The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

Not for the Faint Hearted

The first 100 pages seem like "Pie in the Sky" and that most people couldn't do what the author suggests. Then the more you read, the more "possible" it starts to become. By page 215 you are looking to talk with a friend about the possibilities! I am a retired Marine and not interested in world-wide travel, so the last part, while very informative, was not relevant to my goals. I was very impressed with his research on the various business services that are available from the Internet. I appreciated his personal observations regarding their abilities to deliver the service and/or product. He provides practical tips and warnings about Internet organizations and other countries that would not come to mind (until you were caught up in a problem). I believe that this book provides some real useful information for someone who is interested in starting up a small business or breaking away from a 9-5 job. But it is not for the faint-hearted. For this to work, you will have to let go of a lifetime of learned business patterns and rules. Even if you don't take the plunge, it is interesting to learn of those who have....and their success.

12 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

Interesting concepts, faulty delivery

The idea for this book is outstanding. The title is memorable, but not exactly true unless your personal definition of work is what this author's is. (I think he presents it as doing the things you must do in your business that you don't like doing and can't outsource.)

There are concepts presented that are life-changing or that will give you food for thought. However, it is not at all an easy read. The writing style just did not flow at all for me. The author is highly opinionated. I agreed with some but not all of them.

I have very mixed feelings after reading this book. I too have been making lifestyle changes to have a better life. Having passion for what you do makes "work" not something to get over in 4 hrs. It doesn't feel like work is a 4 letter word.

Still, the sound examples presented here that you can do most things in life that you want for far less money than becoming a millionaire is very enlightening. I do agree that prioritizing time wisely is a terrific investment in yourself, and frees up time to do the things in life that make it worthwhile.

6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Be debt free before Reading this book

This book assumes that you are dept-free and can leave your current job without suffering serious financial consequences, like foreclosure on a home or being sued for nonpayment of a debt. At best it assumes that you have enough money in the bank that you can leave your job and start your own "money making" business.
If you are dept-free then there are some things in this book that may be useful.

2 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

Change Your Outlook

This book really can change your outlook on your career and help you think about ways to break out of the daily grind - if that's not your thing, of course. It gives you some really interesting alternatives to consider as a way to live your life. Definitely not the college, job, wife, kids routine that everyone is taught.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Tim does it again...

I stumbled across Tim Ferriss a few years ago with his first edition of The 4-Hour Workweek. I devoured the entire book over the course of a quick trip home for the holidays and haven't looked back since. Everyone wants to get out of the rat race, this is nothing new. Ferriss' approach however, is, in my opinion. There are no excuses, and now with the newest edition, slammed with even more resources and reference materials, you really are you're own worst enemy. Usually that cliche phrase leads to an instantaneous cringe, but in this case, it's a good thing. It is an opportunity not to be missed out on. The book has altered my perspective on so many things and I continue to re-read chapters when I can. Can you tell I'm a fan yet?

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great foothold to get your life under control!!

this book is pure inspiration to anyone whose day-to-day existance has spiraled out of control. Great start to get a handle on things, and back on track to a rewarding, happy life!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Excellent Read - Great perspectives, Great Concepts

This book is definitely eye-opening and provides a different perspective on how you can essentially outsource the non-value added activities in your life and focus primarily on what is absolutely essential. Some of it is a far reach for many of us, but that's great. It gives the extreme examples of how you can achieve this. It's not so much about working only 4 hours per week, but rather it's the concept that you can set up a system that generates cash flow for you while you outsource the low impact low reward activities. In turn, you can really enjoy your life and not wait around for those two measly weeks of vacation you get per year to relax.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Amazing book!

This is such an interesting concept of how to look at life. Truly a paradigm shift from societal norm. It is inspiring and seems relatively easy to implement. I am an entrepreneur and do have more flexibility than most, regardless absolutely would recommend this book without reservation.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Buy it if you're done with the RAT RACE!

I love it! I will use it whenever and wherever I need too! This book is truly revolutionary. It is only useful if you read it and use it! This is one of those books you keep selfishly to yourself. Thanks Tim!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Very Worthwhile Read!

I read this book a few weeks ago and loved it. It has a lot of great information on actually starting a small business, not just inspirational words - although I found the book to be inspirational as well. The whole focus of the book is how to better spend your time. Instead of just doing work for work's sake, Ferriss gives concrete ways to minimize the time you spend on things that you don't love to do and maximize your time for doing things you love. The one complaint that I have is that as a senior in college, there's a whole section of the book that wasn't really applicable to me about making your work situation remote. Even if not everything in the book isn't applicable, the principles are still great and the material is presenting in an easy to read, interesting way.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Four Hour Week

Tim has a very inspirational way of writing books. The flow was a bit clunky, but great information. Even if you don't plan to make to "new rich" status by running a business 4 hours a week, there are plenty of thought provoking ideas in there to help you make your life better. Just by eliminating the clutter or getting more organized. If you have a job that could be done completely from home, his model to make that happen is great and he takes you step by step through the process. The book does cause you to look at life a little differently. We are taught to work our whole life then retire when we are almost too old to enjoy it. He challenges people to think outside the box, consider that there is more to life and live it. To make time to do the things that you enjoy and to spend time with family and have a richer life, instead of work it all away. Outsourcing and delegating tasks that take up lots of time and how to travel like the rich without spending a fortune. All great information.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A life-changing way of looking at our the way we live our life

Tim provides the blueprint to be used in changing the life that everyone is accustomed to from birth to retirement. He offers a convincing way of lookin at and living life now rather than waiting till retirement when your life has already passed you by and you can't do the things you thought could be done during retirement.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

As Good and Better than the Original

The newly added material is fantastic. Even if you read the original edition, the new content makes the expanded and updated edition worth your while.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I continue to re-buy this book as a gift

I have purchased several copies of this book and shared it with colleagues and even my college age kids. It introduces a type of thinking that most people do not get exposed to in their lifetimes. It is possible to readjust your life and to manage your affairs through delegation - provided you have a good idea to begin with. It is aspirational and worth the time if you're ready to start something new...once and for all.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I bought the audio version of this, and was pretty blown away. B

I bought the audio version of this, and was pretty blown away. Basically, Ferriss delves into 'lifestyle design' which means creating an automated business that does the job without you needing to be there. Thus, you have tons of free time. How the heck is that possible? Well, I live in Thailand and like some of the families featured in that book, strive to work online and have ample free time to spend with my husband and family. Our goal has to become, as the book suggests, location independent. As the book says, we had a Virtual assistant to help us. Where we failed, and what Ferriss goes over in the book, is that having a low maintenance product that you can mark up and sell to your 'target audience' is the key. We went around the infopreneur route, aka blogging, and this can take more time to create an income.
So the book lays out a step by step plan to creating a product that is relevant to your target audience, and then marketing in online via google ppc ads. Not as easy as it seems but yes, doable. And no, you don't need a lot of start up funds. The two challenging parts are finding a muse-discovering what you want to create- and marketing it. By marketing I mean getting your product in front of the intended, target audience. In my experience it isn't as easy as simply placing a ppg ad, and needs social media as well as print marketing to really get it off the ground. This requires some dinero, but not necessarily alot. Ferriss gives case studies in the book and TONS of resources, so if you can figure out what your 'muse'/product should be, then you have overcome the biggest hurdle.

A tip of the iceberg book!

If you are looking for real guidance to help you create a business that will net you lots of income with as little effort this book will tell some of the answers to your questions. The author gives some interesting advice but it seems more like he wrote this book to make more money for himself and very little of it to help you make money. So no altruism here!

A+different+approach+to+life

Its+a+good+book%2C+makes+you+think+d+re+evaluate+your+life.+Second+half+of+book+is+far+better+than+first+half%2C+do+not+give+up+on+it.

Ideal.

This book is very persuasive. It makes you feel like you can do anything--you probably can. The first half of this book I was thinking that this guy had to be joking. It was not practical. By the second half though, he built the foundation. He brings up questions like,"why is the business world run on an arbitrary 8 hour shift?" He really makes you think about how productive you truly can be

The 4-Hour Workweek: A Ticket to Freedom

Before reading the 4-Hour Workweek life had become mundane and it seemed that the days had been turning into years with little focus on fulfillment versus just income.

This book woke me up to the possibilities of living an automated lifestyle that allows for time, location and financial freedom. If you have ever had the feeling of something shifting inside yourself in a positive way, this is what you can expect from this book. It is a wake up call about the way life can be.

The 4-Hour Workweek details the author's experience in working a corporate job and how his life became a shell of what he wanted. The book explains how he branched out and created a business making over $40,000 per month (minimum) with no employees beyond himself. This freed him up to travel and run his business from his laptop from anywhere in the world.

If you are looking for a book that will expand your limits of what is possible for your career and lifestyle, this is a book you definitely want to read.

Good, Not Great

Good, Not Great

0 out of 8 people found this review helpful.