I find Tim Ferriss to be a fascinating guy.  He speaks six languages and runs a multinational firm as he travels the globe.  He’s a national kick boxing champion and the first American to hold a world record in the tango.  So you might wonder how the heck any of these things qualify him to write the book The 4-Hour Workweek.  It’s all about one little thing and that thing is the fact that he is doing what he wants when he wants!  He has figured out how to support his lifestyle from anywhere.  I recommend that anyone who is, or who has ever felt, overworked, overburdened, and overwhelmed read Tim’s book.

I was admittedly intrigued by the title of Tim Ferriss’s new book: The 4-Hour Workweek. After all, that’s what a good title is supposed to do – draw me in – and it did.

I must confess, also, that I was a bit skeptical about the title’s premise, as well as the author’s suggestion to outsource life (many of you have read my posts in this blog on this very subject). So much of what is written about life balance relates to time management, and I really didn’t want someone else’s version of that.

Well, I am relieved to tell you that the book isn’t at all about that. It also isn’t a manuscript describing the problems we all encounter in minute detail. This book is about solutions and taking action – practical solutions that you can begin to use today – written by a guy who has employed them successfully and shares his experience in an uncomplicated, fresh, and no B.S. way.

Tim Ferriss is a fascinating guy. He speaks six languages and runs a multinational firm as he travels the globe. He’s a national kick boxing champion and the first American to hold a world record in the tango.

How does this qualify him to write this book? Simple: he’s doing what he wants, when he wants to do it. He’s figured out how to make time to do what he wants and to have the mobility to support his lifestyle from anywhere.

Who should read this book? In Tim’s own words: “This book is for anyone who is sick of the deferred-life plan and wants to live life large instead of postpone it.” What is the “deferred life plan”? Tim describes it succinctly as slave, save, retire. Those of you living this life know exactly what he means.

As far as I’m concerned, anyone who is, or who has ever felt, overworked, overburdened, and overwhelmed should give Tim’s book a read. The 4-Hour Workweek offers a practical guide to those seeking to create freedom of time and place to use however they please.

I couldn’t agree more with Tim Ferris when he writes: “The options are limitless, but each path begins with the same first step: replacing assumptions.”

Recommendation: Go ahead – start down that path. Read The 4-Hour Workweek.

Overall rating: 5 out of 5

I’ll let Tim do the rest of the talking. I caught up with him and asked him the following 7 Questions:

DBB: What do you love? What excites you? What are you passionate about?

TF: I love learning and loving. If you do both, you will be loved and admired. For me, it’s the cure-all.

DBB: If you could share anything that is uniquely you or something you genuinely believe with the world, what would it be?

TF: That all the rules outside of law and nature can be bent or broken. We artificially constrain ourselves. There are always more options than are immediately obvious.

DBB: What would you attempt to do in your life right now if you were assured there was no possible way to fail?

TF: Exactly what I’m doing. That’s how you have to operate to beat the odds at anything.

DBB: Is there anything you’re merely tolerating or enduring in your life?

TF: A sore back, but that’s my own fault. All of the sports I like are a bit on the dangerous side. Occupational hazard!

DBB: Do you have a life’s purpose?

TF: Learn and love. Both take many forms.

DBB: How do you define and create balance in your life?

TF: I chase excitement and don’t think much about “balance.” That doesn’t mean I’m unbalanced; I just think that balance is often most easily achieved when you don’t chase it.
It’s a byproduct of other things. Much like someone else’s love.

DBB: Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?

TF: I’ll just chorus Winston Churchill: Never, never, never give in. My own version would be:
never, never, never settle.

DBB: Thank you for your time.

TF: My pleasure. Enjoy!

You can check out Tim’s blog here.