4 hour work week

date Nov 28, 2010
authors Tim Ferris
reading time 2 mins
performance
business
  • Book Title: 4 Hour Work Week Revisited and Expanded
  • Author: Tim Ferris
  • Some extracts:

D (Deferrers): To work for yourself
NR (New Rich): To have others work for you

D: To work when you want to
NR: To prevent work for work’s sake and to do minimum necessary for maximum effect

D: To retire early or young
NR: To distribute recovery periods and adventures throughout life on a regular basis and recognise that inactivity is not a goal. Doing that which excites you is.

D: To buy all the things you want to have.
NR: To do all the things you want to do, and be all the things you want to be.

D: TO make a ton of money.
NR: To make a ton of money with specific reasons and defined to chase, timelines and steps included.

Money is multiplied in practical value depending on the number of W’s you control in you life: what you do, when you do it, where you do it, and with whom you do it.

Contact the most hard-to-reach name and ask the most intriguing questions….

“I participate in this contest every day,” said Ferriss. “I do what I always do: find a personal e-mail if possible, often through their little-known personal blogs, send a two- to three-paragraph e-mail which explains that you are familiar with their work, and ask one simple-to-answer but thought-provoking question in that e-mail related to their work or life philosophies. The goal is to start a dialogue so they take the time to answer future e-mails – not to ask for help. That can only come after at least three or four genuine e-mail exchanges.”

Questions…

If you had a heart attack and had to work 2 hours per day, what would you do? What are the top 3 activities that I use to fill time to feel as though I’ve been productive? Who are your 20% of the people, who produce 80% of your enjoyment and propel you forward? If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied? Are you inventing things to do avoid the important?

Habits to stop NOW

  • Do not answer calls from unrecognized phone numbers
  • Do not email the first thing in the morning or the last thing at night
  • Do not agree to meetings or calls with no clear agenda or end time
  • Do not let people ramble on
  • Do not check email constantly - batch and recheck at certain times only
  • Do not over communicate with low profit, high maintenance customers