Season 1 · Episode 48
Tim Urban, Wait But Why // The Craft of Storytelling + Thinking Like Elon Musk
Creator Lab - interviews with entrepreneurs and startup founders
December 16, 20201h 25m
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Show Notes
Tim Urban is one of the internet's most popular writers.
His blog, Wait But Why, attracts millions of visitors including famous fans like Elon Musk. His talk on procrastination is the #1 TED talk on YouTube with 33mil+ views.
Subscribe + Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tl2a6H1E7DU
Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi @waitbutwhy
FIVE THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:
- his writing + research process
- first principles thinking + lessons learned from Elon Musk + Tony Hseih (Zappos)
- techniques to overcome low confidence + find your authentic voice
- how he'd start from scratch today
- how to explain complex topics like AI + Neuralink through storytelling
SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPT: https://www.creatorlab.fm/tim-urban-wait-but-why-podcast/
TIMESTAMPS:
- 00:00:00 Preview
- 00:02:05 Intro + Tim's Cuddly Toys
- 00:04:38 How Elon Musk Became A Fan
- 00:05:33 11yr Old Tim Meets The Internet
- 00:07:17 Trip Down Internet Memory Lane
- 00:09:39 "Underneath The Turban" + Finding A Creative Path
- 00:14:07 Micro + Macro Happiness
- 00:15:22 Finding A Voice + Getting Traction
- 00:17:39 "What Could I Do With 60hrs A Week?"
- 00:19:04 Tim's Research + Writing Process
- 00:25:33 "Neuralink Is A Magic Hat"
- 00:26:53 Tools + The Magic of "Text Edit"
- 00:31:53 Talent vs Craft
- 00:34:12 "Writing For a Stadium Full of Tim's"
- 00:36:42 Adam Grant's Antidote to Paranoia
- 00:38:47 Vicious Cycle of Confidence
- 00:42:07 Headlines
- 00:45:36 Example: Fermi Paradox
- 00:47:58 Creativity vs Promotion
- 00:50:33 Starting From Scratch Today
- 00:51:51 Facebook Ads In 2013
- 00:53:57 Owned, Rented + New Platforms
- 01:01:01 Dream Person To Interview
- 01:03:37 First Principles + Learning From Elon Musk
- 01:08:37 Manage A Business Like Elon Musk
- 01:10:37 Latest on Neuralink + AI
- 01:15:37 Re-Thinking A Cyborg From First Principles
- 01:16:23 Memories + Lessons From Tony Hseih (Zappos)
- 01:22:19 Tony Hseih's Relationship Ripple Effect