Interview with Tim Ferriss, the author of “The Four Hour Workweek”
Are you working yourself to death? Is stress and “overhwhelm” your constant companion?
Tim Ferriss says if you’re working more than four hours a week, you’re doing something wrong.
Is Ferriss for real or is this just a catchy book title based on fantasy?
First, Ferriss is very much for real.
He’s an achiever in the no-nonsense worlds of both direct marketing and martial arts, two highly competetive worlds where accomplishments are cut and dried.
Ferris is a grad of Princeton Univerity where he studied neuroscience before settling on applied linguistics. He’s also succeeded in putting his first book, The 4-Hour Workweek, on numerous bestseller lists.
A smart guy? Yes. But there’s a SYSTEM to his unique “outsourcing on steroids” lifestyle.
A punishing 90 hour work week convinced Ferriss he was going in the wrong direction and he discovered – much to his surprise – that his business operated more smoothly and made considerably more money the less he was personally involved in executing the details.
If you’ve heard about the power of “outsourcing” but have yet to make it work for you, Ferriss is the ultimate guide and we got the best of his secrets in this exclusive interview with System Seminar founder Ken McCarthy.
Ken McCarthy’s interview with Tim Ferriss
Click on the MP3 icon to start the interview…
P.S. You can order The 4-Hour Workweek from Amazon.com, BN.com, or at your local book store.
– Ken McCarthy
P.S. For over 25 years I’ve been sharing the simple but powerful things that matter in business with my clients.
If you’d like direction for your business that will work today, tomorrow and twenty years from now, visit us at the System Club.
Hello Ken,
I never thought to pick up a copy of the book last month when I was in the States for your System Seminar; however, my daughters arrived from the States today for a visit and one of them was lucky enough to get the last copy from her local bookstore.
My wife no longer has to be mad at me for staying on the computer too long; she has a new excuse now!
I’ve barely begun it and it is an excellent book — even beyond that, it was written with obvious energy and enthusiasm that simply seems to jump off the page.
I’m looking forward to getting through the book and implementing what I learn.
Be forwarned, though; next year’s System Seminar will count towards a month’s worth of work! LOL!
Best regards,
Tom
Tim Ferriss is all over the place promoting his book. This guy is Superman, the Ultimate SuperAchiever. I’ve seen him several times and heard radio interviews. The only question that slowed him up was “You don’t have kids, Do You?” He did recover quickly saying a four hour workweek is the best thing you could ever do for your children. He does have an interesting blog and is a Tango nut.
Thanks Ken! I am always looking for ways
to get more out of my day. I think being
proactive about the process is key.
Travis
Hi Ken,
I already read the book cover to cover (twice!) and have visited his website and looked at the bonus materials for book owners. If you can’t get a six figure idea from this book, check your pulse. Even for people who have kids and don’t want to live in a different country or travel, you must read this book. If you can just implement the financial part of the system you can live and raise your kids wherever you want and chuck the hours of wasted time on the freeway and in your job (sorry to all the bosses out there). My boss is upset when I take an extra half hour for lunch. I plan on implementing Tim’s methods, however I’ll be living in a less crowded place here in the USA. I urge everyone to get the book, imagine “what if I could pull this off” and have some fun. The realization that Tim has pulled this off is inspiring and has motivated me. A personal assistant in a foreign land? Perhaps the best knock upside the head I’ve received in a long time!
Hey Guy, Check is out, I really love to getinvolving with your internet system U guy has been showing to me. But theonly things is that, itis too complicated to me. Pluse Iam having a relative problem with my broken down english. So I don’t think that could really help me at all. But anyways thanks U for your susport and email so much.
Ken,
After posting this comment I will go straight to Amazon to purchase this book so thanks for the ‘heads up’.
I also wanted to thank you for the All Day Member Event CD’s you just sent. I was not expecting them and what a pleasant surprise! System membership has over-the-top benefits! I’ve committed to being at The System Seminar from now on.
The System Seminar, and anything you recommend is worth MORE than it’s weight in gold. So here’s my much overdue ‘Thanks’ for being the Internet Pioneering Leader.
Thad Winston
TrueMarketingGenius.com
Hey Ken,
Neither Amazon nor B&N seem to carry your book The 4-Hour Workweek. However, there is one by Tim Ferriss.
Now what?.
Thanks,
Max
Max, the book Ken is talking about *is* by Tim Ferriss… that’s the one you want to get!
8-]
Ken,
Awesome interview with Mr. Ferris. I listened to the whole thing and was spellbound. I’m a person that works his ass off with little results, so I immediately went to Amazon and bought a copy. You should provide an Amazon link so you can make a little extra money. Anyway, that was a great interview and after I read my copy, I’m outsourcing all of my work. Thanks again for your awesome Blog!
Mark Ellis
http://www.ellistrations.com
http://www.electricbikesnscooters.com
There’s some profound lessons in the interview that I hope people take advantage of:
1. Environment trumps discipline…
That’s a big one. I’ve seen this happen over and over again in all kinds of situations. We tend to wildly overestimate our ability to resist bad environments.
Get your environment right: right people, right work space, right marketplace (where have you heard that before?) and success follows quite naturally.
In contrast, swimming upstream may build character, but it doesn’t yield success.
2. Read less, consume less information
The “get rich quick” gurus are going to hate this one, but it’s true.
The 99 “free bonuses” they tack on to their latest are not only totally useless, they’re dangerous to your wealth.
There are two modes of life: input and output. You make money when you output.
Yes, great inputs (like the System Seminar) can and do help tremendously, but it’s important to read and learn selectively.
More is definitely not better which is why you don’t see the System Seminar promoting 1001 different ways to make money throughout the course of the year.
We focus on the key things that matter which is exactly what Tim counsels.
I purchased Tim Ferris’ 4 Hour Work Week as a digital download. The ideas he provides coupled with the System Seminar training creates limitless possibilities for life-changing business applications.
If interested, the audio version of the book can be downloaded here for just $11.73: http://www.digitalbooks24-7.com/Title.aspx?titleId=6681
Thanks Ken for continuing to provide cutting edge resources.
Ken,
Is there a way to download the mp3 so I can burn it to a CD and listen to the interview in my car or on an ipod?
Hey Ken,
Great interview! I have seen this book being promoted all over the place and just assumed it was another hype project so I blew it off!
After hearing your interview I picked up a copy after the 1st 5 minutes of listening.
I do a ton of outsourcing, but do have a serious issue with managing my time and not spending too much time online.
Some of the tips Tim hit on in your interview about changing your environment to adapt to your focus weaknesses really hit home with me!
Thank you!
Jeremy Burns
http://www.JeremyBurns.com
Hey Ken,
Maybe it’s b/c I’m using Safari, but I can’t find the MP3 logo? I’d like to hear your interview with TIm Ferriss.
Thanx.
Ken,
You train with Vladimir Vasiliev?Ryabko too?
I haven’t but, just some videos.
Amazing stuff.RMA
Yes I do. Yes it is. Try it out.
Hi Ken,
YOU ARE THE BEST!!! I must say thank you sooooooooo much for caring enough to send this email out! It came at just the right time, influenced my thinking in a big way, and opened my mind up to a world of possibilities last evening!!!
I get tons of emails and was just buried yesterday and absolutely frustrated because of all the minutiae in tending to my businesses, along with the challenge of finding really reliable and competent help. I keep all of your emails and though I was ready to toss my 2 laptops in a fit of overwhelm I
decided to open your message because of the subject line.
I immediately dropped everything and listened to the interview 3 times. I was blown away! I immediately ordered the book and scoured his website. Wow! I know that if he can do it, I can too.
I am determined to free up my time by learning more about outsourcing and delegating and most importantly, communicating exactly what I want. The latter has been my biggest challenge because I never really managed other people before so I can’t wait to read the book and check out his case studies on how to clearly tell people what you want and have systems in place to inspect what you expect.
Thanks so much for always putting out PHENOMENAL timely content!!!
Marlene Green
GKIC Manhattan & Northern NJ Chapter Director
Millionaire Blueprints City Magazine – NYC/NJ