Well, where do I start, what a journey, who in their right mind would actually believe that reading a ‘self help’ book can actually change your life so dramatically, forever?
I was probably the hardest sell of the bunch, I never ever read such books, and generally judged people that did. I couldn’t figure out why people would read this style of book, then still be in their same job, same position, same state of mind, same rut years afterwards. I would listen to their giddy highs of enlightenment for a couple of weeks quietly shaking my head in the knowledge that it would all wear off after a week or two, and everything would be back to normal, which of course, it always was.
So how did I ever come to read the Four Hour Work Week? I mean the title itself should put off even the slightest of doubters.
It happened at lunch with a close friend, instead of enjoying a fun social get together I spent the entire meeting bitching and moaning at length about my job and how there had to be another way to live and enjoy life. He listened like a good friend does and probably made a mental note to start avoiding me, then as we got up to leave he nonchalantly said, ‘You should read the Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss’. We shook hands, loosely scheduled a drink for one night in the future and parted ways.
I got back to my office, which lacked natural sunlight, sat in my chair, which had a broken arm rest, stared at my PC and listened to the drivel my colleagues were openly discussing. I shrugged at how pointless their chatter seemed to be and their lack of urgency with completing or contributing to their actual work.
I opened a web browser, searched for the nearest bookstore, called them up and reserved the book. The afternoon dragged laboriously by and I even received the gut wrenchingly terrifying news that I had another pointless meeting to attend at 6pm.
Finally released from my prison I dodged the invite of a drink from a colleague and sprinted to the book shop before they closed.
I read the first chapter on the short train journey home and immediately a light switched on in my mind. I texted my friend, ‘Mate, I think you might have just changed my life forever.’ A moniker he still carries to this day.
I was probably the hardest sell of the bunch, I never ever read such books, and generally judged people that did. I couldn’t figure out why people would read this style of book, then still be in their same job, same position, same state of mind, same rut years afterwards. I would listen to their giddy highs of enlightenment for a couple of weeks quietly shaking my head in the knowledge that it would all wear off after a week or two, and everything would be back to normal, which of course, it always was.
So how did I ever come to read the Four Hour Work Week? I mean the title itself should put off even the slightest of doubters.
It happened at lunch with a close friend, instead of enjoying a fun social get together I spent the entire meeting bitching and moaning at length about my job and how there had to be another way to live and enjoy life. He listened like a good friend does and probably made a mental note to start avoiding me, then as we got up to leave he nonchalantly said, ‘You should read the Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss’. We shook hands, loosely scheduled a drink for one night in the future and parted ways.
I got back to my office, which lacked natural sunlight, sat in my chair, which had a broken arm rest, stared at my PC and listened to the drivel my colleagues were openly discussing. I shrugged at how pointless their chatter seemed to be and their lack of urgency with completing or contributing to their actual work.
I opened a web browser, searched for the nearest bookstore, called them up and reserved the book. The afternoon dragged laboriously by and I even received the gut wrenchingly terrifying news that I had another pointless meeting to attend at 6pm.
Finally released from my prison I dodged the invite of a drink from a colleague and sprinted to the book shop before they closed.
I read the first chapter on the short train journey home and immediately a light switched on in my mind. I texted my friend, ‘Mate, I think you might have just changed my life forever.’ A moniker he still carries to this day.
The Four Hour Work Week - Tim Ferriss.
Reviewed by Dan.
I was hooked. Like an addict I would find excuses to be alone to read the book, voraciously turning pages and trying to figure out how I could make any of these practices work in my own life. As a married man of 38 years, with 4 kids aged under 8 years of age I had responsibilities. I had to bring home the bacon. I had to be out the door and into the office everyday. I had to entertain clients and be home late two or three nights per week and I had to be away on business trips some weekends, that’s just what you do, right?
That’s the man’s role in life isn’t it? We work, and work, and work, to the point where we become nothing but a glorified lodger in our own homes. Put up and shut up, pay your respect, pay the man and grind through it.
As I completed my first read (there would be 5 in total) I closed the book and sat dazed, confused, suspicious, convinced, yet unconvinced, but above all, excited. What the fuck had I just read? What a whirlwind of information, suggestions, advice, truths and for lack of a better word, sense. It all made perfect fucking sense! I turned the book over, re-opened it and started reading from page 1 again.
That was November 2013, by March 2014 I had quit my job, given notice to our landlord, sold almost everything we owned, took the kids out of school, and were leaving a country in which we had lived, built a successful career, called home and raised our family for almost 15 years.
All on the back of a book?!
Most friends and family were supportive, some needed time to understand the decision, but respected it and a few thought we were just plain nuts.
But our plan was clear, leave the rat race and travel, anywhere we could, just go, and be together.
One line from the book resonated throughout my mind the first time I ever read it, and it still does to this day, a quote that truly hit home.
‘Enough is enough. Lemmings no more… the blind quest for cash is a fool’s errand.’
That’s the man’s role in life isn’t it? We work, and work, and work, to the point where we become nothing but a glorified lodger in our own homes. Put up and shut up, pay your respect, pay the man and grind through it.
As I completed my first read (there would be 5 in total) I closed the book and sat dazed, confused, suspicious, convinced, yet unconvinced, but above all, excited. What the fuck had I just read? What a whirlwind of information, suggestions, advice, truths and for lack of a better word, sense. It all made perfect fucking sense! I turned the book over, re-opened it and started reading from page 1 again.
That was November 2013, by March 2014 I had quit my job, given notice to our landlord, sold almost everything we owned, took the kids out of school, and were leaving a country in which we had lived, built a successful career, called home and raised our family for almost 15 years.
All on the back of a book?!
Most friends and family were supportive, some needed time to understand the decision, but respected it and a few thought we were just plain nuts.
But our plan was clear, leave the rat race and travel, anywhere we could, just go, and be together.
One line from the book resonated throughout my mind the first time I ever read it, and it still does to this day, a quote that truly hit home.
‘Enough is enough. Lemmings no more… the blind quest for cash is a fool’s errand.’
Amazingly the author Tim Ferriss was even kind enough to reach out and thank me for taking the time to write this review!
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