Book Review: The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferris
This book provides a refreshing new look at pursuing your passion while living your ideal life.
Ferris provides a multitude of information on how to take total control of our life….and loving it. I highly recommend this book to entrepreneurs….it will give you lots of information on how to work smarter not harder. I recommend it to the Baby Boom Generation, it will tease you into trying new ideas concerning living your “retirement” while being able to afford it! I recommend it to Generation Xers…..you can learn how to live your passions while earning the monies to afford it and not waiting until you are retired to do so. Ferris, does not only talk about how you can outsource your life, he gives you the tools to do so. There are a multitude of websites and books to go far deeper into this subject matter.
One of my favorite passages is entitled: “The timing is never right.” In reads in part, “For all of the most important things, the timing always sucks. Waiting for a good time to quit your job? The stars will never align and the traffic lights of life will never all be green at the same time. The universe doesn’t conspire against you, but it doesn’t go out of its way to line up all the pins either. Conditions are never perfect. “Someday” is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you…..” Ferris does not play the blame game…but gives the reader numerous strategies to employ, wether you are a entrepreneur or employee.
If you a vagabond of any age or wish to become a vagabond, you must read this book!
Beware however, if you are someone who is not ready to take total control of your life…do not read this book!
This book has something for everyone. Take what you like and leave the rest!
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What’s going on with you and your business?
Take this quiz to find out.
Instructions: Check if the statement is true. If more than 5 statements are true, then working with a coach specializing in entrepreneurs may be the perfect solution.
1. I am uncertain about the sustainability of my revenue streams.
2. I have business debt that is more than 20% of my annual revenues.
3. Given the effort I’m putting in, my net income is nowhere near high enough.
4. If I wasn’t here, the place would fall apart within one month.
5. I can’t seem to attract - or keep - the right staff.
6. I’m doing tasks that I do not like or am not very good at.
7. I am working more than 10 hours a day.
8. I am working far too much in my business instead of on my business.
9. Sometimes I wonder if I’m both the arsonist and the fireman.
10. We’re not as focused on our customers as we need to be.
11. There’s more chaos in this company than the employees prefer.
12. I want to spend more time with my family or in other interests.
13. I don’t feel free and that’s where I want to be.
14. I want to improve the focus and direction of where the business is heading.
15. I have ideas for significant revenue streams that I just can’t seem to
make time for.
16. Profitability isn’t where it could be.
17. I want to delegate more so I can have the time to discover new opportunities.
18. The joy of owning a business is being replaced by the stress of running
a business.
19. It would be valuable to develop a 12 to 18-month growth plan.
20. We need to find a way to better motivate the staff.
2002 by the Graduate School of Corporate Coaching. Reproduction permitted with full attribution.
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Head Start Program
May 15, 2008
1. Introduction:
2 Request Input from group
3 Major concepts for this evening
A.) Begin with the end in mind
B.) Give up perfection
C.) Take care of yourself
Begin with the end in mind;What kind of adult would you like your child to be when he or she grows up? What values do you want yhour child to have? Parents are the first and most influential teachers a child will ever have. As parents we need to set the example for our children. For the most part, our children will follow in our footsteps. That is not to say they will become our clones, but they will fall back on the enprinting that we supply in early childhood, unless we make a concerted effort to not do so. How many times have you heard your mother’s voice coming from your mouth?
If you want your child to value your spiritual foundation, your child needs to be exposed to it very early on through adolescents. As a young adult they may choose to take another path, but your job is to ensure they know your tradidtion and faith. If you want your child to value reading and education, you have to value reading and education. Read to your child, have books around. Read and study yourself. If you want your child to be generous, be generous and expose your child to your generosity. List your top values, challenge yourself…are you living your life to those values? If you are living your values and priorities your children will see them and will learn them. Then they will become teenagers….you will become stupid….everything you do will be challenged and then….they grow up. Once again you will become the font of wisdom and they will start to return to all of the things you exposed them to when they were young children. Even if they do not choose to follow your example, your job is to provide it.
Give up perfectionism; Perfection is highly over rated and because it is perfect, it can rarely be achieved and often the cost is way too much! Give it up for yourself and for your children. This does not mean to not have high standards…it merely means that sometimes good enough is good enough. (Bathroom story) Demanding perfection in ourselves or in our children results in a level of stress that in paralyzing. I often hear people say that when everything is just right, I will go back to school…..Iwill start to save money….Life is never perfect. Also make a value judgement. There are things worth “going to the mat for” and there are others where droppong it is the best answer. Learn to choose your battles early….that will serve you well in the teen years.
Take Care of yourself; Only if you take care of yourself, will you have the energy to take care of your children.. Build aliances with other parents. Look to your church for support and spiritual guidance as a parent. We are not meant to do everything ourselves. Take advantage of the resources that are available to you. You must take care of your healthin order to take care of your children. Raising healthy, confident, children who grow into balanced contributing adults takes love, energy, and stamina. It is a 24/7 job that can and will be the most frustrating jobat some times but will also be one of the most rewarding jobs you will ever do! Your gifts and delights will be proportional to time, and energy you give your most valuable asset….your children!
Conclusion: Remember: 1) Begin with the end in mind. 2) Give up perfection and 3) Take care of your self.
As you may have read in my last entry, my family and I are in the midst of planning our trip fly fishing in British Colombia this summer. It has been an exciting time as we go over tour books and brochures and try to balance the vacations along with the various family interests and expectations. Dad and Josh are the fisherman. Give them a stream, one good meal a day and minimal lodging, and they are content. They can spend hours casting for fish they intend to throw back if caught!
Steve is 17 and not a fisherman….will spend some time casting, but can live without it. The reality is that he would just as soon stay home and forget the whole family vacation thing! Steve is however a learner. He likes to learn about new things so visiting museums and historical sites. He is willing to try new foods and be challenged. A couple of years ago we spent time opal mining and panning for gold in Montana.
So what are some survival tips for that family vacation:
First, forget perfection! It will not happen! No matter how much planning is done, there will always be glitches. Be prepared for those moments, and take a moment to acknowledge the oops of life and move on. Also get everyone as involved in the planning as possible so that everyone’s interest is addressed. Remember to build in “white space” into your planning. It gives you the ablility to be flexible or to just take a nap!
Second, focus on the positive. At the end of each day, recap all that went well. Good weather, being together, enjoying nature. New food, new friends etc.
Third, remember to take care of your selves. Keep well hydrated, rested, fed. So often when we change our daily routines, we forget to remember the basics. It is more important than ever especially if we are away from homebase, where we are not as familiar with our surroundings or knowledgeable about healtcare facilities. Also, by taking care of ourselves, we can fend off the inevitable short fuze that will inevitably visit during any vacation.
Perhaps the most important tip…primarily aimed at parents, Stay in the moment! There is no need to worry about work….can’t do anything about it anyway!
As I write these blogs, I am getting more and more excited about the trip. I have started my walking regime and diet to get in shape for the trip. I have hired my personal trainer and she is focusing on building my upper body strength!
Share your family vacation tips and win a complimentary coaching session!