This weekend was Thanksgiving in Canada, and was extra special because it was the first time my grandparents met Veronica’s family. I lived with my grandparents for 6 years prior to moving out with Veronica, and they are some of the most important people in my life, so needless to say I was really looking forward to the gathering – and the food! We had our dinner on Sunday and Monday was the holiday so Veronica and I spent the entire day (literally) in bed watching television, with the occasional lap top session.
I really wanted to do some catching up on all of your websites this weekend, and while doing so I stumbled upon a post over at Ashley Morgan’s UpstartBlogger.com – which I frequent almost daily. Ashley recently wrote a post titled Deconstructing The Tim Ferris Four Hour Work Week, and to my expectations it was written in his opinionated, honest style of commentary which I’ve grown to appreciate him for.
Throughout the deconstruction Ashley openly bashed Timothy Ferris stating that his qualifications are deluded and that the book’s success is nothing more than marketing fluff from a persuasive fraud. Here’s a favorite line of mine:
Unfortunately it’s all a load of rubbish. Like most books of its ilk, The Four Hour Work Week is all about the dream, not the reality. All sizzle and no steak. Still a best seller though. Because blog marketing works.
No matter how much I enjoyed reading this book, I have to agree with his statement. Blog marketing does work, and even though I disagree with the open bashing of someone whom he’s never met or shook hands with, I do agree that a huge factor in the success and viral push behind The Four Hour Work Week is that Ferris utilized the power of blog marketing to capitalize on his interpretation of this “dream” we’re all chasing. On the flip side, I do have to disagree with one particular commentator crapped on Ferris calling him a liar and a cheat and getting up in the face of another person who jotted own their opinion. This really made me laugh:
Todd, you’re obviously a shill. And who the hell are those so called famous people. Doctor Phil? Doctor Phil who? Clean up your grammar next time as well. You wrote “couple famous people” when you should have written “a couple OF famous people”. Learn English for crying out loud. For someone who is claiming to earn over six figures with little effort you are coming across as an idiot.
When I read what this guy was yapping about I couldn’t help but start to chuckle a little! The reason I found this particular individual amusing was because I can tell he is the type of cat who will blast up forums and blogs telling people where to shove it, because he knows everything, but I can almost guarantee if he weren’t hiding behind his computer with a box of tissue and the little girls section of the Old Navy fall catalog open, he wouldn’t say shit. Here’s what I replied after reading his comment, and I pray he pays me a visit and reads this:
What really makes me laugh is how most of you guys sit behind a computer talking trash, but if you were to see the person you were talking trash about in public you would continue talking under your breath and not say a damn thing to their face, eye to eye.
I really hope he takes me up on my challenge. We’ll see how quick he is to open his mouth when Tim Ferris throws a round house to his temple – the last I heard he was a black belt martial artist! Good luck buddy! If you’re going to talk smack about someone, tell them directly – don’t be hiding behind blogs looking all tough and well read, because you’re the one that ends up looking like you ride on the special bus.
How do you guys feel about The Four Hour Work Week and smack talking on blogs?
Cheers,
Elijah
While I have never read the book, the thought of being successful by working only 4 hours a week seems like a pipe dream to me.
All of the successsful internet marketers, PPC gurus, affiliates, Bill Gates, Donald Trump….everybody that is successful and continues to be successful works more than 4 hours a week. Sure maybe you could run PPC only 4 hours a week but only AFTER you have busted your ass to get your campaigns setup. And even then you have to keep an eye on them and still work on new campaigns.
I think the whole success behind it was the blog marketing and all the sheeple that buy into all that crap thinking it will teach them something.
Success comes from hard work, motivation and dedication.
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I read the 4 hour work week and it was a good read. I believe that the main focus of the book was to figure out what you do to make yourself “look” like you are working and not really doing work to help you make profit. There is one question in the book that I have hanging on my desk “Am I inventing things to do to avoid the important?” I had to admit that I check my e-mail too much and to find out what I need to do to get my job done quickly and efficiently as I possibly could. I loved the book because it made me realize I needed to stop all of the “pushing papers” and get down to business. This has helped me to not only concentrate on the “now” but what really needs to get done on my desk. I think that anyone who bashes someone on a blog is a true coward and if they don’t like the book, keep it to themselves. Just the mature thing to do. There are a lot of opinions and everyone has one.
Personally, I think Tim Ferris has a very good handle on the current media, and he obviously understands how to market his stuff very well. Whether what he is selling is merely re-packaged or original is pretty much irrelevant to me (I think it’s re-packaged stuff – but hey, so is most of the internet). I still like reading his blog from time to time – it is entertaining. He has managed to create himself into a brand sell it. As to openly bashing people you haven’t met – meh, I can’t get excited about it – most newspapers do the same thing – look at the political columns, or a bad book or restaurant review, and everyone has the right to their opinion….I also think it doesn’t really matter if you’ve met the person or not, only whether you would say the same to them face to face. I can picture it now, someone sits down with Tim ferris for a cup of coffee and starts the conversation with “Sooooo, Tim, I think you’re a fraud……” 🙂 What would Tim say? how would he react? that’d be fun to see 🙂
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I did read the book. Yes, I will agree that there is big marketing behind it, very successful marketing, but I did kinda like it. I actually learned few things from it. Tho, I must agree with other side that most of the book was filled with rubbish, but I also enjoyed few parts of it. You can find your gems in any book, you just need to look for them, I found mine in this book, some didn’t. Some call Rich Dad – Poor Dad a rubbish book, some people put it higher than bible, then again for me half of the book was filled with rubbish, more like science fiction, and yeah, I also did learn many things from it as well, mostly the “self development” part of it. It matters from the person, I tend not to believe everything, and I always have a neutral view on everything before I’ve tried it out.
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Elijah said
“Veronica and I spent the entire day (literally) in bed watching television, with the occasional lap top session.”
lap top session, is that what you all call it in Canada ; ) haha
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I started the book, haven’t finished it…moved on to more “important” reading. I’ll give you my take on it when I finish. From my understanding, it’s not really about being rich or whatever, it’s just about working less, getting more done, and living live to the fullest. I will have my official review once I finish it, for now…I’m reading other things. As for the bashing, meh….people do that man, it’s the internet! The same can be said about anyone really….who’s to say you’re not that type of dude to talk big and such ( I can tell from your character that you’re not) but you get my point.
Just keep it moving man…folks like that will always be around, and the love to see responses like yours lol, it’s what the thrive on, a reaction.
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I got into the 4 hour work week (audio) and really enjoyed it. I didn’t take it as you can go and make a million dollars in four hours a week, but you can live a comfortable life setting your up your business systems, outsourcing work, and managing the process.
To me, that is not fluff, but good business. His encouragement to live out your dreams is excellent. Overall, I really dug it, but like anything some people are just going to bitch. What can you do?
As far as trash talking, yeah, most people are just talking. I say that young cat talking trash to this older guy about his lady. The older guy said, “If you are looking for a fight, then you are barking up the right tree!”
First of all, I almost fell out with laughter……the the old guy gave him a quick two piece to the jaw and staggered the young guy something serious.
The young guy ran to his car and got on the phone. LOL! At this point, everyone watching was in cracking up with laughter.
Young dude ran to a police officer and no one there would validate his story because he was the instigator and got called on his bluff.
I say don’t go talking shit if you ain’t ready to fight!!!!
To many Internet tough guys out there.
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@ Jarret – Success comes from hard work and dedication indeed man! You said sheeple.. lol
@ Kendra – Avoiding the important with mundane tasks. That was huge for me as well. I also enjoyed the section on Pareto’s Law and the 80/20 concept, as I never encountered this theory before reading that book several months back.
@ Underdogblogger – Creating himself into a brand, absolutely. Just like with music, nothing is original – it’s all been done before. Not everything is for everyone! Find what appeals to you and absorb it!
@ TheMoneyac – Find your gems for sure and to each their own. I never read rich dad poor dad, I’ve heard mixed reviews though.
@ JeffLeft – lol! “Lap” “Top” session.. you sly bugger! Very nice interpretation though!
@ Joe – I totally know what you’re saying. In the virtual world you kind of go with your gut because online is the only place that a person can make themselves out to be anything they want. You can create any persona you desire with a little branding, some headshots, paid testimonials and a butt-load of marketing madness.
@ Freddie – lol, is that a true story?!? Yeah man, I agree it is good business. I don’t think the purpose of his book was to cater to the Internet/Info marketing crowd, but more open the eyes of the corporate cubicle monkeys to the world of possibilities if you just apply yourself correctly. New Rich vs. Old Rich really hit home with me.. I’m not a huge fan of corporate America. It was a very anti-corporate read.. which I loved.
Elijahs last blog post..UpstartBlogger.com Blasts The Four Hour Work Week
Never read the book but the smack talk is sometimes a good break in the day…personally I don’t get involved.
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@jarret How can you say that when you know me! Do you think I’m 1 in a million or what? If that’s the case, I’m flattered lol
Ok, so as someone who is known for her extended vacations and knack for “passive income” strategies, here are my thoughts-
Yes, you can make money working 4 hours a week, or even less. I have taken months off and watched my earnings rise the entire time.
HOWEVER. I have yet to find anyone, including myself, who was able to start out that way. When I was starting out, I literally worked up to 20 hours a day for the first 6 months.
ALSO, the one drawback to such slack-working, is that you’re not working at a pace that will lend to a great increase in your income. 4 hour work weeks and 4 month vacations (hmm.. maybe the #4 needs to be my answer to SuiteJ’s #37) are great, but what could you be making, and what kind of experience could I have had under my belt working more hours? I know ya see what I’m saying 😉
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@ Jeni – I’m so happy to see you on our blog! Awesome feedback and you make total sense.
I’m more the fan of 4-6 hours a day… not necessarily 5 days a week – but If I could be at a point where I’m working 4-6 hours a day when I’m “working” then I would be more than happy – especially if this “working” was for myself and my own company.
Sheesh.. I feel you on the hours.. I’ve been doing about 12-16 hours a day since the end of May – and that’s where the realness happens.
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The guy sounds like a bitter old grump to me. lol
Maybe he sees it all as “sizzle” cause he doesn’t “have the steak”
Cheers!
Jay
PS. I liked your comment over there. lol
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Well, I was already making a good living as a part-time blogger when I read Tim’s book, so I nodded through a lot of it. It’s very possible to get to a “four hour work week” if you create a system where the system is earning you money and you don’t have to be there for it to happen. From real estate investing to vending machine routes, this is what passive income is all about.
For me, I continue to work on my blogs and write content because I enjoy it, but I’m at the point where it’d be easy to outsource content creation and step almost entirely away from my internet business. (For the record, I *am* against Ferris’ suggestion to pay people crap wages just because they live in another country where the dollar supposedly goes farther–if you can afford a four hour work week, you can afford to pay your workers decent wages.)
Beyond blogging, it’s possible to create systems with any type of business. Gerber’s E-myth introduces us to the idea of creating a franchise with your business, where there is a system in place so the work can be done by unskilled entry level employers and you don’t personally have to oversee anything.
For instance, the owner at Mcdonald’s is rarely in the picture. The manager may work his butt off, because he’s still a cog in the system. You have to *want* to break away from being a cog if you are going to set up a system for yourself. If you don’t have that desire, you’ll never see the truths in this book and others like it.
In my opinion, *getting* the Four Hour Work Week is a lot like *getting* the Rich Dad, Poor Dad books. You’re either at a point in your life where you’re ready to hear the message or you’re not. And some people never will be. And that’s okay too. Systems only work because there are people willing to do an hour’s work for an hour’s pay.
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