Inspiring Book Review: Four Hour Work Week By Tim Ferriss

Hearing from 'the ground level', one can hear many grouses - especially to do with our rice bowls & putting food on the table - basically about our finances. With stagnant income to many, and rising costs, many are gloomy and disheartened. And for quite many, they face lots of challenges to make ends meet.

These are real & serious issues everyone faces. From the lower income to the middle income earners. Even the high income earners will face such issues where they could see a shrink in revenues.

So, one suggested solution - to change our expenditures. No need to elaborate on that. And I know not many can do it overnight, though it is not impossible.

But for me, I would rather look at the other way around. Yes, there is another solution - that is to increase our income.

Huh?
I know the story - work takes a lot of your time - sometimes till late at night, you need quality time with family, exhaustion after work, etc. That leave not much time to take on a 2nd job or do a business.

Again, like I said, these are real issues. And I really agree that you and even myself face such working lifestyle & problems.

But There Is A Solution
PS: Before you read this segment, try to clear your mind... and have an open mind :)

Some of the methods & solutions are written in a book I've recently read - The Four Hour Work Week book by Tim Ferriss. Sounds brilliant, and a lil too ideal right? However, tendency of someone to pick up the book & flip through it is high (more on that later on).

So what's the magic behind this New York Times Bestseller written by the successful marketeer Tim Ferriss? There are many chapters in this book which one can learn from.

These are just quick shots that one can learn from this book:
1. How to be free (or more free for the start)
Jim's four hour work week ideal include ways to getting a personal helper, even if you are employed. And also to delegate your work to others. And the best part, these people he recommends are virtual assistants (sound new? - well, apparently, it is not).

By having more people managing your admin work, you can focus on the big picture & the big pie. And all these at affordable costs - there is a list of organisations he recommends for everything he suggests including virtual assistants.

2. How to earn more money, easily
He teaches about creating a system which is very similar to that of big companies. Only difference - you, as an individual can do this too.

For example, CEO from big companies have a vision for the company, get their designers (let's assume its selling sports shoes) from xxx country to design, outsource the manufacturing in a low cost country (eg China), and getting a Logistics company to help with the sending of goods & deliveries. And this method can be repeated by you!

On what business to venture - he says go into what people need rather than cracking & testing market with what people may want. Of course, he teaches how to see these trends. Though I don't fully agree on this as I like to create new things,

3. How to have many holidays/ breaks
Not sure how true, but Ferris mentions in his four hour work week method, that for every 2 months of 4 hour work week, he takes a 1 month break.

Here, he deals with 2 things - first setting up an automated revenue system (with consistent flow) so that you are free both in time & finances to be able to do things you like (eg. like a holiday) and secondly, at good affordable prices. And no, it's not budget holidays, but rather, well planned affordable holidays all over the world (of course it helps with a strong USD, but even others in any other country with weaker exchange rates can apply this).

I learnt a fair bit through Ferriss Four Hour Work Week book, and in fact, am rather pleasantly surprised that I've applied some of his methods even before reading. But now that I've read the book, things become even clearer and there are more things I can apply... and to someday soon lead that 4 hour work week!

And the one thing I like about this book apart from these that he has mentioned, is actually how he ironed out some facts - especially on things & ways which the Old Rich & the New Rich think rather differently. And why we should go with the New Rich with our heads up high.

And that is coming up next! :)



*It would be good to have a lil grasp on using the internet for business & internet marketing before reading this book (Jim is an internet marketeer so many of the ideas relate to it). However, even with lil knowledge on the internet business & using internet for work, one can still take this to open up the mindset (but be forewarned: it can be a lil mind blowing) :)

*The title of Four Hour Work Week is eye grabbing simply because it was well researched - and he will share that with you!