I just finished reading “The 4-Hour Work Week” and “The Alchemist.” I may never “work” again.
To assuage any concerns my fiancée will have at reading that statement, I don’t mean that I’ll never earn any income. I simply mean that reading these two books has reminded me that there is a clear distinction between how I earn money, and who I am. According to Timothy Ferriss, author of "The 4-Hour Work Week," understanding that, and organizing your life accordingly, will lead to greater experiences and a fuller, happier life. I’m not sure it’s as easy as he suggests, but I’m very intrigued.
Ferriss espouses a lifestyle organized around earning enough income through various pursuits (a job you can perform remotely, largely automated entrepreneurial ventures, etc.) in order to support your pursuit of whatever you’d like to do. Travel, learn a craft, tryout for the NFL: these are the experiences that will allow you to really live. The point is that whatever you want to do, you should structure your income generation in order to make the experience possible. Work to live… don’t work because you are afraid of what will happen wen you try to do something better.
I won’t share how he proposes you do this. Doing so would spoil much of the book, and I think it’s worth reading. Even if you don’t reorganize your entire life, the early chapters will dare you to reconsider your regular work and communication practices. Now that I’ve read the book, I’m left with some questions.
• What is it that I really want to do?
• Of the things I’m interested in, which do I do first?
These are the sort of existential question that an unemployed former actor with an MBA often asks himself. They don't have easy answers... or do they? I've often said, causing hundreds of eyes to roll in doing so, "It's hard having the option to do so many things." I could be an i-banker again. I could be an actor again. People say I should write, and that has always seemed intriguing. I could start a company. What's the right next move? I've been having a difficult time arriving at a conclusion.
At Ferriss' suggestion I also read "The Alchemist." Ferriss wrote, "It is an excellent story to keep on hand and reread whenever you feel lost." Is it any wonder I jogged straight to Barnes & Noble to find a copy? Three hours later I finished the book. I was still seeking answers, but feeling inspired to continue down the path to find them. Again, I won't share plot details because I wouldn't want to spoil the read.
The essential themes, for me, were the following. First, what are you meant to be doing? Not what are you educated to do, or what allows you to support your lifestyle, or what your family or friends expect of you. You must be brave enough for introspection and to respect the forthcoming answers. You must know your destiny when are stripped of fear, judgement or external influence.
Second, you must bravely pursue that destiny until you have achieved it. If you don't, you risk living with regret. What does "bravely pursue" mean? It means letting go of the accouterments which seem to define you, but which actually only ornament you.
These are not easy subjects to dig into; however, as Socrates said, "the unexamined life is not worth living."
