Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss
That’s the title and author of the book I am currently reading. It was recommended to me by a dear friend, Tom Carroll, and I have really come to enjoy it. This bad boy is 707 pages long and is packed with information that makes the price totally insignificant. Here’s my suggestion though, buy the digital copy. Carrying around a 700 page book just sounds unnecessary. Make it easy on yourself.
What’s in the book?
Tools of Titans (book | website) is packed full of information from interviews (over 200 of them) Tim has conducted with several successful people around the world. The book is laid out in a way that provides the reader with the key notes from each interview, some take-aways, quotes, and Tim’s thoughts.
What do I really like about the book?
I am a huge fan of quotes. There is a document on just about every computer and phone I own tracking quotes and keeping them readily available in case of need. I also like his pulling together of common threads from interview to interview. It is really nice when he says that several people in the book all share something in common. He notes when specific books are recommended by multiple people. There is notation of commonalities like people who are early risers, late risers, people who skip breakfast, people who work out early, people who work out late, people who meditate, or people who take cold showers and baths.
Who is in the book?
This is a great question and one I’m glad I asked. You will find the likes of (just a few of note):
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Casey Neistat
- Chris Sacca
- Derek Sivers
- Jamie Foxx
- Marc Andreessen
- Seth Godin
- Shaun White
- Tony Robbins
As mentioned above, the list you see here is just a sample of all the people actually included in the book. I can assure you the list is a who’s who of people I have read, follow, admire, or should have gotten to know sooner. You will not be disappointed.
Additions to My Reading List (Books to Read)
As a result of this book, I have added the following books or articles to my list of books to read. Keep in mind that I am only 44% of the way through the book, so I anticipate this number to grow quite significantly. Please note: The book or article title is the primary list number, with the inset being the person who suggested the book.
- I Seem to Be a Verb – Buckminster Fuller
- Suggested by Chris Sacca
- Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life
- Marc Andreessen
- Anything You Want – Derek Sivers
- Tim Ferris
- Stumbling on Happiness – Daniel Gilbert
- Suggested by Derek Sivers
- Article: “The Tail End” by Tim Urban
- ÖSuggested by Matt Mullenweg
- Words That Work, written by Republican political strategist Frank Luntz
- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
- Tony Robbins
- The Fourth Turning by William Strauss
- Tony Robbins
- Competitor Extreme – Dan Gable
- Tim Ferris
- Age of Propaganda by Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson
- Ramit Sethi
- The Robert Collier Letter Book – Copywriting book from 1931
- Ramit Sethi
- 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly
- Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got
- Podcast: Power Your Podcast with Storytelling.
- Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard P. Feynman
- “The Who book [by Geoff Smart, Randy Street]
- The Gary Halbert Letter (also The Boron Letters) and Ogilvy on Advertising – For copywriting
Wrapping Up
Hopefully you can tell this book is a worthwhile read. It is perfect for those times when you have a few minutes to yourself and you want to pick up a book. The information is great and the lessons change who you are and who you want to be. My hope is that you will grab a copy and dig in.
