Episode

#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
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1:56:34
Published: Thu Jan 21 2021
Description

Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More | Brought to you by Wealthfront automated investing, Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, and ButcherBox premium meats delivered to your door. More on all three below.Michael Phelps (@michaelphelps) is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. He captured 28 medals, including a record-setting 23 gold medals, and set 39 world records over the course of his career. Michael utilized his performance bonus for winning eight gold medals in 2008 to establish the Michael Phelps Foundation, which promotes water safety, healthy living (physical and mental), and the pursuit of dreams. The Foundation’s signature program — IM — is a learn-to-swim, healthy living, and goal-setting curriculum based on the principles and tools Michael utilized in his swimming career and is available through the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Special Olympics International. His advocacy for water safety and mental health has earned the recognition of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (Champion of Youth), American Image Awards (Humanitarian Award), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Special Recognition Award), The Ruderman Family Foundation (Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion), and PR Week (Health Influencer 50 and 2020 Communicator of the Year), among others.Michael served as an executive producer and featured talent in the HBO documentary The Weight of Gold , which explores the mental health challenges Olympic athletes often face. In addition, he has published two autobiographies, No Limits: The Will to Succeed and Beneath the Surface, that were New York Times and USA Today bestsellers, and one children’s book, How to Train with a T-Rex and Win Eight Gold Medals.Grant Hackett (@grant__hackett) represented and captained Australia in swimming at the Olympic Games. He collected a total of 58 medals over the course of his swimming career — with 26 gold at Olympic, Commonwealth, and World Championships levels — along with 16 world records. He remained unbeaten for 11 years in his pet event, the 1500m freestyle. Grant also received prestigious honors such as the Order of Australia, Centenary Medal, and Australian Sports Medal. Grant is a member of the Sports Australia Hall of Fame and International Swimming Hall of Fame.His qualifications include an executive master's of business administration with first-class honors, a diploma of business law, and a diploma of financial services. Grant is the CEO of Generation Life, an Australia-based investment firm managing more than $1.3 billion.Please enjoy!*This episode is brought to you by Eight Sleep! Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro 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 Pro 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 Pro Cover. Simply go to EightSleep.com/Tim or use code TIM. *This episode is also brought to you by ButcherBox! ButcherBox makes it easy for you to get high-quality, humanely raised meat that you can trust. They deliver delicious, 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef; free-range organic chicken; heritage-breed pork, and wild-caught seafood directly to your door.Get ready for game day or a cozy night in with ButcherBox! Right now, new members will get one rack of St. Louis style ribs, one pack of bacon, and a pack of pulled pork for FREE in their first box by going to ButcherBox.com/Tim!*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
Michael Phelps' career as a swimmer is summed up by his 28 medals, including 23 golds and 39 world records.
00:00 - 03:42 (03:42)
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Michael Phelps
Summary

Michael Phelps' career as a swimmer is summed up by his 28 medals, including 23 golds and 39 world records. His success led to the establishment of the Michael Phelps Foundation, which promotes different aspects of healthy living, and his recent involvement in the HBO documentary The Weight of Gold highlights his advocacy for mental health support.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The host promotes ButcherBox meat delivery service, offering new customers a free rack of ribs, bacon, and pulled pork, while later referencing a social media poll on sleep-enhancing tools.
03:42 - 07:31 (03:49)
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ButcherBox
Summary

The host promotes ButcherBox meat delivery service, offering new customers a free rack of ribs, bacon, and pulled pork, while later referencing a social media poll on sleep-enhancing tools.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
An Olympic swimmer discusses the challenges she faced in the 1500 meter freestyle race while dealing with a partially collapsed lung, and still managing to win two silver medals and two gold medals by a narrow margin.
07:33 - 11:19 (03:45)
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Olympic Swimming
Summary

An Olympic swimmer discusses the challenges she faced in the 1500 meter freestyle race while dealing with a partially collapsed lung, and still managing to win two silver medals and two gold medals by a narrow margin.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses how oxygen saturation impacts athletic performance, stating that a higher oxygen saturation level allows for better endurance and more accurate stroke counts while swimming.
11:19 - 17:18 (05:59)
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Athletics
Summary

The speaker discusses how oxygen saturation impacts athletic performance, stating that a higher oxygen saturation level allows for better endurance and more accurate stroke counts while swimming.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Two people discuss Michael Phelps' training and dedication to the sport, including unique techniques such as underwater off every wall, highlighting the level of perfection needed to achieve what Phelps achieved.
17:18 - 25:46 (08:28)
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Michael Phelps
Summary

Two people discuss Michael Phelps' training and dedication to the sport, including unique techniques such as underwater off every wall, highlighting the level of perfection needed to achieve what Phelps achieved.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The importance of consistency in training is highlighted as it prepares athletes to handle any situation in high-pressure events such as the Olympics or road championships.
25:46 - 31:05 (05:18)
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Athletics
Summary

The importance of consistency in training is highlighted as it prepares athletes to handle any situation in high-pressure events such as the Olympics or road championships.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses the importance of tracking various health metrics in order to perform at a high level every day, treating your body like a high-performance car.
31:05 - 38:17 (07:12)
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Health Tracking
Summary

The speaker discusses the importance of tracking various health metrics in order to perform at a high level every day, treating your body like a high-performance car.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Michael Phelps shares his realization after experiencing depression and anxiety that he cannot approach life the same way he did in swimming.
38:17 - 46:22 (08:04)
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Mental health
Summary

Michael Phelps shares his realization after experiencing depression and anxiety that he cannot approach life the same way he did in swimming. He emphasizes the importance of improving communication in relationships and focusing on little things during tough times.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses the role of Haki in their mental health journey and how communication with their spouse has helped them cope during the COVID-19 quarantine, sharing personal experiences where they had to go "strictly internal" to overcome hardships.
46:22 - 52:18 (05:56)
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Mental Health
Summary

The speaker discusses the role of Haki in their mental health journey and how communication with their spouse has helped them cope during the COVID-19 quarantine, sharing personal experiences where they had to go "strictly internal" to overcome hardships.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker talks about how they have learned to let their guard down and acknowledge their emotions instead of constantly striving for perfection and shaving off seconds from their time as an athlete.
52:18 - 58:33 (06:15)
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Emotions
Summary

The speaker talks about how they have learned to let their guard down and acknowledge their emotions instead of constantly striving for perfection and shaving off seconds from their time as an athlete.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker reflects on their previous tendencies towards denial in stressful situations and commits to adopting healthier strategies, drawing from memories of being comforted by their children during the quarantine.
58:33 - 1:06:45 (08:11)
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Mental Health
Summary

The speaker reflects on their previous tendencies towards denial in stressful situations and commits to adopting healthier strategies, drawing from memories of being comforted by their children during the quarantine.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker has noticed how little red flags start to compound when trying to support a loved one going through a difficult time, and highlights the importance of recognizing these signs before they become overwhelming.
1:06:45 - 1:12:59 (06:14)
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Mental Health
Summary

The speaker has noticed how little red flags start to compound when trying to support a loved one going through a difficult time, and highlights the importance of recognizing these signs before they become overwhelming. They emphasize how much a supportive partner, like Michael's wife, can make a difference in this type of situation.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares the benefits of using dot points in communication; they make it easier to provide context to others and help organize complex thoughts and ideas.
1:13:00 - 1:16:32 (03:31)
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Communication
Summary

The speaker shares the benefits of using dot points in communication; they make it easier to provide context to others and help organize complex thoughts and ideas.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker opens up about their struggles with depression and anxiety as an athlete and how others in the sports community experience similar challenges.
1:16:32 - 1:27:13 (10:40)
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Mental Health
Summary

The speaker opens up about their struggles with depression and anxiety as an athlete and how others in the sports community experience similar challenges. They emphasize the importance of taking control of mental health and helping others break the stigma around it.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker reflects on the importance of finding sources of comfort during lonely times, especially during COVID, and highlights the value of feeling a sense of community.
1:27:13 - 1:33:09 (05:56)
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Mental Health
Summary

The speaker reflects on the importance of finding sources of comfort during lonely times, especially during COVID, and highlights the value of feeling a sense of community.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In this transcript, the speaker talks about how reading things like mental toughness, Navy SEALs training strategies, and journals have helped him understand things that he might be too hard on himself with.
1:33:09 - 1:41:49 (08:39)
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Mental Toughness
Summary

In this transcript, the speaker talks about how reading things like mental toughness, Navy SEALs training strategies, and journals have helped him understand things that he might be too hard on himself with. These simple approaches to looking at things have benefited him a lot, and he feels like they have helped him fill his cup up and understand himself better.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The best thing to do when feeling scared or uncertain is to be yourself, as it brings out your true personality and makes you feel good about who you are.
1:41:49 - 1:46:45 (04:55)
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Self-Acceptance
Summary

The best thing to do when feeling scared or uncertain is to be yourself, as it brings out your true personality and makes you feel good about who you are. This advice was given by someone's loved one and is something to remember when feeling down.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker expresses his admiration for Michael's openness about mental health, which he believes is a way for Michael to help others.
1:46:45 - 1:50:52 (04:07)
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Mental health
Summary

The speaker expresses his admiration for Michael's openness about mental health, which he believes is a way for Michael to help others. He also shares how he's been able to learn more about Michael through their relationship.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss promotes his weekly email newsletter, Five Bullet Friday, where he shares his favorite discoveries and ideas along with a free promotion for ButcherBox.
1:50:52 - 1:54:24 (03:31)
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Newsletter
Summary

Tim Ferriss promotes his weekly email newsletter, Five Bullet Friday, where he shares his favorite discoveries and ideas along with a free promotion for ButcherBox.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
AidSleep helps users fall asleep faster, reduce sleep interruptions, and get more restful sleep overall.
1:54:24 - 1:56:22 (01:58)
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AidSleep
Summary

AidSleep helps users fall asleep faster, reduce sleep interruptions, and get more restful sleep overall. Its dynamic cooling and heating system is designed to combat the main cause of poor sleep - temperature - and is paired with biometric tracking for an advanced yet user-friendly sleep solution.

Episode
#494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett — Two Legends on Competing, Overcoming Adversity, Must-Read Books, and Much More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show