Episode
Ep 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
1:32:10
Published: Wed Nov 19 2014
Description
In this episode, I talk to my old friend Nick Ganju about ping pong, poker, hit songs, and tackling my most feared subject: math. He makes the complex seem simple, which is a rare gift. Nick is the founder and CTO of ZocDoc. As CTO, he is responsible for overseeing all software development. It's a huge job for one of the fastest-growing startups in the US, and he's repeatedly proven himself to be a master teacher.All show notes, links, resources for this episode can be found on www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. Enjoy! - Tim***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Visit tim.blog/sponsor and fill out the form.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapters
In this episode, Tim Ferriss talks about the optimal minimal which includes his capabilities as a cybernetic organism and the importance of knowing the appropriate time for personal questions.
00:00 - 00:51 (00:51)
Summary
In this episode, Tim Ferriss talks about the optimal minimal which includes his capabilities as a cybernetic organism and the importance of knowing the appropriate time for personal questions. The episode is sponsored by Five Bullet Friday, Tim's own email newsletter containing short and cool discoveries from different parts of the world.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Athletic Greens is giving a special offer including a free vitamin D supplement and five free travel packs with the first subscription purchase of their all-in-one formula.
00:51 - 06:23 (05:32)
Summary
Athletic Greens is giving a special offer including a free vitamin D supplement and five free travel packs with the first subscription purchase of their all-in-one formula. This offer is available to podcast listeners and book readers of Tim Ferriss.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Oliver Kharraz, co-founder of healthcare booking platform Zoc Doc, talks about his background in computer science, leaving a larger company to pursue the dot com boom, and the benefits of using their platform to find doctors online.
06:23 - 11:27 (05:03)
Summary
Oliver Kharraz, co-founder of healthcare booking platform Zoc Doc, talks about his background in computer science, leaving a larger company to pursue the dot com boom, and the benefits of using their platform to find doctors online.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
With the rapid changes in technology, many people are intimidated by staying employable or investing in technology companies.
11:27 - 19:18 (07:51)
Summary
With the rapid changes in technology, many people are intimidated by staying employable or investing in technology companies. The speaker, a computer science graduate, stresses the importance of formal computer science education and shares their early experiences in programming.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The probability reaches 100% when the number of people reach 367 because of the extrapolation from 365 days a year, but one can get to 50% probability with just 23 people.
19:18 - 25:19 (06:00)
Summary
The probability reaches 100% when the number of people reach 367 because of the extrapolation from 365 days a year, but one can get to 50% probability with just 23 people. Calculus is diminishing because with the presence of a giant computer on every desktop, you don't need calculus much.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
A discussion about the probability of games and how the potential payoff affects whether or not someone is willing to play.
25:19 - 27:58 (02:39)
Summary
A discussion about the probability of games and how the potential payoff affects whether or not someone is willing to play.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast episode explores the conceptual underpinnings of probability and math and how to break down every field of math to understand it better.
27:58 - 31:17 (03:19)
Summary
This podcast episode explores the conceptual underpinnings of probability and math and how to break down every field of math to understand it better. It also includes an anecdote on the Tim Ferriss experiment.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The podcast discusses the importance of simplifying complex concepts in business and life by introducing them in a more relatable manner to make it easily understandable, just as putting the first man in space or on the moon was not achieved without breaking down complex concepts into manageable stages.
31:17 - 36:06 (04:48)
Summary
The podcast discusses the importance of simplifying complex concepts in business and life by introducing them in a more relatable manner to make it easily understandable, just as putting the first man in space or on the moon was not achieved without breaking down complex concepts into manageable stages.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The CEO of Monsters Inc suggests generating more electricity by rewarding team members who perform well with a stuffed animal and the title of "monster of the week".
36:06 - 39:02 (02:56)
Summary
The CEO of Monsters Inc suggests generating more electricity by rewarding team members who perform well with a stuffed animal and the title of "monster of the week".
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses the process of hiring door manufacturers and setting realistic goals for production.
39:02 - 44:04 (05:02)
Summary
The speaker discusses the process of hiring door manufacturers and setting realistic goals for production. They also offer advice for improving the chances of success in achieving those goals.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Lack of forethought and research greatly affects the success probability of the project.
44:04 - 50:57 (06:53)
Summary
Lack of forethought and research greatly affects the success probability of the project. Even if there's a 90% chance of something succeeding, spending that 10% of time ahead of time is worth it to see if it's going to work.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The "Don't Make Me Think" book is a great tool to reinforce the user-friendly culture in companies by emphasizing the importance of easy-to-use interfaces and measurable outcomes, as mentioned by Dr. Oliver Kharraz, CEO of ZocDoc, in a podcast episode about outcome-based healthcare.
50:57 - 56:16 (05:19)
Summary
The "Don't Make Me Think" book is a great tool to reinforce the user-friendly culture in companies by emphasizing the importance of easy-to-use interfaces and measurable outcomes, as mentioned by Dr. Oliver Kharraz, CEO of ZocDoc, in a podcast episode about outcome-based healthcare.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares an anecdote about being the worst ping pong player and how it relates to dealing with unexpected situations.
56:16 - 59:41 (03:25)
Summary
The speaker shares an anecdote about being the worst ping pong player and how it relates to dealing with unexpected situations.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker reflects on how taking ping pong lessons in secret and getting better made it awkward when a coworker found out, highlighting the importance of focusing on the positive and thinking outside the box.
59:42 - 1:04:23 (04:41)
Summary
The speaker reflects on how taking ping pong lessons in secret and getting better made it awkward when a coworker found out, highlighting the importance of focusing on the positive and thinking outside the box.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker talks about their lack of self-awareness in recognizing when to de-stress, followed by tips for playing ping pong, including avoiding common mistakes and taking advantage of opportunities to outsmart the opponent.
1:04:23 - 1:09:21 (04:57)
Summary
The speaker talks about their lack of self-awareness in recognizing when to de-stress, followed by tips for playing ping pong, including avoiding common mistakes and taking advantage of opportunities to outsmart the opponent.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Humans may have an irrational fear of risk-taking due to evolutionary reasons, leading them to avoid otherwise potentially beneficial situations.
1:09:21 - 1:12:28 (03:07)
Summary
Humans may have an irrational fear of risk-taking due to evolutionary reasons, leading them to avoid otherwise potentially beneficial situations. For instance, many people would not participate in a game where the numbers indicate that the reward is higher than the risk of loss.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Learn about the multitude of cognitive biases that affect our decision-making, including the availability heuristic, confirmation bias, and more.
1:12:28 - 1:16:17 (03:48)
Summary
Learn about the multitude of cognitive biases that affect our decision-making, including the availability heuristic, confirmation bias, and more.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker reflects on his past struggles with anger and shares how he learned to deal with it.
1:16:17 - 1:20:54 (04:37)
Summary
The speaker reflects on his past struggles with anger and shares how he learned to deal with it. He also recommends the book "Getting to Yes" as a great resource for negotiation tactics.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The Beatles' early music was simple and centered around chasing girls, while their later music became more sophisticated and complex.
1:20:54 - 1:27:36 (06:42)
Summary
The Beatles' early music was simple and centered around chasing girls, while their later music became more sophisticated and complex. They utilized a variety of chords with D major being an example of a versatile chord.
EpisodeEp 45: Nick Ganju on The Majesty of Ping Pong, Poker, and How to Write Hit Songs
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Even if a startup fails, the amount of learning and life skills gained is worth it as it is equivalent to many years' worth of working at a big company.
1:27:36 - 1:32:08 (04:31)
Summary
Even if a startup fails, the amount of learning and life skills gained is worth it as it is equivalent to many years' worth of working at a big company.