Tim Ferriss said people often attempt to solve problems while in a negative emotional state, which leads to tunnel vision and self-defeating thoughts.

“Is this really a problem I need to think my way out of? Or is it possible I just need to fix my biochemistry?” Ferriss asked in a post on X. “I’ve wasted a lot of time journaling on ‘problems’ when I just needed to eat breakfast sooner, do 10 push-ups, or get an extra hour of sleep.”

Ferriss cited Tony Robbins, who believes that “in a lowered emotional state, we only see the problems, not solutions.” Robbins encourages people to “prime” their state first to shift their biochemistry and unlock more effective thinking.

Ferriss said his own priming can be as simple as doing 5 to 10 push-ups or getting 20 minutes of sun exposure. He noted that efforts to strategize while in a negative state often lead nowhere and make people feel worse, as they reinforce failure narratives.

Tim Ferriss is an author, investor, and host of The Tim Ferriss Show. He is best known for his book The 4-Hour Workweek, which teaches readers how to redesign their lives using automation, delegation, and radical time management strategies.