The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated) by Timothy Ferriss - A Summary

by Matrix Summaries

This is a summary presentation of Timothy Ferriss' now classic book The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. This book has quickly become a bible for those wanting to radically take control of their own careers and life.

This book summarizes the expanded and updated version of Timothy Ferriss' work.

Genres: Business, Self Help, Nonfiction, Finance, Productivity, Personal Development, Audiobook

39 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 11, 2014

Reviews

[Mina Perry · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a few useful productivity recommendations and inspires you a bit to think in new ways…
But I took his own advice and stopped reading it because it no longer provided value.

I’m tired of the popular narrative right now that people who work 9-5s are unimaginative drones. I don’t buy into the idea that we should be using the “lesser” to get ahead. It’s giving- arrogance.

He places little to no value on relationships and this whole book felt inherently selfish.

When I’m on my death bed, I won’t be thinking about lounging on a beach in Bali. I don’t want to hold a jar of sand. It will be the loved ones I spent time with and the friendships I fostered.
What is a life lived if not with loved ones and relationships built along the way?

[Juan Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for you if you really want to leverage your time and get insight into what tasks or responsibilities you might be doing that are wasting your time and giving little output or value in life as well as realizing which ones take little effort and give the most value. Everyone and anyone should read this book, it is in a format that I really love which I call the "applied" or "guide/manual". Instead of just giving ideas the book provides actual exercises to try out. The only thing is some of the stuff in the book is outdated (mostly the resources and some references) but it doesn't really matter because the ideas still ring true and you can always go to Tim Ferris's blog to find updated and contemporary ideas, tools, and resources.

[Emmanuel B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to change your perspective on how to work more efficiently. Not for everyone since not every job can provide you with the flexibility and resources outlined in this book but it definitely opens your mind to new ideas. Work within your schedule and I think you'll appreciate this book.

[Shimrit Hanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though at age 66 I will never fit the description of “The new rich”. I found the book useful in helping me focus on what’s really important and it gave me some new ideas on ways to optimize my time spent on marketing my own books.

[Katherine Nally · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has a lot of great information and thought provoking ideas. It needs a reread for sure.

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to listen to this again, there’s no way I could have absorbed all of this information from one listening. But such a great concept as a whole.

[Rene Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Matthew Pezzone · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't impressed at all with this book. I found to be elitest and not for regular American.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written from the perspective of 2008/2009, this book provides some ideas. It would benefit from sequel/ update.

[E]

"It's about time this book was written. It is a long-overdue manifesto for the mobile lifestyle, and Tim Ferriss is the ideal ambassador. This will be huge."
—Jack Canfield, Co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul®, 100+ million copies sold

"This is a whole new ball game. Highly recommended."
—Dr. Stewart D. Friedman, Director of the Work/Life Integration Project, The Wharton School

"Stunning and amazing. From mini-retirements to outsourcing your life,
it's all here. Whether you're a wage slave or a Fortune 500 CEO, this
book will change your life!"
—Phil Town, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Rule #1

"The 4-Hour Workweek is a new way of solving a very old problem: just how can we work to live and prevent our lives from being all about work? A world of infinite options awaits those who would read this book and be inspired by it!"
—Michael E. Gerber, Founder & Chairman of E-Myth Worldwide and the World's #1 Small Business Guru

“Timothy has packed more lives into his 29 years than Steve Jobs has in his 51.”
—Tom Foremski, Journalist and Publisher of SiliconValleyWatcher.com

“Thanks to Tim Ferriss, I have more time in my life to travel, spend time with family and write book blurbs. This is a dazzling and highly useful
work.” —A.J. Jacobs, Editor-at-Large, Esquire Magazine, Author of The Know-It-All

"If you want to live life on your own terms, this is your blueprint."
—Mike Maples, Co-founder of Motive Communications (IPO to $260M market cap),
-- Founding Executive of Tivoli (sold to IBM for $750M)

"Tim is Indiana Jones for the digital age. I've already used his advice to go spearfishing on remote islands and ski the best hidden slopes of Argentina. Simply put, do what he says and you can live like a millionaire." —Albert Pope, Derivatives Trading, UBS World Headquarters

“This engaging book makes you ask the most important question that you will ever face: What exactly is it that you want out of work and life, and why? Tim Ferriss is a master of getting more for less, often with the help of people he doesn't even know, and here he gives away his secrets for fulfilling your dreams.”
—Bo Burlingham, Editor-at-Large, Inc. magazine and author of Small Giants: Companies That Choose To Be Great Instead of Big

"Reading this book is like putting a few zeros on your income. Tim brings lifestyle to a new level–listen to him!"
—Michael D. Kerlin, McKinsey & Company Consultant to Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund and J. William Fulbright Scholar

"Part scientist and part adventure hunter, Tim Ferriss has created a road map for an entirely new world. I devoured this book in one sitting–I have seen nothing like it."
—Charles L. Brock, Chairman and CEO, Brock Capital Group; Former CFO, COO, and General Counsel, Scholastic, Inc.; Former President, Harvard Law School Association

[Darren Key · Rating 4 out of 5]

The synopsis of the book: use various techniques to cut down on time at work and start a small business to dedicate your time doing side quests around the world.

The 3 takeaways from me:

1 - know the power of the dollar relative to other countries. You can outsource much of your work to assistants from other countries and travel around the world for cheap since cost of living in other places are generally much cheaper compared to the US

2 - emphasize no-nonsense communication with coworkers. Need to force coworkers and work acquaintances to summarize content and make communication snappy. Reduce amnt of useless meetings.

3 - alternative lifestyle: taking mini-retirements throughout and working in other countries travelling around the world. Take frequent breaks that are fairly long (6 months or so, "mini-retirements" as Ferriss coins it) instead of working and having one big retirement.

I enjoyed the book - going in, I didn't know what to expect, having picked up the book just from hearing the name tossed around a lot. Ferriss' tips and processes are practical and no-nonsense, and he consistently frames his tips around the objective: maximizing profit and minimizing time invested (time = money). He includes many tips for starting a small business and generating an automated source of income. However, the book doesn't align well with my personal goals and current desires (perhaps just at my stage of life?). This is a book I might pick up and read again sometime in the future.

[Catholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The 4-Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss introduces readers to the concept of the "New Rich," a subculture that emphasizes reducing work hours and increasing leisure time. Ferriss outlines methods such as utilizing technology, automating tasks, and outsourcing to decrease the amount of time spent working. The book serves as a blueprint for lifestyle design, offering a step-by-step process for reinventing oneself, working more efficiently, creating a business, and living a luxurious lifestyle that prioritizes time and mobility.

While "The 4-Hour Workweek" provides practical insights on automating life and work to save time for pursuing passions, I found it lacking in terms of offering concrete advice on making money. The primary solution suggested by Ferriss is finding a niche market, a concept that I felt could have been conveyed more succinctly. The book is somewhat verbose and includes content that felt like fluff. Despite its intention to appear as a comprehensive guide by an expert, much of its content could be condensed into a brief blog post. Fortunately, since I didn’t purchase the book, I didn’t contribute to its sales. While it has its merits as a starting point for those new to these concepts, I plan to delve deeper into the topics through additional resources for a better understanding.

[Austin Okolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tired of living a job you hate and want to create the lifestyle of your dreams?

Love your job but want to travel the world for a few months with out getting into trouble?

Too busy to have a social life and your daily workload got you physically ripping your hair out?

This book is the answer to help you Build the lifestyle you deserve.

The 4 hour work week is a ‘new York times’ best seller

Written by Timothy ferris who was nominated as one of the ‘most innovative business people’

The 4 hour work week speaks on the importance of dreaming big and going after the lifestyle you want. He also breaks down in detail how to attain it. With real life testimonies.

This book has completely changed my life in how I manage my time introducing me to ideologies such as Parkinson’s law and the 80/20 rule.

Those two laws alone will help you double profits or productivity in half the efforts.

The book speaks on adding ‘automation’ to your life making you feel like that millionaire you’ve always wanted to be and also helping you to further manage time.

Want to live the life you’ve dreamed about?

Read. This. Book.

Connect with me on LinkedIn where I post book recommendations every Monday.

[ShaLisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know how to rate this book or apply the content. Being a stay at home mom with days full of necessary mundane tasks this book certainly isn’t applicable to my life. BUT I want it to be. I want to try some ideas out and don’t know how to start. This book doesn’t teach me what I need to do and I will never be in charge of enough to need all that this book offers but it did help me think big and hope that I can do something.

I think these ideas are self-serving and that many people (maybe most) are not in position to follow through in this way. First, an employee/boss needs to be really good at what they do. Even valuable. That is too often not the case. People spend more time at work than they need to get work done, sure, but that is because people often have to be managed. I wonder if all those 200 to 300 people he hires to work for him could ever follow his advice or are they too busy reading his emails? My world and perspective is certainly limited but it seems to me this book is useful to a small population.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though the job landscape has changed since THE 4-HOUR WORKWEEK was first published (2007), it still has a lot to offer those looking to leave their 9-5 behind or those wishing to create a better work-life balance. Ferris offers a simple framework for becoming members of the group he calls the New Rich (a mobile group making enough money to live life on their terms): definition, efficiency, automation, liberation, or DEAL for short.

However, while dialing in productivity, creating alternative revenue sources, and setting up systems of automation can certainly increase your monthly income and reduce how many hours you are working, Ferris doesn't fully acknowledge how much work is going to need to go into creating a work-life balance that is sustainable over a long period of time—which is A LOT. But while D-E-A-L may not be as quick as 1, 2, 3, Ferris's no-bs prose will encourage people to reflect on what they want out of their career, what matters most in their life, and what is going to make them happy.

[Alfred Wolf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tim Ferriss sold the world a dream: work four hours a week and live on the beach.
It became the Bible of digital nomads who, in reality, worked 80 hours chasing those promised four.
“Outsourcing” and “passive income” became mantras of a generation, more often leading to burnout than freedom.
Ferriss writes with the zeal of someone who just cashed out of a business, insisting everyone can do the same.
In practice, advice like “hire a virtual assistant” only makes sense if you have a business to begin with.
The book sells utopia disguised as instruction, and that’s why it achieved cult status.
Half the readers tried living the “Ferriss way” and were back in their cubicles a month later.
Even failure felt like progress — the fantasy itself was worth the price of admission.
Ironically, Ferriss turned his “4-hour workweek” into a full-time career of podcasts and endless self-promotion.
In the end, “The 4-Hour Workweek” isn’t a manual but a myth — and it still sells because people love to believe paradise can be had without the effort.

[leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some decent ideas, many outdated now too. If you don’t mind paying people little to no money and outsourcing everything outside the US and killing America overall then you will like this book. It reminded me a lot of why the world sort of sucks overall now. Though I’d love to work remotely and as little as possible I’m not willing to do it on the backs of poor people everywhere else.

Some good time management tactics though the author would not call it that.

It also reminded me that paying to much for name brands is silly.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about this book. It feels very impractical for the average person and yet there are absolutely some excellent suggestions for more efficient working and not allowing work to take over your life. It was published about 15 years ago so a lot of the tools and websites are obsolete. And way to much time was spent on the entrepreneurial aspect (how to) of starting a new business. That felt like it should have been a separate publication. I appreciate the author’s efforts to include as much information and tools as possible but it didn’t help me.

[Kico Meirelles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a good book, but despite what the authors says, I don’t think that it applies to everyone. Good theory and good lifestyle philosophies, but focused in small share of the population. Anyhow, it provides very good insights on how to be more productive and save time. I plan to read more from the author.

[Marco · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found it only a little helpful. At least some good tips and instructions how to change your mindset, which is obviously the importantest part of everything. Many tips won't work for everyone. I would recommend reading literature about becoming self confident and finding out what your strengths are instead.

[Timothy Mulroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like most self-help books you’ll read it and do nothing and give it 3 stars because it was longer than 289 pages. Or you’ll read it and confirm a couple of things you’ve already been doing for 4 stars. Lastly you’ll read it and if you actually implement consistently one single thing it’ll be 5 stars and change your life.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it is a GREAT resource for travel, finding the job of your dreams, and vacationing well. HOWEVER, the copyright is 2007, and at least 40 percent of the websites mentioned are non-functioning. There may be comparable others, but an update to this book is greatly needed. It is best to read it a few chapters at a time, as it does have a wealth of information.

[Jasmine Wei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the idea and there are practical tips in the book to make it happen. The only complaint is the audiobook is so long, in contrast of the idea of "short is better". I only listened 1/3 but agree it's a great book, wish there is some summary that I can just read and implement.

[Chelse Sherman · Rating 1 out of 5]

There were a few zingers in this book. Nothing real ground breaking, in a nut shell the message is automate everything. Focus on productivity and not being busy. Don't delay living the life of your dreams, just do it.

[Shalana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, so maybe this would work for a sales person or entrepreneurs. However, the upfront investment is quite large. This will be great when I’m ready to dive in on something different, or I get that remote role. Guess that can be step one.

[Dmitry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Outdated yellow Pages of internet resources. Author used his own approach to create a registry of all tools that he used in the past to cash it out in a book. I wish this book would be 4-minute broshour instead of 13 hours read.

[Justin Jackman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It definitely had some interesting concepts that made me think deeply about a few things, however, a lot of these concepts seem pretty far fetched.

[Ruben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy buen libro para mejor con cosas o pasos practicos tu dia a dia

[Lorenia Navarro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but not that good.

[Basanth Roy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way more verbose than it needs to be. Can be condensed to 1/5th the size with no impact on content.