What’s on My Bedside Table: Nick Woodman
The GoPro founder always keeps one of his cameras handy, even when he sleeps
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Nick Woodman was on a surf trip in Australia back in 2002 when he came up with the idea for a wearable, waterproof camera to capture point-of-view footage from his wrist. He used a 35-millimeter still camera and wrist straps made on his mother's sewing machine to create the first prototype.
GoPro officially launched in 2004, and since then, these ubiquitous devices have been used to film everything from extreme sports to Hollywood movies. The company went public in 2014 and Woodman, now 42, still operates as its CEO. We recently called him up to find out what gear he uses to unwind after his busy days.
Non Fiction
I’ve been reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. It’s curiously calming to learn what a blip in history our species is. It takes a bit of the pressure off when you consider what came before us and what will come after us.
Memoir
William Finnegan's memoir Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life, is a great reminder of how damn good it feels to hit the road without a real plan as to where you’re headed.
Massager
Massages are a great way to quickly relax and change your mental vibration. This one is the best bang-for-the-buck massager I’ve ever owned. It’s epic for reading in bed and grinding out knots.
Painting
Damien Hirst is one of my favorite artists. My wife and I visited Damien at his studio in England and we made a painting together.
Water
I drink a pint of water before bed each night to hydrate while I sleep. I think most of us go through life dehydrated. Hydration equals happiness.
Music
I really like the album Night Song by Michael Brook and Pakistani artist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It’s an unreal Eastern and Western collaboration and one of my all-time favorites.
GoPro
I always keep a Hero6 Black handy just in case. It isn't available to consumers yet.