I read Tim Ferriss’ book "The 4-Hour Workweek" last year and never got around to reviewing it. The book’s content is based on the idea of escaping the 9-to-5 and setting up an alternative lifestyle. Ferriss himself set up some type of vitamin company, outsourced most of the functions, and then was able to make a decent income by working only a few hours a week.
The book has gained many followers and substantial media. What I haven’t found though, is a large number of people who have been able to duplicate Ferriss’ success. Let’s think about it: what do you have to be good at to set up a successful internet company? Marketing. What do you have to be good at in order to get a #1 best-seller and a high-ranked blog? Marketing. What’s Tim Ferriss good at? Marketing.
But at least I think he is honest about things. Heck, he even asked readers to nominate him as one of the web’s best self-promoters.
Ferriss does provide a road map of how to escape the 9-to-5. And like most things, if a person puts in the time and effort, they can get some results. But so far, I haven’t read too many success stories, given the huge sales numbers he pulled in. I read his book last year, and I have not managed to escape the working life.
I think most of the benefits of the whole "4-Hour Workweek" idea flow to Ferriss, not to his readers. Of course, some would say that this is being negative and that people should just try harder and they will be successful. But not everyone can be great at marketing. And not everyone is going to be able to make tons of money off the internet.
Overall, it was an entertaining book with some good ideas. But show me some evidence that it actually works. And this does not mean three case studies out of the millions of copies that were sold. What he should do next is offer some type of "coaching" based on the book. He could make a mint off of that. But he’s probably already figured out the next step, given his marketing skills.
I agree. I subscribed to his blog, then I unsubscribed, but I’ll probably subscribe again because I shouldn’t let a knee-jerk distaste cut me off from possible useful ideas (and he does put out a lot of ideas, e.g. on time management).
Why the distaste? A few things. I find his manner both conceited and glib. Also, although I’m not a political liberal I do have a bit of a problem with “outsourcing” your life to some poor third-world single mum who’s trying to keep her kids out of the Nike factory and who would probably prefer more dignified work than wiping some Westerner’s arse for him so he can free himself to travel the world and take pictures of himself to post on his vanity blog. (Sorry, but this guy got to me).
That is a great review Matt. I bought the book last year when it came out, caught up in the hype that Ferris had managed to generate. I quite enjoyed the read and the idea of lots of mini-retirements through life is a educing and attractive one. however, the means by which he proposes that we facilitate this (basically creating ebooks and selling them via the internet) just doesn’t seem to match up to the job.
I’d like o be able to live like him, but I don’t think creating a good product is as straight forward as he makes out.
Chainey makes some good points!