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 enlarge | Author: Timothy Ferriss
Publisher: Crown
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $11.14
You Save: $8.81 (44%)
New (61) Used (32) Collectible (3) from $6.13
Avg. Customer Rating:  773 reviews
Sales Rank: 142
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.2
ISBN: 0307353133
Dewey Decimal Number: 650.1
EAN: 9780307353139
ASIN: 0307353133
Publication Date: April 24, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great resources, expands thinking, one caveat November 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was recently looking over my Amazon reviews and realised that the only time I bother writing a review is when I really love or really hate a book. This one falls into the "really love" category.
Although I am a business owner, I really do love what I do, so working four hours a week isn't really my goal. Giving myself the option of buggering off to Fiji or Buenos Aires or Vietnam and being able to run my business by remote control for a couple of (or few) weeks, however, really does appeal.
With that in mind, I found a ton of great ideas and insights in this book, and overlaying those insights and ideas onto my own goals and ethics, I have accomplished a lot.
I wouldn't have heard of Elance if it weren't for this book, and have now outsourced about 90 jobs to people who have done them better than I could have and let me spend my time doing the stuff I do best. In the book, much is made of how cheap many Elance suppliers are ($2 an hour an up), but I never had the stomach for hiring someone at starvation wages, so hire at higher rates.
I wouldn't have heard of many productivity tools - at least not some of the better ways to us them - like LogMeIn and Skype with SkypeIn and SkypeOut. These have been godsends when I work overseas and on holidays.
Finally, it just shook me out of the "it's my business, so I have to do it all myself" mindset. I've developed a sideline business that pretty much runs itself, have other people doing the non-core parts of my business, and have much sleeker communications options. Travelling is easier. Holidaying is easier.
As for Tim Ferriss, I will say he comes off in this book as something of an uber-selfish egomaniac. I'm pretty okay with that. As I said before, he's got a lot of good ideas and I'm willing to learn from anyone. I (and you) don't have to worship at the mantle of his apparent mindset, and have definitely found room for many of his techniques in my much different lifestyle.
I've given this book as a gift about 15 times, now, and that's the warning I always include with the book. The good news is that everyone I know that has read it has enjoyed the way it expands their vision about the options they have and the resources they have available.
So, with that one small warning in mind, I give it five stars.
Used it to help teach kids about money...good book November 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
A lot of useful information for people looking to escape the old model of making a living. I was able to use of this information in helping myself create a booklet to help parents teach their kids about money How To Raise Kids So They Don't End Up Broke! (Kindle Edition) and it's a great resource for outsourcing your life.
 I Now Have Two Copies November 2, 2008
A good friend of mine bought this book for me as a gift. I read it from cover to cover. While on assignment, I remembered a section of the book that I wanted to reference so I bought another. I wasn't looking to work 4 hours a day or live anywhere but as I read the book I realized in-spite of the title, it was very helpful. As an inventor and entrepreneur, I know that some of the knowledge in the book would have cost me a fortune if I hired a consultant. I structured my company's infrastructure using the author's advice. So far, I'm pleased with my results. If you're looking to start an internet based business or sell anything via the internet, this book would be a valuable resource if nothing else a very interesting read. -JW
 Tosh November 1, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
picked up this book after seeing so much about it in the press.
It's simply tosh.
He offers views on time management, outsourcing, automatic business processes, and travel, that any half-intelligent individual knows already...unless like Ferris you exhibit misanthropic tendencies, e.g. live on a low-information diet, never read a newspaper, only take emergency phone calls, avoid e-mail, divert customers to call centres and don't socialise or belong to any community.
If you want to run an online vitamin supplements business this book may hold some value. Otherwise, use your time more effectively, and save yourself some money. Take it from me.
The one star is only for including Thoreau's seminal work Walden, or, Life in the Woods (Dover Thrift) on the reading list.
Now that is a book worth reading.
Live life, don't postpone it. October 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Tim Ferriss is one over-achiever. Check out the list of what he has done in the first chapter. Amazing! For us mere mortals, he still offers great advice for changing your life.
Some top quotes and ideas from the book:
- Lifestyle Design. You don't have to live the high stress, long hours life. You can assess the lifestyle you want and then design it. You don't have to work all your life to sit on a beach at 65...you can go sit on one now for very little money.
- Outsource as much as possible. Weigh up how much time you spend on things. Automate them. Outsource them. Pay other people to do them if it gives you more time. Spend $30 on a cleaner once a week and spend a few hours with the family. Get someone from http://www.elance.com to write your articles for you. Virtual assistants are the way forward. [I have used several since reading this book and they are brilliant]
- Be, do , have. Decide what you want in your life. Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? What do you want to have? and then get on with achieving it. Life is too short to be stuck in the office. Set extreme goals that are worth achieving. Question everything.
What are you passionate and excited about? Go do that.
- Elimination. Have a "not to do" list and make sure you don't do it. Don't watch TV. Cut down your email to once a day (and then once a week). Don't waste time being busy. Be productive in less time and spend the difference achieving your splendid goals.
- Find your muse. Discover a way to make money by virtual and outsourced means and free up your time to do what you love. This may take time to achieve, but you can make a plan and achieve it, so you can live a freer life.
- Empower people to make decisions without you. So you can have free time.
- If you don't set the rules, they will be set for you.
- Living more is the objective.
- Know what you will do with this abundance of time. Look at your passions and missions. Move from a life of survival to one of passion and excitement.
- Experiences override possessions every time. Live life, don't postpone it.
I found this book inspirational and it is JAM-PACKED with information and links to great sites!
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