Here's a quote from Doing Nothing: A History of Loafers, Loungers, Slackers, and Bums in America
"There is no fun in doing nothing when you have nothing to do. Wasting time is merely an occupation then, and the most exhausting one. Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen."
Eden
· 6 months ago
You deconstructed that very well. I've had a lot of those same thoughts after reading 4HWW, but I hadn't really gotten down to the end of the line like you did.
Maybe I've fooled myself with some idea of 'work freedom' that I don't really even want. Very interesting.
frugalscholar
· 6 months ago
Wasn't it Freud who said that love and work are the most important things in life?
Kristy @ Master Your Card
· 6 months ago
I haven't read this book yet, though it's on the list for me to read. However, it sounds to me that it all still comes down to setting goals for yourself and finding the courage to achieve them. I say 'courage' because sometimes people fail because they think they will. They build it up in their heads that they have to climb that corporate ladder because that's what's good and right and expected. But, it's not what they want to do. They lack the courage - or maybe even the know-how to do things differently. To do what they really want to do. And, along those same lines, I think it comes down guilt, too. People make choices based on guilty feelings. They feel guilty spending money because they *know* they need to save more. But, without a goal, what's the point? So, it's interesting the way you phrase that it's not about laziness, but finding a way to "work" 4-hours a day so that the rest of the time can be focused on the activities that enrich our lives - be it a hobby, some sort of work, or just living by our definition of living.
Enrique S
· 6 months ago
I'm with you. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. The island-in-the-sun fantasy would bore me in no time. I need a challenge to motivate me. Retirement would mean the lack of a challenge, something that I'm not ready for yet.
Moneymonk
· 6 months ago
I have a forty hour work week ( my job) However, I spend about 4 hours a week doing other work related things I love such as my business and other projects.
For as Travel and adventure, been there done that.
I wish I can drop the job and focus on my other activities. Problem is that my job pays much more than my business.
Curmudgeon
· 6 months ago
My words come back to haunt me, Steve. I think what you are saying is that what we do is our purpose in life, whether it is work or leisure. Idleness by itself has no purpose.
Several years ago I wanted to take a year off from paid work to make a serious attempt to become a successful fiction novelist. For various reasons (including probably not trying hard enough), I couldn't make that happen. In time, however, I realized that by living my life I had more ideas, and learned more about writing, than I ever could have sitting in a room focusing only on writing.
That's probably best encapsulated by the old saw "If you want something done, give it to a busy person." How we engage ourselves says much about our character and purpose.
Slinky
· 6 months ago
Exactly so. I don't want to be financially independent so I can do nothing. I want it so that I have the time to do Everything! There are so many things to see and do and experience that I hate to waste so much of my life working. I do enjoy what I do, and would love to go part time or free lance or do charity work, but I want more time for other things too.
billspaced
· 6 months ago
There's something weird about that whole phenomenon of the 4 hour workweek. Like the guy was privileged or lucky or something. It is simply NOT doable for 99.9 percent of the population (or else we'd all be doing it).
He wrote a book, knew people, got lucky, and now lives off the royalties. That's my take (I'm just talking out of my arse, by the way).
You gotta work HARD and SMART for quite a few years for the payoff to arrive. If it ever does.
Steve
· 6 months ago
@billspaced: I agree - a 4 hour workweek wouldn't be doable, for, say, a civil engineer. Nor for a newspaper reporter, or an accounting manager.
But I do think generating small income streams "on the side" is doable for anyone, just maybe not on such a grand scale.
billspaced
· 6 months ago
Wow. Penelope really doesn't like Tim Ferriss! But I think I'd side with her on all the points she made. Thanks for the link!
Jerry
· 6 months ago
I have lived close to the 4 hour work week and it was tremendously liberating. I'm not Ghandi but I found I had time to devote to causes that I feel passionate about. I have a young daughter and I could devote more quality time with her. And, I could work on other things that are "work" but work that I find stimulating and meaningful. 4 hour work weeks might lead some to go crazy with all their free time but for others it's just what their life needs. Only you can know that. Having free time isn't insurance for happiness. Having a plan for what you would do with that free time is. Jerry
Monevator
· 6 months ago
This completely chimes with me own experience. In 2007 I extracted myself from a start-up situation that had occupied two years of my life virtually 7 days a week but was going the wrong way for me. It had been fun but was also physically and emotionally draining.
I thought I'd take 2-3 months off afterwards to make up for all the time I'd spent at the start-up. The first two weeks were great, but after that I was completely listless and directionless, and fell into a funk. Looking back I can see I needed a plan and some goals even in my 'off' time, but back then it wasn't clear.
It's made me rethink my ideas on retirement and financial freedom for sure.
Matthew Wolfe
· 5 months ago
Great post. This is actually one of my favorite books of all time. I found it really inspirational.
It's funny because I am in a position now where I work from home and set my own hours. My income isn't automated yet but I can do what I want when I want. You know what I found... It gets pretty boring. My wife is at work and my friends and family are at work. At least when I had a day job I was constantly busy.
I agree that people don't want a 4 hour work week. I don't want a 4 hour work week. I want full time income, working whenever I feel like it.
Rasmus Lindgren
· 3 months ago
I think it is great that you mention Rich Dad, Poor Dad as this has been one of Tim's own inspirations. Although "passive income" in that book mainly involves "stock trading" and "trading properties", two markets that are fairly affected by the current financial crisis.
It is still a great book though.
I have recently started blogging about my own experiments into living the four hour workweek (although they are still a bit longer than that)
All Comments
Here's a quote from Doing Nothing: A History of Loafers, Loungers, Slackers, and Bums in America
"There is no fun in doing nothing when you have nothing to do. Wasting time is merely an occupation then, and the most exhausting one. Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen."
Maybe I've fooled myself with some idea of 'work freedom' that I don't really even want. Very interesting.
For as Travel and adventure, been there done that.
I wish I can drop the job and focus on my other activities. Problem is that my job pays much more than my business.
Several years ago I wanted to take a year off from paid work to make a serious attempt to become a successful fiction novelist. For various reasons (including probably not trying hard enough), I couldn't make that happen. In time, however, I realized that by living my life I had more ideas, and learned more about writing, than I ever could have sitting in a room focusing only on writing.
That's probably best encapsulated by the old saw "If you want something done, give it to a busy person." How we engage ourselves says much about our character and purpose.
He wrote a book, knew people, got lucky, and now lives off the royalties. That's my take (I'm just talking out of my arse, by the way).
You gotta work HARD and SMART for quite a few years for the payoff to arrive. If it ever does.
But I doubt very much that Ferriss worked 4 hours a week while he was writing his book, or promoting it. Try reading this, from Penelope Trunk: 5 Time management tricks I learned from years of hating Tim Ferriss.
But I do think generating small income streams "on the side" is doable for anyone, just maybe not on such a grand scale.
Jerry
I thought I'd take 2-3 months off afterwards to make up for all the time I'd spent at the start-up. The first two weeks were great, but after that I was completely listless and directionless, and fell into a funk. Looking back I can see I needed a plan and some goals even in my 'off' time, but back then it wasn't clear.
It's made me rethink my ideas on retirement and financial freedom for sure.
It's funny because I am in a position now where I work from home and set my own hours. My income isn't automated yet but I can do what I want when I want. You know what I found... It gets pretty boring. My wife is at work and my friends and family are at work. At least when I had a day job I was constantly busy.
I agree that people don't want a 4 hour work week. I don't want a 4 hour work week. I want full time income, working whenever I feel like it.
It is still a great book though.
I have recently started blogging about my own experiments into living the four hour workweek (although they are still a bit longer than that)