Book Summary – The 4-Hour Workweek
Tim Ferriss is one of the best marketers in the world. By titling his book The 4-Hour Workweek he paints a picture that you can “have it all” with only four hours of work a week. While he does NOT give you recipe for “having it all” in just that short time, he does provide a blueprint on how you can move from the traditional 9 to 5 grind to a life style that affords you much more freedom, much more satisfaction, and more wealth. And those three things definitely make this book a “must read”.
At the heart of Ferriss’ book is the concept of lifestyle design. He describes lifestyle design very well in the book’s subtitle “Escape 9-5, live anywhere, and join the new rich” — a great example of Ferriss’ skill as a marketer! While Ferriss did not introduce the concept of lifestyle design, he did do a huge amount to bring recognition of the concept to the masses. It is interesting to note that this sort of lifestyle is what the “millennials” now consider normal. What is more interesting is that the Baby Boomers and Gen X wanted the same thing. The difference is that the new generation is no longer waiting until late in life to claim this lifestyle. They are doing so earlier AND with much more success. A big part of the reason why is related to technology. As you move through the book you recognize how technology has made all of Ferriss’ suggestions more attainable.
This book really does belong on the “must read” list. It has some great material, challenges the traditional way of thinking, and is widely referenced by others. Further, since its initial publication the concept of life style design has gained more and more traction and is becoming more and more mainstream. Ferriss’ two subsequent books (The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Chef) are also good reads and show just how far he will go to take the actions he is advocating.
A full summary of the book is available here
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris
