A modern day philosopher, Eckhart Tolle, manages to extract a meaning of religion, of the word "God", in a truly profound way. I've always been turned off by the dogmatism, the shallowness and the hypocrisy of so many religions and their practitioners, that I labelled myself an atheist. The Power of Now is finally a set of practical instructions and simple insights into existence, that unlocks spirituality. Also because it refers so accurately to how the unconscious mind work, how we're basically monkeys driven by our genetic programming, and how slowly, as our intelligence evolves, we go to a stage beyond – which is consciousness.

This edition of 5 Bullet Friday is brought to you by Harbor, a next-generation baby-monitor company and one of my larger new investments. Be sure to see their offer in the P.S.

This was introduced to me by one of the most thoughtful, present, and playful couples I know. They have also infused the raising of their daughters with a similar ethos. From the book description: “The Well of Being, from Jean-Pierre Weill, is an illustrated inquiry into the art of happiness and what it means to be radically alive in our daily moments. Images and a graceful philosophic text invite us to awaken from our constructed stories that we may return to this world and live in the present. The book opens with a perennial account of life’s ultimate purpose and concludes with a unique retelling of the puzzle we call ‘growing up.’ Through art, philosophy, and poetry, we are offered a refreshing and empowering way to rethink ourselves.”

It just digests all your scattered research and organizes them into graphs, tables for impeccable presentation. The new way to create articles, research papers or just general content. Phenomenal.

If you're in ecommerce, then this is the that one tool you need. An operating system for ecommerce. No more bullshit of trying to tie together data, make sense of insights unsure about the fidelity etc. Just smooth.

If you extensively use Notion anyways, then this tools helps you to just turn it into a beautifully-looking, smoothly running FAQ and helpdesk website. The founder is super responsive and helpful. Love it.

This is so useful: hire and pay people from ANYWHERE in the world, without a need for a local entity: taxes, contracts, benefits all according to local regulations handled by them. So easy!

You can see my screen in the photo and the message I had for myself when I was working on Tools of Titans back in 2016. Momentum Dash is outstanding, but you’ll likely end up paying for it. My close friend found a free alternative with basic functionality, and it gets the bare-bones job done: New Tab Random Quote.

New AI tools I’ve been playing with nonstop: Udlo and Suno. Here’s one of many prompts from Suno: “Heavy metal song about panicked polar bears that eat too much edible cannabis on New Year’s Eve.” It produced two song variations about 90 seconds later, and the quality was unbelievable. This AI-music arms race is heating up fast, and it’s also straining under the explosive demand. When I tried to use Suno for this bullet, it was freezing and producing errors, so I tried a competitor named Udio for the first time. I was up and running in seconds. From coverage in Tom’s Guide: “The brainchild of former Google DeepMind engineers, the [Udio] platform has already drawn both investment and attention from parts of the music community, including [will.i.am](http://will.i.am/) and Common.” I used this prompt: “an upbeat reggaeton song about a newsletter named 5-Bullet Friday that brings joy like a bathtub full of puppies” Click here for the song it created in about 90 seconds, which I then extended. https://www.udio.com/songs/bhmhExfKbjrhnBZYW1gSLi It’s unreal. I suspect some of you will also get a laugh out of the cover art, which I generated on the platform with “Tim Ferriss in a bathtub full of puppies.” Click the heart, and perhaps it’ll trend. :) You could throw a lot of these AI songs on a sound system at a party tonight, and no one would raise an eyebrow. My song is in Spanish, but the English lyrics via Google Translate are below. It sounds a lot better in Spanish! The “extend” function could use some work blending the segments, but it is already a mind-blowing experience: The newsletter that lights up the week, joy Five bullets that wake me up every day, every day Like puppies playing, they make me smile, smile Bathtub full of joy, there is no better breeze, that breeze Their stories carry us, every Friday is a party 5-Bullet Friday, the joy it injects you Fresh news arrives, Friday is ready, oh yes With each bullet, my heart bursts, bursts Rhythm in words, like a complete, complete party 5-Bullet Friday, is the spark that resonates and connects Under the Friday sun, the vibration does not stop Five pure moments, drive away sadness Once again, here’s the link to listen. And if the links are down for some reason, I downloaded my creation, so here’s a backup version. Mere moments after making the above, I got the warning “Due to heavy load, generations are much slower than usual. We’re working hard to improve performance.” The race goes to the swift!

Every once in a while, innovations come around that solve problems with a “Why didn’t someone think of this earlier?” effect. Luggage on wheels is one example. For me, this Braun trimmer is another. I have TONS of clippers. Why? Because I lose the plastic attachments for different lengths, then I’m screwed and need a new set. This superior Braun design is an all-in-one solution that uses a radial dial allowing 40 length settings in 0.02″ steps. I love it.

“Autofocus” for your voice! Check out this cool demo on YouTube from the link below. If it delivers even 50% of the features, it’ll be one to watch. The description: “RAY is the first microphone with our new sensor-based AURA technology to dynamically adapt your levels and tone according to your distance to the microphone. It’s like autofocus but for your voice. Instead of making perfectly sharp pictures, you’re getting perfectly balanced recordings.” Has anyone used this? If so, what are the pros and cons? Please let me know at @tferriss on Twitter with #RAY. I’m considering sending this to remote podcast guests going forward, as it will save us all tons of fussing with levels, gain, “could you get a little closer to the mic,” etc. https://www.amazon.com/Lewitt-RAY-Large-Diaphragm-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0D1GWSKJX/

I must confess with great shame that I have never finished The Power Broker, the legendary Pulitzer Prize winner by Robert Caro. Dozens of my most brilliant friends have recommended it, and I’ve tried valiantly, but I somehow fall short. The book chronicles the life of Robert Moses, a city planner who became the most powerful man in New York, shaping the city’s politics and infrastructure. ​ A three-part podcast (99% Invisible, hosted by Roman Mars and Elliott Kalan) allowed me to salvage my self-respect and dive back into what I knew to be an incredible story worth exploring. It also reignited my desire to finish the book.

Dr. Stuart McGill is one of the great Jedis of spine mechanics. Long-term readers might recognize Stuart’s name, as I featured the following exercises from him in a previous 5BF: “Enhancing low back health through stabilization exercise.” From extreme pain six months ago, these exercises helped me to aggressively ski half-day sessions 4–5x/week all of January and February.

A few weeks ago, I met a fellow baldy while skiing. My pate was growing out and beginning to look a little bedraggled, and I complimented him on his clean shave. To that, I added my usual comment: “I just can’t use a blade on my head. Cut it once and it bled everywhere. Too much hassle.” He responded with “Oh, I don’t use a blade” and sent me the Pitbull Head and Face Shaver as a gift. I’ve only used it for a few weeks, but it’s been absolutely fantastic. I suggest using it at least every other day or every few days, since it can’t chomp well on longer hair. I have the platinum model, but it seems like people equally love the less expensive gold version. Bonus: a single charge seems to last a few weeks of usage. Thanks, Craig!

This book was mentioned quite a few times by podcast guests before I picked it up as an audiobook, in part because I learned so much from Sebastian’s earlier book, More Money Than God. I expected to know most of the venture history, but there were a ton of behind-the-scenes stories and details that I hadn’t heard before. It was also fun to get more background on at least a dozen game-changers who have been on the podcast (Bill Gurley, Patrick Collison, Roelof Botha, etc.). Even if you don’t have time for the entire book, I strongly recommend everyone listen to the concluding chapter portions on how countries can foster innovation and the geopolitical implications of tech investing, which are vast. The next few years will see a lot of this come to the forefront.

Hard speculative scifi at it's finest. What a series. Not literature in any ways, but a pure delight in terms of crafting a world based on current technological directions. The best and most realistic take I've seen on the concepts of digitally immortalizing humans, VR and terraforming.

At first I thought: okay another one of the Hunger Games / Jupiter Ascending chewed-over boring fantasy/scifi ripoff. But the writing just pulls you in so you bear with that initial prejudice. Fast forward three months and I savagely consumed all six books of the Red Rising saga. It's phenomenal. Military scifi at it's finest, with more out-of-the-blue betrayals and plot twists than Game of Thrones. Action-packed and full of technology delights you expect from good scifi. Splashed with philosophical wisdom that changes your mindset more than most self-help books. One of my favorite reads of 2024. I bet you they will make a movie series out of this. It reads just like a blockbuster.

Many of you asked about the shoes I’m wearing in this instagram photo. In the colder months, I wear Glerups indoors effectively 100% of the time. I love them.

The founder of Levels (metabolic tracker) was up on the Tim Ferriss Show. His team is ultra-remote and lean, and he mentioned Loom as the pivotal tool to enable this. They even use Loom over Slack or other corporate chat software. My verdict after giving it a shot: it's not only hands-down the best tool for screen recordings, but like Corcos said it can revolutionize the way we collaborate. Automatically transcribes Zoom calls or Google Hangouts, or even provides AI-powered summaries. It's also perfect for recording task tutorials for employees or third-parties, and I love the fact that you can track who viewed your recording and that people can comment on the videos. UX is phenomenally good.

Temperature is one of the main causes of poor sleep, and heat is my nemesis. I’ve suffered for decades, tossing and turning, throwing blankets off, pulling them back on, and repeating ad nauseam. The Pod 3 Cover has been a game changer for the quality of my sleep and the quality of my life. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to offer the most advanced (and user-friendly) solution on the market. I’ve been using Eight Sleep for more than two years. Just in time for the holidays, add the Pod 3 Cover to your current mattress and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F. It also splits your bed in half, so your partner can choose a totally different temp. The Pod technology adjusts the temperature of each side of the bed based on your sleep stages, biometrics, and bedroom temperature, reacting intelligently to create the optimal sleeping environment.

I often discuss yerba mate's health benefits — such as its high antioxidant content, its role in managing blood sugar, and its possible neuroprotective effects. Personally, I consume yerba mate daily for these reasons, and also because it tastes great and it reminds me of drinking it as a child with my Argentine family. Collaborating with Mateína to develop a sugar-free version of cold brew yerba mate was a thrill and I’m so excited to be able to share it with you.

I often discuss yerba mate's health benefits — such as its high antioxidant content, its role in managing blood sugar, and its possible neuroprotective effects. Personally, I consume yerba mate daily for these reasons, and also because it tastes great and it reminds me of drinking it as a child with my Argentine family. Collaborating with Mateína to develop a sugar-free version of cold brew yerba mate was a thrill and I’m so excited to be able to share it with you.

If you have lower back pain, I’m shocked it took me this long to figure it out and say, sitting on hard chairs bothers you, or lumbar support helps you — for a year, I’ve been going to restaurants and asking if they have a cushion. Do you have a cushion or pillow or something I can use to fix fucked-up seating situations? This is the solution right here. This is it. This is a Pilates ball, this is a pro-body Pilates. It doesn’t really matter. But honestly, this thing folds up, sticks in your pocket, and I’ve been traveling with it. I’ve had it behind my back the whole time. And great for first dates. Ladies love Pilates balls. But I will say, for instance, the last time I did a podcast in this seat, I did not use this and my back was fucking killing me afterwards. But the killing me afterwards is not just an issue for today. That’s an issue that causes inflammation, that fucks up my sleep for three or four days. Use this ball, no problem. I can put it behind my back or I can put it under my ass and it folds up and fits in your pocket. So, anyways, folks, there you have it from the sublime to the ridiculous Pilates ball.

From the description: “The best-tasting grind always comes from a mix of muscles from the entire animal. Our ground venison includes trim from neck to leg, loin to belly, and everything in between, ensuring a richness and depth of flavor like no other. With knowledge gained from our recent nutrient analysis, we have made a more balanced 5% organ blend, containing 3.5% liver and 1.5% heart. Since the liver and heart of our venison contain superior nutrient density, this blend offers the benefits of organ meat with an improved flavor profile.” I also suggest using this tool from Maui Nui: Venison Nutrition Comparison Tool.

I looked at every Korean language textbook in a huge Seoul bookstore (Kyobo—check out the Gwanghwamun location if you visit), and these short reads were my favorites. They’re exceptionally clear and focus on the 80/20. I’m working through them one tiny chapter at a time and really enjoying the process.