Bonsai, golf, archery and pool: the absorbing hobbies high performers keep
Tommy Lee starts his mornings with bonsai and the philosophy of slowing down, Bill Murray treats golf and archery as ways of staying in the body, Bryan Callen talks about pool and mastery under pressure, Michael Waddell about the mental game of a bow shot, Andrew Schulz about his padel obsession, Josh Waitzkin about foiling, and Seth Godin about what hobbies are for. A demanding pastime with nothing riding on it turns out to be where many driven people practice attention and patience, which makes it a mindset tool and not a distraction from work.
What is the common thread in these high performers' hobbies? Show answer
Each is a demanding pastime that takes full attention. The value lies in the focus it requires, which clears everything else away.
Why did Tommy Lee take up bonsai? Show answer
He was struck by the peace of Japanese temple gardens on tour. He now works on trees for hours each morning because it makes him slow down.
What did Lee notice about paths in Japanese gardens? Show answer
They are never straight. They are deliberately curved, with arched or zigzag bridges, so that you slow down and take things in.
What did Bill Murray learn from a golf book about each shot? Show answer
To separate planning the shot from hitting it and to clear his head before swinging, which he describes as decluttering.
Why does Murray toss a ball between golf shots? Show answer
To keep his attention physical. If you are already in your body, he says, you do not have to drag yourself back when it is time to hit.
What does Joe Rogan get out of pool and archery? Show answer
Both require so much focus that he has to be fully in his body. He describes archery's difficulty as creating a moving meditation that clears other worries.
What does Michael Waddell say hunting is for among ordinary working men? Show answer
Not record books. He calls it a cheap anti-depressant, a chance to turn off the phone and clear their heads after a hard week.
What is Josh Waitzkin's claim about the top levels of different arts? Show answer
That the peaks of different arts are closer to one another than the lower levels of the same art, which is why skill in one can carry into another.
What does Waitzkin say adult learners must recover? Show answer
The willingness to look bad as a beginner. He counts a foiling session where he never falls as a failure, because he was not pushing hard enough.
What is Seth Godin's warning about hobbies? Show answer
Not to let a business ruin your hobby. Once it is a business it belongs to the customers, and your day goes to logistics instead of the activity.
How do Tommy Lee and Josh Waitzkin differ in their approach? Show answer
Lee's hobby is about slowing down in quiet mornings. Waitzkin trains twice a day like a competitor. Each fits the person's life.
What caution does the article give about physical pastimes? Show answer
With an injury or an existing condition, a doctor's or physical therapist's advice matters more than anything said on a podcast.