Malcolm Gladwell Interview (Full Episode) | The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast)

He has explored how ideas spread in the Tipping Point, decision making in Blink, the roots of success in Outliers, and the advantages of disadvantages in his latest book David and Goliath. In his latest podcast project, Revisionist History, Gladwell examines the way the passage of time changes and enlightens our understanding of the world around us.

Enjoy!

What have been the easiest—and hardest—books for Malcolm to write? [08:05]
Who does Malcolm consider to be the “gold standard” of storytellers? [09:30]
On dealing with writer’s block. [12:30]
Malcolm on story structure. [15:07]
As early as the research stage, sometimes good stories write themselves. [18:27]
Malcolm on taking and organizing notes. [22:18]
How does Malcolm determine what starts a chapter (or a book)? [24:49]
Trying different creative “recipes” for storytelling. [26:04]
How Malcolm plans his speaking keynotes (and how he got better at it). [28:24]
Malcolm’s speaking hero. [30:36]
The elements of a good speaking performance. [33:17]
Tying stories together to support a theme. [35:32]
Getting better at asking questions. [40:55]
The most worthwhile investment (of time) Malcolm has made. [45:57]
Malcolm’s favorite failures. [48:18]
Malcolm’s morning routines. [50:55]
Why is Lapsang Souchong a controversial tea? [51:30]
Why Malcolm prefers writing in noisy public places. [53:46]
How Malcolm winds down from a day of work. [54:42]
Malcolm’s bedtime routine. [55:45]
The worst advice shared with young people today. [57:27]
Malcolm’s flaws that turned into strengths. [1:02:07]
Malcolm on giving and receiving advice. [1:04:38]
The first person who comes to mind when Malcolm thinks of the word “successful.” [1:05:43]
Systems Malcolm relies upon. [1:10:28]
Two necessary contradictions elite runners face. [1:12:21]
Books Malcolm has gifted the most. [1:13:18]
The purchase of $100 or less that has had a positive impact on Malcolm’s life. [1:17:24]
The most articulate person Malcolm has ever met. [1:18:29]
Something Malcolm believes that other people think is crazy. [1:19:09]
Malcolm’s reaction to Peter Thiel’s disagreement with one of his positions. [1:22:14]
An innovator Malcolm finds particularly inspiring. [1:24:22]
Advice Malcolm would give to his 30-year-old self. [1:26:39]
How Malcolm started podcasting. [1:30:53]
What Malcolm finds most novel about creating podcasts versus writing books. [1:31:46]
How Malcolm feels about doing another season or two of podcasting. [1:33:14]
What would be on Malcolm’s billboard? [1:35:18]
Why does Malcolm believe in the legal maxim of “Difficult cases make bad law?” [1:36:07]

Connect with Malcolm Gladwell:

Dissecting the Success of Malcolm Gladwell


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 200 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running.

Connect with Tim Ferriss:

[BharatMirchandaniAskmir]

Love Malcolm Gladwell, read all his books, now hear him talk almost everyday, he connects dots in the most profound way and he's helping me lose weight, I can listen to him all day and get so engrossed I forget to eat.

[CalebBrandalise]

04:30 start of show
06:54 welcome malcolm :)

[gnarlycharlie]

Another great and insightful episode 👌 I loved the part about how Malcolm's dad goes about asking questions - an excellent example of being able to communicate clearly (for both parties - asker and responder).

[arjuna]

So happy you got Malcom on the show!! I'm a regular JRE listener and I heard you on Joe's show. I've been pleading him (Joe) to have Malcolm on for years. He's a brilliant mind. Eager to listen.

[wtfyee]

Oh wow Malcolm Gladwell, I'm going to enjoy this :) also would love to see Robert Greene

[BKMAG]

such gems, for every hopeful writer. but forget the mechanics of how he writes. its how he forces us to re-see the world that is most genius. my dream is to shake Gladwell's hand one day.

[mikeleslie]

Malcolm, you have to do a podcast on Elizabeth Frazer. You will find as many twists as your Hallelujah story. She was lovers with Jeff Buckley after she made Tim Buckleys "Song to the Siren" her own. Easily in my top 10 songs of all time. You are a master story teller and I'd like to hear your take on this. Lex

[caulds]

When Tim Ferriss asked Malcolm Gladwell what advice he would give his 30-year-old self, Gladwell's response was immediate, and quite simple (01:26:39)

[Erebus]

Most favorite author saying second favorite is his gold standard. I'm dead.

[TrapNerdMusic]

Couldn't make it through the ads at the start.

[nerf]

LOL, you interviewed him. I read his 2 books

[elvansavkli]

could you please interview alain de botton and gabor gabe again .

[zurima]

Malcon said "Galen Rupp is a beautiful runner " because he kind of looks like him...
ya, he's beautiful, Galen I mean..

[rubytiny]

which author did Malcolm as a good story teller?

[mikhailfranco]

If you like Lapsang Souchong tea
you should try Ceylon Souchong
from Herman teas in Sri Lanka.
They grow tea and cinnamon,
strip the bark to sell as spice,
then burn the remaining sticks to smoke the tea:
(c.f. Chinese Lapsang Souchong is smoked with pine wood)

[mikhailfranco]

Totally agree with the two gold standards: Michael Lewis and Niall Ferguson.
I would add Douglas Murray as running Niall very close these days.
There is now a weekly dose of Niall available on this roundtable:

[drumheadus]

Is it just me, or does Tim Ferriss' voice sound just like Corey Taylor?

[liam]

Has Malcolm stopped making podcasts? Nothing in "Revisionist History" since "the Satire Paradox".

[influentiapatterns]

This probably would have been interesting, but this video had the misfortune of following Tim's wonderful interviews with Scott Adams and Tony Robbins and this did not compare.

[zurima]

yeah, I agree with Malcon about choosing college ...Ferriss is such snob ...