Personal Development

Jim Collins and Ed Zschau (#741)

29 May 2024
Bourahima


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 #361 “Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath” and #380 “Ed Zschau — The Polymath Professor Who Changed My Life.”

Please enjoy!

Bios of guests may be found at tim.blog/combo.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Brought to you by Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement, and LMNT electrolyte supplement.

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#741: Jim Collins and Ed Zschau

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What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SHOW NOTES

  • [05:00] Notes about this supercombo format.
  • [06:03] Enter Jim Collins.
  • [06:28] How Jim’s students influenced his entrepreneurial path.
  • [10:45] Why Jim carries a three-timer stopwatch.
  • [12:21] Using a spreadsheet to optimize discipline in service of creativity.
  • [13:42] Ideal minimum creative hours per year.
  • [15:19] Avoiding a life-distorting “funk.”
  • [17:41] Calculating an optimal end point.
  • [19:27] Patterns discovered using Jim’s time-tracking method.
  • [20:23] Three crucial components for living the life Jim wants to lead.
  • [22:18] The bug book and the hedgehog concept.
  • [30:31] Peter Drucker mic-drop lessons.
  • [34:39] Enter Ed Zschau.
  • [34:59] How I convinced Dr. Zschau to let me into his Princeton engineering course.
  • [37:38] Ed’s background in competitive figure skating and the lessons it taught him.
  • [41:45] The origin of Ed’s meticulous attention to detail.
  • [45:31] The benefits of learning by doing through the case method.
  • [49:21] Ed’s definition of entrepreneurship.
  • [50:50] The role of optimism in entrepreneurship and life.
  • [53:30] Ed’s aspirations as a teenager and young adult.
  • [55:32] What drew Ed to Princeton as an aspiring physics philosopher.
  • [58:21] How Ed got into teaching and his belief that career planning is overrated.
  • [1:03:37] How Ed learned to become a good teacher and the influence of extemporaneous speaking.
  • [1:06:53] Lessons from extemporaneous speaking competitions about preparation and adaptation.
  • [1:11:04] Ed’s thoughts on focusing for extended periods versus opening himself to opportunities.
  • [1:13:06] Ed’s decision to run for Congress.
  • [1:17:57] Advantages of committing to a maximum of three terms in the House of Representatives.
  • [1:21:29] Ed’s experience and self-reflection after losing his Senate race.
  • [1:23:40] Ed’s decision process when transitioning from investor to CEO.
  • [1:26:05] Differentiating between high-impact commitments and peer pressure.
  • [1:29:41] Comparing Ed’s parenting style to his teaching style.
  • [1:31:17] Ed’s belief in encouragement over direction and his own upbringing.
  • [1:34:45] The origin of Ed’s goal to live a life that matters.
  • [1:37:05] Influential books and recommendations for aspiring entrepreneurs.
  • [1:42:05] Ed’s current excitement and efforts to make higher education affordable through technology.
  • [1:48:37] The mantra by which Ed lives his life and his childhood nickname.
  • [1:50:57] How Ed brings the sound of music to his endeavors.
  • [1:57:34] Ed’s influence on others to continue his work of changing the world.
  • [1:59:40] Parting thoughts.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Jim Collins:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

PEOPLE MENTIONED

The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for “Best of Apple Podcasts” three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it’s been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.