sender filters.

[1:16:20] What people might miss about Slow Productivity‘s message.

[1:21:24] How Cal defines productivity.

[1:25:36] Derek Sivers and money as a neutral indicator of value.

[1:28:34] Contemporary slow productivity champions.

[1:33:18] Asynchronous vs. real-time conversations.

[1:35:51] Making group scheduling less hellish.

[1:40:13] Cal’s problem with Frederick Winslow Taylor.

[1:42:01] How The New Yorker maintains its old-timey charm where other publications fail.

[1:49:05] Cal’s dream publications.

[1:51:07] Mental models for cultivating a slow productivity mindset.

[1:56:27] The consequences of playing the algorithm game.

[2:03:14] The renewed viability of newsletters.

[2:08:03] Parting thoughts.

*

Resources from this episode: https://tim.blog/2024/02/13/william-ury/

For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.

For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Showplease visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsors

Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.

For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.

Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.

Follow Tim:

Twittertwitter.com/tferriss 

Instagraminstagram.com/timferriss

YouTubeyoutube.com/timferriss

Facebookfacebook.com/timferriss 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss

Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry SeinfeldHugh JackmanDr. Jane GoodallLeBron JamesKevin HartDoris Kearns GoodwinJamie FoxxMatthew McConaugheyEsther PerelElizabeth GilbertTerry CrewsSiaYuval Noah HarariMalcolm GladwellMadeleine AlbrightCheryl StrayedJim CollinsMary Karr, Maria PopovaSam HarrisMichael PhelpsBob IgerEdward NortonArnold SchwarzeneggerNeil StraussKen BurnsMaria SharapovaMarc AndreessenNeil GaimanNeil de Grasse TysonJocko WillinkDaniel EkKelly SlaterDr. Peter AttiaSeth GodinHoward MarksDr. Brené BrownEric SchmidtMichael LewisJoe GebbiaMichael PollanDr. Jordan PetersonVince VaughnBrian KoppelmanRamit SethiDax ShepardTony RobbinsJim DethmerDan HarrisRay DalioNaval RavikantVitalik ButerinElizabeth LesserAmanda PalmerKatie HaunSir Richard BransonChuck PalahniukArianna HuffingtonReid HoffmanBill BurrWhitney CummingsRick RubinDr. Vivek MurthyDarren AronofskyMargaret AtwoodMark ZuckerbergPeter ThielDr. Gabor MatéAnne LamottSarah SilvermanDr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.