The 4-Hour Workweek is Tim Ferriss's self-proclaimed guide to achieving one's financial dreams while reducing the number of hours one works in a week to less than ten (four is hyperbolic, but this is still a dramatic reduction). He does so by dividing his book into a four-step process that enables a reader to become part of the "New Rich:"
1. Definition
2. Elimination
3. Automation
4. Liberation
Before he gets into any of that, though, Ferriss makes some promises and some disclaimers in the introduction. He takes this time to explain the goals of this book and the appealing lifestyle it can provide. He also indulges in a bit of shameless boasting: how he became a Princeton guest lecturer, a world-record holder in the tango, an Olympic advisor, Wired Magazine's "Greatest Self-Promoter of 2008," the National Chinese Kickboxing World Champion, a political asylum researcher and activist, as well as many other titles and accomplishments. Also in the introduction, he attempts to dispel the myth that people like this are born natural heroes: he ends the section with the sentence "You can have it all," a line that feeds readers' naturally hungry egos.
Ferriss introduces a new class of people: the New Rich. These people are quietly living lavish lives like millionaires, while they may or may not actually possess more than a million dollars. This is the class of people to which Ferriss's program purports to elevate the reader, and it is an elite but seemingly easily attainable circle. The next four sections of his book detail the methods by which YOU can become a part of this New Rich as well.
The first step, he says, is Definition. What are your specific goals? If you go for them, what is the worst possible scenario that could happen to you? Is it worth the risk? This section explores people's aversions to risk and their tendencies to give in to fear and subject themselves to mediocre life rather than taking the risk that could open up a whole new world. It includes many stories of people who overcame such inhibitions to realize their dreams, such as Dale Begg-Smith (an Olympic skier) and Hans Keeling (an attorney-turned-surf-company-owner). And, of course, good old Tim Ferriss himself. This section lays out the groundwork for the next three steps while more clearly explaining some of Ferriss's terminology, such as the precise definition of these elusive New Rich.
The second step is Elimination. This step consists of eliminating tasks and practices that bog down your effectiveness, such as regular email-checking and superfluous, menial tasks that yield less result than others. Ferriss recommends eliminating multitasking of all types, as well as all tasks that would not make the day fulfilling all on their own. This seems extreme, but Ferriss seems insistent that streamlining your tasks will produce, if not necessarily always a higher monetary net profit, then at least a far healthier, happier, and more effective lifestyle. Eliminating unnecessary steps is a great way to ensure the avoidance of burnout.
The third step is Automation. In this section, Ferriss encourages readers to find ways to outsource their mundane tasks to others in order to free themselves for more effective and enjoyable tasks. From sending workloads to virtual assistants in India to making work systems fully automated, Ferriss has several tips to aid the enaction of this step, but it can be rather difficult for some (or perhaps most) jobs to do at all. Because of this nebulous difficulty, Ferriss sometimes encourages readers to enact Step 4 before Step 3.
The fourth and final step in the process is that of Liberation. The most tangible form of this liberation is the transition to working remotely, so that your job is no longer dependent on your physical presence in a designated location, and you can work from anywhere in the world. This augmented mobility allows for greater freedom, which Ferriss sees as one of life's highest ends. The extra time afforded by this liberation is the real benefit gained from the experience, and the asset that truly defines the New Rich.
Reception to The 4-Hour Workweek has varied; some have praised its effectiveness, while others find Ferriss's approach both arrogant and unrealistic. Regardless, Ferriss has outlined a specific plan in this bestselling book, and it seems to be working well enough for him. It is interesting to speculate, however, what advice he might give to someone who isn't as privileged as the average white American male.
