] Start.[00:03:12] As David once told Chase Jarvis: "Your mind is made for having ideas, not for holding ideas." What did he mean by this?[00:06:06] What are the first questions and exercises David presents when he begins coaching high-functioning but overwhelmed people?[00:08:28] What are the consequences of breaking an agreement with yourself, why are you most likely to break such an agreement, and what are your options for recovering from a broken agreement?[00:11:35] David's best tips for renegotiating an agreement when the need arises.[00:17:01] Where does David keep his backlog?[00:18:25] What are the pros and cons of keeping track of information in digital versus analog format?[00:20:00] As a teenager, what did David want to be when he grew up?[00:24:08] What did David's college and career path look like, and how did it steer him toward understanding models for navigating life's complexities?[00:25:48] What David can piece together from Berkeley, 1968 and the long list of careers that followed — leading to the formation of the principles detailed in GTD.[00:30:32] What mentors does David credit as being instrumental in his creation of GTD?[00:33:09] What are next action decisions, and how do they differ from what people generally put on their to-do lists?[00:36:24] The capture list, the two-minute rule, and emptying the in-basket.[00:37:22] Top-down versus bottom-up systems and understanding the hierarchy of priorities.[00:43:02] What led to the Allens' relocation to Amsterdam, and what quality of life improvements have he and his wife noticed since moving there?[00:48:29] How long did it take for the Allens to go from thinking about the possibility of moving from Ojai to Amsterdam to actually going through with it?[00:50:50] What does David consider his most fruitful — though seemingly counterintuitive — life decision?[00:55:34] One of David's mentors in Berkeley claimed to have extra-sensory abilities. Did David ever experience evidence of this in person?[00:56:58] David shares a particularly difficult period of time in his life, what led to it, and what happened in its aftermath.[01:01:21] What does the word "spiritual" mean to David?[01:02:14] What does David's meditation practice look like these days — and what does he recommend for someone who wants to start meditating?[01:02:58] What was David's biggest takeaway from the time he spent in a mental institution?[01:04:05] Does David ever feel overwhelmed or unfocused? If so, how does he deal with it?[01:05:02] Are there any new beliefs, behaviors, or habits that have materially improved David's life in the last handful of years?[01:06:19] Books (aside from his own) that David has gifted or recommended most to others.[01:07:13] What are David's bedtime and morning routines, and how much sleep does he get every night?[01:08:48] Is there anything about GTD David wishes more adherents would heed? Does anything important get commonly missed?[01:10:25] What are the steps of the GTD weekly review? Does David recommend doing it at any particular day or time?[01:12:40] Are there certain categories of things to which David simply says "No" as a default?[01:14:00] How does David filter unpleasant people out of his life?[01:14:52] Why GTD is intended as a force for freedom and creativity, not a yawnworthy paean to rigid structure — as Brad Keywell, Howard Stern, Will Smith, and Robert Downey, Jr. can testify.[01:18:58] Is the GTD weekly review inherently a solo process, or can it involve someone's group, staff, or family?[01:19:38] What does David use to organize his email?[01:20:58] Does David use any particular app or program for pulling material like articles or references from the Web?[01:22:13] Are there any quotes by which David tries to live his life?[01:22:48] What would David's billboard say?[01:23:16] Does David still have hope that people will do something with the space created by GTD to answer life's bigger questions?[01:25:35] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss