My 4-Hour Workweek Impressions - a Full Day Early

Decided to post this a day earlier. I’ve got five of my favorite marketing sites that I follow that I want to spotlight in tomorrow’s “Saturday is for Sites” post, so thought I’d go ahead & share my impressions today instead.

A couple of days ago I finished reading Timothy Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. It is Ferriss’ code for getting away from what he bills as “the old world of retirement-based life deferral.” Overall I think the book is a good read, with a few cautions.

On the good side, 4-Hour Workweek does a great job of making the case for living life now and being more productive in less time. It also falls right into line with The Dip, Wide Awake, and In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day - helping to paint a picture and awaken people to a greater picture of life and the possibilities that are out there for people will to take risks and step out of the norm.

For anyone struggling with inspiration and motivation in their work, or with a feeling of “not enough time in the day to get everything done,” the book is worth the read just for the practical nature that Ferriss addresses these types of topics. Most of what I wrote in the 19 pages of notes in my Moleskine where just that - practical 1-2-3 lists, pointers and steps for taking more control of your time, your work and your life.

On the negative side, Ferriss comes off throughout the book as both haughty, greedy and manipulative. He doesn’t necessarily go off the deep end, but the continual self-focus and “do whatever it takes to be happy” mentality really grated against me at times. Toward the end he makes this statement, which, for me, encapsulates my feelings throughout the book: “I believe that life exists to be enjoyed and that the most important thing is to feel good about yourself.” I agree with half of that statement.

I believe that God has given us this life to enjoy, but that obtaining happiness isn’t to be the chief aim in life. Not that God doesn’t want us to be happy - I think He does. It’s just that our focus isn’t on maneuvering life so that we get more out of it - it is on following the Holy Spirit’s leading so that we step into His Kingdom plans. Happiness is a by-product of this.

Again, the book has enough good practical guidance in it, that it is worth the read. I would proceed with caution, though, as it can be easy to let your mind dwell on the material things and success of this world.

Posted 08.08.2008

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