#138: How Seth Godin Manages His Life — Rules, Principles, and Obsessions

This interview originally aired in 2016. You can find the show notes here: https://tim.blog/2016/02/10/seth-godin/
“We can’t out-obedience the competition.” – Seth Godin
I expected this episode to be amazing, and Seth 10x’d expectations. He’s incredible.
Seth Godin (@thisissethsblog) is the author of 17 bestselling books that have been translated into more than 35 languages. He writes about the way ideas spread, marketing, strategic quitting, leadership, and — most of all — challenging the status quo in all areas. His books include Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip, Purple Cow, and What to Do When it’s Your Turn (and it’s Always Your Turn).
Seth has founded several companies, including Yoyodyne and Squidoo. His blog (which you can find by typing “Seth” into Google) is one of the most popular in the world. In 2013, Godin was inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. Recently, Godin turned the book publishing world on its ear by launching a series of four books via Kickstarter. The campaign reached its goal in just three hours and became the most successful book project in Kickstarter history.
In this episode, we cover dozens of topics and stories, including some he’s never discussed publicly before. Here’s a small sample:
A list of the audiobooks he listens to repeatedly, some once per month
His morning routine, breakfast, dietary habits, and email processing
Meditative practices
Why he’s fixated on and mastered coffee and vodka, despite the fact that he consumes neither
Suggestions for going from “wantrepreneur” to entrepreneur
How to determine if you’re better off a “freelancer” or “entrepreneur,” and the differences in his mind
Why he has the most impressive cookbook collection our mutual chef friends have ever seen
His rules for saying “no” to opportunities, how he thinks about public speaking, etc.
His recipe for honey oatmeal vodka, and his favorite chocolates in the world
Thoughts on improving how parents educate their children
General philosophies and guidelines he uses for life management


Enjoy!