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Welcome Tim Ferriss author of The 4 Hour Work Week. For me, it’s the most important adult non-fiction book I’ve read recently, maybe ever. Why? It questions my belief about time and how I use it, and how I can cut out 80% of the things I think I should be doing. Tim’s legacy to me from the book, is I’m reading novels and I’ve given up the business books. Thanks a lot Tim! But I’ve also restructured and had a look at what’s important in life to me, and it’s things that don’t usually involve money except for skiing and holidays with the family.
We talk about the writing and promoting of The 4 Hour Work Week, Productivity, Outsourcing Your Life, and Future Projects.
The 4 Hour Work Week - Based from class lectures on profitable cashflow without outside financing. The volume approach and overwork ethic is epidemic and isn’t scalable or sustainable.
15 month sabbatical - Tim developed concepts for lifestyle and a student suggested writing a book. Many people are earning good money but feel unfulfilled.
Getting Things Done - Read The 4 Hour Work Week before Getting Things Done to cut 4/5ths of of your workload before you set up Getting Things Done.
The book was turned down by 13 publishers! - There are 5 potential books within The 4 Hour Work Week.
How to write a book - Vagabonding (Rolf Potts), Bird by Bird (Some Instructions on Writing and Life), writing is hard! Feel better by identifying the demons.
Is there something missing in your life? - You are not alone!
Filling the Void - Depression can set in, when you have it all. What next!
Using Google Adwords to research book titles that work - The Four Hour Work Week wasn’t the first or favoured name. A title that appeals to people and gains media attention.
Activity v Productivity - Identifying what’s important and stopping the procrastination tools. Get a clear list of priorities. One thing to do and complete today. Busyness is not necessarily true productivity.
Reduce your procrastination - You don’t have to be perfect about it.
Breaking the 9 to 5 thinking - You don’t have to literally work 4 hours per week. Overcoming the guilt from preconceived notions.
Need for Speed - Fill it up, fill it fast. Filling in time by feeling productive, by checking email, and not just one email! Art to creating a lifestyle and designing a life that isn’t just filling in time.
What are the 3 things you do to fill in time? - Meetings? Email? We fill the hours to avoid the important things. It’s what we all do.
The Deferred Life Plan - Trade peak physical time in life for something you’d rather not be doing! So why not distribute retirement throughout life, rather than at the end. Putting things off through fear and not living your dreams now.
Vague FUD - Overcoming fear - Definition and Action. What is the worst case scenario. Seldom that bad or permanent.
Media Diet - Ask a waiter. Only glance at the front page of a newspaper.
How do you keep informed - What “should” you be reading. Information overload. Catch-up rather than Keep-up. Go to a conference every 6 months, to summarise.
Think and Grow Rich - Henry Ford, knew where to go for the information, he didn’t need to know it all.
Outsourcing your life - Automation and Income generation. Creating a life after you’ve outsourced everything.
Purchasing Power Parity - Enables you to pay other people in the world, where they are satisfied and you are satisfied, because the dollar you pay them is worth more in their country. Big Mac Index. It’s NOT slave labour.
Delegation - How well do you delegate. Elance, Brickwork, Get Friday to find people you can delegate to. Save yourself one day per week and employ a person for $5 per hour, for 8 hours to save you a day of your life! Give it a go!
The Anatomy of Automation - p185 nice diagram for automating your life. Ways to free up time.
Book Promotion - What uses up the most time….Book Signings!! New channels to market - Blogs, Podcasts, Second Life, Scott Adams (Dilbert) YouTube groin kicking!, radio satellite tour. Referencing to shows there the answers have already been given.
Future Projects - It’s not about aiming to sit on a beach for the rest of your life. Social Media and education impacting 15,000 students (LitLiberation.org) including many well known guests you all know. Science and Maths education. New TV Series from Tim!
Tim doesn’t stand still - The 4 Hour Work Week Blog - more impact than the book, and check out the book chapters and community. Tim blogs for pleasure not just part of his 4 hours. Educating the future thought leaders.
Tim’s Footballers Favourites - Do not check email first thing in the morning! More Delegation. Less replying to email. Whinging Poms.

(The show was recorded, using Callburner for recording Skype conversations, so shout out to Jeremy and Paul at Netralia)

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