The 4-Hour Workweek: Shortbread Prez Gets a Gift

Generally, I don't respond enthusiastically to anything with a title like The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss.  This stuff always strikes me as too good to be true or the lure-desperate-people-in-with-inflated-hype approach to marketing. 

The only person I know who seems to work only 4 hours a week and lives the good life collects alimony and has never supported herself.  Since this approach is not a palatable option to me, I want to know, is it possible to work less and make more? 

However...

When someone I trust and admire speaks repeatedly and strongly about a book, I read it, no matter how silly I think the title is.  My friend, Donna Toothaker, a virtual assistant, has been talking about this book for weeks.  "Yeah, I'll read it," I said.  "In my spare time, when I have some...or when I can find it cheap on e-Bay" says Ms. Yeah-Right-Who-Am-I-Kidding (that's me).   

So, I came home from a morning appointment today, tired, wondering how to keep up with this growing shortbread business and needing a nap or an IV of caffeine, lo and behold, in my mailbox, was a GIFT package from Amazon.com from none-other than the fabulous Ms. Toothaker!  How cool is that?  I love surprises! 

So, I'm figuring if Donna loves this book enough to send it to me, I need to pay attention.  I am making a commitment to read it for 1/2 hour each morning as part of my beginning of the day work routine.  I vow to focus, make notes, and give my honest opinion. 

Most of all, I'm just grateful I have friends who want to support me along this wild and weird full time entrepreneurial path.  I've been a maniac lately.  And I have to be - growing Vermont Shortbread Company is like raising a child.  I do what I have to do...and it currently takes me a lot more than 4 hours a week. 

So, to Donna of 1stVA and all my other independent, creative friends out there, I raise a mojito (forget it, make that a diet Coke - I need to stay awake and sober through the weekend) to YOU! 

Comments

[Dina at Wordfeeder.com]

Ooh! Ooh! ::waving hand high in the air::

Let me guess. The 4 hour work week is something that is enjoyed by people who:

1. have tools and gumption to build self-sustaining businesses that "run themselves" so to speak (meaning you hire a team of people or use automated systems to run the business for you)

2. have the balls to be a risk-taker - take out hefty loans to fund these types of businesses, and other forms of passive income like them, OR

3. have the money to invest in such businesses (thereby removing the need for the loans)

Is there something i missed? Yes, I'm sure, but after all, I'm not writing another book, I'm just a blog commenter at this particular moment.

In any case, the idea is to build a business and then sit back and watch it rake in the bucks for you. You don't just wake up in the morning and suddenly have a 4 hour work week out of nowhere. You work toward it. But if you're not working toward such a goal (maybe your ideal work week is 20 hours, not 4 - depends on the person), then all you're doing is working yourself straight into the ground.

Right?? Just some Friday ponderings...

[Michael at Eddiesenergy.com]

I've often debated about getting that book. Let me know how it is!