Fearless Money

This weekend I finished reading "The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich" by Timothy Ferriss. I just got it last week, and I read it straight through, putting aside all other books for a couple days.

I’m not going to give it an in-depth review. I think David Seah has done a better job of that than I’d do. I do wholeheartedly recommend it to almost anyone, although I doubt many will take him up on his challenge.

I wish I wasn’t pessimistic about that, but I am and it is based on what I read in blog comments whenever anyone reviews Ferriss’ book. The review is generally very positive, and then come the nay-sayers in the comments. "I’d be happy to get my job to 40 hours, much less 4.", "Outsourcing is evil and he is evil for suggesting it.", "He’s sleazy, he sells vitamins.", "He mistreated xxx by doing yyy."

I don’t want to be an apologist for Mr. Ferriss, the fact is that I loved the book and I intend to use many of his suggestions, I’ve already started in fact. However I think it may be too radical for many. The book advocates such concepts as: "Take charge of your life.", "There’s a much bigger world filled with more options than you were taught growing up.", "You can design a lifestyle you want if you choose to do so." "You can and should have others do the repetitive tasks that will free your time." (Those are all my paraphrases, not quotes.)

The problem is that many, especially geeks, would rather isolate and not have to interact. They’d rather the path to freedom was possible without having to stretch or grow or take any risks.

For example (sorry geeks, I used to be one of you but I’ve changed), It is hard to make much money if you think all sales is sleazy. Your ability to make money is in direct relation to the number of people you know and to whom you bring value. That’s why blogging, when done by connectors who can build a community like Steve Pavlina can be so profitable.

Many of the nay-sayers seem to be trying very hard to come up with any reason possible to discard the threatening message/challenge implicit in the book. Feel free to do so, and to continue working those 60 hour weeks.

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