Makers on a Mission

Patreon Exclusive Episode! Today, Jarrod and Olivier discuss The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. Beloved by Jarrod, the book changed his life:

When I was working in Kyoto as an English teacher, I was employed by the terribly bureaucratic and rule-ridden Kyoto City Board of Education. Arbitrary regulations meant that I was often sitting in the teacher's office with no work to do, no classes to teach, and no agency in my lesson planning. Our English supervisors even once used an entire seminar to provide ideas on how to make good use of your free — how pathetic is that?

Living my desk job nightmare, I spent much of my time reading profusely, hoping that personal development might ease my sense of stagnancy and worthlessness at work. I came across the 4-Hour Work Week, triggered (like most) by the title. What followed were rational and tangible answers to my existential work-related questions. I read it in one day.

The book has since influenced many of the decisions and habits I make and maintain in my life today. It is not without its flaws. But the book has ultimately rewired my brain to view retirement, not as a life goal, but as a last resort. It helped push me to pursue entrepreneurship over academia or public sector work. As I look back at my time as a millennial in Japan, I can confidently and unapologetically say that stumbling upon the 4-Hour Work Week presented me with a crossroads and helped me to change my life trajectory.

Today, we walk through the 4 main arguments made in the book and reflect on the good (and controversial) ideas in the book. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Website: Makers on a Mission Patreon

Links to Resources:
English Teaching in Japan
The 4-Hour Work Week
The Tim Ferris Show
How to Write a Dreamline
Pareto Principle
Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
Venywhere: Work From Venice

See All 19 Episodes of "Makers on a Mission"