| Jane Chin | asks | anybody read the 4 Hour Workweek? I skimmed it at B&N this afternoon but wasn't compelled to stand in (a long) line to buy the book. |
Sep 08, 2008 -
05:11AM
| Jane Chin | asks | anybody read the 4 Hour Workweek? I skimmed it at B&N this afternoon but wasn't compelled to stand in (a long) line to buy the book. |
| beminedesign | no. |
| onepinktee | nope from here |
| Jane Chin | something just doesn't jibe with me about the book. |
| D.D. | says | I think I have one but didn't finish reading it just yet ... ooops. |
| beminedesign | what's it about. |
| Connie | yes. got a few good ideas out of it but most of it does not apply to average business person. |
| beminedesign | daringd, I have so many business books I haven't read. |
| codyrobert | says | yea. it has lots of good information, but a lot of it is also just encouragement. like connie said, not applicable to some |
| onepinktee | Jane, THANK YOU for saying jibe, not jive...so many people use the wrong word  |
| Jane Chin | i'm looking at the 2 star reviews and admit i identify with many of the reviewers' concerns re: feasibility, ethics. |
| D.D. | says | pritcharddesign, me too. I have so many books and all untouched. Well, think overall about how you can delegate most of the stuff... |
| D.D. | says | and automating most of your process so that it can be autopilot. That's what I can recall but not sure by now. Hv been months ... |
| Jane Chin | talks about how it can be great for kids and that it's just an excuse if you don't. huh? IF his system works, then i expect to be able to |
| beminedesign | daringd, It just seems like so many of them are blah blah blah *little piece of good info* blah blah blah |
| Jane Chin | live in THIS country, have the qual. of life i CHOOSE. isn't what this is supposed to be about? choice? |
| Jane Chin | onepinktee you're welcome! hadn't realized jibe v. jive! |
| beminedesign | wha? That sounds odd janechin |
| D.D. | says | oh ya the mini retirements part! Geez. I think I better not say words about the book. I must have really forgotten it. |
| Jane Chin | pritcharddesign yes, you can eat a 4/5 star meal in Brazil for a heck of a lot cheaper than in the US. but suppose i want to live in the US |
| beminedesign | oh yeah, I get that about it being cheaper in other countries, but it seems like a strange thing to set as a goal in a book! |
| beminedesign | I don't care about 4/5 star meals. I care about having a good life where I live! |
| D.D. | says |  |
| Jane Chin | the "4 hour work week" idea is weird to me. if you love what you do, then you love "working". why not focus on what you love and identify a |
| Jane Chin | way to earn money from what you love by providing value that benefits others? |
| codyrobert | says | hah janechin i forgot about the mini-retirement part. i think his point is to do get more freetime and do what you want. he likes to travel |
| Jane Chin | hi codyrobert! miss seeing you here! i suppose if you want free time for leisure and still make a living then 4 hr workweek sounds great. |
| Jane Chin | for me if i force myself to only "work" 4 hours, i'll feel dead inside. because i do what i love and it keeps me alive and young. |
| beminedesign | those sound like two different lives...two different goals: love to work and work to love |
| Jane Chin | one of the criticisms of the book is that he assumes all white collar workers hate their jobs and thus should quit and become entrepreneurs |
| Jane Chin | any time i see gross stereotype, it's a red flag. i think there are people who SHOULD remain employees bc that is what they want and enjoy. |
| D.D. | says | well the path of entrepreneurship is definitely not for just anyone either. BTW, how many thinks that entrepreneurs are born or made? |
| beminedesign | agrees, JaneChin. I have a friend who wants to be an employee because she likes being around alot of people, and doesn't want the heavy |
| beminedesign | responsibility of business ownership (she's done it). |
| onepinktee | I've owned my own business and I'm definitely happier being an employee |
| D.D. | says | succeed in life/business, and stuff?Cos most typical success stories hv the entrepreneurs struggled like mad then survived ,etc) |
| Jane Chin | i feel strongly about the importance of BOTH followers AND leaders. our "leadership loving" culture has made followers almost 2nd class and |
| Jane Chin | this is why we have way too many people wanting to be stars and not enough wanting to be the glue on a team. |
| onepinktee | I can free up a lot more creativity...and I carry my own loyalty as a big part of my self-identity, so that's a good fit for being an ee |
| D.D. | says | wow, i love wat u said ... "too many ppl want to be stars and not the glue on a team" |
| onepinktee | so true, Jane |
| onepinktee | good leaders need good followers |
| Jane Chin | onepinktee i'm glad you honor the difference! we love entrepreneurship and that's great, but not by saying it's THE way2 financial freedom |
| Jane Chin | (not just in business, not just in his or her life, but in lives of many) - who don't admit to hell hard work. |
| beminedesign | absolutely, the leaders need the followers for all to succeed! |
| Jane Chin | ... and they love the hard work, and they love the hell that often comes. they see it as worthwhile sacrifice bc they were born to serve. |
| Jane Chin | pritcharddesign it's very buddhist, actually. you can't understand light until you've been in darkness. if everyone is a "leader", then no |
| Jane Chin | one is really leading. |
| beminedesign | so true Jane |
| Jane Chin | one may argue that we can all lead from our unique strengths, but this requires others to agree to follow while you take the pole position. |
| D.D. | says |  yup agree |
| onepinktee | thing is,there are always moments for everyday leadership by informalleaders |
| Jane Chin | (oh, and i mean pole position in the motorcycle grandprix sense, not the jerry springer sense LOL) |
| onepinktee | I think the real stars are people who can float from following to leading and back |
| Jane Chin | onepinktee yes! and it requires well developed "emotional intelligence" to know when to lead, when to follow |
| beminedesign | I think that is one key to teamwork...leasing when your specialties are appropriate, and following when someone else's are! |
| beminedesign | leasing = leading |
| Jane Chin | i agree pritcharddesign. much of our office dysfunction today is bc everyone fights to "lead" (they are trained to want to be visible)] |
| Jane Chin | i spoke at a conference yrs ago, a doctorate professional said he wants to stay at his level, but peers all drive to become mgr. he fears |
| Jane Chin | that his desire to stay in his job (bc he loves it) may be seen by company as him being "mediocre". |
| beminedesign | yes, it can be seen as not being ambitious enough to contribute to the company.  |
| beminedesign | But I think our whole society is set up so we feel we're supposed to be visible and ambitious |
| D.D. | says | haiz ... |
| D.D. | says | kinda the same thing ... but then another speculation of SG, the ppl are not the "leaders" type. mostly followers so...different type of.. |
| D.D. | says | imbalance in terms of leaders vs followers thing.ppl here keep working and pretty happy to be employees but inhibit them frm .. |
| D.D. | says | thinking outside the box. |
| D.D. | says | ya! it is definitely cultural thing. and how it's been programmed throughout the whole system |
| D.D. | says | In Indonesia, it's more about survival. Hence there are more people whom I know are doing biz there as it's for survival sake. |
| Jane Chin | perhaps the school system plays a big role... asian schools mostly about obedience and conformity, at least that was how i remembered it. |
| D.D. | says | As in Singapore, most the people I know are employees, but may be it's just my circle of friends also. I'll never know |
| beminedesign | I can imagine when you have a survival mindset, you are thinking about the *now* not about a place you might go |
| Jane Chin | pritcharddesign "survival" is most primal, right? can't be thinking about self actualization or bliss when you need to "get through today" |
| beminedesign | so true Jane |
| D.D. | says | even though it's just a small shop but at least it's something they have started with. |
| beminedesign | I remember the day when I started taking my career seriously. Up until then, I always just worked to live. hardly comparable to Indonesia, |
| beminedesign | but my experience. |
| Jane Chin | what made you change how you saw your career Laura? |
| beminedesign | I think it was a sudden realization that I had control over the fact that I was really unhappy in my job. |
| Jane Chin | that makes a lot of sense, Laura. |
| beminedesign | Fortunately, I followed through...eventually. |
| LChamp | says | Do I detect another effort to erode the work ethic by this author? |
| beminedesign | I don't know anything about this author, we were just discussing the book. |
| Kellye_Crane | says | Late to the thread, but I'll note that I read this book and though I don't subscribe to much of what he suggests, I found it useful for |
| Kellye_Crane | says | getting me to think in different ways (brainstorming about direction, etc.). For folks at a fork in the road, may be worth a read. |
| raspberryfox | says | yes. It's interesting but I think you're alrady doing a lot of the techniques he suggests. I'd borrow it from the library. |
| raspberryfox | says | he can work 4 hours a week because he put in a LOT of work upfront and everyone is now buying his book.  |
| Kellye_Crane | raspberryfox hit the nail on the head! |
| Jane Chin | Kellye yes, for brainstorming and new ideas, impt not to discriminate material. that was what i was looking for, as well, but realized that |
| Jane Chin | many of his approach is either unimplementable for my life (with a husband who loves his job and a newborn to care for) or a bit concerning |
| Jane Chin | (ethics wise) |
| raspberryfox | agrees: it's not do-able for my life either and doesn't sit well with my values (which physically gives me a tummy ache thinking about it0 |
| hsienlei | says | nope. what i've read of the author annoys me. |
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