Episode
#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
2:26:00
Published: Mon Oct 31 2022
Description
Brought to you by Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, Eight Sleep’s Pod Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, and Allform premium, modular furniture. Jim Collins (jimcollins.com) is a student and teacher of what makes great companies tick and a Socratic advisor to leaders in the business and social sectors. Having invested more than a quarter-century in rigorous research, he has authored or co-authored six books that have sold in total more than 10 million copies worldwide. They include Good to Great, the #1 bestseller that examines why some companies make the leap to superior results, and its companion work Good to Great and the Social Sectors; the enduring classic Built to Last, which explores how some leaders build companies that remain visionary for generations; How the Mighty Fall, which delves into how once-great companies can self-destruct; and Great by Choice, which is about thriving in chaos—why some do and others don’t.And now he’s updating his debut book, Beyond Entrepreneurship, for the twenty-first century. Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0: Turning Your Business into an Enduring Great Company is now available.Please enjoy!This interview was originally published in 2019. You can find the show notes here: https://tim.blog/2019/02/18/jim-collins/*This episode is brought to you by Eight Sleep! Eight Sleep’s Pod Cover is the easiest and fastest way to sleep at the perfect temperature. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to offer the most advanced (and user-friendly) solution on the market. Simply add the Pod Cover to your current mattress and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F. It also splits your bed in half, so your partner can choose a totally different temperature.And now, my dear listeners—that’s you—can get $250 off the Pod Cover. Simply go to EightSleep.com/Tim or use code TIM at checkout. *This episode is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.*This episode is also brought to you by Allform! If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about Helix Sleep mattresses, which I’ve been using since 2017. They also launched a company called Allform that makes premium, customizable sofas and chairs shipped right to your door—at a fraction of the cost of traditional stores. You can pick your fabric (and they’re all spill, stain, and scratch resistant), the sofa color, the color of the legs, and the sofa size and shape to make sure it’s perfect for you and your home.Allform arrives in just 3–7 days, and you can assemble it yourself in a few minutes—no tools needed. To find your perfect sofa and receive 20% off all orders, check out Allform.com/Tim.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/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, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, 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
The 8 Sleep is a favourite crowd-sourced tool for enhancing sleep.
00:00 - 04:39 (04:39)
Summary
The 8 Sleep is a favourite crowd-sourced tool for enhancing sleep. 8 Sleep users have reported falling asleep up to 32% quicker, reducing sleep disruption by up to 40%, and achieving more restful sleep overall.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Language and thinking are inseparable, and speaking different dialects within a language can reveal a lot about a person's identity and culture.
04:39 - 13:25 (08:45)
Summary
Language and thinking are inseparable, and speaking different dialects within a language can reveal a lot about a person's identity and culture. Developing the musculature required to speak certain sounds can also be a challenge for non-native speakers.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker talks about their admiration for John McPhee's impressive works, such as "A Sense of Where You Are," "Arch Druid," and "The Control of Nature," and recalls their experience in a writing class taught by McPhee.
13:25 - 24:33 (11:08)
Summary
The speaker talks about their admiration for John McPhee's impressive works, such as "A Sense of Where You Are," "Arch Druid," and "The Control of Nature," and recalls their experience in a writing class taught by McPhee.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Jim Collins discusses the research methodology behind his book, Good to Great, and the importance of studying successful companies as well as those that haven't achieved the same level of success.
24:33 - 32:10 (07:37)
Summary
Jim Collins discusses the research methodology behind his book, Good to Great, and the importance of studying successful companies as well as those that haven't achieved the same level of success. He explains how they identified the critical factors that differentiate good to great companies through a rigorous research-based process.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
In order to become a level 5 leader, one must possess ambition for something bigger than themselves, with humility and strong will; this is a hierarchy that is grown through.
32:10 - 38:12 (06:02)
Summary
In order to become a level 5 leader, one must possess ambition for something bigger than themselves, with humility and strong will; this is a hierarchy that is grown through. The idea is conveyed by comparing the letters written by good to great CEOs and comparison CEOs.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast discusses the study of CEOs and publicly traded companies over the course of decades, exploring why they only study publicly traded companies as well as the attribution of failures to external factors.
38:12 - 42:53 (04:40)
Summary
This podcast discusses the study of CEOs and publicly traded companies over the course of decades, exploring why they only study publicly traded companies as well as the attribution of failures to external factors.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The guest reflects on the importance of solitude, deep and quiet work, and the risks of becoming too visible while sharing his experience of working on a research project for six years.
42:53 - 47:04 (04:10)
Summary
The guest reflects on the importance of solitude, deep and quiet work, and the risks of becoming too visible while sharing his experience of working on a research project for six years.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast episode reveals the daily routine of a successful author, which includes waking up early, working on creative projects for several hours, exercising, a nap, and tracking progress in a spreadsheet every day.
47:04 - 54:55 (07:51)
Summary
This podcast episode reveals the daily routine of a successful author, which includes waking up early, working on creative projects for several hours, exercising, a nap, and tracking progress in a spreadsheet every day.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker talks about prioritizing relationships and experiences that bring positivity and add value to life, while minimizing those that bring negativity or subtract value.
54:56 - 1:00:55 (05:59)
Summary
The speaker talks about prioritizing relationships and experiences that bring positivity and add value to life, while minimizing those that bring negativity or subtract value.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The idea of being a genius with a team of 1000 helpers may work well until the genius is no longer a genius or is gone, and creativity can't be forced.
1:00:55 - 1:08:38 (07:42)
Summary
The idea of being a genius with a team of 1000 helpers may work well until the genius is no longer a genius or is gone, and creativity can't be forced.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The number of hours of sleep in a 10-day cycle is more important than a particular duration each night, and people should consider their own habits when deciding how to manage sleep time.
1:08:38 - 1:19:47 (11:09)
Summary
The number of hours of sleep in a 10-day cycle is more important than a particular duration each night, and people should consider their own habits when deciding how to manage sleep time.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares how observing others and learning from their qualities, in addition to personal experiences, helped him in his journey of teaching at Stanford.
1:19:47 - 1:26:16 (06:28)
Summary
The speaker shares how observing others and learning from their qualities, in addition to personal experiences, helped him in his journey of teaching at Stanford.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The author reflects on the 10 lessons he learned from Peter Drucker and the importance of being prepared when receiving mentorship from great thinkers, and dedicating time to reflect on the lessons learned after.
1:26:16 - 1:32:19 (06:03)
Summary
The author reflects on the 10 lessons he learned from Peter Drucker and the importance of being prepared when receiving mentorship from great thinkers, and dedicating time to reflect on the lessons learned after.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares their experience giving the inaugural wicker chair lecture at the museum dedicated to Peter Drucker, and reflects on what made Drucker's work great, suggesting that he was in pursuit of a giant question.
1:32:19 - 1:38:04 (05:45)
Summary
The speaker shares their experience giving the inaugural wicker chair lecture at the museum dedicated to Peter Drucker, and reflects on what made Drucker's work great, suggesting that he was in pursuit of a giant question.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The podcast discusses how seemingly unrelated decisions can actually be part of the same big decision and the importance of learning to say no to most of them.
1:38:04 - 1:42:47 (04:42)
Summary
The podcast discusses how seemingly unrelated decisions can actually be part of the same big decision and the importance of learning to say no to most of them.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The Flywheel Principle states that a company should focus on a few core business strategies and work consistently and intelligently to perfect them, resulting in a consistent increase in growth and profitability.
1:42:47 - 1:53:58 (11:11)
Summary
The Flywheel Principle states that a company should focus on a few core business strategies and work consistently and intelligently to perfect them, resulting in a consistent increase in growth and profitability.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
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1:53:58 - 2:01:21 (07:22)
Summary
The success of achieving goals depends on executing on different components of a flywheel such as: funding and feeding curiosity, asking big questions, conducting research, and writing and teaching. The concept of flywheels can create a virtuous cycle but it’s crucial to diagnose and fix a flywheel that is not working to avoid stalling or stopping.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The principle of discipline is crucial in building great things, but it starts with people, and meaningful relationships with people you love and respect are just as important in achieving greatness.
2:01:21 - 2:08:02 (06:40)
Summary
The principle of discipline is crucial in building great things, but it starts with people, and meaningful relationships with people you love and respect are just as important in achieving greatness.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
In extending a flywheel, firing bullets first and then a cannonball with empirical validation can give a big burst of momentum into a validated big bet.
2:08:02 - 2:15:17 (07:14)
Summary
In extending a flywheel, firing bullets first and then a cannonball with empirical validation can give a big burst of momentum into a validated big bet. This principle is called firing bullets than firing cannonballs, which is different than pure analysis, and can expand the flywheel in a new direction.
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
In this episode, Tim Ferriss sits down with author Jim Collins to discuss the concept of prepared curiosity and the importance of being present and engaging with ideas.
2:15:17 - 2:23:37 (08:20)
Summary
In this episode, Tim Ferriss sits down with author Jim Collins to discuss the concept of prepared curiosity and the importance of being present and engaging with ideas. They also discuss Collins' latest book, "Turning the Flywheel."
Episode#632: Jim Collins — A Rare Interview with a Reclusive Polymath (Repost)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares their personal experience with the 8 Sleep Pod Pro Cover, stating that it helped them fall asleep faster and reduced sleep interruptions.
2:23:37 - 2:26:15 (02:37)
Summary
The speaker shares their personal experience with the 8 Sleep Pod Pro Cover, stating that it helped them fall asleep faster and reduced sleep interruptions. They also mention that it was the crowd favorite from a social media poll about the best sleep-enhancing tools.