This article is about one of my presents at Christmas time last December, the book called “The Four Hour Workweek”. I have no idea why one of my relatives thought it would be a good idea for me to spend some time reading it, but it was. The plot of this disruptive book which was published in 2007 begins with Timothy Ferriss trapped in his own job. The story explains what he felt at that time and why, how he changed his work philosophy and how he made some money from setting up his own business. At the end, it gives tips to be applied every day as well as examples of successful people that implement his art of living.
One of the main keys to succeed in a job is to make an effective use of the time available and delegate some responsibilities to competent people. Timothy Ferriss takes this idea to the extreme advising us to check emails once per day and hiring online assistants to handle small tasks.
Most people get confused about the use of emails at work… Maybe they are unaware that multitasking reduces performance.
From my point of view, after having spent more than one hundred hours reading about how to perform at work and organise your activities, I must say I agree with him. Most people get confused about the use of emails at work, they can spend all day answering emails almost instantaneously putting aside their main tasks. What would happen if you are missing a big project just because you are wasting your time answering to emails ? Maybe they are unaware that multitasking reduces performance.
Delegating is necessary in today’s world. The question of cost and the possibility of losing control are the major issues people, and specifically managers, still have to make a lot of progress in. Of course, delegating responsibility has a cost. For example, if you delegate house cleaning it costs money but the benefits that you get from enjoying your free time are priceless. Another specimen who needs improvement is the control freak. Such a person needs to monitor every single move of any member of his team, which only reflects his own lack of confidence in himself and others.
The Dreamline Exercice has three categories : having, being and doing.
In terms of practical tips to live the life of your dreams, Tim Ferriss proposes “The Dreamline Exercice”. He classifies The Dreamline in three categories : having, being and doing. For each one, you first define your objective and then assess the cost and the means to achieve it. One can say that he really is a Coach or life Consultant despite not having followed the proper training. He brings you powerful tools to reach your target whatever it may be. As a Management Consultant, I found this initiative quite engaging and simple but the subject is far too complex. People need to be supported to make a real change in their lives. I wonder if after having sold more than 1 350 000 copies worldwide, his business evolved towards coaching some of his readers himself, who would be able to give him direct feedback concerning his methodology.
Life is about taking risks. Timothy Ferriss has proved to be one of the most representative entrepreneurs throughout this century and nowadays he gives lectures, speaks in international conferences and coaches big companies. The only thing you should focus on is what will be your first step, however small it is, towards the life you dream of.