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In this anniversary episode, Olivia, Peter’s daughter who initially kicked off The Drive podcast with her sneak peek episode, returns to ask Peter the tough questions on how the podcast is going, what he has learned along the way (and how he plans to make it better), what exciting things are in store for the future, and plenty more.
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We discuss:
- Revisiting the question from 1 year ago: Does the world really need another podcast? [1:15];
- What have you learned about podcasting over the last year? [2:15];
- How many more podcast episodes do you plan to make? [4:20];
- How do you deal with negative comments? [5:00];
- What advice do you have for someone wanting to start their own podcast? [6:20];
- How did you manage to make a podcast despite your knuckleheaded tech skills? [7:40];
- Any guests you want to interview but have not yet? [9:30];
- Any new exciting things planned for the podcast? [10:25];
- Thanking the subscribers [13:30];
- Question for Olivia: Are you going to play a Zeppelin song for your next talent show? [14:30]; and
- More.
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Show Notes
Revisiting the question from 1 year ago: Does the world really need another podcast? [1:15]
- “Probably not”
- There are 500+ new podcasts appearing every week
- However, Peter has been very surprised with how much he has enjoyed doing it after the initial 3 month experiment
- He was encouraged by the great feedback from listeners
- Plans to keep it going
What have you learned about podcasting over the last year? [2:15]
- It’s way harder to do a good interview than he ever thought
- When listening to other podcasts, Peter now takes notes on how to be a better interviewer, ask good questions, etc.
- Examples of exceptional interviewers:
- Tim Ferriss
- Sam Harris
- Steven Dubner
- Peter call him himself a 2 out of 10 in terms of his interview skills (1 out of 10 a year ago)
- In more technical episodes… Peter sees how someone not well versed can get lost and he wants to to a better job setting context for the listener
- In less technical episodes… he will frequently realize when listening back that he forgot to ask a great question or didn’t take a good opportunity to segway into an interesting topic which would be more valuable than the path that was taken
- “Work in progress”
How many more podcast episodes do you plan to make? [4:20]
- Hopefully, a lot more
- Currently, we are recording faster than we can release them
- Peter has an endlessly growing spreadsheet of people he wants to interview (“probably 3 years worth”)
How do you deal with negative comments? [5:00]
- When commenters disagree with something, it doesn’t bother Peter (“healthy discourse”)
- The bothersome comments are the ones that are just people being nasty
- Peter uses a simple technique:
- Just ask yourself, “is this true?”
- If the answer is “no”, it becomes much easier to just dismiss the comment as nonsense
- (Another strategy is just to refrain from reading too many comments on social media)
What advice do you have for someone wanting to start their own podcast? [6:20]
- Make sure the topic you choose is super fascinating to you ⇒ You must enjoy it so much that you are willing and able to do the research and prep work to do a good job when interviewing someone
- Another route is doing a podcast where it is you doing most of the talking, such as Jocko Willink on Jocko Podcast (Although, this might actually be harder to do a job than interviewing a guest)
- In the end, the podcast should be something that YOU would want to listen to
- The audience will find you rather than the reverse
- Audience may be small, but you’ll have a passionate and supportive group of people
How did you manage to make a podcast despite your knuckleheaded tech skills? [7:40]
- “I have a kickass team”
- Peter’s job is to just record the interview (Thankfully, operating the equipment is pretty simple)
- Prior to the interview, Bob Kaplan and Nick Stenson do the research about the guest and their field to make sure Peter is prepared with the interview
- After the interview, our production guy, Mathew Passy will do the sound editing
- Finally, Travis Denson is in charge of making the behemoth show notes for every episode
Any guests you want to interview but have not yet? [9:30]
- “Yes, a ton of people.”
- In some cases, guests are willing and able, but we haven’t been able to align schedules
- There’s also a subset of people that have either not responded or just said “no”
- Hopefully, as the podcast grows, more people will see value in being a guest on The Drive
Any new exciting things planned for the podcast? [10:25]
- Yes!
- Launching “Qualys” in the summer of 2019
- Currently, episodes of The Drive are the long-form, deep dives
- The “Qualys”, named after a “qualifying lap” in Formula 1, are going to be fast, easily digestible, short clips from past episodes
- There is so much old content ripe with great information, but it might be hard for a new listener to get “caught up”
- Coming soon, we will be releasing a “Qualy” episode every Tuesday through Friday
*Note: Qualys are for subscribers only
Thanking the subscribers [13:30]
*Thank you, thank you, thank you! The podcast is only possible because of our subscribers.*
- The subscriber model is in lieu of selling ads
- Peter prefers to only talk about products that he actually uses and enjoys, not something he is being paid to talk about
- Peter and the team are constantly trying to come up with ways to create more and more value to subscribers
- The Qualys are one example, but more things in the pipeline as well
CLICK HERE to learn more about becoming a subscriber
Question for Olivia: Are you going to play a Zeppelin song for your next talent show? [14:30]
- Olivia plays drums and she’s planning for her next talent show
- Peter wants to know if she will do a Led Zeppelin song?
- Olivia is not so sure
- But at least she knows how talented the great John Bonham is…
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Selected Links / Related Material
The original episode with Olivia Attia from one year ago: #00 – Sneak peek: The Peter Attia Drive
The Jocko Willink episodes of the The Drive that Olivia mentioned:
- Part 1: #55 – Jocko Willink, retired Navy SEAL, Part I of II: objective, strategy & tactics, leadership, protocols, dealing with death, and applying the many lessons learned from war
- Part 2: #56 – Jocko Willink, retired Navy SEAL, Part II of II: Sleep, fasting, raising kids, discipline, taking ownership, and the impact of war
The Tim Ferriss episode of The Drive: #01 – Tim Ferriss: depression, psychedelics, and emotional resilience
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Led Zeppelin song mentioned: Stairway To Heaven
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People Mentioned
- Tim Ferriss (example of an exceptional interviewer)
- Sam Harris (example of an exceptional interviewer)
- Steven Dubner (example of an exceptional interviewer)
- Jocko Willink (Jocko Podcast, previous guest on The Drive)
- Bob Kaplan (research for show prep)
- Nick Stenson (research for show prep)
- Mathew Passy (podcast producer and sound editor of The Drive)
- Travis Denson (show notes guy)
- John Bonham (drummer for Led Zeppelin)
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Peter, the world really doesn’t need ‘just’ another podcast, but The Drive is not just another podcast. Let me be clear, the world does need The Drive.
I have thoroughly enjoyed and have learned from many of your episodes and am going to become a member now. The dedication with which you craft each and every interview is evident and makes a critical difference in my decision to spend the time with you.
Please keep up the good work!
This was just delightful! Olivia is one smart girl – no surprise there. Any plans to have other family members on the podcast? Congrats on a great year. I always look forward to each new episode and always learn something important. Thank you!
Peter — 2 out of 10 isn’t at all accurate. This is the single best podcast on the internet without exception. The only constructive feedback that I can offer is that two of the interviews came across to me as a bit aggressive (Feldman and Seyfried). In my view, those are both people who are trying, much like yourself, to make the world a better place. Even if one vehemently disagrees with some of the content it is useful for a more facilitate approach to perhaps help them correct their possible errors. I think that both of their respective reputations were slightly damaged by these interviews (mainly since people hold you in such high regard).
Also, my preference for interviews, although I have no formal training or background in any of the sciences, is the more technical interviews involving a lot of biochemistry. I hope that you can have many more of those in the future. Other people can have interviews on a wide range of topics that are less technical, but you’re one of the few that can bring the nutritional science and biochemistry to life. Simplifying them isn’t required in my view — in fact even deeper dives would be greatly appreciated.
Congrats on the podcast and great to hear Olivia on this one — what I fine mind and engaging personality for one so young.
The relationship with your daughter comes through, good job dad.
The Drive is absolutely my favorite podcast. Love the long format and no ads, the mixture of heavy science, honesty and humor.
Dude, your podcast is profoundly informative and topical. Even when I find myself questioning or disagreeing, I think your sensibility and substantial background knowledge are useful and valuable to consider. Needless to say, the relevance of the material discussed to people’s well being is perhaps beyond measure. Keep up the great work.