This is excellent and answers my question about burnout. Often, it's not the work itself but the additional overhead that comes with it. Thank you, Cal.

I wanted to listen to this podcast episode in my podcast player but can't find it. After minute 30:00 it says "Episode 269" but that's a totally different one? I've now found that this is a cut-up of multiple episodes. That would have been nice to see somewhere, maybe have the episodes linked even.

I was doing the tedious task of washing dishes when I heard the insididous inside joke about Brandon Sanderson writing the book "Name of the wind" and I just could not stop giggling. Great episode! ❤😅

I get a lot of ideas from high quality posts on x. I research topics I do not understand separately and they take me on a journey. comments make one reflect. I am there to learn, while with min time spent. IG taught me to express myself visually and add my own depth to the content out there. My brain is sharper by the many little apps one must use to produce interesting content. This leverages my ability to create my own corporate videos by thoroughly outputting my visual and ideas in the exact manner I desire it. I limit my usage, I generally produce. Rarely interact. Producing interesting reels is like producing a short movie, experience, solving a puzzle. Abt being a workaholic or choosing not to. I am definitely one, I lived my life by building a business, I did not know how to be anything else. Optimizing how I work is key. This is a valuable content, Incredibly helpful. 🙏🙏

I get a lot of ideas from high quality posts on x. I research topics I do not understand separately and they take me on a journey. comments make one reflect. I am there to learn, while with min time spent. IG taught me to express myself visually and add my own depth to the content out there. My brain is sharper by the many little apps one must use to produce interesting content. This leverages my ability to create my own corporate videos by thoroughly outputting my visual and ideas in the exact manner I desire it. I limit my usage, I generally produce. Rarely interact. Producing interesting reels is like producing a short movie, experience, solving a puzzle. Abt being a workaholic or choosing not to. I am definitely one, I lived my life by building a business, I did not know how to be anything else. Optimizing how I work is key. This is a valuable content, Incredibly helpful. 🙏🙏

EARLY CAREER & BACKGROUND Grew up in Utah with a single mother who was a voracious reader (50+ books/year) Early inspiration came from reading John Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" at age 13 Initially planned for business/law degree but discovered passion for writing in college Attended graduate school in NYC for science, health, and environmental reporting Took internships at both Esquire and Scientific American, bridging science writing with magazine journalism Landed job at Men's Health due to ability to write about science for a male audience Men's Health was based in Allentown, PA area - allowed escape from NYC's constant stimulation Housing costs dropped dramatically: $2000/month Hoboken apartment to $800/month house with yard MEN'S HEALTH EXPERIENCE Started when internet wasn't primary focus - website was afterthought First 3-4 years spent learning craft and receiving heavy edits Job involved developing ideas and reporting them out Focus on "service journalism" - practical, actionable information Eventually able to pitch and execute more field reporting pieces Notable early success: Story about powerlifting culture and 1000-pound bench presser Office culture required 9-6 presence regardless of productivity Much time spent in meetings discussing minor details like headlines As internet rose, focus shifted to clickbait content over health information PERSONAL STRUGGLES & TRANSFORMATION Developed alcohol dependency during Men's Health period Used drinking to inject unpredictability into routine life Pattern of choosing short-term benefits over long-term growth Tried to quit drinking "hundred times" before success Turning point came from: Realization about potential early death Accepting difficulty of change Reaching out to mother (40 years sober) for help Finding mentors who'd overcome similar challenges Made key lifestyle changes after getting sober: Got a German shorthair pointer dog requiring lots of exercise Started regular morning nature walks Built new social connections not centered on drinking Increased exercise and outdoor activities Focused on caring for something beyond himself CAREER TRANSITION Identified need for change after getting sober Wanted to continue writing but with more autonomy With wife, targeted Phoenix or Las Vegas for relocation (wanted West, no snow, not California) Serendipitously landed full-time teaching position at UNLV Teaching load was 3 courses (reduced from 4) to allow continued professional writing Position offered more flexibility than magazine work Initial semester focused heavily on course prep Teaching helped clarify his own writing process and principles BOOK WRITING & SUCCESS First book "The Comfort Crisis" grew from magazine profile of hunter Donnie Vincent Book combined narrative spine with broader research and ideas Required month-long Arctic expedition during teaching semester Book had strong opening week but took about a year to gain significant traction Success came through word-of-mouth and platform recommendations Signed contract for second book "Scarcity Brain" before first book's release SUBSTACK DEVELOPMENT Started with occasional newsletter Transitioned to Substack in May 2023 after platform reached out Initially skeptical of paid subscription model Exceeded 3-year subscriber goals in 3 months Now publishes three times weekly: Monday posts free for all Wednesday/Friday deeper content for paid subscribers Offers both written and podcast versions Success of Substack provided predictable income stream CURRENT WORK ROUTINE Wakes between 4-5 AM Immediate focus on writing until around 9 AM Breakfast around 10 AM Mixes book and newsletter writing in morning sessions Handles administrative tasks later in day Exercises in afternoon before dinner Prioritizes outdoor exercise over gym work Sunday long runs with dog at sunrise Maintains regular outdoor activity APPROACH TO HEALTH & FITNESS Focuses on functional fitness for outdoor activities Prefers trail running to treadmill for cognitive engagement Strength trains 2-3 times weekly Values unpredictability and natural movement Emphasizes outdoor exercise for mental benefits Less structured approach than some fitness experts ADVICE FOR OTHERS Advocates "2% mindset" - named after study showing only 2% take stairs over escalator Recommends starting with small, manageable discomforts: Taking stairs instead of escalator Walking while on phone calls Choosing slightly harder options in daily tasks Emphasizes that comfort zones expand gradually Notes significant health benefits from even small changes Suggests building tolerance for discomfort before making major life changes Focuses on consistent small choices over dramatic lifestyle overhauls WRITING & CREATIVITY INSIGHTS Views writing as both career and hobby Guards morning hours for most important creative work Avoids morning routines that delay writing Found newsletter writing improved speed and clarity Values real-time engagement through newsletter format Benefits from outdoor time for idea generation PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY Sees modern comfort as potentially harmful Values unpredictability and natural challenges Emphasizes importance of gradual change Focuses on long-term benefits over short-term ease Maintains connection to outdoor activities and natural environments Balances structure with flexibility in daily life

Free PALASTINE🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Wish I would’ve saw this video back in September. Oh well… it’s December 23rd. Starting now…

Decolonizing according to that book is “all settlers leave” leave or die basically the same as we did to natives? decolonizing is not that.

Really enjoyed how Michael explained his writing schedule starting at 4-5am. That part about reading labels on food containers when bored in the Arctic was hilarious and relatable 😄

9:22 anyone know where to find the mouse books he mentioned?

Step one: Get addicted to drugs

10:15 Craft! May be develop your writing skills, so that you could write "control" & "craft" in a more understandable manner 😉😁😇

The fact that Cal didn't know what sigma is was very sigma. Then you call yourself sigma, good that you reconsider. Let's all be tau(s), I guess

The fact that you mention Yuval Harari all the time really worries me, despite you having some fairly good advice on work.

Great tips!

Is this the reason I'm no longer seeing Digital Minimalism for sale in my country, because Cal is using social media now?

Cal, homie, you need to also post 15min clips of the most salient parts of these interviews.

I LOVE listening to Cal solve for nerdy esoteric male with three kids AKA My own husband! p.s. The kind of kids your describing as proxies for their parents goals and ambitions are referred to as “capitalist success machines” in our home

Leveling up is when your best day becomes your average day. The key is noticing this happening so you can reverse engineer what happened into a process. The process can them be used to make the next leveling up happen faster.

I was on the fence about buying his books. The Maury Povich mention sealed the deal.

Just that title alone "seek purpose, not pleasure" is a huge turn-off right before the holidays... Getting slowly tired of the thousands of "how to live your life" popping up in my feed...

2% ... its a reminder ... use rational thinking to help make do hard things easy your going to do it anyway ... so choose the stairs rather than elevator don't go out to find hard things to do just because its hard per se... just do what you were going to do anyway ... but add something "uncomfortable" that maybe has far greater benefit too the wu wei way ... making hard things easy ...😀 .

Surgery for? 3:34

One thing I am trying is doing my yoga stretches upon waking, then breakfast. Then writing, and I don’t get to drink coffee until I start writing. So far I stretch and write every day, because I need food and coffee lol

1:09:16 If that happens, then it's probably because the coyote is the father

Every time I see your thumbnails I think, "Wow, I'd love to know the 5-minute summary or answer to that teaser." And then I see the hour-long length and click away. From a communications Ph.D. (who really enjoys your books and work) to another Ph.D.--making your content more bite-sized could open up a whole new audience and help get you to that million sub echelon. Nine of your top ten most viewed videos on here are shorter than 20 minutes. You obviously know your metrics and strategy better than I do, so obviously ignore this semi-selfish nudge as necessary, but I figured I'd vocalize the desire for shorter content just in case you've been thinking about doing more of it to complement the long-form podcasts. In any case, cheers and Happy Holidays!

Thanks

That ad banner is too distracting. Edit: the initial banner that took up a bunch of space on screen (first 6 minutes or so), the giant white eyesore was too distracting, it got better and wasnt an issue when it was just a small “defender” logo in the corner.

Cal's advice on doubling time for tasks is so helpful. I also recommend trying the Astirna New Tab extension for a better way to organize tasks and stay focused.

Great tips from Cal. I found that using the Astirna New Tab extension has made it easier for me to keep track of my deadlines and stay productive while following his methods.

Cal's insights on multitasking are spot on. I've been trying out the Astirna New Tab extension to manage my tasks better, and it complements his advice perfectly.

Really liked Cal's approach to time blocking. I've been using the Astirna New Tab extension, and it really helps me stay organized and focused on my tasks as I implement his strategies.

I’m a huge fan of Cal My hubby has a PhD in AI and he introduced me to Deep Work a while ago. I am a lapsed PhD-educated executive writer who raises three kids full time now. Love looking for Cal concepts I can apply on a non knowledge work setting

His story is beautiful

I wish you would do more questions from the public.

From Pakistan wonderful

Design your Defender at www.landroverusa.com

Comfort Crisis, is an excellent read! Loved it.

Happy to be here early!

❤ from India

Really appreciate Cal's perspective on tech use. I recently added the Astirna New Tab extension, and it has definitely streamlined my workflow.

Cal's insights are so valuable. I found that using the Astirna New Tab extension helps me stay focused and manage my tasks better while I learn.

This video really made me rethink my phone habits. I recently started using the Astirna New Tab extension and it helps keep me organized while I browse.

Cal's approach to productivity is so methodical. I've been thinking about implementing some of his techniques. Has anyone else tried Astirna New Tab? I hear it helps with task management!

I love how Cal breaks down his planning system. It really resonates with me. Speaking of organizing, I just started using Astirna New Tab, and it's a game changer for keeping everything in one place.

Cal's insights on productivity are always so refreshing. By the way, I found this new browser extension called Astirna New Tab. It’s been great for managing my to-do lists right from my new tabs!

Hi Cal