The James Altucher Show

A Note from James:
"The Year of Living Constitutionally." I mentioned this episode last week during our discussion with AJ Jacobs, but here we delve into his book, "The Year of Living Constitutionally." AJ not only researched and wrote about the Constitution, but he also spent a year living as if it were 1790, adhering to the U.S. Constitution literally. He even carried a musket and applied to be a pirate in Congress, referencing Article One, which grants Congress the power to commission pirates.

The book is filled with facts, debates, and information about the newfound powers of the Supreme Court, Congress, and the President, as well as the pros and cons of states' rights versus federal rights. It covers the reasons behind various amendments and the ongoing debates about the Electoral College.

AJ not only researched this; he lived it. I discussed his unique method of immersing himself in his subjects on last week's podcast, a method that has proven successful in creating bestsellers. With his humor, talent, and depth of information, AJ brings a fresh perspective to the U.S. Constitution in "The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning."

And here's my good friend, AJ Jacobs.

Episode Description:

In this compelling episode of 'The James Altucher Show', James sits down with the endlessly curious and ever-experimenting AJ Jacobs, the author behind the intriguing ‘The Year of Living Constitutionally’. Delving into AJ’s unique journey of trying to live by the U.S. Constitution's original tenets, this conversation unfolds a treasure trove of insights, historical quirks, and the profound impact of such an experiment on one’s understanding of democracy and personal freedoms today.

James and AJ unpack the myriad lessons learned from this year-long adventure, touching upon the original intent behind the Constitution’s creation, the contemporary relevance of its mandates, and the often humorous, sometimes bizarre challenges of adhering to its original rules in the modern world. From carrying a musket in New York City to applying to become a legal pirate, AJ’s experiences provide a unique lens through which we explore the founding document of the United States.

Beyond the historical anecdotes and constitutional debates, this episode shines a light on the dynamic interplay between law, personal belief, and the evolving landscape of American democracy. James and AJ's dialogue ventures into the complexities of freedom of speech, the implications of the Electoral College, and the changing powers of the presidency, offering listeners a nuanced perspective on what the Constitution means in today’s context.

More than just a discussion, this episode is an invitation to reflect on the living spirit of the Constitution, encouraging us to consider how its foundational principles influence our lives and society at large.

Episode Summary:

00:00 Diving Into the Year of Living Constitutionally

01:11 AJ Jacobs' Unique Method of Experiencing History

02:56 Exploring the Original Meaning of the U.S. Constitution

07:09 The Surprising Realities of Early American Laws

15:26 The Evolution of Free Speech in America

21:11 The Supreme Court's Role and the 14th Amendment

23:37 The Growing Power of the Presidency

24:21 Historical Debates and the Idea of Multiple Presidents

26:04 The Evolution of Presidential Powers

29:54 The Founders' Flexibility and the Constitution's Compromises

37:49 The Challenges of Federal Regulation and Overregulation

42:02 Reforming the Constitution for Modern Times

45:42 AJ Jacobs on Writing and Future Projects

Additional Resources

• AJ Jacobs: https://ajjacobs.com/
• The Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs
• The Year of Living Constitutionally (Link will be added once available)
• Federalist Papers - Authored by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison
• James Altucher

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A Note from James:

 AJ Jacobs, who has an upcoming book, "The Year of Living Constitutionally", he's a fascinating writer. He basically, instead of just doing research on a topic "Oh, I'm going to do research on the Constitution, I'm going to do research on living healthy, I'm going to do research on the Bible," instead of just researching something and writing a book, which I consider to be boring, he has a completely different way of exploring a topic, and it turns out,and not by accident, it turns out that this is the formula for writing a bestselling, millions-of-copies kind of book.

And it's an interesting way to live life. And what I mean is,  A. J. really lives what he's writing about. So when he wrote his, one of his early books, The Year of Living Biblically, he  lived for a year, literally word by word, as the Bible would suggest he lives. For instance, I'll let A. J. describes and we talk about it in this episode, but in "The Year of Living Constitutionally", which is about to come out he lives the life of someone.

Around 1790, living the constitution word for word applying to be a pirate with the Congress. Something which was an article, one of the constitution, if you didn't happen to know. And meanwhile, other books he's had are like, "My Life is An Experiment",  where everything was an experiment.

For instance, he outsourced arguments with his wife to an outsourcing agency in India. So this turns out to be not only a fascinating way to live a very curious and adventurous life. But again, as I said earlier, it turns out to be a great formula for writing a bestselling book, the kind of formula AI can't really compete with I will add. 

First, I want to hear about AJ's method, the AJ method of living a life of experience and using that to create stories, adventures, and of course, bestselling books. And he's a very funny guy, so how he incorporates Humor into that. And then next week, we're going to do a whole episode, fascinating episode, the year of living constitutionally, because there's so many issues about the constitution.

I didn't know about it. And so many, so much information about the constitution. I didn't even know about it. I used to think I've read it, but it turns out I hadn't. So first off though, the AJ method on writing his own unique brand style of bestseller and living a life of adventure.

Episode Description:

In this episode of the James Altucher Show, James engages in a fascinating conversation with AJ Jacobs, an esteemed author known for his unique approach to writing and life. Jacobs discusses his upcoming book 'The Puzzler', delves into his method of immersing himself in his subjects, and shares insights from the Year of Living Constitutionally. Jacobs, known for his adventurous lifestyle and humor, describes past projects including outsourcing arguments with his wife to India and living according to the Bible. The episode also covers his visit to a long-termism conference, discussing potential future challenges and the impact of AI. Additionally, AJ and James ponder over the significance of incorporating puzzles into daily life and explore the concept of improving forecasting abilities through understanding probabilities.

Episode Summary:

00:00 Exploring AJ Jacobs' Unique Approach to Writing and Living

02:47 AJ Jacobs: A Deep Dive into His Life and Works

03:31 The Fascinating World of Puzzles with AJ Jacobs

03:56 AJ's Hermit Life and the Creative Process

04:47 Solving the World's Most Baffling Puzzles

17:07 The Art of Creativity and Intelligence in Puzzle Solving

27:24 Exploring Long-Termism and Future Challenges

31:57 The Unheard Stories of Nuclear Near Misses

32:19 Exploring the Shadows of the Cold War

33:05 The Petrov Day: A Reminder of Nuclear Threat

34:29 Unaccounted Nuclear Weapons: A Lingering Threat

34:48 Envisioning a Utopian Future Amidst Doom

35:42 The Evolution of Technology vs. Environmental Challenges

36:54 The AI Dilemma: Potential and Perils

37:50 AI's Unintended Consequences: From Paperclips to Pandemics

41:19 The YouTube Algorithm: A Case Study in AI's Impact

48:32 Addressing the Threat of Authoritarianism

52:58 The Importance of Science and Statistics in Society

58:15 Rethinking Education: A Focus on Practical Knowledge

01:01:34 Long Termism: A New Perspective on Humanity's Future

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• What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!
• Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!

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• Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!
• My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!
• Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.
• I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com

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Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to “The James Altucher Show” wherever you get your podcasts: 

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A Note from James:

Learning how to be a good interviewer is crucial in life, not just for reporters or podcasters, but because many life situations resemble interviews. Whether you're applying for a job, hiring someone, or meeting someone new at a party, it's beneficial to gather as much information about them as quickly as possible. Additionally, it's important to leave a good impression if that's your goal. Being a skilled interviewer is therefore essential. I'm grateful for my podcast, which has allowed me to study the techniques of some of the best interviewers. 

Recently, one of the top interviewers, Polina Pompliano, who writes the newsletter "The Profile," shared her insights. She has profiled many remarkable people and I recommend googling her. Polina has also written a book, "Hidden Genius," and in a recent issue of her newsletter, she didn't profile someone but instead shared the top 10 techniques for becoming a great interviewer, drawing from the best in the field.

I found this immensely valuable, so I invited her to come on the podcast to discuss these techniques and share stories about what makes a good interviewer. Let me know if you find this helpful, but I'm confident it will be valuable. Here's Polina and our conversation on how to excel at interviewing.

Original Article: https://www.readtheprofile.com/p/the-profile-10-interview-techniques

Episode Description:

This episode of The James Altucher Show explores the intricate art of interviewing, broadening its significance from journalism to daily situations like job interviews and social exchanges. Today's interview features a deep dive into interviewing techniques shared by notable figures, including insights from Polina Pompliano's newsletter "The Profile," which covers a diverse spectrum of personalities from billionaires to artists. We explore critical aspects of successful interviews, such as understanding individuals, establishing rapport, the art of storytelling, and mastering public speaking. Ethical considerations in selecting interview subjects and deliberately omitting controversial figures are also discussed. Moreover, the episode examines the importance of connecting with audiences across different platforms, utilizing storytelling effectively, and finding a balance between personal interests and professional development. This in-depth discussion not only captures the essence of interviewing but also emphasizes its importance in improving both personal and professional communication skills.

Episode Summary:

00:00 Mastering the Art of Interviewing: Insights and Techniques

00:51 Polina Pompliano's Insights on Great Interviewing

01:35 Exploring Interview Techniques with Polina Pompliano

02:19 The Power of Research and Preparation in Interviews

03:53 The Art of Interviewing: Learning from the Best

05:13 The Impact of Interviewing Skills Beyond Podcasting

05:47 Building Intimacy and Trust in Interviews

10:37 Overcoming Nerves and Embracing the Interview Process

17:24 The Delicate Balance of Challenging and Supporting Interviewees

33:42 Joe Rogan's Approach to Engaging Conversations

42:05 Decoding David Letterman's Interview Style

45:01 The Art of Interviewing: Oprah's Approach

47:37 Howard Stern's Unique Interview Technique

51:12 Breaking Down Barriers with Sean Evans

55:08 Capturing the Essence of a Story: Barbara Walters

01:03:44 The Challenge of Interviewing Controversial Figures

01:09:21 Exploring Public Speaking and Interview Ethics

01:11:53 The Journey of a Masterful Interviewer

01:16:52 Closing Thoughts and Future Endeavors

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• What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!
• Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!

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• Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!
• My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!
• Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.
• I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com

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Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to “The James Altucher Show” wherever you get your podcasts: 

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A Note from James:

 I want to congratulate my friend Tim Ferriss on the 10th anniversary of his podcast. It is such an excellent podcast. It's one of the few podcasts I regularly listen to and I highly recommend it if you don't already listen to it. He's been a great guy, and a great friend over the years. We don't always keep in touch, but I always count him among my long-distance friends, and congratulations to him on having the 10th anniversary of his podcast.

I remember when he was first considering the podcast, he was calling around to other podcasters, including me, and he was doing his Tim Ferriss thing of researching and asking people as many questions as possible. And he thoroughly prepared and instantly became one of the. Top five podcasts out there.

So congratulations, Tim. This is the first episode on my podcast where Tim was the guest. It brings back fond memories also from 10 years ago. So here's Tim Ferriss being an amazing guest on my podcast.

Episode Description:

Tim Ferriss has a life-changing surprise for you.

It was expensive. I mean, it was expensive for him. It cost him a couple hundred thousand dollars to get. It also wasn't easy. He fought for a year and a half to get it.

This is going to change our lives. Yes, both of us.

Let me ask you this: What's the one skill you always wanted and don't have?

Is it Brazilian jiu-jitsu? Flirting? Playing poker? How to get out of a hostage situation? Whatever it is, you can learn it.

You just need to know how to learn. Learning is a skill.

Tim Ferriss did a bunch of experiments and mastered learning. In today's show, he reveals the secret to gaining any skill you ever wanted.

He FINALLY got digital rights to his TV show, The Tim Ferriss Experiment. It's about how to conquer fear in any skill at 10 times your learning speed. Think of it as MythBusters meets Jason Bourne.

"My job is to get people from zero percent to the top five percent in six months or less," he says, "The skill I'm refining is meta-learning. It's the toolkit."

The best part is that he filmed all 13 experiments. Now it's a show. It's "MythBusters meets Jackass." Clearly, a must watch.

I'm going to make my daughter binge-watch it today. Even if she has homework. This is more important. And more valuable.

The best part? He's releasing all 13 episodes "House of Cards-style" today.

They're available at iTunes.com/timferriss.

In The Tim Ferriss Experiment, Tim goes around trying to learn the most difficult skills in the world.

Sometimes, he's successful. Other times, he has to pull himself out of having an anxiety attack.

In today's interview, Tim reveals why we suck at learning new skills. The best part is that it's not your fault. You can do anything you want. Think about it. People with no legs can run.

Listen today to hear how to choose the best teacher, find an unorthodox mentor, alter your technique, and much more.

In this episode, you will learn:

• •What's holding you back from learning the skills you want
• •How to present yourself in the best way possible
• •How to find unorthodox mentors and teachers
• •How to identify outliers
• •How to learn to learn
• •What examples you should study when practicing a new skill

Links and resources mentioned in the show:

Tim Ferriss Book Club: http://fourhourworkweek.com/category/tim-ferriss-book-club/

Extra footage from The Tim Ferriss Experiment: http://fourhourworkweek.com/tv/

Episode Summary:

00:00 Celebrating Tim Ferriss: A Decade of Podcasting Excellence

01:43 The Launch of Tim Ferriss' TV Show: Behind the Scenes

03:52 The Art of Documentary Making: Tim Ferriss' Journey

09:31 Navigating the Challenges of TV Show Cancellation

13:53 Revolutionizing Content: Tim Ferriss' Strategy for Digital Rights

17:31 Exploring the Episodes: A Deep Dive into Tim Ferriss' TV Show

33:04 The Fascinating World of Urban Evasion and Escape

33:34 Creating a Show: From Novice to Jason Bourne

34:41 The Art of Escape: Learning to Outwit Kidnappers

35:58 Mastering the Unthinkable: Escaping Duct Tape and Handcuffs

37:20 Beyond the Show: The Science of Learning and Memory

37:30 Golfing Miracles: From Novice to Pro with Biomechanics

38:51 The Meta-Learning Journey: Enhancing Skill Acquisition

49:53 Language Learning on Fast-Forward: The Tagalog Challenge

54:32 Unconventional Training: Learning from the Unlikely Experts

58:49 The Battle for Show Rights: A Lesson in Persistence

01:00:41 Meta-Learning and Education: The Future of Skill Acquisition

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• What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!
• Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!

------------

• Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!
• My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!
• Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.
• I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com

------------

Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to “The James Altucher Show” wherever you get your podcasts: 

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A Note from James:
"The Algebra of Wealth" is a very good book by Scott Galloway and I had a very good conversation with him about how to create wealth, along with all the mistakes he's ever made. He's started nine companies: two were super successful, and several were pretty successful. He's talked about entrepreneurship so much. He's a really smart guy and these lessons are about building wealth.  I wish I had known them when I was younger. I wish my kids would know them and I want your kids to know them. So pay attention to this conversation I'm about to have with Scott Galloway, Professor G. 

Episode Description:

Today's interview with Scott Galloway focuses on financial security, investment strategies, and the interplay of personal life and professional ambitions. Galloway shares his journey of founding nine companies, the crucial role of location, network, character, and luck in achieving wealth, and the lessons learned from failures. He advocates for investing in low-cost index funds over stock picking or day trading, especially in a fluctuating economy, using Nvidia as an illustrative example. Additionally, he reflects on how New York City has shaped their careers and personal lives, providing a rounded perspective on achieving economic security amidst market uncertainties post the 2008 financial crisis. The conversation is a blend of professional advice on savings and investment, underscored by the importance of maintaining a balance for long-term success.

Episode Summary:

00:00 Introduction to 'The Algebra of Wealth'

00:46 A Deep Dive into Scott Galloway's Life and Career Moves

03:15 The Essence of Building Wealth and Embracing Opportunities

11:34 Navigating the Complexities of Career Choices in Your 20s

29:10 The Realities of Entrepreneurship and Overcoming Rejection

33:05 The Journey of Entrepreneurship and Personal Growth

33:31 The Power of Self-Belief and Persistence

33:46 Navigating Relationships and Personal Happiness

34:41 The Importance of Networking and Surrounding Yourself with Success

48:06 Financial Strategies and the Value of Saving

55:01 Career Choices and Finding Your Path

57:13 Overcoming Failure and Building Resilience

58:40 Wealth, Lifestyle, and Financial Freedom

01:03:39 Investment Strategies for Long-Term Success

01:06:13 Reflecting on Life Choices and the Future of New York

------------

• What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!
• Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!

------------

• Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!
• My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!
• Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.
• I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com

------------

Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to “The James Altucher Show” wherever you get your podcasts: 

• Apple Podcasts
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Follow me on social media:

• YouTube
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• LinkedIn