As we head into the new year, many of us feel like we’re drowning in invisible complexity. So I wanted to hit pause and ask a simple question: What are 1-3 decisions that could dramatically simplify my life in 2026? To explore that, I invited three close friends and long-time listener favorites—Derek Sivers, Seth Godin, and Martha Beck.This episode is brought to you by: <a href="https://incogni.com/tim" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Incogni, </a>which automatically removes your personal data from the web, helping shield you from fraud, scams, and identity theft: <a href="https://incogni.com/tim" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://incogni.com/tim</a> (use code TIM at checkout and get 60% off an annual plan)<a href="https://www.eightsleep.com/tim/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Eight Sleep Pod Cover 5</a>&nbsp;sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eightsleep.com/tim/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EightSleep.com/Tim</a>&nbsp;(use code TIM to get $700 off your very own Pod 5 Ultra.)More about today's guests:Derek Sivers&nbsp;is an author of philosophy and entrepreneurship, known for his surprising, quotable insights and pithy, succinct writing style. Derek’s books (<a href="https://sive.rs/h" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How to Live</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sive.rs/n" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hell Yeah or No</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sive.rs/m" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Your Music and People</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sive.rs/a" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anything You Want</a>) and newest projects are at his website:&nbsp;<a href="http://sive.rs/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sive.rs</a>.&nbsp;His new book is&nbsp;<a href="https://sive.rs/u" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Useful Not True</a>.Seth Godin&nbsp;is the author of 21 internationally bestselling books, translated into more than 35 languages, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00354Y9ZU/?tag=offsitoftimfe-20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Linchpin</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tribes-We-Need-You-Lead/dp/1591842336/?tag=offsitoftimfe-20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tribes</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QCSA54/?tag=offsitoftimfe-20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Dip</a>,&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00316UMS0/?tag=offsitoftimfe-20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Purple Cow</a>. His latest book,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-Strategy-Better-Elevate-Community/dp/B0D47T8S7N/?tag=offsitoftimfe-20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">This Is Strategy</a>, offers a fresh lens on how we can make bold decisions, embrace change, and navigate a complex, rapidly evolving world.&nbsp;Dr. Martha Beck&nbsp;has been called “the best-known life coach in America” by NPR and&nbsp;USA Today. She holds three Harvard degrees in social science and has published nine non-fiction books, one novel, and more than 200 magazine articles.&nbsp;The Guardian&nbsp;and other media have described her as “Oprah’s life coach.” Her latest book is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Anxiety-Curiosity-Creativity-Finding-ebook/dp/B0CXQ5QGMN/?tag=offsitoftimfe-20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose</a>. TIMESTAMPS<ul><li>[00:00:00] Start.</li><li>[00:00:20] Advice I’ve used to simplify my own life.</li><li>[00:04:02] Enter Derek Sivers.</li><li>[00:04:17] Simple is the opposite of complex — not just a synonym for “easy.”</li><li>[00:07:19] Simplification #1: No subscriptions, contracts, or people depending on him.</li><li>[00:07:40] Simplification #2: Programming with no external libraries or dependencies.</li><li>[00:08:30] Simplification #3: Building a house from scratch in New Zealand.</li><li>[00:09:26] Complex is a long-term trap. Simple is long-term freedom..</li><li>[00:10:32] Enter Seth Godin.</li><li>[00:10:48] Simplifying is hard work — if it were easy, you’d have already done it.</li><li>[00:11:17] Clarity on “who it’s for”: Ignore everyone else, including one-star reviews.</li><li>[00:12:46] Eliminate gray areas: Never miss a deadline, never go over budget. Stand by your commitments.</li><li>[00:14:53] Reclaim time with personal boundaries: No meetings, no social media, no TV.</li><li>[00:16:57] Simplifying one thing puts you on the hook to go deeper elsewhere.</li><li>[00:22:23] Enter Martha Beck.</li><li>[00:22:29] One decision that radically simplified her life.</li><li>[00:22:44] At 29, chose to follow true joy — not dopamine hits, but deep peace.</li><li>[00:24:15] The simple rule: Go toward joy, away from misery — no matter what.</li><li>[00:28:20] How a near-death experience sparked this commitment.</li><li>[00:30:02] Payoff: Autoimmune remission, purpose, wonderful relationships, home inside herself.</li></ul>*For show notes and past guests on&nbsp;<a href="https://tim.blog/podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Tim Ferriss Show</a>, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://tim.blog/podcast/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast-description" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tim.blog/podcast</a>.For deals from sponsors of&nbsp;<a href="https://tim.blog/podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Tim Ferriss Show</a>,&nbsp;please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://tim.blog/podcast-sponsors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tim.blog/podcast-sponsors</a>Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at&nbsp;<a href="https://go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-1/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tim.blog/friday</a>.For transcripts of episodes, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://tim.blog/transcripts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tim.blog/transcripts</a>.Discover Tim’s books:&nbsp;<a href="https://tim.blog/books" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tim.blog/books</a>.Follow Tim:Twitter:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/tferriss" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">twitter.com/tferriss</a>&nbsp;Instagram:&nbsp;<a href="https://instagram.com/timferriss/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">instagram.com/timferriss</a>YouTube:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/timferriss" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">youtube.com/timferriss</a>Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TimFerriss/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/timferriss</a>&nbsp;LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/timferriss" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">linkedin.com/in/timferriss</a>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

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#837: How to Simplify Your Life in 2026 — New Tips from Derek Sivers, Seth Godin, and Martha Beck

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