The Book That Changed My Life - "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferris
Mar 06, 2024
Read time: 5 minutes
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Most people stop actively learning when they graduate.
This can be from high school...
...or University.
Society makes it 'okay' to trade the pursuit of learning for a diploma.
I was like this too.
I was proud to say that I was able to graduate without reading a book.
And after graduating, that continued.
After workin 60+ hours...
...I would run home for some Netflix time.
But I was wrong.
But Nick, if you hated reading...
...how did you start reading again?
Audiobooks.
I had heard of a book called, "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferris.
At the time I was just starting to listen to podcasts in my 2.5+ hour commute to work...
(that dang San Francisco Bay Area traffic 🙄)
...so I might be willing to listen to a book instead.
And it worked.
The right book, at the right time.
This book opened to door for what became a series of books...
...and now a pretty healthy library at home. 🤓
Tip: There are usually free audiobooks on YouTube or you can use your local Library card to access them on the Libby App.
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5 Lessons From the 4-Hour Workweek that Changed My Life
1. A New Template For the Perfect Life
We've all seen it.
Work for 50 years and then retire.
Only then can you travel and enjoy the "fun" thing in life.
When reading this book in 2014...
...this appeared to be the only plan.
I mean, it was the one that my parents preached about.
This book challenged that.
Working forever and delaying all joys in life...
...that is the Old Rich.
But the New Rich aim for a life of luxury in the present using time and mobility.
At the most extreme definition - these are today's digital nomads.
Those that can work from anywhere.
Again, I was comparing this to how my parents lived in the same place.
Working at same company.
Most of their entire lives.
But there was another way, and the New Rich found it.
Experiences while working.
And I was hooked.
So far, I've been fortunate to work around the world.
India.
Greece.
France.
It's been almost 10 years since graduating...
...and I've only had one job that had an in-office requirement.
And that job was only for 8 months.
Even after the events of 2020...
...being location independent for work has continued to be a priority.
2. Just Do The Thing
There is this constant battle between the "unknown" and being "unhappy."
Most of the time people will choose to be in an unhappy situation rather than pursue something unknown.
But that is the trap.
The unknown (and learning) should be embraced.
Not feared.
When you are most hesitant to do something...
...that is probably one of the best signs to actually do it.
Embracing the unknown has led to some amazing projects.
Some even made money...
...but most led to amazing experiences, relationships, and learnings!
Even creating this blog and The Thursday Trailblazer newsletter.
I didn't know what I was getting myself into.
Or where it'll go.
But it's fun.
And so whenever there is an idea.
Just do the thing!
Disclaimer: Of course, within reason.
Don't make the decision without any reasonable thought.
3. Mini-retirements are better than waiting for one at the end
Too often we are put into a situation where we have to select one.
Work and play.
Not work or play.
But the full integration of both can be extremely difficult,
especially when you're already in an "Old Rich" situation.
So take baby steps in designing something new.
Intentionally design your life where you can take extended periods of time off to explore interesting hobbies or travel.
My most recent trip was ~3 week trip to Tanzania.
Before that was ~4 week trip around the world from Singapore to Paris.
(and some stops in Thailand and Greece in between)
Complete disconnection.
There was another book that I read, "Vagabonding" by Rolf Potts, that takes this concept to a whole other level...
...but the takeaway is consistent.
An extended period of time to disconnect.
Two weeks can barely be considered "extended."
The duration of time needs to be long enough where you be in a mental space that almost forgets the Old Rich lifestyle.
Only then can you truly recharge.
And avoid ever saying:
"I need a vacation from my vacation."
If you come home and saw that...
...then that was a failure of a vacation.
4. Excitement Over Happiness
Goal-setting.
Finding motivation.
Defining your purpose.
Whatever it is, you need to discover the "why" behind you do what you do.
Most optimize for happiness.
But that is the wrong emotion to lay the foundation on.
We should be optimizing for what excites us.
I am happy when I watch a Netflix show.
But that doesn't create an inner desire for me to strive towards changing the way I do things.
I am excited by the thought of living a life that is location independent...
...and willing to work towards making that a reality.
5. Time is the Scarce Resource, Not Money
Growing up my parents would drive across town to save a couple of bucks for gas.
Even if it took an extra 15 minutes.
They were optimizing to save every dollar...
...rather than optimizing for every minute.
But don't confuse this with laziness.
Using that time to only sit scrolling on TikTok is a complete waste...
...and wasn't an action of optimization at all.
At some point in our lives, we ourselves are the bottleneck for progress.
We have to prioritize doing what is the most valuable thing with our time.
To become apart of the New Rich...
...you can follow the DEAL framework that can be followed to unlock this new potential:
D is for Definition:
- Reconceptualize life, challenging the status quo and societal norms about work.
E is for Elimination:
- Use the 80/20 rule to eliminate inefficiencies, focusing on tasks that contribute the most to your objectives.
- Advocate for a low-information diet, consuming only information that's immediately useful. This is something I can still be better at.
A is for Automation:
- Delegate or outsource life tasks and work to others (like virtual assistants) to free up time.
- If you haven't already, try ChatGPT.
L is for Liberation:
- Free yourself from traditional expectations about how and where work is done.
- Working remote and living a flexible lifestyle might feel odd, but that's only because society norms say so.
Remember that it's not money that we are ultimately striving for...
...it's the time freedom that money can provide when acquired correctly.
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Everyone has a different "ah-ha" moment
And that's okay.
I think the beauty in life is different things will resonate with people.
I reached out to some of the other Thursday Trailblazer subscribers to learn what re-inspired them.
An interesting observation is that they too were greatly influenced by a book.
Royce rekindled his entrepreneurial spark
Book: "Rich Dad Poor Dad" by Robert T. Kiyosaki
Why?
"It just sparked the entrepreneurial spirit in me that I had when I was 14-16 years old (selling stuff on Amazon & making like $2-3k a month). It just [re]opened my eyes to the fact that there is so much more to life than working a 9-5 until you’re 59 1/2 years old."
Justin found focus through simplicity
Book: "Everything That Remains: A Memoir by The Minimalists" by Joshua Fields Millburn, Ryan Nicodemus
Why?
"Everything that remains started my journey of personal development. This book made me analyze what really mattered. It helped me identify the B***S*** tangibles and intangibles in my life. From there I focused on what mattered - financial security, business development, habit changes, etc. This opened my mind to the world of personal development and entrepreneurship."
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📚 Other Notable Resources
- Last Week's Thursday Trailblazer Article: Three Things I'm Doing To Prevent Being In Between Jobs
- Books mentioned:
Nicholas Ayala
or LinkedIn
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