BOOK: The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9 – 5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated)
AUTHOR: Timothy Ferriss (@tferriss)
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
When I bought my copy of “The 4-Hour Workweek”, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from author Timothy Ferriss. But what I got was completely different than what I thought.
Tim’s no-nonsense approach to crafting a 4-hour workweek made me feel like he is nonapproachable and egotistical S-O-B. And so everyone that follows will be the same.
What made me come to this conclusion about Tim? It’s about automating your emails, being direct and to the point with the associates around you whether on the phone or in your emails, and hiring virtual assistants do everything for you. Tim, do you hire someone to ______ and _______ (fill in the blanks)?
Being a DEALmaker
They are:
D for Definition: Define the rules and objectives for living like the New Rich.
E is for Elimination: Eliminating the destractions that kill your ability to be effective. Using Pareto’s Law or the 80/20 Rule.
A is for Automation:: Automate, outsource, and arbitrage. Hiring those to do everything for you.
L is for Liberate: Testing the waters by taking mini-retirements.
Of course, Tim backs up his method by showing off his accomplishments as the First American in history to hold a Guinness World Record in tango, being an MTV breakdancer in Taiwan, to being a National Chinese kickboxing champion. He throws in how he speaks like 6 languages (somewhere along that number). Yes Tim, we know you are the know-it-all guru.
Despite the egotistical notions
You are a love-hate relationship. I comment on your blog knowing I will never receive a response back. I would never send you an email or call you because it would either be answered by a VA or you would offer a military, direct response as to what I want.
Yet, I find myself becoming a #4HWW groupie. I went to work putting myself on a low-information diet and acheived more work in one day then I have for previous weeks. I’ve learned to delegate my lower priority tasks to my coworkers, thus freeing up my time to work on higher items on the agenda. This also in turns, have made my coworkers feel more important and responsive to the needs of our team.
I come home to do the same and find more time to play with my children, talk with my husband, crochet a baby blanket and read a book. My TV has been off for two days straight. I love it!
Now I am considering outsourcing the housework, lawn maintenance and perhaps batch cooking family meals for the week. Crazy I know. But I will explain why in a future post.
Conclusion
Even if I didn’t want to travel the world nomadically or completely put my life an automatic… Even if I want to stay an employee or become an entrepreneur…
Tim’s tactics/reasoning for achieving more freedom, WORK.
I love focusing just only the important jobs at work, I love spending time with my family, having more time for myself and my hobbies. It’s great! And it is creating a synergistic postive effect with my family and coworkers.
It’s refocusing your life around your drive, love and passion. It’s making time to spend with those you love – your friends and family.
He even has chapters for facing your fears and making the 4-hour workweek possible for anyone. I definitely need chapters like this, because my fear is what freezes me in taking the next step(s).
Since I am an employee, I am working on the acronym D-E-L-A. Liberating before automating. Going to see if I can virtualize my job 2 times a week by working from home. If that does not work, than I am looking into creating a small business that will work within Tim’s guidelines.
The book is a worthwhile read. I read it straight thru, once. Now I added flags to the front page of my book, because as I start reading it a 2nd time… it is time to mark all the pages I will needed to refer and re-refer to as I move along the steps.
Remember, Tim accomplished those pompous ass achievements because he is focused on the important aspects for living life to the fullest.
Take a reading to it – in my book its a win-win situation.
To read more about The 4-Hour Workweek
- Associated Content: Interview with Timothy Ferriss, author of the Bestselling The 4-Hour Workweek
- Get Rich Slowly: Book Review: The 4-Hour Workweek
- Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist: 5 Time Management Tricks I Learned from Years of Hating Tim Ferriss
- MBA in the USA: Top 3 Things to Transform Your MBA Career, Tim Ferriss-style
- The Blog of Tim Ferriss
Thanks for the review. I have been wanting to grab this book but didn’t realise the ego Tim was carrying around with him…. so it makes me more dubious but I still want to read it.
Well, he may not but that was my take on it. Despite my thoughts about Tim’s personality there is some really valuable information in it. Enjoy the read. 🙂
I thought this book looked pretty lame, but your review has persuaded me to order it. Thanks for expanding my horizons:)
LOL. When first reading, I was actually disappointed at capturing my attention. But I am glad that I continued to read it, as there is some good info despite Tim’s tude. Let me know what you think of it.
Since you recommended it I might actually consider reading the book. But the whole 4-hour thing turned me off initially, and it’s been experience these kind of books are 90% hype and 10% common sense information or tips for everyone but me. And it’s also my guess Mr. Tim is a selfish single guy with no one who depends on him for their well being (i.e., no kids). I’ll follow your progress and wish you luck in the meantime 🙂
Might, huh? You’re right no kids, etc… that was my thoughts. He’s a single guy roaming the world. But, I have to say, that working the exercises in this book I’ve made good time for myself and for my family. I guess a re-lesson in time management. Doesn’t hurt to be realigned sometimes.
Thank you. Now its all about maintaining the new status quo of this book.
I’ll agree with you about the ego. Every video I’ve seen of his and every person I’ve heard talk about have never included the words “nice” or “pleasant.” However, like you said, his concepts work and could be applied to our own lives… maybe with just a bit more compassion…
LOL. I feel exactly as you do, “maybe with just a bit more compassion”.
Plus, he is a marketing genius. Viral marketing with blogs and twitter. Has me writting about it. LOL. Was it you that quit your job? How is that going for you?
Loved this book. It gave me the kick in the pants I needed.
That is a good way of putting it. It is a book that kick starts one out of the rut. I needed that, too.
I look forward to reading about the progress of your escape plans you and Nixon have planned.
I read this book quite a while ago when it first came out. Thinking I need to give it another look though as I definitely need some re-tuning in the time management dept. Thanks for the reminder. Looking forward to reading about your outsourcing of those areas you mentioned…especially how you are going to justify the expenditures while you are getting out of debt. Not judging, mind you, just interested to hear your take on that. Guess I’m a little more ‘Dave Ramsey’ than I like to think. 😉
I have the idea of potentially justifying my reasons for outsourcing. Now I just need to formulate how I am going to construe the content of the post.
Have you ever read Laura Langemeier’s book? Her reasons justify my idea for outsourcing.
I am a bit Dave Ramsey, too. But am trying to expand my ways of thinking, potentially making me wealthier. 🙂 Will update soon!
I’ve not heard of Laura Langemeier. Will look her up. I hate to admit I’m ‘dave ramsey’ at all, but I used to be a big fan before he became such an arse. I used to listen to him in the early 90’s when he was only on local radio and was a lot more humble and….nice. But, what he says works and partly because of him (mostly because I hate owing anybody money) I don’t have any debt so there you go. Good luck.
To everyone who is turned off by the title, you’re missing the point. Go to your local bookstore and read the first two chapters; if you’re not immersed, that’s fair, drop the book. I resisted the book for months, then all I did was read a couple of pages and it was over! I had to read the book to the very end. In fact, I bought the second edition as soon as it came up.
If I can reduce my work hours from 40 to 30 or 20, wth, that’s still awesome. I want to do more than just that and he explores those options. I won’t say that it’s as easy as it looks though, but I think with enough dedication and hard work, we can all strive towards what we want.
I love the book personally, just in case you can’t tell 😉
Thank you for your input. And you are right on all accounts of your review. Just as much, I look forward to following your progress. 🙂 You’re gonna make it!
I appreciate your honest and personal appraisal of this book. I had a similar reaction to the voice in which it was written although I also acknowledge there are some great points made. For people who really get into the idea of decreasing your workload, becoming more efficient and taking on a nomadic existence, know that there are many people out there who have been living this way even in pre-4hww times. There is a lot on the web written by these pioneers and many examples you can choose from if Ferriss’ template doesn’t fit your particular style.
Hi Carmen, Thank you for stopping by. I love the blog! And am happy to find there are so many others living the lifestyle. Now if I can only get my husband to see the light!
Tim does make some valid points and they have helped. But I am happy to find a website, such as yours, that shares a desire (and accomplishes) to live a nomadic lifestyle. I’ll be over there doing some research. 😉
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Love the review — I got the exact same vibe from pretty much everything Ferris spewed. Decent message but, man, could he be any more arrogant? ;0)
I am going to blogroll you! Thank you for leaving a comment. 🙂
It is a decent message. And I liked that he put in about spending more time with your kids. So, it did relate to me. But it could be abit more toned down. LOL.
I started the book and didn’t really like it. I think it wasn’t good timing for me. After reading your review, I think I am going to revisit it and read it again with a better attitude! Thanks! 🙂
Hi Colleen. The beginning of the book didn’t grab my interest either. But I am glad I kept reading it. There is valuable insite. Just realize that Tim’s tude can is openly expressive. 🙂
Refocusing Time management to fulfilling it with the important aspects did work.
I have to admit it was an easier book to read than to implement. Perhaps it was because I am an 80/20 kind of guy already, and had already mopped up a lot of the low-hanging fruit. When I read it in 2007 I think I’d be living very differently by now… but truly passive income is non-trivial to acquire!
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