A few weeks ago I interviewed Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek (compare prices). Since then, it has reached as high as #4 on the New York Times bestseller list, and Ferriss was featured recently on the Today show, debating the idea with Donnie Deutsch ("The Big Idea").
Watch it if you must, but I can pretty much sum it up for you:
Narrator: "Americans are working harder than ever before."I hate television - I really do. There's no depth. I think I'm going to give up my TV.
Lauer: "The 4-hour work week. Is it really possible?"
Ferriss: "Yes it is. I've done it and I've talked to a lot of people who've done it and are happier because of it."
Deutsch: "No it isn't. I'm older and smarter than you, I've talked to a lot more people, and the people who work more are happier."
If you want to learn more about what the 4-hour workweek is really all about and how you actually get there, listen to the interview or buy the book and decide for yourself. Start by turning off the TV.
Related on About.com:
I agree with both of them.
I think it is hard to feel fulfilled only working 4 hours per week. There is only so much golf, tango dancing, learning languages etc.
On the other hand the concepts that Tim Ferriss espouses in the 4 hour work week
can help everybody be more productive.
The important thing is to find something you are passionate about.
Gavin Allinson
http://www.OutsourceSuccess.com
The thing Tim’s critics miss is that he never says that you should spend the other 40-something hours a week tango dancing and skydiving. He doesn’t always. He put a ton of time into his book and is obviously spending a lot more than 4 hours a week between his media appearances, speaking engagements, blog, and so on.
The point is to get it to the point that 4 (or 6 or 8 or 10 or 12) hours a week makes your living reliably. Then at that point, you’re free to do whatever you want with the rest. If that’s start another business, fine. If that’s spend 2 hours a day on social networking sites, fine. If that’s write a book, fine. But you’re not really free to do all that stuff until you get your core base income generated in a few hours a week.
“The happiest people are the people who work hardest.” Clearly this Deutsch guy has never lived… Someone give him a month off to travel the world and see what life is really about, then he wouldn’t be such a jumped up idiot.
I think Scott has the best comment – “I hate television.” I do too, except for TiVO recordings of The Office and Seinfeld.
- Mike Michalowicz