Product Description

The New York Times bestselling how-to and why-to guide to throwing out the old tools and methods for success and replacing them with a whole new way of living

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #182 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-03
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Synopsis
Tim Ferriss has trouble defining what he does for a living. Depending on when you ask this controversial Princeton University guest lecturer, he might answer: 'I race motorcycles in Europe', 'I ski in the Andes', 'I scuba dive in Panama', 'I dance tango in Buenos Aires'. He has spent more than five years learning the secrets of the 'New Rich', a fast-growing subculture that has abandoned the 'deferred-life plan' and instead mastered the new currencies - time and mobility - to create a new way of living. Why wait a lifetime for your retirement when you can enjoy luxury now? Whether your dream is escaping the rat race, experiencing first class world travel, earning a monthly five-figure income with no management, or just living more and working less, this book is the blueprint.Join Tim Ferriss as he teaches you: how to outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want; how blue chip escape artists travel the world without quitting their jobs; how to eliminate 50 per cent of your work in 48 hours using the principles of a forgotten Italian economist; how exchange your career for life for short work bursts and frequent 'mini-retirements'; how to train your boss to value performance over presence, or kill your job (or company) if it's beyond repair; how to cultivate selective ignorance - and create time - with a low-information diet; how to get free housing worldwide and airfare at 50-80 per cent off; how to fill the void and create a meaningful life after removing work and the office; and learn about this and more to live the life you want - now.

About the Author
Tim Ferriss gives an immensely popular bi-yearly lecture at Princeton called Drug Dealing for Fun and Profit. He speaks six languages; holds a world record in tango; is a national Chinese kickboxing champion; and has appeared on a hit TV series in China and Hong Kong. Ferriss's writing has appeared in publications ranging from The Economist to Maxim magazine and he will be a main character in the upcoming feature-length documentary As Seen on TV, produced by Emmy Award-winner Dan Partland.

Customer Reviews

Reminded me of what I'm doing it all for!
Great book! Did I know this stuff before? Yes, some of it...have I been implementing it all...no! Now, that's down to a lack of time rather than inclination - but with Ferriss' book, you get to discover how to claw back that one unrepeatable commodity: time. And using his methodologies of as much automation and outsourcing as possible, it's quite easy to make the money you'll need to be able to put all that extra time to good use!

I like Ferriss' style...and what I really appreciate is that he's given me the kick in the backside that I needed!

A wonderful life changing read!
Tim Ferriss has really hit the nail on the head with this book. I, like many others I am sure, have been preoccupied with trying to find a golden million making idea, all the while slogging it out in the 9 to 5. Alas, those ideas are rare and Tim Ferriss enlightens us with the fact that it is the 'millionaire lifestyle' we all covet as opposed to the millionaire material items. He admits that those items such as fast cars, big houses etc are nice but it is time, quality time at that, which is so precious to us. Time to relax and time with our loved ones. That and really seeing the world by planning 'mini-retirements' as opposed to short holidays so you can really take in the culture and heart of where you are rather than just sit by a pool. However, that is also fine if that is what you want to do!

Learning new skills is also emphasised in this book, and scheduling time to expand our minds and learn. He really focuses on achieving your chosen lifestyle and having a business, but not a business which you have to spend 12 hours a day cosseting, a business that in essence 'looks after itself'. Outsourcing the main administration and dogsbody aspects of your chosen business is suggested to leave you time to really live your life.

The book is packed full of inspirational ideas and really got me buzzing with enthusiasm. I have read many books like this one but none have made me sit up and say 'yes, this is not how things have to be - I can do this!'. A week later and I have come up with my plan, and have handed my notice in! After all we only get one shot at this life....so adhere to the warning that is on the back...don't read this book if you don't want to quit your job!

Amazing, Inpirational, OH MY GOD YES!
Ok, the title I gave this review is a wee bit exaggerated, but this book actually has changed the way I work, both in my job and at home.

Some of the key take-aways from this book:
- If you dislike your job so much that you can only look forward to retirement, you are in the wrong job
- Find ways to automate as many tasks as possible. Outsource, outsource, outsource.
- Stop doing the things that don't add value. Look for the 20% that makes an actual difference.

There's an entire section aimed at budding entrepreuneurs that I skipped over quickly as I have no intetion of starting my own business. But if you're looking for ways to cut out the waste in your life and find time for yourself, then this might be the book for you.