Tim Ferriss and Ryan Holiday on Living in Austin, TX vs. Silicon Valley/New York City/Los Angeles

About Tim Ferriss:
Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 400 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running.

Connect with Tim Ferriss:

[InnerVisionStudios]

Austin is becoming a hub for so many inspirational leaders. Such an amazing city. No wonder why people are moving there.

[jziskind]

If Tim were being honest with himself, he would acknowledge his role in hyping the "mono-conversation" in the Bay Area that he now criticizes. His blog, books, and podcast accelerated the current obsession with venture capitalism, bio-hacking, morning routines, supplements, etc. Now he's bringing the same conversations to Austin, which is quickly moving in the same direction.

[Joshkie]

I just wish they all had not moved to Austin and doubled almost tripled our rent and housing prices.

[alexcampion]

I really enjoy this snip. Long time Tim a Ferris fan. I find the same about Long Beach, CA. On a daily basis, I am able to engage with people involved in - health care, hospitals, logistics, business, fashion, entertainment and education. Very diverse!

[Damien.Lindsey]

I just left Austin after visiting my mom for 3 months (covid vacation). Being back in Baltimore, MD, I miss it so much and can't express how much I appreciate the exploration of the intangible aspects of 'place' in this conversation. Thank you🙏🏽

[omgalul]

so when austin gets expensive what happens to ppl who are not in tech or finance who lived there for decades?
do they get forced out along with their businesses because they can't afford it ?

[Micloren]

After thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail ... Austin is one of those rare cities that feels 'trail like' in atmosphere and thinking. Most large cities suck you right into mono-thinking, selfishness, anger, frustration, and everything else that seems to correlated with the traffic/9-5/grind/materialism lifestyle. Going from a big city to long distance hiking and back really helped contrast that reality.

[kdl]

Left Austin 2 years ago. People have fomo there, and it seemed difficult to pin people down and get them to meet up with you. Place has a lot to do, sure.. getting crowded, and it's a driver's city. Much happier on the move

[RobJenkinsDubTechno]

"In my experience, there is only one motivation, and that is desire. No reasons or principle contain it or stand against it." --Jane Smiley

[irezjoycoaching]

This is interesting. I would love to hear someone’s take on Portland, Oregon. It feels similar to Austin Texas in the fact that you do have this little blueberry in tomato soup. I have never lived in Austin Texas. My best friend lives outside of Austin. I have lived in Portland Oregon for 15 years, went to social work school in New York City, and grew up on Long Island. I also lived in Boston and Chicago and London. I appreciate the Mono conversation piece. Like Austin, in Portland Oregon, and as a therapist, I find myself super interested in human behavior, so i have talks about politics in a very safe way with others who vote differently from the mono cultures you referenced. It does really give you hope and empathy I find myself considering less polarization. Which, in essence is a nonviolent way of communicating.

[llmkzz]

I thought you would mention no state tax, low cost of living, cheaper housing lol

[TravisHeinze]

Thousands and thousands of cars are swirling around their location and they want to talk like this place is chill?

[oregonwoodelf]

We tend to get wrapped up in talking this narrative of how the majority of an area "is". However, that's really just more division/separation.
Take every encounter on a case by case basis with an open mind/heart. That is how we mend this mess. Not by labelling everything like we love to do. Let that stuff go.

[Erict]

fyi only people who are not from Texas call Austin the blue in the red ocean (or whatever metaphor preferred). Texas has many Democrat areas, including all the large urban areas and the southern border with Mexico.

[michellepollock]

You all have made Austin a mini-version of San Francisco. There is NO WAY you mingle with anyone outside of your siloed tech thinking. Tech BARELY gives back to their physical communities (outside of Salesforce). You come to our towns, you take advantage of our low taxes, you drive up the costs, and then you leave when it is "too crowded." We will look back at you all as the unscrupulous finance rats of the 80s. Now, you have created a city that can no longer support locals. There is no "weird" left in Austin. It is the monoculture you smear because of YOU and the culture you bring. If you want this NOT to be the case, GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THOUGHTFULLY. And yes, it matters. When will tech GIVE BACK to communities?!!!! Sample: Salesforce Foundation gives $18 million to Bay Area causes.

[drewsson]

Tip; Don't try to be better than others, try to be better then you were yesterday.

[ginge]

I'm sure Texans are loving all those from tech coming in with that ridiculous 'upspeak'.

[jcen]

I moved from Austin to NYC.

Tech: Winner is NYC
Finance: Winner is NYC
Film: Winner is NYC
Theater: Winner is NYC
Art: Winner is NYC
Culture: Winner is NYC

[lanavikadorothea]

What do you mean Austin is not for entertainment like LA and why wasn’t Atlanta mentioned?

[leonp]

<--Bay Native, SF has golden state warriors, 49ers, san jose sharks and SF giants so big on sports. Lots of hiking areas and Stanford, Berkeley, UCSF. A lot of famous people in film: George lucas, robin williams, tom hanks and etc. Top tier in healthcare, biotech, and medicine-pharma in South San Francisco; usually Boston vs SF top 2 spots in world for innovation in bio stuff. We got a decent finance hub in SF in financial district. SF didn'y really get Techy untill google moved to SF then all the companies moved out to SF in like 2007, everything was still in San Jose/ southbay area. I remember tech/venture capital was pretty an underground scene in 2007 just for engineers. Then we created facebook + linkedin and we got big then a lot of transplants starting moving over here after that because everything was on display.