Tim Ferriss and his Four Hour WorkWeek

By vinodnarayan on November 15, 2010 • ( 0 )

Tim Ferriss if anyone does not know wrote the #1 Best Seller 4Hour Work Week. He also has a lot of things like Tango, Kick boxing and similar things that he has championship titles on. He is the guy who coined the phrase Lifestyle Design. An acclaimed speaker and motivator and inspiration for a lot of people.

I heard about him a few years back and bought his book, read it and also followed his blog for sometime till I finally lost interest. Why? I just lost interest, don’t know why. Then for some reason I often stumble upon many blog posts and comments that talk negative of him. And I thought it would be fun to write my opinion. This is not negative nor positive, it is just how I feel about the whole concept, Can’t write about the guy as I don’t know him personally, but saw him from far off in a conference once, but that does not serve any purpose except to name drop if I want 🙂

All said I think he is a terrific marketing guy and he has created a concept which he is selling and as I understand making a Ton of money. The book was good reading, the guy is charismatic on stage, though will sound a bit self-talk at times, but worth listening to once by all means.

I would not make the mistake of taking everything he says in his book and check if any other person might be able to do it, he does things because he likes them and he has an inclination to doing it

The 4 hour work week book according to me was more an online business guide where through an interesting biography model narrative he shows how using online resources and the power of the new business models one is able to establish and run a business that makes money and needs only 4 odd hours a week. This I think is possible, and I would not question him but just that I don’t think it is for me.

Now his blog is more interesting as through this he explains and comments on his concept of lifestyle design. The concept of one being able to design a lifestyle for himself is a great thing no doubt. But the fact is that many need different lifestyles. And I am not looking for a 4 hour work week and so the whole idea of his lifestyle did not match my needs

I like to work and like to enjoy the work I do and not get bothered about the time I put in it. I think a better option is to identify what you love and do precisely that and make a living out of it.

Taking all the noise out of the 4 week and lifestyle design Tim Ferriss is also doing the same which is making a living out of what he loves most writing, publishing, travelling, talking, blogging and marketing and he does that 24X7 🙂 not 4 hours a week.

So there is a problem for one to connect with what he says, nevertheless I guess there is a fine message in his whole idea and that is not 4 hour work weeks, but workweeks filled with doing things you love and making a living out of it.

But many have said that before and that is where his marketing genius comes out and he redesigned that whole idea and put it in the 4hour concept and he knew people will jump at anything where the work can be reduced.

It is not Tim’s fault it is the fault of the rest of the people and their way of looking at work