Episode

#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
Description
"Just because you love something doesn’t mean you can’t suck at it." - Mike Rowe Mike Rowe (@mikeroweworks) is perhaps the best storyteller and pitchman I've ever had on the show. You may know Mike Rowe as the host of Dirty Jobs. Mike Rowe is a TV host, writer, narrator, producer, actor and spokesman. His performing career began in 1984 when he faked his way into the Baltimore Opera to get his union card and meet girls, both of which he accomplished during a performance of Rigoletto. His transition to television occurred in 1990 when — to settle a bet — he auditioned for the QVC Shopping Channel and was promptly hired after talking about a pencil for nearly eight minutes. There, he worked the graveyard shift for three years, until he was ultimately fired for making fun of products and belittling viewers. Why listen to this episode? You will learn: Secrets of the perfect pitch How Mike flew around the world for free (until he got caught) Why to pursue opportunity instead of passion How being different can help you win in business and life The business of Mike Rowe Favorite books, voice-over artists, and much, much more... Enjoy! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Audible. I have used Audible for years and I love audio books. I have two to recommend: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman Vagabonding by Rolf Potts All you need to do to get your free 30-day Audible trial is go to Audible.com/Tim. Choose one of the above books, or choose between more than 180,000 audio programs. That could be a book, a newspaper, a magazine, or even a class. It's that easy. Go to Audible.com/Tim and get started today. Enjoy! This podcast is also brought to you by MeUndies. Have you ever wanted to be as powerful as a mullet-wearing ninja from the 1980’s, or as sleek as a black panther in the Amazon? Of course you have, and that’s where MeUndies comes in. I’ve spent the last six months wearing underwear from these guys 24/7, and they are the most comfortable and colorful underwear I’ve ever owned. Their materials are 2x softer than cotton, as evaluated using the Kawabata method. Check out MeUndies.com/Tim to see my current faves (some are awesomely ridiculous, like the camo).***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
Tim Ferriss promotes his 5 Bullet Friday email newsletter that includes short and action-packed content of the coolest things he found in the week.
00:00 - 03:28 (03:28)
Summary
Tim Ferriss promotes his 5 Bullet Friday email newsletter that includes short and action-packed content of the coolest things he found in the week. He also promotes Athletic Greens, an all-in-one nutritional supplement that offers multivitamins, probiotics, adaptogens, and more, which he recommends for optimal health and nutrient coverage.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss interviews Mike Rowe, the best storyteller and pitch man in the industry.
03:28 - 10:10 (06:41)
Summary
Tim Ferriss interviews Mike Rowe, the best storyteller and pitch man in the industry. They delve into How to Sell a Pencil, QVC, the meaning of freelance, the art of voiceover, and much more.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Mike Rowe of the TV show "Dirty Jobs" talks about the humane and old-fashioned ways of castrating sheep on a ranch, and how animal husbandry was an important component of the show.
10:10 - 17:38 (07:27)
Summary
Mike Rowe of the TV show "Dirty Jobs" talks about the humane and old-fashioned ways of castrating sheep on a ranch, and how animal husbandry was an important component of the show. He also discusses challenging the expertise of experts and the importance of doing honest television that is both entertaining and informative.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses the art of marketing products, from the color of a pencil to the art of pitching on QVC, and highlights the importance of distinguishing oneself to stand out to potential buyers.
17:38 - 25:31 (07:52)
Summary
The speaker discusses the art of marketing products, from the color of a pencil to the art of pitching on QVC, and highlights the importance of distinguishing oneself to stand out to potential buyers.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Comedian and former QVC host Paul Mercurio recalls the early days of the network and the funny products they peddled to viewers.
25:31 - 33:35 (08:04)
Summary
Comedian and former QVC host Paul Mercurio recalls the early days of the network and the funny products they peddled to viewers. He also talks about his perspective on the role of customers and how he enjoyed making fun of the products on air.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
American Airlines hired a freelance writer to host On Air, a TV show that showcased tourist destinations and promoted certain products.
33:35 - 41:50 (08:15)
Summary
American Airlines hired a freelance writer to host On Air, a TV show that showcased tourist destinations and promoted certain products. The purpose was solely for advertising, and the host benefited from it by being able to travel first class and visit various locations around the world while maintaining his freelance career.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Mike Rowe discusses how his grandfather's illness inspired him to create the TV segment, "Somebody's Got to Do It," and how it led to his career in television.
41:50 - 48:45 (06:54)
Summary
Mike Rowe discusses how his grandfather's illness inspired him to create the TV segment, "Somebody's Got to Do It," and how it led to his career in television.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Mike Rowe talks about how he became the Discovery Guy and explains his approach to hosting shows, which involves being a fan with access and a curious cat who asks the types of questions he would ask his friends at home.
48:45 - 58:43 (09:58)
Summary
Mike Rowe talks about how he became the Discovery Guy and explains his approach to hosting shows, which involves being a fan with access and a curious cat who asks the types of questions he would ask his friends at home. He also discusses the importance of authenticity and creative constraints in his work.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
In this episode, Mike Rowe shares how having antagonists in the room gave him permission to pursue alternative platitudes and break away from predictable processes.
58:43 - 1:05:18 (06:34)
Summary
In this episode, Mike Rowe shares how having antagonists in the room gave him permission to pursue alternative platitudes and break away from predictable processes. He also explains how his work with QVC led to a dialogue with Ford and an opportunity to experiment with their brand.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Mike Rowe discusses the trap of believing press releases about ourselves, the misconception of following our passion, and how unconventional jobs can lead to true passion and happiness.
1:05:18 - 1:15:07 (09:49)
Summary
Mike Rowe discusses the trap of believing press releases about ourselves, the misconception of following our passion, and how unconventional jobs can lead to true passion and happiness. He talks with a former psychologist turned honey wagon operator, who found his passion in a dirty job nobody wanted.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The Travis McGee mysteries, featuring a "boat bum" who recovers stolen items for people, are timeless adventures told through the eyes of a quixotic philosopher character.
1:15:07 - 1:22:51 (07:44)
Summary
The Travis McGee mysteries, featuring a "boat bum" who recovers stolen items for people, are timeless adventures told through the eyes of a quixotic philosopher character. Each book is an all-time capsule with a color in each title, and a recommended read.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
In this episode, Tim Ferriss talks about a calling card that had a picture of the Enterprise on it and how William Shatner invested in that company.
1:22:51 - 1:33:51 (10:59)
Summary
In this episode, Tim Ferriss talks about a calling card that had a picture of the Enterprise on it and how William Shatner invested in that company. He also discusses the importance of hard work being applied to the right things and how focusing on passion alone can corrupt it.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker ponders if it is common for individuals who excel at telling other people's stories to struggle in telling their own.
1:33:51 - 1:42:30 (08:39)
Summary
The speaker ponders if it is common for individuals who excel at telling other people's stories to struggle in telling their own. He mentions the Aristotelian definition of tragedy as the protagonist realizing everything they believed about themselves was wrong and the approach of Paul Harvey in finding obscure moments in famous people's lives to make it relevant.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast episode tells the story of Peter Hernandez and his journey towards success as the artist Bruno Mars, from his early beginnings as an impersonator to his breakthrough with his first album and his stunning performance during Super Bowl 48.
1:42:30 - 1:48:34 (06:03)
Summary
This podcast episode tells the story of Peter Hernandez and his journey towards success as the artist Bruno Mars, from his early beginnings as an impersonator to his breakthrough with his first album and his stunning performance during Super Bowl 48.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Mike Rowe's Work Ethic Scholarship Program aims to reward people with a strong work ethic, looking for a career in an area with a skills gap, with funds to attend vocational education programs.
1:48:34 - 1:57:23 (08:48)
Summary
Mike Rowe's Work Ethic Scholarship Program aims to reward people with a strong work ethic, looking for a career in an area with a skills gap, with funds to attend vocational education programs. The program has partnered with Fortune 200 companies and has grown since its inception in 2008.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses the importance of taking time off from education to explore and prepare for the future, and how rising college tuition costs make it harder for students to do so.
1:57:23 - 2:06:16 (08:53)
Summary
The speaker discusses the importance of taking time off from education to explore and prepare for the future, and how rising college tuition costs make it harder for students to do so.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
In this episode of The Random Show, Tim Ferriss and Kevin Rose talked about topics including drinking urine, exploring Japan, and figuring out life.
2:06:16 - 2:11:47 (05:31)
Summary
In this episode of The Random Show, Tim Ferriss and Kevin Rose talked about topics including drinking urine, exploring Japan, and figuring out life.
Episode#157: The Importance of Being Dirty: Lessons from Mike Rowe
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss discusses micro.com and gives recommendations for the podcast "The Way I Heard It," emphasizing its short and engaging format.
2:11:49 - 2:19:31 (07:42)
Summary
Tim Ferriss discusses micro.com and gives recommendations for the podcast "The Way I Heard It," emphasizing its short and engaging format.