Rolf Potts, author of one of my favorite books of all time, Vagabonding, recently interviewed me on Yahoo! Travel for his column Traveling Light: The Art of Independent Travel. I forgot to post it here, as I was, well… traveling overseas!
It answers some of the most important questions that keep us from escaping or enjoying life once we do:
*What are the biggest misconceptions people have about work, and making time for travel?
*So what is the best way to negotiate your way into a mobile work lifestyle?
*Many people often can’t stop thinking about work minutiae, even when they’re far away from the traditional office setting. How do you get your mind, and not just your body, out of the office?
Here’s part of the introduction:
With the advent of new communication technologies it has also become possible to adopt what has been called a “global mobility lifestyle,” which allows you to redesign your work life in such a way that it can mix in with extended travel. Entrepreneur and Princeton University guest lecturer Tim Ferriss has written a book about this, The 4-Hour Workweek, that will hit bookstores in April. I contacted him by e-mail to get some perspective on making your work work for you (instead of the other way around)… (Read the interview)
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for "Best of Apple Podcasts" three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it's been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.
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Hey Tim,
Great article mate and I am loving this blog. Looking forward to seeing this book! When is it coming to Australia and NZ?
C
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the kind words. I wish I had a good answer for Oz and NZ! The book is already going into Dutch, Russian, and Japanese, but I’m not sure of the timing for UK/AUS/NZ. I’ll let the world know as soon as I do 😉
Cheers,
Tim
Great start to what promises to be a blog I will continue to read. This should be a good resource for people to not only learn how to create their ideal lifestyles, but also for those on the path to refine their game.
I’m also excited to see the profile of prosoundeffects.com in the book man. On that note, will you be posting any case studies? Any plans for instructional video content forthcoming?
Hi Doug,
Case studies are most definitely coming, as are some video features and how-to. When I’m on the road, it will be both faster and more interesting for me to post video or audio content. This will especially be true when I do the European tour for the book, first stop Amsterdam (seriously: Dutch was the first foreign right sold). Much fun to come 😉
Tim
I think if someone reads your book and Vagabonding, they will have a very hard time going to a regular job each day without thinking of ways to escape!
[…] interviewed me for Yahoo! Travel almost a year and a half ago, and I’m thrilled to have the chance to interview him about his […]
[…] interviewed me for Yahoo! Travel almost a year and a half ago, and I’m thrilled to have the chance to interview him about his […]
A long time has passed since that post. Too bad the Yahoo interview doesn’t work anymore. @Douglas: not sure if you are still interested in case studies, but if so: you can find some at http://www.4hwwsuccess.com Of course, your own case study was a very inspiring one in the book 🙂
Regards,
David
Hello Tim
Thanks much, HONESTLY !
I dont know how I came upon you (Mike Geary’s posts??), but I am glad I did! I started with 4HWW, and though I liked the concepts.. I was not fully convinced. Guess I never really had a BIG dream/goal that would require me to incorporate those ideas. However, I have had enough with being an employee of Fortune 500 companies. I will quit soon, as soon as I have chalked out a business/lifestyle plan. I dont care how difficult or easy it may be..screw this f*up boring life.
However, I am still quite confused as to what “should” be my BIG dream/goal ? Should it be starting up companies working on things I love and care, while also pursuing a happy life ? Or is it to just “work-as-an-employee” and have enough to live happily ever after with a(hopefully!) wife and kids? Sometimes I think, shouldn’t it be service to our fellow beings? There is no higher purpose, it so seems.
In addition, I have my share of insecurities and fears (I too have OCD) which make things worse.
What do you think ?
After finishing with 4HWW, I came to read 4HB. In this case, however, I have been stuck since. I keep reading chapters over and over (especially the female hoo-ha thingie :P. My experiments with being patient and gentle has done wonders.) I even have a copy of it on my mobile for quick reading. I really like the book, and I have recommended it to so many people including my family, friends, colleagues. However, I am always wondering what will they react when they come upon the orgasm thing and the *beautiful illustrations*.
I am clear on the aspects discussed in this book..and I am working on it for a little over a month with promising results. I intend to put up two pictures, sometime in the near future. Before and After.
Obviously by now you may have guessed, I am successful (hold a PhD in CS; spend 6 yrs for it, and now I don’t know for what,) obese, and 30.
You know why I like your books ? Coz I understand the BIG difference between knowledge and wisdom; and whatever you say is based on wisdom, unlike the majority these days. Don’t give yourself too much airs 😉
OK, now something useful for you. The link for reading the Potts interview is dead. You may want to update it ?
Wondering how on earth did I find that out since it is such an old post ? Clarification: I started from your numero Uno post.
regards,
Bis
Hello…..
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When is it coming to Indonesia?
HELPPPPPP!!!!!
Tim,
I work in sales, and have been successful (top 2) this year. However our manager still expects all leads to be assigned to the busiest bee. He is vehemently opposed to work from home situations.
Priority for success is handed out by a combo of # of calls, # of emails, and # of account requests, as well as how well documented all your activities are in our CRM…….
What do i do to get out?? Quit? Hire India to make extra calls for me? Go above his head?
Just bought a house that’s falling apart, and my wife stays home with our 8 week old. So risk is quite high. (for income/job loss)
Any and all help would be appreciated. I’m 1/3 through 4HWW
Thanks!!!!!!