What is this buzz about the 4-hour workweek? Essentially, it is the idea of working for only four hours a week.
This concept was popularized by Timothy Ferris in his book, "The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich". In the book, Ferris invites readers to a world of possibilities, especially for us entrepreneurs who chose their direction because they want to own their time.
But, is this even realistic? If it is, how do you reach that point? If it’s not, why is it even stirring something in us?
The Fantasy
If you’re someone who adheres to the “get rich quick” schemes or the concept of accomplishing everything by doing nothing, then you’re in a scam, er, a fantasy of the 4-hour workweek.
The Reality
A popular adage once goes, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
The reality about the 4-hour workweek is that it is built upon years and years of hard work, discipline, and passion; such that it is deeply ingrained in one’s system that they don’t even qualify it as work. Some would even call it their life purpose.
If you tread carefully, you could say that the 4-hour workweek is possible. In what way, you ask?
Build Your Foundation
Before you get to the point of having more free time for yourself, you have to first earn the time that you will not be working for. You have to build on your expertise so you can increase your self-worth, and consequently, your net worth. If you have become an expert in your field, clients will be willing to pay your rate because they know you’re worth it. But, along with this growth also follows the increase of things to do, which brings to the next point.
Delegate
The true leaders in their field know that they have a huge value to offer. Because of this, they recognize that they need assistance in the daily, re-occurring activities so they can focus on the major thing they are experts in. They need help from personal or virtual assistants to take their calls, arrange their meetings, or publish their announcements. For experts to earn the free time to focus on the work that doesn’t feel like work for them, they also get help on the simpler tasks that prepare them for their main act.
Establish Passive Income
In simple terms, passive income is the money that comes to you even when you sleep at night. In the digital age, passive income examples are revenues from viewed YouTube videos, sales from influential eBooks, or enrolled online courses available 24/7. But then again, passive income is made possible if you have virtual assistants for social media or digital platforms to help make these work for you. Your passive income may not need your actual presence, but the team that is working on this for you definitely needs your supervision, albeit minimal.
Conclusion
In the end, the 4-hour workweek is possible only when you are working the job that you love, with help from your actual or virtual assistant team. You not only see what you do as work, but you’re also living a purpose of giving help and value to your clients and team. There will never be a substitute for hard work, but it all depends on you if you do the hard work yourself or if there is a team who does it with you.
So, here’s a question worth pondering today: are you just a lazy CEO-wannabe or are you an actual expert who LEADS your team? Choose wisely.
If you’re the leader who is looking to lead your own team, the 8point8 VA Team is ready to rally behind you. Book us a discovery call to see if we’re a good fit!
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