Author: Timothy Ferriss

Publisher: Crown

Pub. in: April, 2007

ISBN: 0307353133

Pages: 320

Measurements: 8.2 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches

Origin of product: USA

Order code: BA00806

Other information: ISBN-13: 978-0307353139

Tim Ferriss has traveled the world, started a successful business, appeared on national television shows, won elite fighting competitions, and set world records, all of which by the age of 30. To add to these accomplishments, Tim Ferriss has now written a great new book on business and life. The title of the book is unfortunate. It is about much more than creating a 4-hour work week.

His suggestions on designing your life, outsourcing, designing (or re-designing) your business, and enjoying your expanding freedom is usable information from someone who lives and breathes it. And he even goes as far as giving lists of his own special resources and recommended companies, which are worth the price of the book alone.

The book is structured into four parts. The first section sets out to help the reader define their dreams. It turns out that achieving them may not be as difficult as one may be conditioned to believe. The second section gives pointers on effectiveness - eliminating time wasters and working on things that really matter. The third section outlines steps for starting your own business. This section will be especially interesting for aspiring entrepreneurs. And finally, the fourth section provides steps on how to escape the office and pursue your real interests.

Motivation and focus - Tim has a lot of great advice for getting motivated and focusing on important tasks. He makes use of the 80/20 principle and Parkinson's law. Both of these ideas have been written about before, but Tim takes them to the next level. He gives specific advice on how to get moving and get the most out of your time. In this section, Tim also points out why big goals are often easier to reach than smaller ones. Tim says that smaller goals are often harder to reach because there are a lot of people competing for them. However, big goals often have less competition and are easier to motivate yourself towards achieving.

Business planning - Tim goes into detail on how to create a low-maintenance business. Tim takes you through the entire process - from idea creation, to testing, to order fulfillment. It is a process that has worked for him and several of his friends, and Tim gives real-life examples for each of the steps. Tim also includes contact information for companies and organizations that can help you every step of the way. In my opinion, the most important part of this section is the low-cost method of testing business ideas before making large investments of time or money.

Life planning - Once your income needs are met, now what? If you were able to successfully create a business following Tim's instructions, you probably have a lot of extra time on your hands. Tim talks a lot in this section about what to do with that extra time. Tim seems to prefer traveling, and he gives readers a good bit of advice on working and traveling abroad. His personal preference is to spend a month or so intensely working and then spend a couple of months traveling. Of course, you could just as easily use your time to grow other businesses or spend time at home with your family.

Working for yourself, you may become socially isolated or bored. Or, you may start to ask The Big Questions (like "What is the meaning of life?"). Tim gives some great advice for all of these situations.

Overall, the author provides many valuable resources for entrepreneurs as well as those interested in traveling abroad. There is also a companion website with additional tips and pointers. Overall, the book is a good value for the investment in time to read.
- From quoting Matt and Tien Shiah

Target readers: General readers

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