Derek Sivers on Changing Your Mind, Inhabiting Philosophies, and the Power of Simplicity

Derek Sivers, entrepreneur and author, joins Tim Ferriss to discuss how he's changed his mind on several topics, including coffee, programming languages, and entire countries. He shares his philosophy of deliberately going against his instincts at times to shake up his life trajectory and gain new perspectives.

Sivers explains his fascination with simplicity, inspired by programmer Rich Hickey's ideas on distinguishing between 'simple' and 'easy'. He applies this concept to various aspects of life, from programming to personal decisions, emphasizing the value of avoiding unnecessary complexity.

The conversation delves into Sivers' interest in different cultures and philosophies. He describes his approach to travel as 'inhabiting philosophies', immersing himself in local ways of living to gain new insights and experiences. Sivers shares his newfound appreciation for Dubai, highlighting its multicultural environment and the deep-rooted culture of generosity he encountered.

Sivers also discusses his current projects, including an innovative approach to book translation that aims to continually improve translations through incremental improvements and reader feedback. He touches on his upcoming book "Useful Not True" and his unconventional approach to building his dream home.

Throughout the conversation, Sivers emphasizes the importance of questioning assumptions, being open to changing one's mind, and seeking diverse perspectives. He encourages listeners to embrace simplicity, be willing to go against their instincts at times, and to actively seek out new experiences and ways of thinking.

Changing Your Mind

Sivers shares several examples of things he's changed his mind about:

1. Coffee: After disliking coffee his entire life, he discovered he enjoys Emirati coffee.
2. Python programming language: After avoiding Python for years due to his preference for Ruby, he finally tried it and now loves it.
3. Pet rats: From hating and killing rats, he now keeps them as beloved pets.
4. China: His perception of China completely changed after a recent visit, finding it much more advanced and refined than he expected.
5. Dubai: From never wanting to visit, he now considers it a fascinating place he might want to live.

Sivers emphasizes the joy and growth that comes from changing one's mind and being open to new experiences.

The Power of Simplicity

Inspired by programmer Rich Hickey's ideas, Sivers discusses the difference between 'simple' and 'easy':

• Simple means not bound to other things, standing alone
• Complex means intertwined or bound to other things
• Easy means near at hand, familiar, or within your current abilities
• Hard is the opposite of easy

Sivers applies this concept to various aspects of life:

• In programming: Striving for simplicity even if it's initially harder to implement
• In writing: Spending time reducing and simplifying his work
• In life decisions: Questioning whether something is truly necessary or just seemingly easy

He encourages people to be wary of easy solutions that might introduce unnecessary complexity into their lives.

Inhabiting Philosophies

Sivers describes his approach to travel as 'inhabiting philosophies':

• Not just visiting places to see sights or take pictures
• Immersing himself in local ways of living and thinking
• Trying to embody and experience different cultural philosophies

He shares his experience with Dubai and the UAE:

• Discovering a culture of generosity and hospitality
• Appreciating the multicultural environment
• Considering it as a potential place to live

Sivers emphasizes the value of experiencing different ways of living and thinking to broaden one's perspective.

Projects and Ideas

Sivers discusses several current interests and projects:

1. Incremental translation improvement (inchworm.com):

   • A system to continually improve book translations through multiple iterations and reader feedback
   • Aims to create high-quality translations that truly capture the author's intent

2. Building his dream home:

   • Starting with a simple, empty rectangle
   • Adding only what he finds necessary through experience
   • Inspired by Stewart Brand's ideas on adaptable buildings

3. Studying interesting thinkers:

   • Rich Hickey (creator of Clojure programming language)
   • Tyler Cowen (economist and writer)

Key Takeaways

1. Be open to changing your mind and challenging your assumptions
2. Seek simplicity, even if it's initially harder
3. Travel to experience and embody different philosophies
4. Question whether something is truly necessary before adding complexity to your life
5. Embrace diverse perspectives and experiences
6. Be willing to go against your instincts sometimes to gain new insights
7. Continually seek improvement and refinement in your work and ideas

Sivers encourages listeners to email him and engage in conversation, especially if they're translators or live in Dubai. He also mentions that his new book "Useful Not True" is available only through his website, not on Amazon.

The conversation ends with Tim Ferriss encouraging listeners to be kinder than necessary, not just to others but also to themselves.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGnDhd--BiM