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Why does 4 Hour Workweek get no love around here

For any book discussion

ChrisV

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Not that it was my favorite book ever, but the message is totally in line with Fastlane thinking. I notice no one talks about it. No one recommends it. But it’s almost exactly the same message as TMF . It’s all about building a self-sustaining business that lives and breathes on it’s own with very little input from the owner. It’s about simply building a cash machine. Imo it’s literally TMF ’s twin brother. So why no love for it around here?
 
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lowtek

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I generally wonder this as well, though I think it has to do more with the title than anything else. It would seem to imply you can build an empire in just 4 hours a week.

Certainly, the book doesn't state that or imply it. The whole point was to apply the paretto principle and automate/delegate repetitive low value tasks. This can only be done after the grind has revealed what works and what doesn't.

They also deal with different types of businesses. T4HWW seems to focus on the lifestyle business, the thousandaire fastlane as some others have said. Obviously, TMF is focused on a different set of problems.
 

Rawseed

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I love Tim Ferriss. I've read the all five books. I listen to the podcast.

But, a Productocracy trumps a Muse.

All Productocracies are Muses, but not all Muses are Productocracies.

4HWW seems to attract a lot of Infopreneurs selling hope and abusing persuasion techniques. TMF is actually focused on providing and presenting true value.
 

MTEE1985

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Looks like it’s already getting some love around here. I have no problem with 4HWW, I just found it to be more about dropshipping and out sourcing and think it created an army of lazy people who think entrepreneurship is found on a beach with a laptop being a middle man and working more than 4 hours a week is for idiots.

MFL is about problem solving, grinding, and at the end having the option to work 0 hours a week.

My biggest issue of contention with 4HWW is the catchy title which led so many as @lowtek pointed out to ignore the process behind the results and attempt to jump straight to the end.
 
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Rawseed

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jcvlds

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There have been many successful muses created from people who have read 4HWW.

There's a whole book about them:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y4V1L9D/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

But, there are likely many more failures. It's probably because 4HWW addresses the NTS of CENTS, but neglects the CE.

I read the book several years ago so can’t remember specifics, but from what I recall, I don’t think it neglected Control..

It didn’t seem to push the reader into a particular platform/marketplace, say Amazon, and had several marketing tactics, both offline and online, such as Google Ads, magazine ads, PR, etc.




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ChrisV

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ChrisV

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My biggest issue of contention with 4HWW is the catchy title which led so many as @lowtek pointed out to ignore the process behind the results and attempt to jump straight to the end.
Well you could argue the same of TMF , no?
 

ChrisV

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I generally wonder this as well, though I think it has to do more with the title than anything else. It would seem to imply you can build an empire in just 4 hours a week.

Certainly, the book doesn't state that or imply it. The whole point was to apply the paretto principle and automate/delegate repetitive low value tasks. This can only be done after the grind has revealed what works and what doesn't.

They also deal with different types of businesses. T4HWW seems to focus on the lifestyle business, the thousandaire fastlane as some others have said. Obviously, TMF is focused on a different set of problems.
I remember it suggesting roughly the same thing TMF did. “Take some time to initially build a money printing machine (a self sustaining business) and the you just have to spend 4 hours per week maintaining it.”

But yea, I agree. Tim Ferris never really spoke of been a milionaire, even though those ideas could be used for that purpose. I found 4HWW to be more shallow and technique driven than Fastlane, and I checked out his forums and it’s mostly disappointed people like “ugh i tried this and it didn’t work.... guess it’s back to getting a job :(“ (it was kinda sad reading their heartbreak and the fact that Tim didn’t participate on the forums.)

I love Tim Ferriss. I've read the all five books. I listen to the podcast.

But, a Productocracy trumps a Muse.

All Productocracies are Muses, but not all Muses are Productocracies.

4HWW seems to attract a lot of Infopreneurs selling hope and abusing persuasion techniques. TMF is actually focused on providing and presenting true value.


That’s the main thing I noticed. 4HWW was very light on theory. He doesn’t really talk about providing good, honest value.


There have been many successful muses created from people who have read 4HWW.

There's a whole book about them:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y4V1L9D/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

But, there are likely many more failures. It's probably because 4HWW addresses the NTS of CENTS, but neglects the CE.
I think I’ll check this out.
 

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I love it. Its def. worth the read if you haven't read it. It opens up your eyes to what's possible (if you're stuck in the rut of 9 to 5). I know people hate Rich Dad Poor Dad, but I think that one is worth the read as well - as it teaches you how to accurately view assets, investments and the importance of building a team.

I've yet to get around to MJ's new book - hopefully I'll read it later on this year when I get a chance, but his first book is a all time classic that should be mandatory reading for teens before leaving high school.
 
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SEBASTlAN

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4HWW is great and I enjoyed the read, but I find it suits a "lifestyle" business, and I want to build an actual business. For that reason, I don't see it as my favorite book, but still a great read/starting point.
 

jcvlds

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4HWW is great and I enjoyed the read, but I find it suits a "lifestyle" business, and I want to build an actual business. For that reason, I don't see it as my favorite book, but still a great read/starting point.

A business is a business.

“Lifestyle” business is just a label people put on certain types of businesses, typically due to smaller size in operations and revenues.

However, that does not make it Not an ‘Actual’ business


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SEBASTlAN

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A business is a business.

“Lifestyle” business is just a label people put on certain types of businesses, typically due to smaller size in operations and revenues.

However, that does not make it Not an ‘Actual’ business
Fair point. I guess I would rephrase and say I have bigger goals and see TMF as the book that will guide you in that direction better than 4HWW would.
 

Rawseed

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I read the book several years ago so can’t remember specifics, but from what I recall, I don’t think it neglected Control..

It didn’t seem to push the reader into a particular platform/marketplace, say Amazon, and had several marketing tactics, both offline and online, such as Google Ads, magazine ads, PR, etc.




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@jcvlds I have to disagree with you there. 4HWW didn't discuss control at all.

Before starting his podcast, Ferriss didn't have much control in his own business.

He didn't own the copyrights to 4HWW or 4HBody. And likely still doesn't. So, the publishers had the control.

4H Chef failed (in Ferriss' eyes) because Ferriss lacked control of his book's distribution. The book companies blackballed him because he published it with Amazon. And Amazon failed to deliver the expected sales.

Before the podcast, he was wealthy on paper, but had no control of his money because it was all tied up in startups. These are Ferriss' word, not mine.

The podcast is what gave him the control he needed and the podcast is his CENTS business.
 

jcvlds

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@jcvlds I have to disagree with you there. 4HWW didn't discuss control at all.

Before starting his podcast, Ferriss didn't have much control in his own business.

He didn't own the copyrights to 4HWW or 4HBody. And likely still doesn't. So, the publishers had the control.

4H Chef failed (in Ferriss' eyes) because Ferriss lacked control of his book's distribution. The book companies blackballed him because he published it with Amazon. And Amazon failed to deliver the expected sales.

Before the podcast, he was wealthy on paper, but had no control of his money because it was all tied up in startups. These are Ferriss' word, not mine.

The podcast is what gave him the control he needed and the podcast is his CENTS business.

That is his personal business story...

I believe we were discussing what his book ‘teaches’.


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MTEE1985

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Well you could argue the same of TMF, no?

I mean, you can argue whatever you want in this world. My personal opinion is that the majority of people who read 4HWW think entrepreneurship is:

1. Buy laptop
2. Open Shopify store
3. Download Oberlo
4. Quit day job as money rolls in

The majority who read MFL think entrepreneurship is:

NOTABLE! - "Tell me the exact steps" (OK, here are all 67 of them.)

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book or think he’s some kind of “guru”. I like a lot of what he does.

Again, all my opinion, as is every response in this thread...an opinion.
 

Vigilante

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I like it and have read it twice over the years.
 
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MJ DeMarco

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Rawseed

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That is his personal business story...

I believe we were discussing what his book ‘teaches’.


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@jcvlds I agree. I first stated that control wasn't mentioned in the book.

By mentioning his personal business story, I'm implying that he may not even have appreciated the importance of control. At least until he got burnt by it.

And I'm not poo-pooing on Ferriss. He's a multimillionaire and he did it the right way. He's provided far more value than he's received in money. You can buy all of his books for $100 and if you execute on them, they'll change your life.

I like it and have read it twice over the years.

I've read it and listened to it at least five times since 2007. The entrepreneurship or muse part is only one aspect of it.

4HWW was definitely my "red pill" and I'm forever indebted to it.
 
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jcvlds

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@jcvlds I agree. I first stated that control wasn't mentioned in the book.

By mentioning his personal business story, I'm implying that he may not even have appreciated the importance of control. At least until he got burnt by it.

I see. Point taken


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Rawseed

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Nobody really has a problem with that book here. It's Rich Dad poor dad that gets sh*t on here. Also that one guy with the lambo and books in his garage.

I'm new here. I didn't know that RDPD wasn't appreciated here.

I love that book. I'll have to do a search of the old posts to better understand why.
 

ChrisV

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DennisD

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I've seen it mentioned quite often.

To me it's "old hat".
It's like recommending Outliers, or Win Friends and Influence People, or Think and Grow Rich, or 48 Laws of Power.

It's so prolific and so talked about, why recommend it? I assume everybody already has already read it.
 

jon.M

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I've seen it mentioned quite often.

To me it's "old hat".
It's like recommending Outliers, or Win Friends and Influence People, or Think and Grow Rich, or 48 Laws of Power.

It's so prolific and so talked about, why recommend it? I assume everybody already has already read it.
Have you tried this new thing called cookies? It's gonna blow your mind man. Even heard there's a variety with chocolate chips... it will open your mind up to a whole new world. Strongly recommended.
 

ChrisV

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I've seen it mentioned quite often.

To me it's "old hat".
It's like recommending Outliers, or Win Friends and Influence People, or Think and Grow Rich, or 48 Laws of Power.

It's so prolific and so talked about, why recommend it? I assume everybody already has already read it.
Fair enough.
 
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MJ DeMarco

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I didn't know that RDPD wasn't appreciated here.

RDPD, the book, is appreciated here.

But the author lost all credibility when years ago he insulted pretty much anyone associated with the internet. Now all those people who he insulted are worth 10X, 100X or more than he is. Today he finally climbed aboard the internet bandwagon, about 12 years late. LOL.

Follow that up with his bullshit seminars that asked people to raise their credit card limits and then run to the back of the room and pay $10K now!

Should have been cleared. Sorry. Of the book.

I read a few chapters and stopped reading it. My take (based on what I read and heard on the web) is it encourages money-chasing and bro-marketing for the sake of a "lifestyle business". The two books both have the same end goals -- FREEDOM -- but one seems to be selfishly centered on what YOU want, and not on what the market wants. I want my readers to build something sustainable and life changing -- not something that gets you 6 months of "freedom" at a $10/day hostel in Thailand.

Why does 4 Hour Workweek get no love around here

I've been here 10+ years. Not sure how you come to the conclusion that 4HWW DOES NOT get love around here, it does. Many Fastlaners have read it, and probably most of them enjoyed it. There are a lot of OLDER threads on it, like SUPER-OLD back when this forum started in 2007.
 

ChrisV

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I would say there’s truth to what MJ said, but like anything it depends on how you use it.

The book is really centered around building a self-sustaining automatic business. What you do with that knowledge is up to the user. You can sell useless placebo weight loss supplements, or you can build something of value. As most of the posters in here pointed out, I definitely think it’s worth a read. He really points out the exact steps too which have changed over the years but can easily be reverse engineered.

I do like the fact that Fastlane has such a huge focus on honestly, value and long term relationships. Not that I think that 4HWW was dishonest one bit, it just doesn’t emphasize it as much.
 

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