Wait But Why

About the book

Launched in 2013, Wait But Why ranges from practical essays about procrastination and time to book-length explorations of Elon Musk's companies and other complex subjects.

Why read it

Best if you want Tim Urban’s writing that David uses when discussing work, family time, and deliberate action.

Evidence and original sources

This record is supported by 13 public evidence rows linked to original Founders episodes.

• David Geffen — David cautiously attributes to Tim Urban the idea that spouse and occupation dominate happiness, then uses it to assess David Geffen's life.
• Arnold Schwarzenegger (My Unbelievably True Life Story) — David applies Tim Urban's Taming the Mammoth lesson that other people are usually focused on themselves, not on one's mistakes.
• Robert Goddard (Rocket Man) — David applies a Wait But Why idea about choosing one's spouse and life's work to compare Robert Goddard's satisfaction with Alfred Nobel's unhappiness.
• Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman — David says he has mentioned Wait But Why several times and that he really enjoys reading the site.
• Albert Einstein — David uses a saved Tim Urban passage about studying rare world-changing people to connect Urban's purpose with Isaacson's and Einstein's views.
• Naval Ravikant (A Guide to Wealth and Happiness) — David cautiously connects Tim Urban's writing to Naval Ravikant's point that occupation, location, and relationships are highly consequential decisions.