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Tools Of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers Hardcover – Illustrated, December 6, 2016

4.6 out of 5 stars 12,058 ratings

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The latest groundbreaking tome from Tim Ferriss, the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek.
 
From the author:
 
“For the last two years, I’ve interviewed more than 200 world-class performers for my podcast,
The Tim Ferriss Show. The guests range from super celebs (Jamie Foxx, Arnold Schwarzenegger, etc.) and athletes (icons of powerlifting, gymnastics, surfing, etc.) to legendary Special Operations commanders and black-market biochemists. For most of my guests, it’s the first time they’ve agreed to a two-to-three-hour interview. This unusual depth has helped make The Tim Ferriss Show the first business/interview podcast to pass 100 million downloads.
 
“This book contains the distilled tools, tactics, and ‘inside baseball’ you won’t find anywhere else. It also includes new tips from past guests, and life lessons from new ‘guests’ you haven’t met.
 
“What makes the show different is a relentless focus on actionable details. This is reflected in the questions. For example: What do these people do in the first sixty minutes of each morning? What do their workout routines look like, and why? What books have they gifted most to other people? What are the biggest wastes of time for novices in their field? What supplements do they take on a daily basis?
 
“I don’t view myself as an interviewer. I view myself as an experimenter. If I can’t test something and replicate results in the messy reality of everyday life, I’m not interested.
 
“Everything within these pages has been vetted, explored, and applied to my own life in some fashion. I’ve used dozens of the tactics and philosophies in high-stakes negotiations, high-risk environments, or large business dealings. The lessons have made me millions of dollars and saved me years of wasted effort and frustration.
 
“I created this book, my ultimate notebook of high-leverage tools, for myself. It’s changed my life, and I hope the same for you.”
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Tools of Titans...is the perfect read for obsessives wanting to boost their new year productivity."  —Financial Times "A Poor Richard's Almanack for the 21st century, Tools of Titans is a practical and inspiring guide to being your best."  —BookPage

About the Author

TIM FERRISS has been called “a cross between Jack Welch and a Buddhist monk” by The New York Times. He 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 four #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, and Tools of Titans. 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 200 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Business
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 6, 2016
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 744 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1328683788
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1328683786
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 7 x 0.08 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 12,058 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
12,058 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a wonderful collection of knowledge and an entertaining read, with one customer noting it's like a daily devotional. The writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as meticulously written to empower readers. Moreover, the book offers incredible value for the level of knowledge it provides, and customers appreciate how it serves as a fantastic summary of Tim Ferriss's podcast episodes. However, the organization receives mixed reviews, with some finding it well-structured while others consider it unorganized.

1,179 customers mention "Information quality"1,111 positive68 negative

Customers find the book to be a wonderful collection of knowledge that is very insightful and inspiring, serving as an excellent reference.

"...The book is broken down into three sections covering health, wealth and wisdom...." Read more

"...Healthy (containing the best material regarding health, nutrition, strength training, wight loss, and healing... among other subjects). •..." Read more

"...ecosystem" so to speak, I found this book hugely entertaining and useful...." Read more

"...That being said, his is book is a treasure trove of information and inspiration...." Read more

873 customers mention "Readability"827 positive46 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a fascinating and easy-to-follow review of success stories.

"...Great book" Read more

"Overall, this is a great book with TONS of great advice from top performers in the world...." Read more

"Great read. Picked up a few habits of some of the people who were interviewed in the book. I suggest having a highlighter handy while reading...." Read more

"Amazing book. Huge breadth of topics covered with some of the key insights highlighted...." Read more

237 customers mention "Value for money"227 positive10 negative

Customers find the book to be worth its weight in gold, offering incredible value for the level of knowledge it provides.

"...in three domains that are important to all: being healthy, wealthy and wise...." Read more

"...I like how it is broken up into Healthy, Wealthy and Wise - from my first pass I picked out my three favorite points from each section:..." Read more

"Worth every penny." Read more

"...of the book in terms of how it's separated in sections of health, wealth, and wise...." Read more

138 customers mention "Podcast content"135 positive3 negative

Customers find the book to be an awesome addition to Tim Ferriss's podcast content, serving as a great reference to the episodes. One customer notes that it distills the lengthy podcast episodes, while another describes it as an encyclopedia version of the podcast archive.

"...Another great book by Tim Ferriss." Read more

"Excellent book by Ferriss -a departure from his previous books which were each focused around a specific topic, this book is a compendium of wisdom..." Read more

"...The book is a quirky collaboration of contributors from athletes, artists, and a wide array of business people each giving their suggestions on what..." Read more

"...It's a clever book with great insights and tips to lead a healthier, wealthier, happier, and wiser life." Read more

125 customers mention "Writing style"92 positive33 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, with one customer noting it is meticulously crafted to empower readers, while another describes it as delightful discourses distilled into pithy directives.

"...Tim's a great writer with a clarity of thought and purpose not often seen...." Read more

"...He also includes some of his best writing not tied to a guest profile. Among my favorites: • How To Earn Your Freedom •..." Read more

"...As other disappointed reviews have noted, there is no rhyme or reason in the organization of the book, besides the "Health, Wealth, and Wise"..." Read more

"...This one does, at every turn: Meditation, journaling, angel investing, and mental and physical health...." Read more

72 customers mention "Daily routine"72 positive0 negative

Customers find the daily routines in the book stimulating, with one customer comparing it to a high-intensity workout and another noting it's like a daily devotional.

"...To be sure, there are some great tactics, routines, and habits, much of which you are familiar with if you have followed Tim for any length of time...." Read more

"...It's been a while since I have been this excited for a book. Great work Tim...." Read more

"...book is a nitroglycerin-packed, cocaine-infused, viagra-enhanced turbocharge for the creative mind...." Read more

"This book lists exercise routines and quirky diets and, recreational drug usage of famous people that he has interviewed with a few quotes...." Read more

65 customers mention "Enjoyment"65 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining and enjoyable to browse, appreciating the great fun advice and love learning and experimenting with the content.

"...Now the good news, the book is easy to read, fun and packed from cover to cover with tips, tricks and advice others have used to get to the top of..." Read more

"...So good and fun to read!" Read more

"...Fantastic compendium. Entertaining and educational in equal measure. Thanks Tim (and guests) Declan" Read more

"...commitment, it is brilliantly laid out and easily digestible in an enjoyable and implementable fashion...." Read more

86 customers mention "Organization"43 positive43 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's organization, with some finding it well-structured and appreciating how it presents the podcast content, while others describe it as unorganized and note that the information is not grouped by topic.

"...podcasts: not only with more information, but far better formatted, structured, and polished...." Read more

"...Poorly written. There are typos everywhere, and there is no organization...." Read more

"...Very concise, just the big ideas and tons of them. It is well organized and the few-pages-per-topic format makes it perfect for flipping around to..." Read more

"...for the most part the Healthy section I found too technical and very unorganized...." Read more

It is ALL in the DOING
5 out of 5 stars
It is ALL in the DOING
I've read so much success literature and most authors managed to squeeze 3 pages into 300. Tim's work 'Tools of Titans' does the opposite and is one of the most - SCRATCH THAT IT IS THE MOST calorically dense advice/insight/tools written works I have ever read. I know some of the 'Titans' he references (ex: Tony Robbins - long ago my wife an I used to help volunteer staff his programs) I say this not as 'Heck yah! I KNOW these guys' ... No, it is in a wonderful way that I can read something about and from someone I know AND STILL COME AWAY WITH A NEW INSIGHT! SO HERE IS MY SELF APPOINTED CHALLENGE: As I read, re-read, jumped around, highlighted, underlined and feel asleep and woke up thinking about all that I found in Tim's book ... I felt had I MUST do this. Background: I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's from exposure to Agent Orange and/or toxic water from Camp Lejeune. I have had multiple TBI. I have had 21 surgeries and ... my cervical spine is exhibiting the same signs as it did prior to my last (and botched) cervical spine surgery. I weigh 292 lbs ... though my caloric intake, according to Myfitnesspal dot come should be showing a 1.5 lb/week loss ... and yet, I have gained 60 some lbs in the past year. (if you are the impatient type skip the next few paragraphs as this is background info) My local Medical doctors shrug and either tell me 'Don't worry about it' - shorthand for dude, you are so SCREWED that ain't gonna be what gets ya!' OR they insist I am overeating despite my willingness to show them my nutrition logs. I even went to Mayo clinic this past June ... a process that took 3 months to book. My wife and I sat down with the Doc on my first day and he liked at us like 'What the ____ are you doing here?" He cleared his throat and said "Well, I'm leaving for Germany in 6 hours to give a speech' (anyone know german cuss words to describe this ?) So, somewhat discouraged I shuffled down for my blood draw and then went to scheduling to see what tests I had for the rest of my scheduled week. Have you ever watched someone squirm when they have to give you really bad news ... but don't know how to say it? That was my experience watching the Lady at Mayo Clinic assigned to give me my week's schedule. The poor woman looked like a 2nd grader that had a seriously full bladder squirming in their seat. She kept looking around to see if ANYONE could/would relive her of telling us and on realizing "Nope, i gotta tell this guy to go poo in his hat' she blurted out "YOUR NEXT APPOINT FOR THIS WEEK IS SCHEDULED FOR .... AUGUST 2ND" That was on Tuesday June 7th. August was a TEENSY BIT LONGER THAN I WAS PREPARED TO SPEND WAITING IN THEIR WAITING ROOM! Bottom line: Traditional Medicine has written me off. Which is fine ... as I have written them off too! ************** if you were skipping paragraphs please rejoin us here ******************** Good people of the Amazonian reading tribe ... I have to STRIKE THAT ... I MUST DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR ... I WILL DIE. That is not hyperbole. That is not exaggeration. I believe this to be fact. I placed photos of my scale ... and of my medicines (blurry so no label info shows) I take 21 some meds/day. Yes ... wayyyy too many! I am a 'pill-serf' IF DO NOT CHANGE THE PROCESS OF HOW I FEED, CARE FOR AND PROVIDE FOR THIS PHYSICAL BODY I WILL NOT LIKELY INHABIT IT MUCH LONGER. To that end, I pledge I will start blogging and logging my results as I work through Tim's 'Tools of Titans'. (Talk about go BIG or go home ... yeah? precisely!) The blog will be named That Lonesome Road dot ____ (apologies if Amazon thinks this is promotional, I seek to serve not promote and ask you allow me to do this in a way that meets your standards) and I invite any and all of you to join me as I do my all to save my life and insure my Music does not go to my grave unplayed. I pledge: 1. I will be brutally honest. 2. If I feel the desire to hold back from fear of ____ ... then I know I am on the right path. 3. I will keep an honest record and tell you if what I have done works ... and if not whether I think I was the reason or no. 4. I am doing this to hold myself accountable NOT seek notoriety. If I sound like a pompous jerk please let me know. 5. I will do one of the hardest things I rarely do - I will ask for help. 6. Though the subject is ... well, it ain't Sunshine and Roses ... I pledge to have a sense of humor about this! 7. I will say Please; Thank You; I am Sorry; Will be on Time; & Will finish what I start. Genuine good manners, Graciousness, and Accountability are very scarce these days. I pledge I will embody that ... or you have my complete permission to take a whiz in my cup of ... Thank you Tim for writing this and capturing these insights. Thank you to all who contributed. Thank you to all who read this - I pray it is of service. DS
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2025
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    From the perspective of a VC-backed founder + also former seed investor:

    I just finished Tool of Titans. I bought this book on June 11th 2025 and finished it on June 25th (~45 pages a day). Over the past few months and the 20+ books I have read in my own self-curriculum to self-growth, I catch myself saying “this was the best book ever.” Tim Ferris’s book - “Tool of Titans” generally has felt like the best book so far.

    When I first opened the book, my first observation was around how thin the pages were. It almost felt as thin as the pages in the bible. Of which my first thought based on that observation was: “ugh, gosh. Is this guy trying to create what is the modern day bible for tech-entrepreneur-abes?”

    I bought this book to understand how “billionaires” think so that I could understand the rules in which to understand them, play alongside them, and ultimately beat them. Now having finished the 645 pages of this book, I walk away feeling: they are all just normal people. They all wished they “worried” less when they were younger, they all are practicing some form of “meditation” to fight their inner self-talk of doubt. Taking risks, leaning into discomfort, to hard conversations, living more authentically, reframing from people-pleasing…these are “hardships” we put onto ourselves and that rather life is so simple, to become a “titan” is so simple: it's about being led by love and curiosity.

    This is my first Tim Ferriss Book. Actually, this is the first anything I’ve consumed by Tim. I never wanted to buy his work because I thought it wouldn’t resonate with me given how different our identities are. He’s a presumably fit white man who went to Princeton. I am a 5’2 medium-sized east-asian woman who grew up in the Bay Area and went to Stanford.

    There are many things to like about this book in its encyclopedic style of short form Q&A recaps with these Titans, but what I appreciated most actually were Tim’s essays: “the lazy manifesto” and “suicide”. Those short essays / manifestos spoke to me.

    I’ve read a lot of books over the past couple months on my sabbatical (I am in month three) - 5,000 pages, 20-ish books (most of which are NYT bestsellers) about mindset/the brain/ego to be exact. I’ve enjoyed each book but a few stand out in having produced a “bodily feeling”:
    - Inner Excellence left me with what it felt like to release ego, this feeling of nakedness. I remember finishing this book on a bus ride from the airport to my friend’s apt in Los Angeles to attend a gathering of the top 100 most influential AAPI leaders, thinking…”how can I go? I feel this uncomfortable feeling of rawness.” That rawness was the temporary release of ego. This book produced that same feeling of ego-release that sometimes takes place when taking psychedelics. I realized how much I had driven by ego (self centered thoughts of “I must..”) the past few months of my founder’s journey
    - The Upside of Stress left me with a deep sense of relief. I felt like I finally realized how powerful our minds are and how we have choice and agency in the beliefs we choose to let guide our thoughts and actions. This book taught me the extent to how powerful “the mind-body” connection is.
    - Messy Middle left me with a sense of connection in the founder’s journey. That I was not alone. Scott’s way of describing feelings of the founder’s journey and all the messy turns almost perfectly encapsulated a lot of the thoughts I had in my own journey. I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have read this book before starting my company or at least at some point when I was running it and if it would have led to a different outcome - maybe I could have been a better CEO to my team. Probably more to chew on there.

    Now, Tools of Titans was the book I cried to the most of, most of the crying taking place in the last fifty pages or so. Towards the end, he talks about the chapter of meeting a fan, Silas, who asks Tim to sign the book for his brother only to find out later that Silas’s brother had committed suicide shortly before and Silas wanted to have a signed copy to leave in his dead room’s brother given how much his brother loved listening to Tim. In this chapter, Tim walks through then his own battle of struggling against thoughts of suicide.

    For me, as I rank the 20 something books I’ve read now, I put Tools of Titans as probably #1 and the reason for it is the last two lines that Tim ends his book with: “it is my hope that when you read and reread this book, you will feel the spirit of these titans with you. No matter the hardship, challenge, or grand ambition before you, they are here. You are not alone, and you are better than you think. As Jocko would say: Get after it.”

    This book goes as my #1 of the books I’ve read so far because it helped me feel seen. And the chapter that helped me feel most seen, was the suicide chapter. It served as a reminder that dark thoughts are universally felt. In that universalness, we then feel connected.

    In all of my travel, prompted journaling, reading I’ve done over the past 3 months across Turkey, Egypt, Ironman week in Houston, Los Angeles, Bay Area, San Diego, the one prompt I never wrote about was my own battle with suicidal thoughts.

    When I reflect back on January to end of March 2025 as I was working through the transitions of removing myself as CEO of my company, passing the baton on to our co-founder and COO (who I respect deeply), that was the darkest moment of my professional life. The only other moment that felt that dark was more of a personal experience when a family member was battling with thoughts of suicide.

    Normally, I am someone who would describe myself as extroverted (almost too extroverted), happy-go-lucky, jovial. But during this dark time, I felt alone. I retreated to social conversations only with my husband.

    This dark period started when one of my favorite board members had abruptly left to join another venture capital firm, returning then another board member, who I deeply respect but is someone who I was intimidated by. I was scared to be honest with him, whereas with this previous board member, he had a calmness where moments of honesty felt more like brainstorming. As I reflect back, it was my own fear of being honest with this new board member that led to the need for my transition out. I was scared to admit where we weren’t thriving as a business and as a result, I was doing a greater disservice to the business. My transition out was the best decision for the business at that point in time for two reasons: 1. Deep down, I knew that our COO would be willing to serve the business’s purpose greater than me having lived the journey of the customer (and for anyone in the founder’s journey or thinking about starting a company, you need to be willing to suffer. She was willing to suffer). And 2. If the board functions as your married partner, chemistry matters and my chemistry was no longer there with this board change.

    The dark time was initiated when the new board member had called me and shared that in a couple months, we should decide if you are the right CEO. It was a comment made in passing, I don’t know if he remembers even saying it. But for me, that was the moment where I lost complete faith in myself. Perhaps for other founders, hearing a statement like that would have evoked a sense of: “well, I am going to prove him wrong.” For me, at that moment in time, I took it as: “I know enough about this person to know that if he is thinking that, I shouldn’t try fighting this because the thought has already been planted.” The backstory I haven’t shared is that I had worked in the past with this board member as his right-hand for almost 5-6 years. I know him well, and he knows me well and that is probably why that statement hit me harder than it should have.

    I am not a parent, but it felt as if at that moment in time, the person I wanted to believe in me the most, no longer did. I now know that it mustn’t have been easy for him to share that statement with me either and that he was doing his fiduciary responsibility as a board member to be tough on me.

    While board members are certainly not parents, the board-member to founder relationship can feel like a parental one for a first time founder - where we are seeking the “approvals” of board members. With more experience, we learn that board members, if assembled correctly, are not parents; rather they are extra guardians of the vision. Their job is to help us catch blind-spots and ultimately it is to determine when to hire/fire the CEO.

    The loss of faith in me, which I do not fault anyone because I was not my most authentic and honest self in the woes of the business in that January board meeting, was debilitating. Everyday after, I woke up in panic. What used to be days where I looked forward to meeting the team, to reading patient quotes and how much they valued our experience, turned into my worst thoughts of: “does the team respect me? Will they leave me?” And worst of all…”will they conspire against me?”

    I sleep in a room with black-out shades and every morning felt like walking with black-out shades that never left. Everything felt dimmer. My heart would race wondering…”when are they going to fire me?” I lived this for almost 3 months. The first thing I did when we announced my transition into the board member role as our COO stepped into the CEO role was go to the doctor because my armpits/lymph nodes were so swollen it hurt to exercise. I thought I had cancer. (Isn’t that crazy?)

    I remember one of our physician board members texting me on a Friday…”can you share the number of the new board member’s number? He emailed me to connect. It probably isn’t about you but about the election.” I shared his number, but I knew that it was about me. I actually am grateful for that text from the physician board member because it helped prime me.

    So when the Wednesday call happened announcing the mutual consensus for the need to consider a CEO transition, I already knew. I wasn’t surprised. Rather, the first thought that came to mind was: relief.

    Relief was the #1 feeling I had. Leading up to that call, I called one of my best friends - someone who now I only cherish even more - out of emotional desperation. For the past few weeks leading up to that call, I started developing a thought that was only becoming louder and that was: “I don’t want to live anymore.” It had started as a very slow comment - maybe only presenting itself every now and then.

    But towards those last few weeks, It had started becoming louder and louder to where on my commute to work, I would imagine what it would look like to jump into the train tracks. I don’t think I ever would, but I hated that the thought even surfaced. Now three months post this board transition and grateful for this transition, I realize how devastating of a thought that is to have especially for all the love that surrounds me with my husband, my family, and my friends.

    I look back now, and I think to myself: how tragic would it have been to off myself because of a company not working out, where we know the odds are <10% of it not working out anyways? But in the moment, the company felt like my identity, my sense of self worth, the reason that people found me interesting.

    That board member who gave the call saved me. As much as it was because of the self doubt I placed on myself when he had shared “his thoughts of if I was the right CEO”, he was also the one that I think saved me from what would have been months more of this sadness for a mission / purpose that no longer quite compelled me after three years of serving it.

    The reason why Tim’s book ranks #1 for me is because of how deeply vulnerable his own manifestos were in the book. It takes a great deal of courage to share your own bouts of doubts, let alone thoughts of suicide with others. Heck, it's taken me 7 cities, 3 countries, 20+ books, 5,000 pages of reading on the brain/mindset, to have the courage to write my own battle with those then dark thoughts.

    Now being on the other side, 3 months post board decision of transition, I feel so thankful for that board decision. It takes courage to walk away when you feel so easily like a quitter.

    The last 3 months for me have been the first time in the last 8 years where I have given myself more than 10 business days off. These last 3 months have been my own self-guided curriculum of “books” as I understand the emotions that I had to wrestle with as a founder/CEO who raised probably more venture funding than we should have during that point in time.

    When I was in my dark era, I had lost my will to be curious. Rather, I felt like I was in survival mode serving my ego of “how not to get fired” rather than my questions being centered around “how to best serve the mission of our company.”

    Stepping away was the best thing I could do for the business, but also for regaining my curiosity to live.

    And that curiosity has been regained. Books did that for me. Reading these 5,000 pages, 20+ books, restored my perspective so that I can be deeply curious, a trait that I have always prided myself in having.

    Tim’s books restored a sense of connectedness in that all of us - even the Titans - fall down and over again. That we are not alone in the inner battles of self-doubt. That “the greats”are battling their gremlins every day. The last two sentences of his book are a masterful ending and encapsulate why this books means so much to me.”
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2016
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Congrats to Tim Ferriss for breaking from the "The Four-Hour..." title series! I was equally suspiscious and anxious that the next book might be some variant of "The Four-Hour Dad." Even more congrats for doing so with such a powerful, diverse, actionable book!

    -----------------------

    Are you a non-listener of "The Tim Ferriss Show Podcast," or have you only heard a few episodes?

    If yes -- read the book. Do it now! See the hundreds of other reviews for why.

    One tip: you should read another book (or books) concurrently with this one. Why? Most Americans read far too little, and when we do read, we get into a "I-must-finish-this-book-before-I-start-another-book!" mindset. That makes reading far less pleasurable and it really nulls the effect of the information in this book. That's double true if you read the book too quickly. Read, say, a section or two a day, ingest it slowly, and take action on what you learn. After that section or so -- notes welcome! -- read something else, or take action based on what you read.

    -----------------------

    Recommendation for all:

    Even better, and perhaps coincidentally, the past few months I've been thinking I'd give up podcasts in 2017, including TED talks or other otherwise indulgent info- or curiosity-porn: sources of information that scratch our itch to learn something new without actually improving our lives. Podcasts have also taken away from my reading time, as I feel the new episodes "piling up" and exerting their pressure. Thus, in December 2017, I know I can easily search "best podcast episodes of ____ in 2017."

    This book sealed the deal! I'm even more excited to review and take action on everything I've learned from this behemoth.

    -----------------------

    For other listeners of the podcast:

    I, too, have listened to the podcast since the first episode. Freakonomics and Paleo solution? Great. RadioLab and TED talks? I'll admit, I'm a drug addict. But even when I did take notes on random episodes of other podcasts, none compared with the frequency or quantity of notes I took based on Tim Ferriss' interviews over the past several years. I've even been reviewing my notes and bolding (then highlighting in color) important parts, just like I do with book highlights. That's a valuable podcast! And at points, I certainly had the attitude of, "dammit! another freaking 3 hours this week from this damn interview podcast!" Yet without fail, every time I browsed the show notes, flipped through an (or listened to an entire) episode, I'd take notes and learn valuable lessons.

    Thus, I was skeptical about reading this book, especially when starting and seeing the table of contents. Wouldn't this just be rehashed information? Wouldn't I be better served reading other books and reviewing my podcast notes?

    Hardly.

    The book is an excellent supplement to the podcasts: not only with more information, but far better formatted, structured, and polished.

    I read about 95% of the book in short period and highlighted perhaps 20-30% of it (damn you, Kindle DRM!). Now what? A daily plan where I'll spend 30-45 minutes reviewing my highlights, organizing their importance, and implementing their lessons into my life over the next few months. I don't know it all, but this book is such a massive glut of wisdom. Personally, I don't need to read much nonfiction for a while: I feel like my highlights, notes, and actions from this book will keep me busy for the better part of the new year.

    -----------------------

    Here's to a better society as a result of this book's influence. With regard to life, here's hoping we can all just "enjoy it."

    Thank you Tim Ferriss, and keep up the great work!

    John

    -----------------------
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  • REVIEW GOD
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Powerful Toolkit for Peak Performance 🛠️💪
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 22, 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    In "Tools of Titans," Tim Ferriss has crafted a masterpiece – a compendium of wisdom, strategies, and life lessons from some of the world's most successful and accomplished individuals. This book is a treasure trove of actionable insights that will undoubtedly empower readers to unlock their full potential and achieve extraordinary results in all aspects of life.

    Pros:
    ✅ Diverse Perspectives: With contributions from nearly 200 "world-class performers" spanning various fields, this book offers a rich tapestry of experiences, philosophies, and approaches, ensuring that there is something valuable for everyone. 🌐
    ✅ Highly Practical: Ferriss's relentless focus on actionable details and replicable tactics makes this book an invaluable resource for anyone seeking tangible strategies to improve their lives. 💡
    ✅ Engaging Storytelling: Ferriss's captivating writing style and his ability to weave together personal anecdotes and real-life examples make this book an absolute page-turner. 📖

    Cons:
    ❌ Information Overload: With such a wealth of information packed into one volume, it may be challenging for some readers to fully absorb and implement all the insights, requiring a selective and focused approach. 🤯
    ❌ Niche Applicability: While the book covers a broad range of topics, some of the more niche or advanced strategies may not resonate with or be relevant to all readers. 🎯

    As someone constantly striving for self-improvement and personal growth, I found "Tools of Titans" to be an absolute game-changer. Ferriss's curation of diverse perspectives and his unwavering commitment to practicality make this book a true gem. 💎

    Whether you're an entrepreneur seeking to optimize your productivity, an athlete looking to take your performance to the next level, or simply someone seeking a more fulfilling life, this book is an invaluable resource that will undoubtedly expand your horizons and equip you with the tools you need to achieve your goals. Highly recommended for anyone seeking wisdom, inspiration, and actionable strategies from some of the greatest minds of our time. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
  • luca
    5.0 out of 5 stars I dont know why so many bad reviews...
    Reviewed in Italy on March 10, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book gives you bits of information, but it's up to YOU to make some research, test it out and expand on them. It's up to you to get something useful for your life. It's not a go-to book or a lemme-show-you-how-to book. It's a that's-what-we-do book. But I am super sure that EVERYBODY is going to find out at least one thing that's gonna have a huge impact on their lives. Something definitely worth the price.

    I did but I won't share it here, because it's as simple as one sentence that ticks something in your mind, something you have never thought of, something that you simply weren't clever enough to figure out. But thanks to Tim there is this book where you can know about routines and tools successful people use. You just gotta tweak'em and apply them to your own life.

    Maybe it's fasting once a month, maybe it's a Chrome extension, maybe it's a book you never heard of, or maybe it's a fitness tool you didn't know existed - I'm sure you are gonna get something IMPORTANT out of this book. And that's definitely gonna be worth the price.
  • Alex
    5.0 out of 5 stars Es lo que dice que es. Un set de herramientas para mejorar tu vida.
    Reviewed in Mexico on September 11, 2018
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Libro de la mejor calidad. Si tienes la inquietud de cambiar tu vida, reinventarte, intentar cosas nuevas que jamás se te hallan ocurrido, o que ya habías escuchado pero no no lo habías puesto en práctica; Considera comprarlo seriamente. Este libro contiene las herramientas que necesitas para ser más feliz, vivir una vida más saludable y básicamente cómo enriquecer tu vida.
    Dentro encontrarás consejos, tips, hacks, historias, experiencias y estrategias de personas que han tenido éxito. La magia del libro esta en encontrar los patrones y experimentar con ellos.
    Report
  • GEORGES
    5.0 out of 5 stars Muito bom
    Reviewed in Brazil on May 1, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Vale a pena ler este livro, conta várias
    histórias de várias pessoas de sucesso empresarial pelo mundo todo. Muitk bom
  • ホッツ
    4.0 out of 5 stars Western-centric Advice from Interviewed People, Grouped by Interviewee
    Reviewed in Japan on August 17, 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This massive book contains lots of actionable advice, grouped into sections first by person, then people-grouped by three categories: Healthy, Wealth, and Wise. They read like podcast interviews, with prompts followed by answers. Most interviews asked the same questions.

    The advice is actionable, unique, and grounded in reality.

    Just three problems:

    1.) I didn't know most (> 90%) of the people. They received introductions but most seemed like regulars I wouldn't want to emulate. They are heavily Western (Silicon Valley) investor-centric, with very few Chinese/Japanese/Korean Asians, non-UK Europeans, and Australians.

    2.) It's hard to find things you've read. Indexing is non-existent, so I have to highlight and transcribe key quotes. There is no glossary of terms, so once you've read something, you lose it. The Table of Contents is just a list of people. And unless you know the person, or have a visual of his or her face, then tough luck tracking down a quote in a 600-page behemoth without any indexing or grouping by topic.

    3.) No images. The spiritual animals aren't consistent, as not all interviewees have them. Without faces or images to put to the names, I couldn't remember who said what, unless it was someone I already knew. As such, it felt like reading a short story anthology, where I'd have to annotate topics or quotes that interest me, so I have my own searchable compendium, then search for images or photographs of the people on the internet.

    Still a good book. Just not something to keep shelved, as it's impossible to reference after-the-fact. Annotate and condense with note-taking as you read, so you have your own collection of meaningful points after finishing the book.