Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Tools Of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2016

Tim, if you're reading this, I have a great idea for you at the end of this review. No sarcasm, no snark.

DISCLAIMER: I am a Tim Ferriss apologist. I've listened to almost every episode of his podcast. Own his books. Have been following him since 4 Hour Work Week came out.

Tim's podcast has rewired my brain. My life is measurably better because of what I've learned. Literally. I have hereditary cholesterol problems and my forays into a ketogenic lifestyle dropped my particle count from ~1950 to ~1225. There are many other great things that have come as a result of my exposure to Tim's podcast, too many to list here.

When he announced TOOLS OF TITANS, I was ecstatic. I pre-ordered this book in September.

I'm sad to say that I'm non-plussed, borderline disappointed.

On one hand, I love having a "totem" of something that has changed my life so profoundly. To that end, I am happy to own the book.

On the other hand, it does not deliver on its promise. This is supposedly a "recipe book" (according to page xvi in the Foreword).

It is no such thing.

If I want to bake an apple pie, I go to the Table of Contents, I look up apple pie, I turn to that page.

You cannot do that in this book.

Tim has amazing things to say about meditation. A few guests on his podcast have amazing things to say about meditation (Sam Harris, Naval Ravikant, Kevin Rose, etc.).

But there is no central place to which you can turn to find out the collected wisdom of the many guests who have delved into this topic.

The same goes for investing. The same goes for particular health hacks.

In fact, there's not even one central place in the book that gives a list of the commonalities between the guests. That's a HUGE missed opportunity.

THE ADVICE:

Make a second edition. Soon. It doesn't even have to add new content. Just tighten this up and make it so that you can read about certain topics in a centralized place. If there are parts that don't fit, maybe have an author section at the back... but, dang.

FINAL THOUGHT:
Millionaires become millionaires (in part) because they've learned to say "no." They have the discipline to turn down the good, so that they can pursue (and achieve) the great.

This book is just too too too much good. It doesn't tell you what is great. It will leave you chasing dozens upon dozens of random tactics and thoughts in a dozen different fields.

It might teach the tactics and routines and habits of world-class performers, but there's FAR TOO MUCH here to make it valuable in showing YOU how to achieve those heights. And, if there is ONE person that you could model to become like them in their field... there is FAR TOO LITTLE here to actually help you on your way.

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Montana Santa

It is ALL in the DOING

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2016

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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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Ms. Colorado

Tools of Titans is the most motivating book of the year.

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2017

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I will admit, when I first heard Tim was going to release this book, my ears perked up.
I was at the time in quite a funk, both personally and professionally. Having become a slave to some unproductive habits and spinning within some prehistoric negative feedback loops that felt impossible to unwind. On top of this, I have spent the last 2 years revitalizing my soul through a journey of healing from sustained trauma that imprinted me with a case of Complex PTSD. For people with this wiring, it can be doubly difficult to reprogram and dismantle self defeating beliefs and the behaviors they feed.

I pre-ordered this book in the hopes that it would serve at the very least as a motivational catalyst towards implementation of subtle changes within my environment day to day. The analysis paralysis phase in which I found myself didn't lend itself very well to the monolithic task of reading this book! I blocked off 1-2 hours each day when I would consume the gems of knowledge sprawled liberally throughout this compendium.

The simple task of setting aside and scheduling a date with Tools of Titans each day was the launching pad that I required in order to enter into a state of motion, as inconsequential as that seemed. And that is the magic of this book. I found that as I gained momentum and read each day, I was rewarded with actionable items that I could pepper into my routine without a lot of pressure or commitment. We are talking about things like the 5 minute journal, writing down affirmations each day, stretching, moving and forcing myself to get sunshine when possible. I did all of this in the kindest way possible, avoiding any impulse to punish myself when I failed, and instead celebrating each small victory. I will admit, I wasn't sure whether the book would fulfill my idealized objectives, but as I continued to flow through the motions, the re-wiring started to become apparent in various facets of my life.

From the book and all the people represented there, I began to feel a sense of encouragement which then translated into satisfaction, accomplishment and discipline. All coalescing towards the strength required in order to pull myself out of the slippery rut I'd descended into within the last couple of years. In the month that I've dedicated towards self actualization, I've managed to reset my brain, write daily in my journal, collect ideas for future endeavors, reentered my body through a daily yoga practice that starts at dawn every day and transitioned out of reactionary defense physiology. This has allowed me focus on regaining my health and mobility which directly sustains a balanced mental state. I started to feel myself growing out of the discomfort of doing things that I didn't really want to do, but knew were necessary medicine.

I managed to complete tasks that I had been procrastinating on for months due to physical limitations and lagging energy. I have been unemployed, (mostly due to burnout) for about 4 months and living on a dearth of savings feeling quite irrelevant, expendable and kind of hopeless. I had little motivation to better my situation. I became somewhat addicted to digital media having for over a month been immobile due to a back injury and having little in way of productivity. I've slowly weaned myself off this nefarious internet addiction, using some of the principles in this book, mostly through the sense that what I am doing now is tangible and measurable vs. the nebulous engagement with non-productive content on the web.We have all lost hours to aimless browsing so I know I'm not the only one who has struggled with this.

And guess what? I finally landed a job. It is remote which is what I wanted for obvious reasons. The position aligns with my values through a philosophy known as the results oriented work environment. This basically gives me the flexibility to design the life I want around experiences instead of hoping I can just fit in the things I love around my schedule.
I start next week. The position will pay just enough for me to get by for the time being, and I am banking on Ryan Holiday's advice regarding advancement through service. I am hoping, as I develop efficiency through adding layers of actionable items to my routine, that I will have the flexibility and time required to start learning about how to develop additional streams of income for myself.

I have a 3-5 year plan that I think is definitely achievable as long as I am able to stay the course. I may have to get very creative, and that plan will adjust as I learn through action. I will continue to re-read and reference this book as my situation evolves since it has been such a source of inspiration to me during this trying time.

Thank you Tim, for condensing the takeaways derived from these influencers in an easy to understand, palatable and actionable manner. I've benefited tremendously from your podcast and from Tools of Titans.
~Monica L.

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Ray Edwards

Tim Wrote This Book So I Wouldn't Have To

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2017

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On my list of "Someday/Maybe" projects was this one, innocent little item: "Distill notes on Tim Ferriss's best podcasts."

Backstory: in the beginning, I didn't like Tim's podcast much, because I thought it was too long. No editing.

Eventually, I realized the fault was not with Tim's approach - it was with my premise. That premise: good interviews are tight, controlled, and edited down to maximize the "pithiness factor". Sound bytes.

Our culture is trained to react to the 10-second sound byte, the 140-character tweet, and the 300-word "blog post."

Longer content causes our brain to burn calories.

As I was awakened from the matrix, I realized these long interviews allowed Tim to dig deeper, pursue "tangents", and get the person he's interviewing to say things they might never have said in a traditional interview.

Conversations.

Tim Ferriss was having conversations.

One day I was perusing all the show notes, looking at the guest's names, and it struck me: I had a cave full of dragon's treasure in front of me. Wide open. I was free to take as much as I could carry.

That's when the idea occurred to me: it would be extraordinarily useful to comb through all this material, to sift and sort, and to distill the very best idea, tools, methods, habits, and routines into a single document.

Big project.

But worthwhile.

There is rested, on my "Someday/Maybe" list, until an obscure day somewhere in the distant future.

Then I heard Tim talking about this new project.

He was going to sift, sort, organize, and summarize all this material for me! (Okay, so it's not just for me... but it sure felt that way when I heard the news!)

And who better to unearth not only the obvious moments of genius, but also the more obscure moments of deeper insight, the unglamorous truths that yield exponential results, and the profound moment of insight that might easily be missed when listening to a podcast.

What You Will Find In The Book

Tim has divided this tome (673 pages) into three main sections:

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

• Wealthy (insight, tools, techniques, and approaches for building one's material fortune).

• Wise (how to pursue a live worth living, learn from mistakes and challenges... and summaries of the wisdom of his most sages guests).

Tim suggests thinking of these three categories as the legs on a tripod upon which life is balanced.

Each of the three main sections includes dozens of profiles focused on the best guests from The Tim Ferriss Show podcast scattered throughout each interview.

The profiles are like "Cliff Notes" of the conversations Tim shared with each guest. These are NOT transcripts, but something mich better. These are the actionable, usable, profitable, beneficial gems sc

He also includes some of his best writing not tied to a guest profile. Among my favorites:

• How To Earn Your Freedom

• How To Say "No" When It Matters Most

• Is This What I So Feared?

• Testing The Impossible": 17 Questions That Changed My Life

I found the book to be well-organized and Tim's choices of who/what to include spot on.

If I had written up these summaries, would I have made different choices? In some cases yes. But if this project had been left to me, there would have been a few problems:

1. It would probably have never been finished (hey, I have work of my own to do!)

2. It would have been more focused on only the things of obvious value to me - Tim's approach is undoubtedly broader, and therefore more useful to the reading public at large.

3. And finally, the most obvious problem: these are Tim's guests, Tim's articles, and Tim's ideas. If I had written up these notes, they would not have been as good. And more problematic: nobody else would have ever read them.

I give the book my highest recommendation.

And thanks Tim, for writing it so I wouldn't have to.

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Terry Middleton

Strap in for a wonderful journey...you are about to encournter amazing and discover yourself

Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2017

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What do people who are crazy successful or who have accomplished the amazing have it common with you and me?

Everything in common...they are absolutely no different than you and me Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers ...as you'll discover.

I bought a book called Tools of the Titans by Tim Ferriss. The best way I can describe reading this book is every turn of the page, your jaw drops and you get a window into greatest that never stops through the entire book.

I can't tell you how many times I have said, "just when I thought I'd read the best part, I turn the page and there is another gift and my mind would be absolutely blown away."

Tim Ferriss interviews hundreds of people who have accomplished crazy amazing things in life. Yet, you realize that these people are just like you and me.

I could easily been reading about you. The book gives a couple pages to each person and reveals something unique about them that will definitely leave you with a golden nugget of knowledge, inspiration or a sense that you should absolutely take action on what you are been dreaming about all your life.

How does someone with no legs and only one arm get on a motorcycle and go full throttle on the open road? You'll meet BJ Miller. Arnold Schwarzenegger is in the book and you'll learn something about him that will leave you with, "hmm, I did not know that. This is how he stays sharp. I didn't not know that."

This book is about regular people who have itches and they scratch those itches and basically change the world. OMG you have to meet Amanda Palmer. She's on page 520. This woman changed me. I highly encourage you to watch her TEDTalk.

Tools of the Titans is about 679 pages and I just turned the page on 606. I started reading it the last week in January. I read just 10-30 mins each morning.
Every time I come across something really good I would jot it down on a note pad. I've got 7 pages of jots.

The best way I can describe the book is that it is like a present that has another present inside the present inside the present inside the present. Like a flower that opens and never stops opening.

Honestly, I'm kind of sad that I'm about to finish the book.

Oh wait...so Tim Ferriss provides each person's twitter or website at the beginning of each person's page(s). You can then get to know these people even more through twitter, Instagram, their website and become even more amazed.

I got to communicate with a retired Navy Seal who was Chris Kyle's command and he actually responded to one of my tweets where I asked him, "Jocko, what goals are you chasing/achieving/working on?" His response back to me was STRONGER. FASTER. SMARTER. BETTER.

If you want inspiration, to be amazed, uplifted, challenged, I recommend this book. If you want to discover that there is nothing different between you and these Titans. Trust me, they are just as jack'd up as you and I as you'll discover. Basically, they are normal.

Wait til your read about Derek Sivers p. 184 and his dolphin story on p. 190. This story alone is worth 10x what the price of the book is. Changed my outlook on life immediately and now everyday I practice what you'll learn about Derek. Wow!

Funny story, I had just been back in July exactly where Derek's story takes place so it made it all the cooler.
If you'd like to treat yourself, or bless someone else, I recommend Tools of the Titans by Tim Ferriss.

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John Fial

Written for every human!

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2016

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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MG

Very Good But Doesn't Quite Fill the Shoes of Its Challenging Premise Despite 700 Pages

Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2016

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"The 4 Hour Work Week" remains one of the most important non-fiction books I have ever read, and I've read hundreds, maybe a thousand by now. It remains probably the most highlighted book in my library; nearly every page is marked up with yellow highlights and penciled notes in the margin. Ferriss continues to write and talk about valuable life and business hacks that have, over the years, profoundly changed my lifestyle and businesses. Maybe because of this, I found less to highlight in "Tools for Titans" -- less that blew me away, like "4 Hour" did.

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. One of the limits of the book is that it is only about the "titans" he has interviewed on his podcast. It's not a fault (many titans no doubt are on his wish list to interview), but it is a limit. While the book has the likes of Peter Diamandis, Malcolm Gladwell, Kevin Kelly, General Stan McChrystal, Tony Robbins, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Peter Thiel -- and personal favorites of mine like James Altucher and Rolf Potts (who I discovered thru Tim), there are others who I would not necessarily consider a titan. I have nothing against Margaret Cho, Whitney Cummings, and Rainn Wilson, but "titans" might be a stretch. But again -- I get it -- it's about whose who Ferriss has interviewed.

Some tips that resonated with me: Travel with boxes of sardines, oysters, and macadamia nuts (page 28), the Sleep Mask (page 141, bought it immediately and now use it), capping the downside and asymmetrical risk and reward (page 214 and 215), the Law of Category (page 276), being reminded about 1,000 true fans (page 292), I really need to read Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman (page 327 and I think elsewhere), the importance of saying no; if you say yes to too many things, your agenda becomes a list of other people's agendas (page 387), leveraging strengths instead of fixing weaknesses (page 389), star therapy (page 401), using pseudonyms while traveling (page 425), cover up your laptop camera (page 429), the Dickens Process (449), submerge yourself in the greatest works of all time (page 505), you should always have hot chilies, shallots, and lemons in your kitchen (page 541), how to make soft-boiled eggs (page 559), Marlon Brando and genius (page 562). Oh and Rick Rubin is awesome.

I just noticed in going through these tips (some I knew, some I was reminded of), that many of the titans are from Silicon Valley/tech oriented and many are young, perhaps too young to be in the Wise Section just yet. The only tip I physically disliked was the young professor who said the worst advice he ever heard was "follow your passions." I tried to read his reasoning, which as I recall included words like "satisfying." He's wrong, and ironically, I would tell Tim that THAT was the worst advice I have heard. It may be a cliché and I know it can be fashionable to criticize a cliché, but you absolutely must figure out what makes you say "Hell ya," as is described elsewhere in the book.

To conclude, I would say "Titans" is a tome of some very useful information, especially if you are unfamiliar with Ferriss and his work. But it doesn't quite fill the shoes of its lofty and challenging premise, again because it was limited to the podcast interviewees. And it probably didn't need to be almost 700 pages. Having said that, I would still recommend it to those still living in The Matrix. And if you haven't read "4 Hour Workweek" -- do it.

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Rufus Lefbetter

author of “Tools of Titans’” is known best for his life hacking observations which advocate for a ...

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2017

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For the uninitiated, Timothy Ferris, author of “Tools of Titans’” is known best for his life hacking observations which advocate for a work less/more living lifestyle. His breakthrough book, “The Four Hour Workweek” launched him from a relative unknown to best-selling author, and cult hero of sorts. Ferris quickly followed up his initial success with a popular podcast and several other books. As a fearless self-promoter, Ferris is now considered a self-improvement guru who is regularly featured in major business magazines.

“Tools of Titans” is essentially, a collection of the best practices taken from ultra-successful people Ferris has interviewed over the past decade. We learn from these interviews how each person cultivated and maintained their success. Every profile begins with a short biography of each featured person. Although many of the subjects’ names may not be recognizable at first, the bios quickly reveal the credibility of their accomplishments.

Taking highlights from his podcast discussions, Ferris divides “Tools of Titans” into sections that generally cover fitness, finance, and life advice. Paying homage to the great innovator Ben Franklin, Ferris divides “Tools of Titans” into three main sections: Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise. Ferris asks many of his interview subjects the same series of questions (IE “What do you have for breakfast?”) which creates a decent cadence for the book

In the “Healthy” section, Ferris reveals simple practices and daily routines that set uber-achievers apart. Each individual’s summary profile includes what they eat, exercises that recommend, and suggested reading that inspires them.
The “Wealthy” section includes extensive observations from people such as Arnold Schwarznegger, Tony Robbins, and entrepreneur and author Seth Godin (“If you generate enough bad ideas, a few good ones tend to show up.). The lesson we learn is that for the majority of those profiled is that quality of life is prioritized much more than financial wealth.

The third “Wise” section of “Tools of Titans” is a more of a catch all area. Compared to the rest of the book, readers should be able to glean good ideas from this section to add for their own best practices. The array of interview profiles for this section include: Malcom Gladwell, Jamie Foxx, and Glenn Beck.

Ferris’ own observations are also sprinkled throughout the book which at its expansive 705 pages may seem daunting to readers. Ferris is clear in the preface that “Tools of Titans” is not intended to be read cover to cover, but rather as a smorgasbord that can be consumed in bites over a long period of time.

In the end, “Tools of Titans” offers a unique, behind the scenes look at what makes successful people operate at a high level. It will take some patience though to weed through and find pertinent takeaway information. Some readers may feel a bit cheated knowing that this more of an ego driven manifesto from Ferris’ interview materials than a well thought out book. In fact “Tools of Titans” is more suitable as a companion guide for Ferris’ podcast. Still, it took organizational skills to collect the material and put “Tools of Titans” together into a readable format. The end result is a smattering of resources that based on the reader, will be interesting at times and at other times irrelevant.

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Chris

... I have finished *most* of the book I feel like I can write an honest review

Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2016

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Now that I have finished *most* of the book I feel like I can write an honest review. I feel like there are too many half hearted reviews from long time fans that did not finish the book. I am a big fan of Tim and his writing so let me explain how to look at this book.

First, if you loved Tim's writing style and stories as much as I do, this book will catch you off guard. Its not a copy of his other books, it is about his guests and the lessons they taught him(even though that was made clear before hand I don't know why I still didn't expect it). I was kinda disappointed at first because I love Tim's point of view. However as I read Tim puts his own thoughts and some of his experiences in there giving you just enough of his writing to know its there.

Second I wanted this book to go more in depth to some of the podcasts I LOVED. For example when i got to Dom's chapter I was not disappointed. His chapter alone in my opinion was worth the price of the book. This is really what I wanted, I was to take a deeper dive into the podcasts I loved and see most of the details down on paper that can be hard to miss when listening to a podcast. When you put it down on paper you can't get distracted and go off topic (which happens easily on the podcasts just due to the guests large breath of knowledge). I also skipped some of the chapters that I had little interest in (for example Amelia Boone, sorry if you read this!). But I have never run a race or had any interest in doing so.....until I read her chapter. It talks more so about having to have grit and determination and not so much be good at running to do a tough mudder( it goes without saying skill is needed, but it showed me that might not be the only factor). It also showed me an insight into the races and why people would choose to do it and peeked my interest where there was NONE before hand. I say this because that is the goal of this book. Even if i never want to run obstacle races, it might be worth it to try one to see if I can develop my mental toughness more to apply it to other areas of my life.

So if you are a long time TF fan I would encourage you to give the book an honest chance with the correct lens. There will be something in here you like even if you have to jump around. He says in there that everyones favorite chapter is completely different. Just like I loved Dom's chapter, you may hate it, but there are plenty more.

Tim, if you read this Thank you for all you do, never stop creating

Pura Vida

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Jason B.

Timmy's Back!

Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2016

Verified Purchase

Another classic in the books! (pun intended) Imagine taking thousand of hours of interviews with the world's best performers and distilling only the gems from those interviews into something that can be consumed within days (4 days in and I'm almost done - not recommending you do this -- see below).

What's great about this book is:
1. it's no bulls***. it confronts your darkest and deepest issues and forces you to confront them head on and deal with it and come out the other side stronger. I found the chapter on psychedelics as an alternative to mental health treatment eye opening. Wish there was more detailed info on how to participate in said studies but understand the legal implications.
2. it's choose your own adventure. you don't have to read the whole thing (but i suggest you do). pick and choose what's applicable to your life.
3. the title isn't some marketing gimmick. there are real tools inside. there are real titans inside. Oh My!

In the end, you need to put the book down and go out there and just do it. This isn't a magic pill (refer to the psilocybin chapter if that's what you're looking for). But as someone who struggles with depression and staying motivated and engaged in a hyper competitive world, this book offered me more than my last 5 therapy sessions and it was way cheaper too.

My only criticism, is that it can feel like info overload at times and a checklist of products to buy on Amazon. you can easily spend $1K+ if you're dumb enough to think that's what's missing in your life . So don't rush through the book, take your time, and only buy what you really need. Or just buy this book! Buying all the crap and supplements in the world will not make you Tim Ferriss or any of his guests. Pay attention more to the overall framework.

Also would have appreciated less recycling of materials from 4HWW and 4HB and more robust updates. Like do you still take Athletic Greens and why or why not? What exercises did you stop doing and why? What lessons from 4HWW are still applicable and which ones are outdated?

Would have also loved to see bolding used more often to signify highest value (very helpful in the Journaling/morning routine chapter). So much info, but what's the 5% that can be applied across the general population? Imagine there will be tons of non-affilated TOT sites popping up within the next year with cliff notes (take these 10 pills, do these 10 exercises, etc).

Thank you Tim! You do G-d's work and are a true gem! Keep on moving the needle. We need it now more than ever.

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