Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance
Episode: The One Thing Everyone Thinks They Can’t Afford… Until They Try It (Ep. 1379)
Host: Dave Asprey
Guest: Jonathan Swanson (Co-founder, Athena; Co-founder, Thumbtack)
Date: December 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores why reclaiming your time through strategic delegation is one of the most impactful—and underestimated—life upgrades available. Dave Asprey and Jonathan Swanson dive deep into the mechanics, mindset, and massive benefits of working with virtual executive assistants (EAs), particularly through Swanson's company, Athena. They discuss how time, rather than money or power, is the ultimate form of wealth, and how breaking free from the minutiae of daily life can help unlock higher ambition, better health, stronger relationships, and accelerated professional growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Value of Time and Delegation

• “I want to be a time billionaire. I want to have time to do all the things in this world that are worth doing... The only way to do that is via delegation.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [00:00, 05:06]

• Time is the most limited resource; seeking longevity or biohacking ultimately comes down to wanting more time to do what matters.

• Delegating tasks (from chores to complex projects) not only frees hours but also mental bandwidth, enabling greater ambition and creativity.

Swanson’s Path: From Startups to Systematic Delegation

• Swanson’s “aha” moment came when hiring his first global assistant from the Philippines, which led to a life-changing increase in productivity and personal fulfillment.
  [06:46–08:13]

• “She invited founders of Airbnb, Uber, and other startups to my house... From those dinners, I made all my best friends, including Catherine, who became my wife.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [08:17]

The Delegation Mindset: Overcoming Shame and Guilt

• Many fear that asking for help is shameful, but Swanson reframes delegation as providing valuable employment and growth opportunities.
  “You’re giving a gift—of employment, opportunity, and growth. And meanwhile, you get a life of freedom… Both sides win.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [13:05]

Concrete Delegation Frameworks

• “If you don’t have an assistant, you are the assistant.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [14:43]

• Swanson outlines practical ways to delegate at any budget—using AI tools like ChatGPT for $20/month, hiring via Upwork for $5/hr, or using curated services like Athena when your budget allows.

• Athena’s model includes rigorous recruitment: 1 in 400 applicants are hired, full in-person training academies, and personal/professional development including accredited MBAs.
  [14:43–16:56]

Delegation as a Catalyst for Growth and Ambition

• “Getting leverage is what creates the ambition. Ambition follows from that leverage.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [21:09]

• Offloading tasks opens mental space to think bigger, pursue meaningful projects, and improve life outside work.

• Delegation is framed as critical not only in business but for families and personal milestones.

The Stages of Delegation Mastery

• From task-based delegation up to “clairvoyant delegation”—where you first learn of a task only after it’s completed.
  • “The very best delegators... unlock a level I call clairvoyant delegation. The first time you hear about a task is when it’s done.”
    — Jonathan Swanson [25:32]
  • Dave’s example: buying a new car handled entirely by his assistant [24:15–25:32]

Human + AI: The Future of Assistance

• “The most powerful assistant is not going to be human only or machine only, but the merger of the two... It’s still human, just supercharged by AI.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [33:22]

• Athena’s vision is a seamless combination of human touch and machine efficiency, allowing assistants to deliver ever more value.

Human Connection and Accountability

• Personal EAs provide more meaningful support than AI alone—emotional support, accountability, and even acting as a confidant in tough times.
  • “My assistant saw when there were lawsuits… and she was just like ‘Hey Jonathan, I know you’re going through a tough day, you want to talk about it?’”
    — Jonathan Swanson [34:44]
  • Manual health and habit tracking via assistants has higher adherence than with automated reminders [36:08]

Home and Family Applications

• “We have lots of clients who have an assistant that effectively manages the home.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [31:38]
• Virtual assistants can coordinate home management, kids’ schedules, even remote night monitoring for children—with established protocols and escalation.
  [51:14–53:10]

Boundaries, Security, and Practical Tips

• Build trust gradually; use security tools (e.g., password vaults, virtual credit cards, controlled banking access).
  • “We recommend things like 1Password… and with bank partners we can firewall a certain amount of cash… set very specific guidelines.”
    — Jonathan Swanson [45:29]
• Professional boundaries are essential. Start simple and deepen involvement as trust builds over time [42:40].

Real-Life, High-Leverage Examples

• Gathering and synthesizing decades of medical records to use with AI-powered analysis for personal health.
• Sophisticated, bespoke gifts or ongoing initiatives (e.g., daily messages for a relative’s birthday year) powered by assistant teams. [47:02–49:23]
• Dave’s rule: “Anything that I would put on a to do list, I send to my assistant and say ‘put it on the calendar.’ If there’s no space, I’m not doing it.”
  [19:41]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you don’t have an assistant, you are the assistant.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [14:43]

• “I had dinner with my kids every single night... probably more than any CEO I know at the scale I’m at because of the ability to delegate.”
  — Dave Asprey [30:09]

• “The cardinal sin of delegation is thinking it will be faster or better to do it yourself. And the reason it’s the cardinal sin is because it is—once. But once you train your assistant, they get to do it a thousand times.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [38:03]

• “Never lift a finger. If I’m lifting a finger, I didn’t delegate. I didn’t build a system. I didn’t automate.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [29:06]

• “Do less of minutiae, of chores, of things you hate, things that drain your energy, and do more of the things you love... then life is better and you have this freedom to chase your bigger goals.”
  — Jonathan Swanson [54:48]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic/Quote | |---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Jonathan Swanson introduces the concept of becoming a “time billionaire” through delegation | | 06:46 | Swanson’s origin story of hiring an overseas assistant, transforming his work and life | | 13:05 | Reframing shame and guilt around asking for help | | 14:43 | “If you don’t have an assistant, you are the assistant”—the leverage ladder | | 21:09 | How gaining leverage leads to greater ambition | | 25:32 | “Clairvoyant delegation”—levels of mastery | | 33:22 | The future: human + AI assistants | | 34:44 | The role of personal connection and accountability in assistant relationships | | 38:03 | The “cardinal sin” of delegation and the J-curve effect of investment in delegation | | 42:40 | Professional boundaries and building trust with assistants | | 45:29 | Security best practices with remote/global assistants | | 47:02 | Assistant compiles and digitizes decades of medical records for health optimization | | 51:14 | Remote night monitoring for kids—“black diamond” level delegation | | 54:48 | The do less/do more philosophy; wrapping up |

Episode-Specific Resources & Offers

• Athena: Virtual assistant service with rigorous global recruitment/training (athena.com/upgrade)
  • Special offer: $2,000 off for listeners
• Dave Asprey's “Business of Biohacking” Conference: For entrepreneurs seeking to leverage biohacking best practices

Tone & Takeaway

The episode is candid, practical, and deeply encouraging. Both Dave and Jonathan demystify the process of outsourcing life's friction points, advocating for an empowered, non-guilty approach to delegation as a lever for health, happiness, and performance. They reveal how leveraging others’ skills is not just practical but foundational to achieving goals once thought out of reach. Whether you’re running a business, a household, or just struggling to find enough hours in the day, the episode dispels the myth that only the ultra-wealthy can afford true help—and shows that with the right tools and mindset, time wealth is accessible to many more people than ever before.

Core message:
Delegate what drains you. Reclaim your time. Leverage people and technology to do more of what you love—and unlock health, happiness, and possibility beyond what you thought possible.