This week at VOMP Studios - The Yankees are up 2-1 in the ALCS. It’s finally down to the low 70s. I’m wearing jeans again. I fucking love Q4.

This week’s riffs for the creative vandals, outlaws, misfits, and pirates of the internet:

• Create Cooler: Your dream life costs less than you think

• Build Better: Mark Manson’s 5 keys to creator longevity

• Earn Easier: What the dick is the IKEA effect!?

• Break The Rules: How to think like Charlie Munger

• The Hit List: Music to turn up and tune out

Tim Ferriss’ 15-Year-Old Take on Living Like a Rockstar 

So, I recently dusted off a classic from Tim Ferriss, you know, the guy who made us all rethink the 9-to-5 grind with his whole “work less, live more” manifesto.

AKA the guy that made thousands of people drop out of college - me included.

This gem? A piece from over 15 years ago, where Ferriss basically handed out life cheat codes on a silver platter.

It’s called Lifestyle Design, and it’s still as mind-blowing today as it was back when flip phones were cool.

Here’s the deal: Tim Ferriss took the whole “be realistic” narrative and hit it with a sledgehammer like a pissed-off Angels fan.

*Sorry… They’re always pissed so just a “regular” fan, I guess.

You know that annoying advice you got when you turned 25: “Stop dreaming, get a job, save for retirement, and maybe you’ll enjoy life when you’re 65”?

Well, Ferriss laughs in the face of that.

Back then, he taught us how to live like billionaires on a Taco Bell budget, and after reading it again, I’m here to tell you—this guy was onto something.

Tim’s “WTF, Is This Real Life?” Examples

Now, Tim isn’t just talk.

He drops some personal stories that’ll have you shaking your head in disbelief:

- $250 for five days on a private tropical island in Panamá, where local fishermen are catching and cooking his meals like he’s the king of some lost civilization.

Meanwhile, I’m over here wondering why beef jerky is $17 per bag at Whole Foods.

- $150 for a private plane ride over the Mendoza vineyards in Argentina, because why not?

The dude is flying over the Andes like it’s no big deal, all for less than most people’s monthly Doordash fees.

While we’re out here blowing hundreds on mediocre weekends, Ferriss is living like he’s auditioning for a James Bond film—and it’s affordable.

The Real Trick: Target Monthly Income (TMI)

Here’s where Ferriss flips the financial script on us.

Instead of calculating your worth in boring annual salaries, he wants you to figure out your Target Monthly Income (TMI).

What’s that? It’s how much you need per month to live your dream life.

Ferriss knows that nobody wants to hear, “It’ll cost you $250k to own a Ferrari.”

Instead, he says, “How about $2,003.10 a month to lease an Aston Martin and look like a boss?”

Suddenly, that mid-life crisis car isn’t so far out of reach.

And the best part?

Ferriss lays it all out with basic math.

No high-level financial wizardry—just straight-up numbers that prove you can live like a VIP if you stop thinking like you’re stuck in some soul-sucking corporate hamster wheel.

Dreamlines: A Fancy Word for “Live Your Best Life”

Ferriss goes a step further with dreamlines—a fancy term for mapping out everything you want in life.

And I’m not just talking material stuff, like Aston Martins and martinis (though, yes, please).

It’s also about who you want to be and what adventures you want to do.

Want to race ostriches or learn to cook like Gordon Ramsay? Cool, throw it on the list.

It’s your fuckin’ life, kid.

He pushes you to stop being a walking cliché and start living like the main character in your own action movie.

FYI: search “Main Character Energy” on Spotify. You’re welcome.

Forget the “someday” mindset.

Ferriss wants you to figure out your Target Daily Income (TDI), which is how much you need to pull in each day to afford that life you’ve been dreaming about.

For him, it’s a measly $197.90 a day to roll around in an Aston Martin and live like a king.

Still Right After 15 Years

Reading this article again all these years later, I have to admit—it still holds up.

Ferriss cracked the code to living like a rockstar without draining your bank account, and honestly, I’m kicking myself for not implementing this sooner.

His advice? It’s math, it’s simple, and it works.

So, yeah, you can keep trudging along in that soul-crushing job and wait until you’re 65 to enjoy life—or you can take Ferriss’ advice, crank up your TMI, and start living like the baller you were meant to be.

Your call.

The Subtle Art Of Surviving the Creator Economy

I just had my brain tickled by a podcast featuring Mark Manson — the guy who gave us The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and somehow turned that into a cash cow on YouTube.

I mean, if he can make millions telling people to chill the fuck out…

We can probably hear what he has to say:

1. Don’t Listen to Eminem, Actually

First off, Mark drops the truth bomb: don’t lose yourself.

Don’t turn into a content monkey dancing for peanuts.

Sure, you want to keep your audience happy, but if you’re just reflecting back their wildest desires, you’ll end up losing your mind faster than you can say “trending topic.”

The loudest fans may sound like a fun party, but they’re usually the ones throwing tantrums in the corner.

Focus on the “sane silent majority” who will keep you financially afloat, not the vocal minority who just wants to see you wear a clown suit - unless you’re one of those super niche OF creators or something (do you, bud).

You’re an artist, not a reality show contestant.

You’re also a human being.

2. Don’t Scale Too Fast

You’ve hit the jackpot, and now you’re thinking about hiring your whole extended family?

Mark’s advice stays consistent: chill the fuck out.

He warns against the classic mistake of scaling too fast.

Nothing screams “I’m in over my head” like a team full of people you can’t manage.

Sure, it’s tempting to think you’re the next big thing, but trends are like your ex— a good idea… at the time.

Scale slow, or you’ll find yourself drowning in meetings and regretting every coffee break you took.

3. Take A Damn Break If You Need It

Ah, burnout—the real-life villain of the creator economy.

Mark’s been there, done that, and probably got a T-shirt that says “I survived creative exhaustion.”

After churning out books and a movie, he was so fried he could have been mistaken for Spongebob with a case of the Suds.

His genius realization? “You literally don’t have to do anything that's not fun again.”

No shit, huh?

If you’re not enjoying the ride, you might as well be stuck in rush hour traffic, screaming into the void.

Find your joy, or you’ll be trading your passion for a trip to the nearest therapist’s office.

4. Don’t Ignore Future Competition

Let’s talk competition: it’s fiercer than a toddler fighting for the last cookie.

Mark nails it when he says the digital landscape is kinda like a crowded high school cafeteria—if you don’t stand out, you’ll be stuck at the loser table.

What worked yesterday is old news today.

Create stuff that’s so unique it’ll make other creators weep with jealousy.

As Naval says, “Escape competition through authenticity.”

5. Don’t Forget Your Newsletter

Diversify like your life depends on it—because your income kind of does.

Relying on social media platforms is like betting all your savings on a single horse that’s limping at the gate.

One day you’re riding high, and the next, your posts are buried under a pile of cake videos.

Mark is spot on—your email list is your safety net, your golden ticket, the one place where you actually own your audience.

So, collect those emails like they’re rare Pokémon cards, and turn your followers into loyal subscribers.

You’ll thank yourself later when you’re not at the mercy of a platform algorithm that changes more often than your Wi-Fi password.

Why The IKEA Effect Makes You WANT To Build Shit

Let’s get real: IKEA has the world wrapped around its weird little Swedish fingers like they’re slinging some colorful synthetic candy.

Not because they sell furniture that lasts—nope. Literally not at all.

IKEA is a multi-billion-dollar beast because it’s convinced us that spending six hours with an Allen wrench is a fun way to spend a Saturday.

That $50 bookshelf you just bought? It’ll take years off your life, but you’ll swear it’s the best thing you own.

Why?

Welcome to the IKEA Effect—where if you build it, you’ll convince yourself it’s worth way more than it is, even if it’s one wobbly leg away from total collapse.

How They Make You Love Cheap Shit

Researchers—probably while dodging rogue IKEA screws—discovered that when you build something yourself, you get weirdly attached to it.

Suddenly, your DIY bookshelf feels priceless, even though it looks like a crime scene after an earthquake.

It only works if the thing doesn’t fall apart immediately.

If it does? Well, congrats, now you just hate both the shelf and yourself.

Talk about a short shelf-life… (That was hilarious, by the way.)

But when it holds up?

You’ve somehow convinced yourself you’re a master carpenter, and you’ll Walmart-parking-lot-fist-fight anyone who offers you less than $300 for that junk on Facebook Marketplace.

How You Can Use This in Your Business (Without Torturing People)

Alright, we’re not all out here selling $9 particle boards.

But you can take a page from IKEA’s sneaky little playbook and make customers work for it—so they’ll value your product like it’s made of gold.

1. eCommerce 

Look at Nike.

They let you customize your sneakers, and boom—you’re out here acting like you’re the next Virgil Abloh.

They slapped your favorite color on the shoelaces, and now you’re convinced you designed a masterpiece.

Charge extra for “custom” anything, and people will defend their creation like it’s their firstborn.

2. Fitness 

Peloton didn’t sell people on a bike.

They sold the feeling of building your own fitness journey.

You pick the workout, see your ranking, and suddenly, you’re not a guy riding a stationary bike—you’re an athlete.

And when people invest effort, they’ll defend that effort even harder than the product itself.

3. Sales Funnels 

Take a hint from Stitch Fix’s quiz funnel.

By the time someone’s picked their size, style, and colors, they’ve already mentally “built” their perfect wardrobe.

Returning those clothes? Nah.

They’d rather choke on bad fashion advice than admit they picked the wrong jacket.

Wrap It Up, Genius

So, what’s the takeaway here?

People value what they build—even if what they build is trash.

Get them involved, make them feel like they had a hand in creating it, and you can sell them anything.

Until next time, keep selling crap that people will defend to the death.

Munger’s Mental Models

Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s right-hand man and low-key genius, passed away in 2023.

The guy had a “15-second mind” – meaning he could size up a situation faster than most of us can figure out how to microwave leftovers without creating a science experiment.

His secret? Mental models.

These are like cheat codes for real life, helping you tackle problems before they tackle you.

So, let's get into three of Munger's favorite models that'll help you make better decisions (and maybe avoid that next awkward meeting with your boss).

Why Does This Matter?

Picture this: You’re about to take a big test, and instead of just diving in headfirst, you step back and think, “What the hell is this test really asking me?”

Suddenly, it’s like you’ve unlocked a shortcut to actually doing the thing instead of staring blankly at the screen for 30 minutes.

This works for life too.

If you can figure out what problem life’s throwing at you, you can fast-track your way to a solution.

See? Less stress, more success.

Now let’s apply that same genius logic to everything from your career to avoiding your neighbor’s weird dinner invite.

Here’s your toolkit of mental models that could make you at least feel like a genius:

1. The Pareto Principle (aka the 80/20 Rule)

Origin: Economics

What’s the Deal? The Pareto Principle says 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. In other words, stop wasting time on shit that doesn’t matter.

Focus on the tiny fraction of actions that are actually moving the needle.

How to Use It: Ask yourself this magic question: What’s the one thing I can do today that will make everything else easier?

Boom. Now you’re crushing it.

Other Uses:

In business? Spend more time on the clients who actually pay you.

In life? Ditch the 20% of stuff that causes 80% of your stress.

2. Sunk Cost Fallacy

Origin: Behavioral Economics

What’s the Deal? Ever poured time, money, or energy into something and kept going even when it sucked, just because you’d already invested so much?

Yeah, that’s the Sunk Cost Fallacy.

And it’s a trap. Just because you’ve put in the effort doesn’t mean you should keep wasting your time.

Think about getting halfway through a book that sucks? Exactly. Put the damn book down.

How to Use It: Realize when you’re stuck in something you hate—whether it’s a dead-end job, a toxic relationship, or binge-watching a show you secretly can’t stand (seriously, you can stop now).

It’s better to pivot and find something that actually gets you excited. Your future self will thank you.

3. Parkinson’s Law

Origin: Management Theory

What’s the Deal? Work expands to fill the time you give it.

Translation: if you give yourself a week to finish something, you’ll take the whole damn week.

But if you give yourself a day? You’ll hustle and finish it in a day.

How to Use It: Stop waiting around and set tighter deadlines. It’ll help with your productivity and make you look like a beast at getting things done.

Bringing It Home 

Here’s the thing: mental models are great, but they’re just tools.

Tools don’t fix anything by themselves—you’ve gotta actually use them.

So take the next 10 minutes, figure out how to apply the 80/20 Rule, Sunk Cost Fallacy, or Parkinson’s Law to your day, and watch your brain go from “meh” to Munger-mode.

You’re welcome.

Different creative pursuits call for different music to jam to. Here’s what I jammed to this week on The Vomp Playlist: