In this edition of The Random Show, Tim Ferriss and Kevin Rose reunite over tequila to talk Zen retreats, learning to rock climb at (almost) 50, mortality and grief, why you should stop saying “one day,” AI predictions, and much more.
This episode is brought to you by:
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Please enjoy!
The Random Show — Tim and Kevin Talk Retreats, Mortality, AI Predictions, Supplements, Rock Climbing at (Almost) 50, and Not Waiting for Someday
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Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.
Transcripts
Show Notes
Connect with Kevin Rose:
Website | Digg | Diggnation Podcast | Instagram | X | Threads | Bluesky
Connect with Tim Ferriss:
Website | 5-Bullet Friday | Saisei Foundation | Instagram | X
Relevant Tim Ferriss Show Episodes
- Assessing Risk and Living Without a Rope – Lessons from Alex Honnold | The Tim Ferriss Show #160
- Dr. Adam Gazzaley, UCSF — Brain Optimization and the Future of Psychedelic Medicine | The Tim Ferriss Show #507
- Dr. Tommy Wood — How to Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia | The Tim Ferriss Show #851
- Elan Lee, Co-Creator of Exploding Kittens — How to Raise Millions on Kickstarter, Deconstructing Mega-Successes, Secrets of Game Design, The Power of Positive Constraints, The Delights of Craftsmanship, and The Art of Turning Fans into Superfans | The Tim Ferriss Show #653
- Henry Shukman — Zen, Tools for Awakening, Ayahuasca vs. Meditation, Intro to Koans, and Using Wounds as the Doorway | The Tim Ferriss Show #531
- Matt Mullenweg on Polyphasic Sleep, Tequila, and Building Billion-Dollar Companies | The Tim Ferriss Show #61
- Matt Mullenweg — The Art of Crafting a Sabbatical, Tips for Defending Against Hackers, Leveraging Open Source, Thriving in an AI World, and Tips for Life’s Darkest Hours | The Tim Ferriss Show #713
- The Maverick of Brain Optimization | The Tim Ferriss Show #83
- Michael Pollan — Exploring The New Science of Psychedelics | The Tim Ferriss Show #313
- Michael Pollan — This Is Your Mind on Plants | The Tim Ferriss Show #520
- My Two-Year Secret Project, COYOTE — The Strategies and Tactics for Building a Bestseller from Nothing with Elan Lee of Exploding Kittens | The Tim Ferriss Show #821
- The Random Show, Couch Edition! — Supplements, Hummingbirds, Cock Rings, Optimizing Mitochondria, Breathing and Balance Training, Cool Grip-Strength Tools, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #858
- The Random Show, Rare Drinking Edition — Affordable Luxuries, Brain Stimulation, Sampling the Future (and Some Previews), Recharging with Creative Experiments, Tokenizing Humans with a Bonding Curve, Poetry for People Who Hate Poetry, and Much More | The Tim Ferriss Show #690
- Sam Harris, Ph.D. — How to Master Your Mind | The Tim Ferriss Show #342
- Tim Ferriss and Matt Mullenweg in Antarctica — Exploring Personal Fears, Bucket Lists, Facing Grief, Crafting Life Missions, and Tim’s Best Penguin Impressions | The Tim Ferriss Show #578
- Zen Master Henry Shukman — 20 Minutes of Calm, Plus the Strange and Powerful World of Koans | The Tim Ferriss Show #560
Books & Recommended Reading
Films & TV
People
Meditation & Introspection
Supplements, Food, Drinks, & Performance
Training
Science & Research
Tech & AI
Timestamps
- [00:00:00] Start.
- [00:00:24] A tequila toast, and getting “taxed” by alcohol as you age.
- [00:02:18] Toaster at 15: a late-night health scare.
- [00:06:01] Losing Om Malik, and finding out on retreat.
- [00:08:03] Matt Mullenweg, Antarctica, and gratitude.
- [00:09:34] Coming to terms with our limited time on Earth.
- [00:14:37] Five days of silence and the koan “Mu.”
- [00:15:20] Kevin’s micro-insight and a plug for The Way.
- [00:27:25] Rock climbing after 40, and a Yosemite goal.
- [00:29:18] Michael Eckert and finger-strength training.
- [00:30:40] The Nug, Abrahangs, and a travel training kit.
- [00:32:57] Free Solo and climbing with a fear of heights.
- [00:37:53] The Blade Itself, and a friend lost in a plane crash.
- [00:39:19] A2 protein and Pioneer Pastures.
- [00:40:34] Maui Nui venison and the nitrate question.
- [00:43:48] deltaG ketones: what they are and the catch.
- [00:45:42] Ketones, dementia, and verbal fluidity.
- [00:46:29] Pre-grieving a parent’s decline.
- [00:48:33] Training not to die: the one bike I can stand and the Norwegian 4×4.
- [00:51:10] Something beats nothing: saunas, treadmills, and Duolingo chess.
- [00:53:04] The MM120 anxiety study — and a small-world surprise.
- [00:56:17] Psilocybin, LSD, and dementia case reports.
- [01:01:28] Neutonic toothpicks and Kevin’s AI-powered home.
- [01:06:12] Spooky AI personalization and investment autopsies.
- [01:17:38] Values cards, contractual bonds, and dark information.
- [01:23:25] 360 reviews and child-rearing.
- [01:24:54] Wispr Flow, Shokz, and my recording rig.
- [01:29:32] The “big three” and where AI goes next.
- [01:44:40] Let your winners run; buy the company, not the product.
- [01:51:08] Digg’s relaunch, 5-Bullet Friday, and parting thoughts.
Want to hear the last time Kevin and I got together for a Random Show? Listen to our Couch Edition, in which Kevin and I discussed our Zen retreat with Henry Shukman, DIY vagus nerve stimulation, my Bertolotti’s Syndrome back-pain breakthrough, balance boards and slacklining, Emil Abrahamsson’s tendon-strengthening protocol, photobiomodulation and urolithin A for mitochondria, blood-flow-restriction training, the Norwegian 4×4 protocol, vintage Japanese finds on Etsy, Kevin’s hummingbird-feeder obsession, and much more.
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DISCLAIMER FROM TIM FERRISS: I am not an investment adviser. Nor is Kevin Rose. All opinions are mine alone. Or his. There are risks involved in placing any investment in securities or in Bitcoin or in cryptocurrencies or in anything. None of the information presented herein is intended to form the basis of any offer or recommendation or have any regard to the investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of any specific person, and that includes you, my dear listener or reader. Everything you’re going to hear is for informational entertainment purposes only.

