Episode

#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
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2:49:50
Published: Wed Dec 02 2020
Description

Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More | Brought to you by GiveWell.org world’s top research on charities and effective giving, Tonal smart home gym, and Wealthfront automated investing. More on all three below.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 21st century. Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0: Turning Your Business into an Enduring Great Company is now available.Please enjoy this round two with Jim Collins! (And if you haven’t already, make sure to check out round one here.)*This episode is brought to you by Tonal! Tonal is the world’s most intelligent home gym and personal trainer. It is precision engineered and designed to be the world’s most advanced strength studio. Tonal uses breakthrough technology—like adaptive digital weights and A.I. learning—together with the best experts in resistance training so you get stronger, faster. Every program is personalized to your body using A.I., and smart features check your form in real time, just like a personal trainer.Try Tonal, the world’s smartest home gym, for 30 days in your home, and if you don’t love it, you can return it for a full refund. Use code TIM21 at checkout. *This episode is also brought to you by GiveWell.org! For over ten years GiveWell.org has helped donors find the charities and projects that save and improve lives most per dollar. Here’s how: GiveWell dedicates over twenty thousand hours a year to researching charitable organizations and hand-picks a few of the highest-impact, evidence-backed charities. Since 2010, GiveWell has helped over 50,000 donors direct over 500 million dollars to the most effective charities. Most importantly, these donations will save over 75,000 lives and improve the lives of millions more.This year, support the charities that save and improve lives most, with GiveWell. Any of my listeners who become new GiveWell donors will have their first donation matched up to $250 when you go to GiveWell dot org/Tim and select “PODCAST” and “Tim Ferriss” at checkout.*This episode is also brought to you by Wealthfront! Wealthfront pioneered the automated investing movement, sometimes referred to as ‘robo-advising,’ and they currently oversee $20 billion of assets for their clients. It takes about three minutes to sign up, and then Wealthfront will build you a globally diversified portfolio of ETFs based on your risk appetite and manage it for you at an incredibly low cost. Smart investing should not feel like a rollercoaster ride. Let the professionals do the work for you. Go to Wealthfront.com/Tim and open a Wealthfront account today, and you’ll get your first $5,000 managed for free, for life. Wealthfront will automate your investments for the long term. Get started today at Wealthfront.com/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.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
Tonal is an intelligent home gym that acts as a personal trainer, while Givewell is a website that helps donors locate charities and projects to maximize the impact of their donations.
00:00 - 07:49 (07:49)
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Fitness
Summary

Tonal is an intelligent home gym that acts as a personal trainer, while Givewell is a website that helps donors locate charities and projects to maximize the impact of their donations.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss talks about how he meets his podcast guests, along with discussing the argument presented in "The 4-Hour Work Week" and his weekly newsletter featuring the coolest things he finds each week.
07:49 - 17:38 (09:49)
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Podcasting
Summary

Tim Ferriss talks about how he meets his podcast guests, along with discussing the argument presented in "The 4-Hour Work Week" and his weekly newsletter featuring the coolest things he finds each week.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The search for beauty can lead to finding more truth than deducing it logically, according to Tim Ferriss.
17:38 - 22:38 (04:59)
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Personal Growth
Summary

The search for beauty can lead to finding more truth than deducing it logically, according to Tim Ferriss. The question of minimum monthly cash flow is no longer relevant for individuals who have accumulated enough wealth to fund great experiences.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses the point allocation between dark force motivations and light force motivations, with dark forces being things like anger, rage, and insecurity, and shares personal experiences with these motivations.
22:38 - 30:39 (08:01)
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Motivation
Summary

The speaker discusses the point allocation between dark force motivations and light force motivations, with dark forces being things like anger, rage, and insecurity, and shares personal experiences with these motivations.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The art of crafting a great undergraduate course involves including minute details, making choices about what not to include, and adding offbeat elements to render the class exemplary.
30:39 - 37:53 (07:13)
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Education
Summary

The art of crafting a great undergraduate course involves including minute details, making choices about what not to include, and adding offbeat elements to render the class exemplary.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The host shares a personal reflection on why he loves the interviewee, followed by a discussion on the impact of biographies in shaping one's identity.
37:53 - 43:49 (05:56)
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Personal Growth
Summary

The host shares a personal reflection on why he loves the interviewee, followed by a discussion on the impact of biographies in shaping one's identity.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Journalist Robert Caro's biographies, such as The Power Broker, showcase his unique ability to uncover hidden sources of power that enable individuals to make great changes.
43:49 - 51:32 (07:42)
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Robert Caro
Summary

Journalist Robert Caro's biographies, such as The Power Broker, showcase his unique ability to uncover hidden sources of power that enable individuals to make great changes.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast explores deeper questions of ethics and values and their application to everyday choices in life, including whether one wants a life to envy or one to admire, as illustrated through the life of a historical figure.
51:32 - 56:23 (04:51)
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Ethics and Values
Summary

This podcast explores deeper questions of ethics and values and their application to everyday choices in life, including whether one wants a life to envy or one to admire, as illustrated through the life of a historical figure.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The process of identifying brutal facts involves starting by listing them out on a sheet of paper, and then organizing them into specific categories.
56:23 - 1:02:50 (06:27)
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Productivity
Summary

The process of identifying brutal facts involves starting by listing them out on a sheet of paper, and then organizing them into specific categories. This helps to prepare for difficult questions in a way similar to preparing plays for a football game.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker focuses on the tremendous impact that his mentor, Bill, had on his life and the role he played as a great mentor.
1:02:50 - 1:06:24 (03:34)
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Mentorship
Summary

The speaker focuses on the tremendous impact that his mentor, Bill, had on his life and the role he played as a great mentor. He conveys his desire to write something about Bill and honor him after his passing.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The unexpected vacancy of an entrepreneurship and small business course at the Stanford Business School led Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, to take a class from Bill, who would later become his co-author and friend.
1:06:24 - 1:11:37 (05:12)
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Small Business
Summary

The unexpected vacancy of an entrepreneurship and small business course at the Stanford Business School led Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, to take a class from Bill, who would later become his co-author and friend.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jim talks about the importance of trust in building relationships, referring to the idea that not everybody is one or the other, but because you trust them at the outset, they are more likely to become trustworthy.
1:11:37 - 1:20:58 (09:20)
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Relationships
Summary

Jim talks about the importance of trust in building relationships, referring to the idea that not everybody is one or the other, but because you trust them at the outset, they are more likely to become trustworthy. He also explains that to have a great life, one should approach life as a series of transactions or relationships.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In this podcast, the speaker recalls a moment when he was served buttered waffles and shares a quote from Seneca on the shortness of life.
1:20:58 - 1:26:25 (05:27)
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Philosophy
Summary

In this podcast, the speaker recalls a moment when he was served buttered waffles and shares a quote from Seneca on the shortness of life.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker reflects on his visit to West Point and the leadership development approach of the institution.
1:26:25 - 1:31:15 (04:50)
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West Point
Summary

The speaker reflects on his visit to West Point and the leadership development approach of the institution. He compares his experience with West Point cadets to other groups he has encountered and questions what sets them apart.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jim Collins and Coach George Helow discuss the Stockdale Paradox and the importance of building resilience through challenging physical tasks.
1:31:15 - 1:38:42 (07:27)
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Resilience
Summary

Jim Collins and Coach George Helow discuss the Stockdale Paradox and the importance of building resilience through challenging physical tasks.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses their method of tracking creative progress through a spreadsheet that calculates the plus one, plus two, zero, minus one, or minus two of each day, and tracks the number of creative hours over a 365-day period.
1:38:42 - 1:44:39 (05:56)
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Productivity
Summary

The speaker discusses their method of tracking creative progress through a spreadsheet that calculates the plus one, plus two, zero, minus one, or minus two of each day, and tracks the number of creative hours over a 365-day period.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Life is a mixture of positive and negative experiences, and self-observation helps to find the balance between them.
1:44:39 - 1:48:27 (03:47)
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Self-Improvement
Summary

Life is a mixture of positive and negative experiences, and self-observation helps to find the balance between them. Although preferring more positive experiences, the reality of life inevitably involves rough times that should be embraced as part of the journey.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The 20 Minute Rule suggests that if you have been lying awake in bed for more than 20 minutes, it is best to get up and do something productive rather than stay in bed and let your mind wander.
1:48:27 - 1:56:23 (07:56)
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Insomnia
Summary

The 20 Minute Rule suggests that if you have been lying awake in bed for more than 20 minutes, it is best to get up and do something productive rather than stay in bed and let your mind wander. This technique can help shift your focus from negative thoughts to productive ones.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In this episode, the speaker shares tips for personal growth and time management including using iPhone reminders, grading at the end of the year, and focusing on clock building.
1:56:23 - 2:01:43 (05:19)
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Personal Development
Summary

In this episode, the speaker shares tips for personal growth and time management including using iPhone reminders, grading at the end of the year, and focusing on clock building.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker explains how his research on what makes truly great and successful companies revealed that it is easier to turn a small business into a great company than a big company, and highlights the key traits that help companies achieve distinction and lasting endurance.
2:01:43 - 2:07:08 (05:25)
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Business
Summary

The speaker explains how his research on what makes truly great and successful companies revealed that it is easier to turn a small business into a great company than a big company, and highlights the key traits that help companies achieve distinction and lasting endurance.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Building enduring great companies requires rejecting the tyranny of the ore and embracing the genius of the end.
2:07:08 - 2:13:36 (06:27)
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entrepreneurship
Summary

Building enduring great companies requires rejecting the tyranny of the ore and embracing the genius of the end. It's important to have a purpose that can inspire, be a role model, and a tool for social change.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The key to building a sustainable business involves picking the right people, building good systems, nurturing your culture, creating great mechanisms, and more, rather than relying on one person to do everything.
2:13:36 - 2:23:40 (10:04)
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Business
Summary

The key to building a sustainable business involves picking the right people, building good systems, nurturing your culture, creating great mechanisms, and more, rather than relying on one person to do everything.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses the importance of prioritizing life goals each year and planning around your mortality by asking yourself what you would do if you only had a limited amount of time left to live.
2:23:40 - 2:28:06 (04:25)
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Life Goals
Summary

The speaker discusses the importance of prioritizing life goals each year and planning around your mortality by asking yourself what you would do if you only had a limited amount of time left to live.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast discusses the importance of self-renewal as a means of personal and professional growth and success.
2:28:06 - 2:40:02 (11:55)
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Renewal
Summary

This podcast discusses the importance of self-renewal as a means of personal and professional growth and success.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tonal is a compact device that replaces traditional gym equipment using digital weights to provide up to 200 pounds of resistance with the ability to perform over 150 exercises.
2:40:01 - 2:46:19 (06:17)
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Fitness
Summary

Tonal is a compact device that replaces traditional gym equipment using digital weights to provide up to 200 pounds of resistance with the ability to perform over 150 exercises.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
GiveWell helps donors find charities and projects that save and improve lives most per dollar by dedicating over 20,000 hours a year to research and selecting the highest impact, evidence-backed charities.
2:46:19 - 2:49:45 (03:25)
listen on Spotify
GiveWell
Summary

GiveWell helps donors find charities and projects that save and improve lives most per dollar by dedicating over 20,000 hours a year to research and selecting the highest impact, evidence-backed charities. New donors can have their first donation matched up to $250 when they visit givewell.org/tim and select "podcast" and "Tim Ferriss" at checkout.

Episode
#483: Jim Collins on The Value of Small Gestures, Unseen Sources of Power, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show