Elizabeth Gilbert
American author of the memoir Eat, Pray, Love
Elizabeth Gilbert (American author of the memoir Eat, Pray, Love) has appeared as a guest on 2 episodes in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Saying no and personal boundaries, Writing craft, The Work of Byron Katie.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Saying no and personal boundaries
Gilbert says saying no is hardest with close family, requiring her to practice in advance.
“But again, I want to make clear, it's hardest closest to home and it's hardest with family”
The Tim Ferriss Show: #885: How to Simplify Your Life — Tips from Oliver Burkeman, Chip Conley, Elizabeth Gilbert, and More (Oct 2, 2026) · Listen from 34:52
Gilbert says adding more words to a refusal only increases entanglement.
“The more words you add after that, the more entangled you get”
The Tim Ferriss Show: #885: How to Simplify Your Life — Tips from Oliver Burkeman, Chip Conley, Elizabeth Gilbert, and More (Oct 2, 2026) · Listen from 36:03
Gilbert argues a decline need not include a reason, since explanations give manipulators something to counter.
“I don't feel the need to give a reason. I think a simple no is really, really good”
The Tim Ferriss Show: #885: How to Simplify Your Life — Tips from Oliver Burkeman, Chip Conley, Elizabeth Gilbert, and More (Oct 2, 2026) · Listen from 31:33
Gilbert says she treats her inbox as an extension of her home and deletes uninvited requests without responding.
“So I now treat my inbox like it's my home because I think it's an extension of my home”
The Tim Ferriss Show: #885: How to Simplify Your Life — Tips from Oliver Burkeman, Chip Conley, Elizabeth Gilbert, and More (Oct 2, 2026) · Listen from 29:53
Writing craft
Gilbert says chasing each new exciting idea means never completing anything, so writers should stick with their current project.
“a new hot girl is going to come on, and I'm never going to complete anything. So stick with the one you came to the dance with”
The Tim Ferriss Show: #878: How to Start When You're Stuck, Finish What You Begin, and Stop Waiting for Inspiration — Creative Advice from Elizabeth Gilbert, Seth Godin, Joyce Carol Oates, Anne Lamott and More (Aug 5, 2026) · Listen from 5:21
Gilbert argues that people should only abandon a project for a newer idea if they have a proven record of finishing things.
“I give you permission to quit working on that first project, but only if you have a proven track record of ever being able to finish a thing”
The Tim Ferriss Show: #878: How to Start When You're Stuck, Finish What You Begin, and Stop Waiting for Inspiration — Creative Advice from Elizabeth Gilbert, Seth Godin, Joyce Carol Oates, Anne Lamott and More (Aug 5, 2026) · Listen from 4:20
The Work of Byron Katie
Gilbert recommends Byron Katie's nine-day School for The Work, calling it the most important thing she has done for herself.
“if you have the chance to ever take her nine-day school for the work, it's the most important thing I've ever done for myself”
The Tim Ferriss Show: #885: How to Simplify Your Life — Tips from Oliver Burkeman, Chip Conley, Elizabeth Gilbert, and More (Oct 2, 2026) · Listen from 33:37
Appearances
#885: How to Simplify Your Life — Tips from Oliver Burkeman, Chip Conley, Elizabeth Gilbert, and MoreThe Tim Ferriss Show · Oct 2, 2026 · 47 min
Tim Ferriss compiles advice from Chip Conley, Greg McKeown, David Allen, Elizabeth Gilbert and Oliver Burkeman on decisions that simplify life.
- #878: How to Start When You're Stuck, Finish What You Begin, and Stop Waiting for Inspiration — Creative Advice from Elizabeth Gilbert, Seth Godin, Joyce Carol Oates, Anne Lamott and More
The Tim Ferriss Show · Aug 5, 2026 · 59 min
Tim Ferriss compiles writing advice from Elizabeth Gilbert, Anne Lamott, Joyce Carol Oates, Jerry Seinfeld, Mary Karr, Brandon Sanderson and Seth Godin on starting, persisting and finishing.
Discussed in
The TRUTH About Jill's Treatment of Joe Biden, Bari Weiss' Leadership, and "Strangers" Accuracy, with Maureen Callahan | Ep. 1332The Megyn Kelly Show · Jun 4, 2026 · 1 h 43 min
Megyn Kelly and Maureen Callahan discuss California's slow vote count, Belle Burden's memoir Strangers, turmoil at CBS News under Bari Weiss, Jill Biden, Blake Lively and Ted Danson.
How to Eliminate Self-Doubt Forever & Build Unshakeable ConfidenceThe Mel Robbins Podcast · May 11, 2026 · 1 h 19 min
Mel Robbins talks with behavioral researcher Dr. Shadé Zahrai about her four-part framework—acceptance, agency, autonomy, adaptability—for overcoming self-doubt and building confidence.
Often appears with
- Tim Ferriss · 2 shared episodes
- Chip Conley · 1 shared episode
- Greg McKeown · 1 shared episode
- David Allen · 1 shared episode
- Oliver Burkeman · 1 shared episode
- Anne Lamott · 1 shared episode
- Joyce Carol Oates · 1 shared episode
- Jerry Seinfeld · 1 shared episode