Derek Sivers interview at Tim Ferriss Podcast

You know how you have that bad pen? Throw out the bad pen.”

Derek Sivers: It’s so liberating. Don’t have the bad pen. It’s about self-respect, isn’t it? Even something as simple as a pen. When I’ve done that, I went, “I’m better than this. I’m not going to take this. This pen is not going to rule over me any longer.”

So I realized that even those categories can be involuntary, that you can suddenly be a rescuer even if you never intended to be one, just through the power of imitation. You can deliberately step into these roles by imitating others

Admit that whatever you are is now and whatever your preference is now.

Read The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwart

Maximizers have been found to feel worse about the decisions they make. They look into every possible option. They try to make the best possible choice, but studies show that they feel worse about the choice they make.

Whereas satisficers may not make the absolute best possible choice, but they feel much better about the choices they make. , I don’t want open loops. Unresolved decisions. Sitting unresolved. Sitting undecided for a long time. I feel the weight of those unfinished projects because I’m trying to make it perfect. I feel the weight of those. And so I think I’ve learned the importance of just getting things done and finishing. And to do that, you usually have to say good enough, you know, at some point.

Almost nothing is objectively true.
Beliefs are placebos. You’ve got to believe whatever works for you.
Rules and norms are arbitrary games that can be changed. And I’m preaching to the converted that one.
Refuse ideology. You need to accept ideas individually

Someone made up these rules and most people follow those rules. But they’re not true. They’re just not absolutely true.

Realizing they’re not true gives you an incredible advantage because you realize you can make up the rule.

We should be skeptical of every -ism. I think we should avoid -isms, avoid ideology, and take ideas piecemeal.

When you have a disempowering belief, stop and ask myself, “Wait a minute. Is that true? That sounds like a disempowering belief. Let me push back on that. I think that belief might be holding me back.”

So I’m constantly doubting everything I write, doubting everything I think, doubting everything I say. And questioning it.

Value personal growth.

What’s your definition of success?”

And I said “To me, it’s just achieving what you set out to do. That’s your personal success for that thing. I think it’s very individual.