The Four Hour Jolt! Part 4
Derived from Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Work Week – New and Expanded Edition Now Available!
Tim’s Blog: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/
RAP3: Define
PROFIT : Defining requires first and foremost, in order of importance documenting what you say you want to DO, BE and then HAVE. What do you really want to do? What is the exact amount per month you’ll need to live a well-off mobile lifestyle? Determine what portion of your efforts are producing the results you want. Limit your time so that you limit yourself to the truly important.
Worst Case
Retirement is your fall back position. If all else fails, you keep working until you can afford not to. We’re not suggesting you don’t manage your finances, simply reconsider your lifestyle.
Not Everything
Money is important and it’s not everything. This is your lifestyle here. Money is only one ingredient in the mix. It’s probably the one that is making you stick to your current deferred lifestyle plan.
Today is the Day
When is it a good time to die? Never. The same applies to designing your dream lifestyle. It’ll never be a good time so either ditch your dream or start building it today. Today! Right now! Get started, the clock is ticking… tick… tick… tick…
Personal Note : A family member died suddenly in the prime of life whilst we wrote this RAP. He didn’t make it to retirement. Rest in peace Greg.
Relative Income
It’s not how much money you make, it’s how many hours it takes to maintain your current lifestyle. Is working 80 hours for a New York apartment better than 10 hours for a life on a tropical beach? It’s Dollars AND Time.
Lazy is OK!
The New Laziness is simply working smart rather than working for work’s sake. Don’t be busy, be productive and enjoy the rest of your life.
Too Much
Time is the key driver of a mobile lifestyle. Make the most of it. It’s not renewable. Deadlines are critical.
Good Stress
Experiment, question, argue, debate, pose. These are good stress inducers and necessary if you’re going to get what you want.
Dream Challenger
When you tell friends and family your lifestyle plan, the natural reaction may be that they want you to pull back. Living your dream may force those around you to contemplate what they’re doing about theirs – and they may not like it. You may need to let bad things happen so that you can do your big things. Don’t ask for permission; ask for forgiveness later.
Take a Break
Pace yourself. No one can sprint all day everyday without having a breakdown every now and then. That’s the whole point of mini-retirements. Spice up your life with a break – now, not when you’re too old to enjoy it.
Build Strengths
Stop trying to be an expert in everything. Start focussing on your strengths and get somebody or some system to handle the rest.
Lifestyle Questions
- What is it you want to create from a lifestyle standpoint?
- How much would that lifestyle cost?
- What are the financial realities of defining your ideal lifestyle?
