Review: The 4-Hour Workweek

Posted by Nathan

August 4, 2007

A friend recommended The 4-Hour Workweek to me in June. I was surprised that I hadn’t seen it already because I frequent the business section in bookstores. Today I found out why.

The book is under Psychology at Borders. This made me laugh out loud, which caused the stranger to whom I was recommending it think I was completely odd.

I didn’t get the book until last Thursday because my reading list is continually getting longer. But free shipping from Amazon was something I wanted, and was able to get because I also purchased Chet Holmes’ latest(which I’ll review in the future).

I finished the book yesterday, Friday night. It’s a very quick read: to the point, and life-changing when applied. Applied in two days? Well, many of the grounding principles are talked about elsewhere. The concept of systematizing and outsourcing business tasks, having a virtual personal assistant and Pareto’s 80/20 principle are covered in-depth by other business coaches. I have begun working with these principles and have seen results. The difference here is that Ferriss gives specific web links to start if you haven’t already — he not only talks about getting started, but provides exercises and steps to do it immediately.

If it was the first book to be read by somebody completely unfamiliar with business and self-help, I know it would blow their mind. Ferriss describes things so quickly and nonchalantly that the average individual will simply ignore it because it comes off as fantasy. This was the reaction of the person I recommended it to in the bookstore this afternoon.

But, if you’re prepared for it, this book is a MUST-HAVE. Ferriss talks about owning a Lamborghini because it’s only ~$2,000 a month. Want to live in luxury in another country for three months? Ferriss will show you how he does it.

The concepts he presents are based on what’s he’s already lived out… it’s an instruction manual from experience. These aren’t abstract concepts or “what-ifs” — it’s a how-to manual, and based on what I’ve learned in my own life so far, it works.

For me the biggest breakthrough was how Ferriss travels. He doesn’t believe in two-week (too weak) vacations. He literally flies off and lives in an apartment (not a hotel), gets 1-on-1 speech lessons from a teacher in the country and learns a physical exercise native to the location (Ferriss is a martial artist, so he takes local fighting classes). He stays overseas months on-end, with no real concerns about being tethered to his “other life” in the States.

Yes, Ferriss is single. BUT, he does cover “how you can do this and be married with kids” in the book also. It’s a short section, but it’s there.

Overall, I didn’t find a single chapter that was not worthwhile, and the website has a ton of free material that goes along with the book also. Do yourself a real favor and get this book, you will not be disappointed.