My view from three hours ago in Fortuna, Costa Rica: Volcano Arenal (Photo from Arenal.net)
One of the most common questions I get is: what now? Following the book, what’s my next project? I have a few interesting ideas brewing, but one is bigger than all the rest combined: double the number of science majors in the US by 2012.
I want to change the world. But fundamentally overturning US education will some serious lateral thinking and allies. First things first…
Is it possible to start with just 200 books? I think it is.
No one expected the 4HWW to do what it’s done — least of all me — and I’ll like to give a little something back, something that might catalyze a domino-effect of entrepreneurial and innovative thinking.
Here’s the question I’d need your help with: where should I donate these first 200 books for the greatest effect? In other words, if you had 200 copies of the 4HWW and wanted to change the world, where would you send them?
To keep it manageable, I’d like to mail them in bundles of 25 books or more. I’ve thought of the Kauffman Institute, tradeshows where CEOs attend, undergraduate or high school entrepreneurship classes, as well as at-risk youth programs, but the question is: specifically who should I mail these to for a large ripple effect?
I post this question because I believe that crowdsourcing answers will get me much better results than operating on my guesswork and best estimates.
What do you think?
###
Finalists for the Endless Summer Competition:
Before I announce the chosen 10, please note two important points…:
1. The judges and I all wished we could have selected at least 100 people. The most common thread was education, whether done in-person, via books, or through documentaries. The 200+ submissions we read were incredible and all worth pursuing.
2. Given the above thread, and as encouragement to everyone who participated, I will be e-mailing a $25 gift certificate for Donors Choose to everyone who submitted an entry (not just a comment) before the deadline on June 15th at 12pm ET. Donors Choose, partially backed by Pierre Omidyar, the co-founder of eBay, offers anyone the chance to fund class projects — ranging from crayons to field trips — posted by public school teachers. And you get thank you letters from the students! How cool is that? It’s feels great and is addictive. These will be sent late next week. Please share your experiences in the comments!
Here are the 10 finalists, in no particular order:
1. Mel
2. Robert Prieto
3. Brad
4. Brenda Wehrman
5. Jeff Quick
6. David Bachman
7. Roger
8. Kristina
9. Dawn G.
10. Brian McCormick
Evaluating more than 200 pages of submissions took a lot longer than we expected! For that reason, voting for the grand prize winner will be extended until 5 PM (PT), FRIDAY, JULY 13. Please find the finalist essays below and vote for your favorite here!
For you finalists, please put “ENDLESS SUMMER FINALIST” in the subject line and send your mailing addresses to my assistant at xxx [at] fourhourworkweek [dot] com for your DVDs. Encourage your friends to vote and cross your fingers! You could be headed off to change yourself and the world.
Happy Independence Day to all!
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1. Mel-
I turned 21 and got my electrical engineering degree within the last three weeks, switching from full-time student to full-time improviser.
I’ll spend the next few years on the engineering campuses of universities in 6 different countries: Japan, Germany, China, India, Uganda, and the Philippines. I wouldn’t be studying in them; I’d be studying them, immersing myself into the local cultures of making.
It’s the beginning of a quest to turn people into hackers (definition 7) and hackers into teachers; first I need to learn about how hackers are made (and why they aren’t – as a disabled minority female from the developing world in open-source engineering, I want to level the playing field until people like me are not an anomaly).
I’ll shoot documentaries (making my first now) and write blogs, books, and research journals about engineering education (a woefully underexplored subject) and teach classes (on local campuses, open to all) on open-source hardware, software, and content development. Everything will be released under an open license; much will feed into the curriculum and library work I’m already doing for the OLPC project.
A special focus of my open-source hardware design will be devices that can be used by the handicapped but aren’t made for the handicapped – bluetooth headsets as hearing aids, webcams as pointers, making devices for everyone that just happen to be assistive for the few who need it. Growing up severely hearing-impaired, I shunned gadgets that marked me as deaf. Now an engineer, I want to create devices without stigma and release the technologies into the public domain.
I would train my speech (muffled from 19 years with poor aural feedback) so I can teach clearly. I’d learn jazz piano (I play classical), and cooking chemistry. I’d sit in the shade with a lemonade and a friend, talking about learning and life – and then plunge back in to live it.
If I was already doing all but the travel as a full-time student, what more could I do with another 36 hours a week? I’m finding out right now.
2. Robert Prieto-
Hello Tim,
My passion is helping underprivileged and/or abused children. Two years ago, I started a program for children right here in San Jose.
Each year, about two weeks before Christmas, we take underprivileged children Christmas shopping. Each child is chosen by their Teacher, Principal or Counselor, based on improvement in their grades, attitude or their willingness to do good deeds for others.
Each child is granted a $150 shopping spree at the local Target store on Capitol Avenue near McKee Road. On the morning of the shopping spree, Target opens early just for our group. The parents of these children bring their child to the store and turn them over to one of our volunteers, who then take the children shopping. This is so the child is free to choose what they really want without any outside influence. In my experience, most of these children buy for family first and use what’s left over to get something special for themself.
In our inaugural year, we raised enough money to take 115 children shopping. Last year, we were able to take 211 and this year, I have set our goal at 300 children. Needless to say, I am working very hard to raise the $45,000 necessary to make this happen.
So, what would I do if I had an extra 36 hours per week? I would dedicate it to travelling up and down the state of California and getting this program started in several communities. That is my goal over the next twelve months. After getting it going in several places here in California, I would use the time to start branching out to other states.
The thing I like most (besides helping the kids) is that every one who helps out on this project is a volunteer, so every dollar we raise for this fund goes directly to the children. All donations are 100% tax-deductible as this is a 501(c)3 fund. Yes, I’m always fund-raising, but it’s for a good cause.
God Bless,
Robert Prieto
3. Brad-
Three years ago a Fortune 500 CEO asked me from across the diner table, “What will you do if you don’t get this job?” My answer left him staring at me with his moth open so I could see the mash potatoes he was eating. It all seemed quite logical to me. If I didn’t get hired, I would have taken my horse and ridden it from Canada to Mexico through the heart of the Rockies along the Continental Divide Trail.
He wanted more background an so I informed him that, tracing the backbone of America, the 3,100 mile Continental Divide Trail, also known as the King of Trails, runs the length of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico. The King of Trails runs through, 5 states, 20 Wildernesses, 3 National Parks, 1 National Monument, 25 National Forests, and 8 BLM land areas comprising areas tread by Lewis and Clark, roamed by Jim Bridger and Kit Carson, and inhabited by Native Americans more than 5,000 years ago. Scores of individuals have ridden horseback across the continent but none have completed that CDT traipsing across some of Americans most rugged and beautiful terrain.
“Who would hire you after that?” he wanted to know. No one at all. I would use the ride to garner publicity and fundraising for a ranch where struggling teens could learn about hard work, dedication, and responsibility. These teens would come from, and return to, some of the most difficult environments: broken homes, inner cities, crime and drug use. However, they would return with new skill sets, skills that would form a foundation where other life lessons can be learned. Theses life lessons will help them rise above undesirable situations to become happy, fulfilled and giving adults.
Three years have passed and I’m up for a significant promotion. My new boss asked me, “What will you do if you don’t get this promotion?” Interestingly, I have had the answer for over three years for a question asked only moments ago. In fact, I did get the promotion, but I might just do this anyway.
4. Brenda Wehrman-
Due to growing up in the tropical jungles of Papua New Guinea amongst reformed cannibals and my work in other third-world nations, I’m often asked for financial assistance. But there is a limit to what one person can do. Besides, despite over US$80 billion in foreign aid last year, most will remain in a destitute state. Clearly money alone is not a long-term solution. Education is necessary to galvanize people with both the impetus and innovativeness to solve their own problems.
With an intense desire to create a program that would help people help themselves, I went to sleep a few weeks ago meditating on a possible solution. The next day, I awoke with the concept for a competition which with very little dollar investment can reap huge dividends. The ValYOU Freedom Leadership competition is designed to imbue a community with the incentives and self-empowerment to restore dignity and honor. Participants are asked to 1.) Start/Join an action team, 2.) Pick a project designed to tangibly liberate their local community, and 3.) Submit a report of accomplishments before completion deadline (September 1, 2007 – March 1, 2008). I am personally offering a cash prize of $1000 and hope with corporate sponsors and your charitable contribution of $1000 to provide regional prizes. Visit http://www.valyou.org/groups.htm
I am so thrilled that already, people in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and even New Zealand want to get involved in the contest. Imagine if we could document meeting some of these people face-to-face. Please thank film maker Brook Silva-Braga in advance for me as I sincerely hope I win this competition and shake his hand for using his talents to help better our world.
Specifically, I would use the extra 36 hours per week to complete the nonsectarian leadership training program I am currently developing for these groups to download and listen to each month. Tim could help teach too! I would be delighted to glean his ideas and consultation input. Together, we can truly help people feel the rewards of global contribution as well as personally design the life they deserve.
5. Jeff Quick-
Some friends and I recently started a entrepreneurial non-profit business with the goal of getting clean water to people in other countries who don’t have it. It’s called Unda Water. We sell bottled water in Philadelphia, and give the proceeds from our sales to benefit clean water efforts in Africa and China.
The process is slow because we have our own regular jobs, and we can’t give Unda Water as much time as we would like. With an extra 36 hours per week, I would devote myself to making Unda Water happen faster, getting water to people in developing countries faster.
The excitement of this project comes from quickly and decisively change the lives of thousands of people for better, while at the same time shifting our employment away from working for other people toward working for Unda Water. It improves the world by increasing sanitation and reducing dehydration in water-starved places.
It also improves my life and the life of my family, because I would gain considerable job satisfaction from working on Unda Water full time instead of scrabbling for work as a feeelance writer.
The thing is, we have the water. We have some start-up funding. We have the organizations we will give the proceeds to. It’s already happening. It’s just happening slowly, and I’d like to make it happen faster.
With the ticket, I’d fly to China and visit the sites where we would be funding well-digging efforts, meet our local contact, take pictures, and cement relationships. I’d spend the money on promoting Unda Water in Philadelphia.
Sound good? Email me at jeff.quick-at-gmail.com. I don’t care if you’re not Tim Ferriss. If you have questions or want to find out more, email me.
6. David Bachman-
Technology will solve all the world’s problems. Today, the biggest challenge the world faces is providing cheap, clean, and abundant energy. With unlimited cheap, clean energy, so many problems are conquered. Human-made greenhouse gasses are eliminated, halting global warming. Cars become electric battery or hydrogen fuel cell powered. Clean-burning hydrogen becomes the portable chemical fuel, generated from electrolysis of water. Oil becomes irrelevant. Money, politics, and wars over the Middle East cease. Water shortages no longer exist, as abundant energy allows desalination of sea water. With abundant and clean energy, even perfect, effortless recycling becomes a possibility. Throw all your garbage and toxic waste into a giant plasma incinerator. Extract the resulting ions and magnetically separate them into their pure elements, and then resell the pure elements back to the manufacturing sector.
All this follows from cheap, abundant, and clean energy. So how do we make this happen? Much of the needed technology already exists. The first step is to fully support nuclear power. Specifically, take a look at Wikipedia on the Integral Fast Reactor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_Fast_Reactor This particular reactor very efficiently consumes fissile fuel without long term radioactive waste products. Short term radioactive waste from this reactor is a manageable storage problem.
Next, we must fully support research in clean nuclear fusion technology. Fusion technology promises clean, abundant energy from elements extracted from seawater. The waste product from fusion is helium, which we use to fill our balloons. I’m convinced that fusion technology progress is mostly limited by politics and money. Fusion research continues on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, but the pace is not fast enough. We need the technology now to provide all the benefits I’ve discussed.
If I had 36-hours per week, I would dedicate my time to making this a reality. I can’t do it alone, but I can use the time to educate and lobby Congress, private companies, environmental groups, foreign governments and international corporations to support this cause.
If I succeed, it will be far more satisfying than anything I have ever done.
7. Roger-
11:00 AM
June 15, 2007
I am living Parkinson’s Law.
July 24, 2006
I begin work at a financial firm as a bond trader. 60 hours per week minimum. No lunch break. No sun, sky, or nature.
Yet I am excited. I have made it. I am a college graduate, I have obtained a respectable job, and I am banking a dream salary. I will always remember this day.
December 25, 2006
Christmas at my girlfriend’s house.
I am burnt out and thankful to have a day off. I enjoy the food, the company, and the holiday atmosphere, but something is missing.
I can’t help but experience jealousy as I watch her younger siblings open their presents. They are laughing, smiling, and approaching each moment with such verve for life. They are wise beyond their years.
Five months at my new job have passed. I am depressed.
May 2, 2007
Enter 4HWW. I back my way onto the book’s website after perusing Tim’s blog. It is a clever enough tag-line that I call Barnes & Noble.
It is my lucky day — one copy is in stock. I leave work early. As I read the book in Love Park, there is sun, sky, and nature.
May 17, 2007
I quit work today. Two weeks after picking up 4HWW, I am a free man. I have one new business in development, no respectable job, and I am not banking a dream salary. I will always remember this day.
36 hours a week. I would spend half of the hours helping children and returning as a tutor to a Learning Center I worked at in college. In turn this will help spend the other half reclaiming the child in me and fulfilling my dreamlines.
“Ichi Go Ichi Ei” — Each chance encounter could be the one that changes your life. I stumbled across that quote, which was used to describe Japanese tea ceremonies and living each unique moment to the fullest.
With your blessing, I am off to Japan to enjoy the sounds, sites, and sushi. Here’s to living in the moment.
8. Kristina-
If I had 36 additional hours each week, I would primarily do more of the same. That is because my life’s work isn’t “work” in the miserable American sense of the word – my work is the manifestation of my values, core beliefs, talents, and my purpose for being on this planet.
For the last 15 years, I have worked on women’s rights and human rights issues through nonprofit organizations, a women’s foundation, and the Clinton Administration. In the US I have helped to reduce sexual assault, domestic violence, poverty, stalking, and unemployment. Overseas, I have worked on rape camps in Bosnia, brothels in Thailand, promoting women’s rights in post-apartheid South Africa, preventing trafficking of women and children, spreading micro-credit programs, and providing human rights trainings. With 36 extra hours, I would devote more effort to ending violence, inequality, poverty, and other human rights abuses. Unfortunately, there is enough work to fill the time! I would also strategically use the extra time to sit on boards of organizations, thereby increasing my impact through sharing my expertise, strategic thinking, and fundraising and management skills.
Having said all that, I would add a little more fun and health to my life with 36 extra hours. With the extra time, I wouldn’t have an excuse to avoid the gym! I would take more time to cook healthy meals. I would use more of my cell phone minutes to stay caught up with friends who are spread around the world. I would spend more time playing with my cats. I would host more parties. And I would take more weekend trips with friends to explore the amazing Bay Area.
If I won this contest, I would include India in my travels. In India, I would like to spend a couple of weeks in an ashram for yoga and meditation (advancing my health-related goals and learning to calm my busy mind!), and I would like to volunteer with a local human rights NGO as a way of connecting to the culture.
9. Dawn G.-
If I could establish a decently profitable muse business, I would devote the rest of my available time to my life long dream. At the age of 18, foster children are bumped from the system. There is no subsequent support whatsoever.
So, here’s the plan: Purchase or lease an apartment building that supports a minimum of 24 residents. Invited residents would be pulled from the foster care system when they turned 18. They would attend group activities, financial management classes, individual counseling, nutrition and fitness counseling, to include cooking lessons, GED assistance if needed, and college application assistance if needed. They would be given a paid intern position provided by a local corporation (tax deductible to the Corp.).Alternatively, they could attend the vocational school of their choice during their stay with us. They would be allowed to stay for 2 years. At the end of their stay, they would be given the first month and security deposit to get their own apartment, a car, and assistance obtaining full time employment. Any resident wishing to pursue the FHWW lifestyle would be encouraged to do so.
All of this would be funded and supported through grants, charitable donations and other fund raising activities, such as benefits. Counseling would be handled by graduate students supervised by university professors, or by pro bono work. Residents would be required to return regularly and mentor new incoming residents for at least two years.
We’ll be the YMCA of foster care graduation facilities, in every major city. I was never a foster child, I just can’t stand the idea of these people being tossed like refuse. I need a muse business so that my survival does not depend on this project, as I don’t expect to draw a salary of any kind for at least the first few years.
10. Brian McCormick-
With an extra 36 hours a week, I’d follow-through on a couple delayed plans. In 2001 and 2002, I traveled to South Africa to do basketball clinics and coaching clinics. I’d go back and help my friends Thierry Kita and Mark Crandall with the Hoops 4 Hope program. And, this time I’d surf along the coast, finish my oft-delayed novel set in Cape Town that I started in an Exension Creative Writing class in 2003 and go on a safari. Or, I’d visit a coach in Sao Paulo, Brazil who works with hundreds of kids and see what I could do to help his basketball program. And, I’d find a way to help Eric from the Philipines who emailed to seek my advice on re-organizing their national basketball programs.
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for "Best of Apple Podcasts" three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it's been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.
Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That’s how we’re gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation! (Thanks to Brian Oberkirch for the inspiration.)
Hey Tim, love all ten of the stories. Just a note, you should label them A-J, because saying “ten in no particular order” then numbering them 1-10 still has a subliminal effect that you have chosen #1 above the rest (or chosen the 1-10 order).
Hey time it is great to see you are having fun here in Costa Rica, and even more that you got to see the volcano given that we are in the middle of the rainy season…
I was wondering if during ur time here and if you happen to come across the capital or this weekend in the Pasific Coast, if I could invite you to dinner and get some talking about your life, the book and who knows…
I’ve started this blog in Spanish as counter part to my English one, with one mission, to help spread the word of technology and modern approaches to problem solving from the software industry… I have been wanted to get a piece on your book and the history around it.
I’ve found that even with the near relationship that exists between Latin America and the states, those 2 guys barely know each other in term of services and technology itself.
Luckily Costa Rica has taken advantage of this position has grow towards becoming an strategic partner of several countries around this area although there is still a lot to learn… and better yet a lot to do!
So if it happens that u get a chance to expend an hour or two with me please send me an email…
Cheers man, and enjoy the trip!
Tim:
Send your books to the people that run the TED Conference: http://www.ted.com/. Try and get a speaking engagement there for next year’s conference, dealing with life’s biggest questions. Memes are created there.
Evan
Tim,
Here is what I would do with the books. Send them to every TV network with a pitch for a reality TV show. Entertainment merged with productivity is the new wave in learning. “The Biggest Loser” is a great example of that and has motivated many to change their health.
On this show You search for 12 canidates to personally walk through the process you lay out in the book and take an adventure around the world with them. The ripple effect would be incredible!!!
As a teacher, your book has revolutionized the way I intend on teaching next year. I am going to start the year checking emails once a day and then gradually decrease that to two days a week.
It’s amazing how much time most teachers waste with mundane and unimportant tasks.
Your points on the difference between efficient and effective have really changed my paradigm of work. I wrote a blog article about it.
I would definitely send at least a small chunk of the books to leaders in the National Science Teachers Association. Science teachers talkto other teachers and it will help some there see the light. If you’re aseriously iming to double the number of science majors in the US, this sounds like a great place to start.
Hello,
Roger’s story is truly inspiring, is there a way to contact him. (email) Or can you give him my email? joe_pj@hotmail.com
Thanks!!!
Tim,
I think it’s a great idea and I have three recommendations:
1. I’m in a group called Vistage – it’s the world’s largest CEO membership organization with over 13,000 CEOs of multi-million dollar firms. The Chairman and CEO of the organization is in my group (there are 12-15 CEOs each in a group), and I can connect you with him and other influencers. Mike Milken is one of the lead investors in Vistage, so getting you positioned at the Milken Global Conference next year would be helpful (along with TED and PUSH).
2. I went to Babson College and can connect you with the Entrepreneurship department there – they have a reputation for entrepreneurial studies that may further your cause.
3. Lastly, my company focuses on empowerment and education of youth through media and technology, specifically high school and college aged students – I would be happy to get you further exposed to these markets around the world, especially in countries like India, where people would appreciate and apply your useful lessons.
Send me an e-mail and I’d be happy to help you however I can. Congratulations on your success thus far,
Uday
founder & CEO
Live on Campus
Send the books to other like-minded bloggers on condition that they in turn pass the books on to their readership. A quick Google should give you any number of bloggers on related topics who would happily hold a contest to give away books to their readers. Most likely, those bloggers would read the book as well and blog about them, so that not only would you get the benefit of having the books passed on hand to hand, but you would also get attention from those other bloggers’ readers, driving greater readership to this site and the book.
Also, I strongly suggest looking at Cory Doctorow’s model and releasing a free digital copy of the book for downloading. According to his claims, this practice has driven up sales of the hard copies of his novels.
25 each to 8 big university libraries, e.g. UT Austin, UW Madison, MSU, UC Boulder, UI Bloomington, UCF (40K undergrads!!), OSU Columbus, TX A&M. Giving them to libraries means, one hopes, that one copy will hit a lot of people.
Hi Tim,
If you want to achieve maximum effect I can propose you to send 150 books to the top 150 online and offline media companies with a request for global coverage.
The other 50 copies I suggest you to send to the top 50 life coaches and infopreneurs (such as Tony Robbins, Robim Sahrma, David Allen, Yaro Starak, etc.) with an offer for co-operation. They will know how to spread the idea more widely.
I think that this is the way to change the world with 200 books.
BTW, I have read your book and it is great! Thanks for writing it and congratulations for your success!
Best regards,
William
Tim
The idea of doubling the science majors in this country is absolutely fantastic.
Forget the book promotion and start and a much greater challenge that help this country more then most people will ever be able to comprehend! – Mike
Tim,
Loved the 4HWW! I second Dominic’s suggestion about releasing a free digital copy a la Cory Doctorow.
As for the paper copies, you want them in the hands of people who will read them and use them, and who will have an affect on others. I think your best bet is to send them to teachers along with a reading guide for them to use during faculty meetings. You could choose eight schools with faculties of about 25 (my school happens to be one–hint! hint!), or you could make it like a grant and have schools who want copies apply for them.
Thanks for asking!
Nick
http://www.nicksenger.com
One copy to a large bit torrent site with your blessings to download and re-post. The numbers of downloads could be astronomical
Tim,
Funny enough I have bought 10 copies of your book already and given them away to my friends. 3 of them have caught fire so far and have thanked me profusely for letting them have a copy. The others probably haven’t cracked the cover yet ;o)!!
If I were you I would challenge some of the readers on this blog to locate individuals that would benefit from your book. Put 25 books into circulation at bookmooch.com!
Create a challenge on Entrepreneur.com or post it on Digg.com or Slashdot. You can sponsor one of Diggs Pod/Videocast relatively inexpensively and get the word out that way. It’s a highly technical community with tons of bright individuals.
These were just a couple of quick thoughts that came to mind.
Hi Tim, I vote for number 9.
Please notice that there is no vote link for number nine.
thanks Greg
Hi Tim, I’m a huge fan and a kindred spirit in many ways. I thought I’d chime in here.
Many curriculums in any respectable university teach courses on globalization, which is the undercurrent of your methodology. I would be inclined to donate these books to the top universities that teach globalization as part of their core curriculum. Even as far back as 2000 I was learning globalization as part of my core senior seminar @ RIT. I’d recommend donating them to the classes tought there but I’d assume most colleges have caught on.
So what college to donate to, I don’t know. But your book would be a more intelligent choice for any globalization class, bar none. Who wants to learn about the history of globalization when instead they can learn how to utilize it?
Thanks for the great suggestions, all! I’ll be keeping a close eye on the thread as ideas come in.
I would love to do a free digital copy, but the ebook rights are owned by the publisher. The closest I could come was my manifesto on the Low-Information Diet on http://www.changethis.com Keep the ideas coming!
Samiq, you’re right. I was very lucky the second day to get a glimpse of the volcano. The first day, it was completely drowned in clouds, and I made the mistake of trying to see it from the Bandi hot springs, which is an impossible angle, despite the claims. Just a few hours before I was scheduled to leave the following day, a local gave me a ride in his truck to the proper side of the volcano to see lava flow — a bridge in the middle of nowhere! It was incredible: lightning storm to my left, lava in front of me through a clearing in the tree canopy, and a jungle of fireflies to my right. Unreal.
Thanks again for keeping the ideas coming! I’ll let you know at the end what I decide to do. It will be fun to send some idea bombs out and wait for the effect. G’night…
Tim
Tim,
I would suggest to you to send some of your books to the
The Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO). http://www.educationrevolution.org/ They work with home schoolers, deschoolers, unschoolers, democratic free schools and many other alternatives to our 19th century industrial model based government/private education system. We need to do what we can to educate a whole new generation of youth who can think for themselves, are self-reliant, inquisitive, fun loving, caring, compassionate and emotionally whole. This is in contrasts to the system we now have in place that helps to create SHEEPLE.
Best,
Michael D. Ostrolenk
President Global Integral Solutions
Founder/National Director Liberty Coalition http://www.libertycoalition.net
Tim
the latest Inc magazine, an article on pg 88, has Bruce Moeller
He owns a 23 million dollar company, first thing he does when waking up is grab his crackberry and goes to the bathroom WITH it.
Work is before his family and friends and he’s cool with it.
Anyway, what about the top dogs on Wall Street?
They work from 6 am – midnight, kinda like me.
Those are way beyond 60 hr work weeks that’s for sure.
But, maybe the young entrepreneurs as you’ve stated, they might be more open minded.
Perhaps some Universities can get you to create the curicculum for a 4 HWW class?
Then, things can begin to change more so 🙂
–zach–
Tim, my idea is to send a copy to the top 200 companies, with the caveat the CEO must pass the book down to the other managers. Companies like GE are big influencers for other companies, as they are improving processes, etc. I might even extend the offer a little more, and offer your time to come in and meet with the company, for a 1/2 or less, to help them implement.
Awesome picture of the volcano!
How about Oprah’s Book Club?
Or TODAY’s Book Club?
Also, what about http://www.bookcrossing.com/ ?
How about the NYC Library system?
How about the 25 largest business schools in the US?
How about the 25 best college prep schools?
kiva.org is my recommendation for the donation of the books
RE: How to Change The World with 200 Books
I would have a VA send the books with a nice cover letter to all of the “A” & “B” Level Self Help, Sales and Marketing Motovational Trainers and Coaches who have the biggest following possible. – I would then have them follow up with calls suggesting and pitching that they have you on as a teleseminar “expert guest” (No Travel required)to share this knowledge, and to get the word out strategically to the top 5% on Earth that are changing their lives in all of these excellent programs, and in turn will help you change the world! You don’t have to do this alone! Why not use the leverage of all the other trainers and coaches who share this dream and do it together!
Stay Creative,
Scott Taylor
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I am a teacher at Antioch High School in Nashville, TN. I love your book, and I think that it can be very helpful to my students.
It is a metro school, so there is definetly a lot of “poor” and “uneducated” thinking going on, even though most of my students are not poor, or uneducated. The last two years I have been playing a financial and entreprenuer game that I came up with. The game has been very successful, but I need materials to help me. I think that my students can succeed with some real world examples (and not from me). Loaning the books or even giving them away will make a huge impact in a way that can never be repaid.
Thank you, and Best Regards
Bryan Kipke
Hi Tim,
I was really inspired by #7 Roger’s story. I too always wanted to up and leave my job with no real concrete financial back-up plan other than a dream for greatness. However, unlike Roger I lack the cajones that it takes to make such a big move, especially with a great financial career in place. Good luck to him in his endeavors.
Do people value something that is free if it’s given without asking?
How much is a 4HWW book worth to someone who earns $100K a year? $1Mil a year?
How about signing 25 books and auctioning them for a minimum of $10K each? Maybe include an hour of your time?
Then, for the other 175 (or so) send them to volunteers who will send them to the first person from each country in the world who asks for one.
Roger’s story is inspiring and I love it!
I’m officially joining the thousands who flat-out love the paradigm-shifting content of your book.
Thanks for writing it, no matter what you expected.
Your desire to effect change in the world is obvious and inspiring, and the idea of doubling science majors by 2012 cooks.
I really wish I could jump on into the collaborative soup and give you some suggestions, but to be frank there were a couple of old-paradigm trailers in your book that gave me a wicked case of the heebie geebies.
And are keeping me on the sidelines hoping it’s a simple case of you simply missing the faulty formulas of old-school, ‘all’s fair’ thinking underpining a couple of your ‘get out of jail’ strategies.
As a life coach I talk with a whole lotta folks who have some pretty deep-seated bugaboos about the rich, new or old, mostly because the rest of us believe that to get rich you gotta mislead, misrepresent and manipulate.
In your book you largely shake up that idea with some wild-tailed ways of looking at life and business.
And sadly, in a couple of places you reinforce it. And phenomenon’s being what they are – with all that enthusiasm, excitement and possibility building – it would be real easy to blow right past the warning signs on the way to ‘new rich’.
Playing ‘the boss’ to get out of the office and into a life you prefer is misleading, is misrepresentative, is manipulative. And is, essentially, the micro-Enron.
And we all know how we feel about that.
New-world tools laced with old world thinking won’t really change the world, will it? Free more people from cubicle coffins, sure, but at what cost?
And is that really freedom…
Just a couple of thoughts from a fan at the softer edges of evolution.
[…] Tim Ferriss of the Four Hour Work Week posted about giving away 200 copies of his book on his blog. […]
Tim
great book.. thank you for the change of mindset
i own a great cigar bar here in barrio amon which is downtown san jose.. I would like to invite you to stop by for a cocktail and an excellent cuban cigar on me… just let me know when..
bluecoyotemedia@gmail.com
pura vida brotha
eddie
Hey Tim, I just wanted to let you know that your poll is down and I’m unable to vote. That’s why I’m leaving my vote, for Roger, right here in the blog. I’ve been friends with Roger for quite a while. He was the president of our honors fraternity and worked out a lot of amazing projects to help the West Philadelphia community. We’ve also been following your workout for over a month now, keeping each other focused and motivated (he’s in Philly and I’m in Germany, so we need to push each other a little harder). When Roger told me that he was thinking about quitting his job and starting his own business, he asked me for advice. Why would anyone with even a little common sense leave a job like his, right? The only thing that I said to him was:” To be successful at anything you do in life, you need a passion, the determination to do what you feel is right, and a set of brass balls to follow through with it. You my friend have these traits. Just do it, and I’m behind you 100%.” He did and I haven’t seen him so happy in a long time. Winning this contest would be a huge step in the right direction, and that’s why my vote goes 100% to Roger.
Dear Christian and All,
THE VOTING IS BACK UP AND WORKING! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Bdq_2fPAxzlv_2bi_2bO0n_2b7_2bb4g_3d_3d
Thanks to all of you (I didn’t post all of the “the voting is broken!” comments, but thanks all the same), I was able to catch this early. You guys blew out the capacity on my account and I had to upgrade! I love it.
Have a great day, and keep those book suggestions and votes coming!
All the best,
Tim
Hi Tim,
I vote for Roger, #7! As a mother and Christmas lover, I was moved by his inspirational moment.
Hi Tim,
Roger- You’ve made me speechless and that’s hard to do. I vote for you.
Roger you rock! I vote for you! I wish you would tutor me!
Hi Tim – I have actually been thinkking about this, how I can use your book to help other people. I think a lot of innovation breeds in places where people don’t have the resources to do anything about it. My idea (so far) for you has been to recruit some “evangelists” in different locations (or maybe disciplines), give copies of the book to them, and ask them to put them in the hands of people who can use the information and apply it on a most widespread and useful basis in their location (or area of expertise). Using the example of at-risk youth – I don’t think giving the book directly to an at-risk youth would be the best way to go, but getting in the hands of their mentors – teachers, church leaders, etc. who can get the message across in a way that fits for them.
I also have been reading about the concept of unschooling (for my son) and I am excited to have found this book to help *me* do the same.
You *have* changed the world, for me, and many others I see on the board, and other places. I am excited to see the word get spread and I am here to help in any way I can!
~Marcie
I agree with what Glenn Dietzel
posted to his blog:
Let the right people find you –
Personally, I’d look to groups
committed to putting the ideas
into action through mutual
support.
That approach is likely to
garner some publicity too –
more so than if given to
individuals.
And I can’t imagine many CEO’s
who want these ideas in their
people’s heads.
I bought an extra 5 copies myself
and I’ve been kicking around what
I want to do with them.
I think I’ve found my idea here.
.X.
Donate the books to the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. I know the local Division Director (Fairfield), Joel Warren.
I am a guest speaker and business plan competition judge for them and working with that organization one of the brightest highlights of my pro bono efforts.
-Lena
Tim,
Great book and thank you for it. I have spoken to friends, and co workers about it. They laugh, shake their heads, and think I’m crazy. Guess some people are actually happiest when they are miserable.
As of where to hand out the 200 hundred books I haven’t come up with anything different from everyone else. I also wanted to say how much I like Dawn Gs idea. I believe every young adult should go through some type of similar program. If nothing more than a true to life financial class in high school. Remember the Cosby episode where Theo thinks he can move out and live on his own right out of high school? His parents gave him a months wages and had him pay what rent, groceries, clothing, etc.. would actually be for him. It definitely opened his eyes a bit. How much better off would we all have been with that type of knowledge and moral support. Good luck Dawn! You got my vote.
Kim
Tim,
If done right a book distribution like this could create a ripple effect that spreads the message further and further. An open-minded entity with a professional demographic is a book club. By targeting book clubs across the nation, you assure yourself that the copies will be approached with an open-mind and the ability to generate further buzz.
Have a VA use contacts in the bookstore network to research the top book clubs in the nation. Select some number of these book clubs and contact the administrators to express your goals in book distribution.
To those amenable to the idea, hold a formal competition among their book clubs (maybe the competition is a question similar to the one you pose here). To start, each club gets a handful of free copies. The grand prize for the winning club is a free speech/ meet&greet/ book signing/ feature on blog (any combination of the above).
Also, a heartfelt thank you to those who have expressed their support for me in the Endless Summer competition.
-Roger
Hi Tim,
When i first heard about you I thought that you are this guy:
Hehe
But then i got your book and I love it! I’m going to buy some copies for my friends.
Anyway, here’s my crazy idea. I remember reading about a site where you would type a serial number of a dollar bill and a place you got it from. Thank to that data (that you and other people gave) you could see the way that dollar bill was traveling.
I Think you could do the same thing with your book. Why not encourage people to give their copies of the book, or buy extra copies and give them to other people. From family and friends to total strangers that you met during your travels (inspired by the ideas from your book). People who got the book would put information (books serial number, location in which they got the book, lessons that they learned from the book, what have they changed in their lives etc.) on the site. Then the site (using maybe Google Earth or other tool) would show the way a book was traveling.
People who contributed this data would get access to new articles,interviews , resources and tips and tricks. The community built around it could be used to promote new ideas, connecting people etc.
That’s my idea, tell me what you thing about it.
Thanks for everything and sorry for my poor English.
I think Michael D. Ostrolenk, who posted about sending the books to Jerry Mintz at AERO, has the right idea. I know Jerry personally and he’d do great things with the books.
And if you’re seriously interested in making an impact on our educational system, I passionately invite you to check-out the Sudbury Valley Model of education where they fully support their students in a ZERO hour work week: http://www.SudVal.org
🙂
Brooks
Tim,
Sorry for the duplication.
Tim,
My suggestion for the distribution of your 200 books is as follows: I got the idea from my Dad who was a missionary in Kenya for over 30 years. Here is the idea that he used successfully. Dad told me, “Part of my instruction at our Pastor’s Training School was to teach some “Better Farming Methods” and to make better seed available for them to plant and grow crops. Some were really helpful and some were not. I did find out right at the start that they had some important things to teach me about farming in their situations. In planting potatoes they always planted a whole seed potato in each place. I saw right off an opportunity to increase their production by cutting the seed potatoes in about four pieces and thus plant four times the area with the same amount of seed potatoes. The pastors told me, “O they will not grow.” but could not tell me why. Needless to say I had a grand failure as few if any of the seed I planted produced plants, much less a crop. I found out later from one of the Agricultural Officials that they have some kind of bacteria in the soil that attacks potatoes and such that are “Damaged” and eat them up. Through this and other experiences I found that it is truly important to learn the language where you go to help, but it is also just about as important to learn the customs. In searching around for some better seed potatoes I found that Germany had a new variety of seed potatoes that produced from 8 – 12 bags of potatoes for each bag of seed potatoes planted. [This was so much better than the 4-5 bags they were getting with the ones they presently used.] I bought a bag for each of the pastors I was helping to train and gave them to the pastors with the responsibility of them returning to me a full bag of seed potatoes when they harvested their crop. When they did, I then required them to give that sack of seed potatoes to a friend and require the same of them so the seed would get out to many families in four or five growing seasons.â€? I say we use a variation of this idea and distribute your books to people who are in the process of living the 4HWW. Once they have achieved some success, require them to repeat the process with several people that they know and love. I know that personal testimony speaks volumes and would lend real credibility to this project. I look forward to helping you spread the word!
Ken
Hi Tim,
When i first heard about you I thought that you are this guy:
Hehe
But then i got your book and I love it! I’m going to buy some copies for my friends.
Anyway, here’s my crazy idea. I remember reading about a site where you would type a serial number of a dollar bill and a place you got it from. Thank to that data (that you and other people gave) you could see the way that dollar bill was traveling.
I Think you could do the same thing with your book. Why not encourage people to give their copies of the book, or buy extra copies and give them to other people. From family and friends to total strangers that you met during your travels (inspired by the ideas from your book). People who got the book would put information(books serial number, location in which they got the book, lessons that they learned from the book, what have they changed in their lives etc.) on the site. Then the site (using maybe Google Earth or other tool) would show the way a book was traveling.
People who contributed this data would get access to new articles,interviews , resources and tips and tricks. The community built around it could be used to promote new ideas, connecting people etc.
That’s my crazy idea, tell me what you thing about it.
Thanks for everything and sorry for my poor English.
Tim,
Congratulations with your book! I only found out about you yesterday and already my enthusiasm for success has been re-lit!
With regards to your book, I would place my aim at the man on the street, someone who would really benefit from a change in life, For good coverage across the age groups and a guaranteed talking point I would send a couple of copies to….. Barber shop’s! I cant remember ever going in a barber’s and finding anything worth reading, and what a talking point instead of the weather or football! and boy do those barber’s talk. They would tell a whole neighbourhood within the week!
Good luck
Daz
Tim,
Great book. Loved it. However, it has put it me in a more confused state than ever. Very uncomfortable indeed.
Quick question: What is your projected readership level and how do you feel about its current progress and pace?
Tim,
What are your plans in terms of escalating to the next level? If enough people care to act on your ideas, you will soon (very soon) find yourself living in a ridiculously populated pool of “New Rich.”
I wonder if there is yet another subculture of “Beyond New Rich” folks who are already refining their strategies and “bending future rules”. Where are you in that movement, Tim?
A FEW IDEAS — AND PARTY INVITE FOR ANYONE WHO MISSED LEARNING ANNEX
Thanks to all for some great suggestions. I’ve already dropped the books at UPS for future mailings and will be putting together a hybrid of a few ideas — keep them coming!
Ken, I’m pleased with the progress with the book but not satisfied. There is a lot left that it can do. A LOT.
As for “beyond New Rich”, I’ve been seeing (and experimenting with) some ridiculously cool refinements and variations of the ideas in the book. I’m considering putting together a larger program or online tutorial to explore more advanced concepts for those interested.
A world populated by New Rich would be a good thing. The more innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, the better — that’s what made this country and what will save it. Thinking outside of the box is where it all starts.
KILLER PARTY INVITE:
For anyone who signed up for the Learning Annex that was cancelled, you are cordially invited to a party tomorrow, Saturday, at 9pm in San Francisco. I know it’s short notice, but that’s how I roll 🙂 Bring your Learning Annex receipt and you get free entrance from 9-11pm. If you didn’t sign up for Learning Annex but want to join the party, bring some good vibes (and $10-20 for entrance) and join us anytime after 9pm:
Etiquette Lounge
1108 Market St., San Francisco
http://www.etiquettelounge.com/home.htm
Have a great weekend! I’m off to Hawaii on Sunday for some serious scuba and surf…
Tim
Send one to the survivor show creator and challenge 24 other ceo’s. You can include Donnie Deutsch.
Think reality show where you judge progress/offer help to all those ceo’s. Each week a ceo gets tossed off who did the worse job of applying 4hhw principles.
It would be hilarious to see some ceo’s trying to automate etc etc.
Just a thought.
More importantly-make sure and try a Pipeline Porter from Kona Brewing company while in Hawaii. Infused with Kona coffee.
Hi, Tim
Have you picked any publisher for Japanese version of 4HWW?
I’m a freelanced translator in Japan, and I will found a publishing company if you let me translate your book.
I’ve seen many good books translated by old, boring translators who don’t care about readability, but only care about “grammatically correct translationâ€?. As a result, they are popular only among bookworms. Harry Potter (novel, not movie) is not very popular among kids in Japan, because of this reason. It is popular among over 20yo ladies instead…
I can’t let this happen to your book.
I’ve been traveling around the world too (I’m writing this in a cheap hostel in Shanghai), and I believe I’m the only Japanese who is qualified to translate your book, because we share the same values.
I hope this abrupt comment doesn’t sound rude… I have total respect for you.
And don’t worry about my writing skill, I may not be good at writing English but very good at writing Japanese. And I will hire native English speakers too. Please check out my blog.
Ken
Hey Tim –
I would love to throw my name in the hat for a batch of those books. I started a marketplace for business ideas after the realization that I far more enjoy coming up with ideas and obsessing about the details for a couple days than actually executing the plan. It is called MentalKindling.com.
Anyways, I just launched the site and there is a lot of content in the queue, but I would love to be able to provide a free copy of your book with the first 25 people who request a cocktail napkin full of my brainstorming for a particular idea. The book would be the perfect counterpart of the “how” to my “what”.
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Scott
[…] Tim Ferriss blog he has a picture of his view of the Arenal volcano. He says he is staying La Fortuna, Costa Rica. […]
Tim,
Great contest! I just voted for Kristina…it’s great that she was living a charitable, passion-driven life even before she read your book and that your contest might help her expand it. What an inspiration! All of your contest entries are great, though. I’m sure this contest will get people thinking.
Julia
Tim,
I’d very much like a taste of being “beyond New Rich”. I hope you post some of those techniques soon.
Just came back from Times Square in New York City and completed one of your Questions and Actions – lie flat on the ground for 10 seconds in a crowded place. I must admit, it took me a good 20 minutes walking down 42nd street from 8th ave to 7th ave, back to 8th ave, back to 7th ave, back and forth for pretty much forever, pondering (fearing is the better word) whether or not I will pull it off without getting stepped on. On my 10th round around the block, I finally pulled together all my waning courage and plopped on the ground in front of Regal Cinama. Interesting feeling indeed… While lying flat on the ground in a crowded area, I couldn’t help but notice myself constantly blinking. Do you do so as well? I heard someone ask “Is he dead”? I heard someone say “What the ‘bleep'”? I saw (from the corner of my eye) some pass me by. And most interesting of all, I heard a guy laughing hysterically when I got up.
Tim, how did you come up with this idea for stimulating social liberation? I wonder how many of your readers actually performed this Question and Action. How many readers did you think would actually pull this off after reading your book?
Ken
Send the books to The Robertson Scholars Program at Duke. Started by Julian Robertson, founder of Tiger Management hedge fund. Gives full scholarships to 36 Duke and Univ. of North Carolina students each year–then forces “dual citizenship” at these rival universities to build a collaborrative network. Scholarship is only 5 years old and already making waves. They don’t pick per SAT scores or GPAs or Honor Society, etc. They look for mavericks, students who shake things up, innovators, inspired troublemakers. Program Director is Tony Brown, former CEO, Credit Suisse First Boston’s Equity Division. He launches social entrenpreneurial initiatives like a short order cook cranks out burgers. Endless energy and drive to teach students the value of being a change agent. http://www.robertsonscholars.org/
Hi Ken (and Ken, if there are two of you),
The 4HWW has been sold into Japanese, though I don’t remember the publisher offhand. I’ll keep you in mind for the next book!
As for the “time out” exercise, the origin is actually pretty funny. When I used to breakdance in NYC, NJ, and Philadelphia, the biggest challenge was clearing a space — a “circle” — in crowded clubs large enough to dance in. The solution, which figured out accidental when I once slipped, was to lay on the floor motionless. As the “is that guy dead?” murmurs grew and people stepped away in shock, you could bounce up and start doing footwork, windmills, and all the other joys of breakdancing. It’s really a fun exercise.
I’ve actually heard from quite a number of readers who have done this in places like Starbuck’s, Wal-Mart, crowded bars, etc., but Times Square! Way to go.
Pretty liberating, huh? I still do it when I’m taking myself too seriously. Being mature is so boring.
Keep it up, and pura vida!
Tim
Thanks, Tim! This is Mel, finalist #1. Talk about a happy Saturday night surprise!
Since I can’t travel the entire world studying engineering education on one round-trip and don’t have much money to travel with once I reach my destination, this is what I’m planning to do if I win. I’ll be going to the Philippines (where my family lives) in the fall to start a Curriculum Jam in Manila for One Laptop Per Child and using the $1000 to fund the event.
The idea: local educators will develop classroom activities (everything from games to videos to lesson plans) in a weekend, release them under open-content licenses, swap curricula with colleagues simultaneously Jamming in different countries (so far we have some planned in the US and Canada) and teach the results to local schoolkids aged 6-14 by the Jam’s end to get immediate feedback on their work.
It’ll build open-content educational materials (and contributors), bring Filipino teachers and students into a large and growing network of online education and technology collaborators, and give the OLPC project the much-needed perspective of students and teachers in the developing world.
We did a similar thing at the Game Jam in Boston last month and it was a blast; we built 13 educational computer games from scratch in less than 48 hours. The press loved it, but more importantly, so did the local kids.
This invitation goes out to everyone: If you’re interested in learning more (or better yet, helping out with) the Jam or with OLPC in general – please drop me a line. We’re doing the Curriculum Jam at any rate, but this would let us bring it to one more place where it’s needed.
Tim,
Just started your book and love it so far. As a mom and business owner, I don’t want more time for travel (okay, maybe Hawaii or Australia would be nice), but I really want more time with my kids and working at their schools.
Send your books to mompreneur or mom network groups. Women like us already fit more in one day than most dream of, if we can free up more time for education and molding our kids (and a little more beach time), well the sky is the limit!
I’ll second Uday’s suggestion (comment 7) about sending them to Babson College. I’m sure one of the entrepreneurship classes would love the book!
First off, love the book Sir. My favorite all time book and I have read over 3000 Non-Fiction books sense junior high. (ya ya I did read the part about not wasting time reading)
I propose a contest. Focused to college entrepreneurship students open to anyone who feels lucky. haha Give them 6 months. In that time they have to create a mini-business plan and find one investor to sponsor them. (no monetary sponsorship, just getting used to creating idea, pitching it, etc.) Put parameters on the business concepts. Maybe it has to be information based, they have to bootstrap to start it up. Create a starting point and ending point. Then see what entrepreneurs were able to get an idea, plan it, follow through utilizing your parameters in 4HWW. Have a stipulation of the contest that they have be able to verify income from business in some way. I think it could be a learning lesson and maybe the start of a practical how to guide to help people in the creation of the ultimate 4HWW business.
Just my ramblings, maybe a spark of an idea.
John
[…] Tim Ferriss’s blog he has a picture of his view of the Arenal volcano. He says he is staying La Fortuna, Costa Rica. […]
Tim, have you ever been to Rockin J’s in Puerto Viejo?
Cuando va a salir Costa Rica?
Pura vida mae.
Mateo
Tim,
Just finished your book and really enjoyed it. I too am a Vagabond and was out on the road a few years ago at the same time as you–in many of the same places. There is a lot of wisdom within the pages of the book. However, having spent a lot of time preparing for my own trips, I couldn’t help but notice a couple of gaps. For instance, you recommend getting immunizations one month before leaving but for Hepatitis A & B you need six months to get the multiple doses to develop immunity. I also think there are a few other things one could bring on a trip as well but that’s a matter of personal preference. I created a website called Trek Tribe (http://www.trektribe.com) to help people plan their own trips and it has many of the same sorts of checklists that you have. If you get a chance, could you check it out and let me know what you think. It’s a perpetual work in progress. Also, if you’re ever up in Marin County, I’d love to grab lunch or a drink. Thanks for the great book and inspiration! Peace, Tim
How about me? Can I get a cigar and a cocktail, too?
– Grayman
Tim,
I read your book, and it is awesome! I was thinking about what my muse could be, and I realized it was right in front of me. I’ve been learning about real estate investing for quite a while, but haven’t done that much. I guess my life has been boring, but seductively comfortable, and I always found an excuse to not “pull the trigger”. In your book, you talked about how seductive an easy boring life can be. That made me pay attention. I said, “That’s me!”
My original plan was to rehab ugly houses to sell at retail. This requires a lot of hands on involvement. My new plan is to rehab and hold for longterm appreciation and cashflow.
I will blend “old rich” proven business models and “new rich” techniques of automation together. I’ll use your techniques to automate things as much as possible.
Your book has been very inspirational for me. Please, on your next audiobook, do the voicework yourself. The guy on the recording I bought at audible.com is horrible (no offense meant if he is your relative or something) After hearing your voice on the virtual book tour, it is disturbing to hear the cheesy non-Tim voice on the audiobook. I had to shut it off after a couple minutes. I think the teleconference was a good idea. You could probably do more of those, but sell them.
Sorry for the long post, and thanks for the great book.
Steve
Dude, this book is the smartest, most fresh and non-sheeple thing out there. No wonder it’s so successful.
Thanks for writing it and being so generous with its content.
To rescue mind-sets and to create a lasting ripple, portion of your donated books must reach young, ripe brains, early in life. Selective high-schools should add to their curriculums.
Margo
off topic, but thought you’d be interested to hear that Sprint has fired 1200 customers:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/13650557/detail.html
Thanks for the $25 g.c. for Donor’s Choose! Here’s to literacy!
I’ve been thinking on the “where to donate the books” question and my thinking falls in line with Coach Kip’s. It bothers me that we’re outsourcing VA work to India for $15/hour (Get Friday’s latest price) when that’s an okay wage right here in (some parts) of the US. When I think of places like the Appalachian’s or even the border towns of So-cal and Texas–these people could work as “in sourcers” if you will. We need literacy, computers, and tech skills, BUT it could be done. And I’m thinking that you’re book has the kind of American sizzle to make that steak sell.
So I say give it to the working and barely-working US poor in tandem with a US organization that is providing entrepreneurial training.
How about donate the books after the researched has pointed to the location the people who are stressed out and are in dire need of understands value of mini-retirements. Such a place could be school teachers who have summer vacations and didn’t take advantage of mini-retirements or any seasonal workers.
A good place to donate is the business school library since they raise their own funds. Your book will be an asset to the library for the students’ personal and professional development. College students are open to new ideas and is already living the mini-retirements lifestyle and when the graduation is nearing and they change their thinking to 80 hours a week work. The book will save their life.
For anyone interested, some friends and I thought it would be fun to do a short video of my essay. I’d love some feedback.
Here it is:
Roger–that was fabulous! I loved some of the dramatic scenes by the fountain, like the silhouette profile.
Did you go to Japan already, or is that your next stop?
Roger – you continue to amaze me! I’m so proud of you and my vote, obviously, is for you! 🙂
I love the reality TV idea, for whatever reason our society has been drawn to these shows, especially ones that are unhaplpy with their own lives and are looking for some INSPIRATION!
Ken, I love your idea of translating into Japanese, distribute a few of those books over there and it will go like wildfire….I speak Japanese, so I will move to Japan and translate it with you!!!!
Reality show, Reality show, Reality show….watch people as they make it happen, or not….let ‘real’ people inspire ‘real’ people!! Give the books away throughout the show!!
Kimberly
Welcome to Costa Rica. I enjoyed your book and think it’s a good fit especially for this laid back Latin culture. Two quick points:
1) You mentioned Indian virtual assistants, but Costa Rica is the Western Hemisphere’s new hub for outsourcing (around 30,000 Costa Ricans employed at it currently, from 4 million pop.).
No offense to India, but people here often have less cultural distance with us and more tolerable accents. (Many of the outsourcing workers here either lived in the US or have worked with US tourists for a long time.)
I know several hundred potential virtual assistants, having worked with contact center job applicants here for a long time. Or just google it.
2) Tim (or other readers), I live on the border of a beautiful national park here in the Central Valley, with tons of barely known walking trails, views, waterfalls, and wildlife. If you ever want a break from the beach when you’re down here, feel free to look me up.
Roger, your journey continues to amaze me! I’m so proud of you and the person you’ve grown to become. I heart you 😉
I bought the book on Sunday and became an instant fan. Highly informative in many areas/layers. Really makes you think…..and I found parts quite entertaining as well! Thank you 🙂
As for distributing the books:
1) Perhaps a portion of them should be auctioned off on eBay (or some such) not for money but for a purpose. List it under education and/or business items and have people submit essays as to what they could do with a donation of these books. You could put the essays on this website for people to vote on.
2) Although I have never been bitten by the reality show bug myself, it’s ability to reach and influence masses is quite obvious. I do agree that it is a very good idea.
3) And I agree with the Oprah idea as well. Her influence is quite far reaching!
4) Besides your 200 books, perhaps the people frequenting this website could each buy a copy and give to their local school or library (or manager, CEO, Junior Achievement…whatever.)
If each person gave one book it would most certainly change the world! I’m not such a fan of just giving these books to colleges or specifically business colleges, but spreading the information across as many different cultures, backgrounds, economic areas, etc., etc.,
Sorry for the long post! Wish you all the best with your endeavors. And yes, I have already given my first book….to my kids!
Where to donate 200 books? BooksFirst! collects new and slightly used books and distributes them to under-resourced classrooms. The organization’s goal is eliminate childhood illiteracy. Got books to donate? Visit http://www.booksfirst.org to find out how to make a difference.
Also cheers to Roger in the competition–got to respect him for volunteering at the tutoring center. Good luck and best wishes to all the contestants.
Mucho Congrats to Everyone — AWESOME ENTRIES!! I’m casting my vote for Brenda, since her proposal embraces and encourages not only the top ten finalists in the Challenge, but all those who participated — including myself (#88 :o) I also like the fact that there’s an established network in place and a time frame from which to put these ideas into inspired action!
Thanks also for the gift certificate to Donors Choose. As a nontraditional homeschool mom, I’d like to see this idea expanded to acknowledge innovative educational endeavors outside of the System as well (including innovative school-free programs such as ours.) Traveling on “field trips” and learning together with our family is one of the many perks of unschooling.
The Secret CO-OP Model Learning Centres are intended to provide a worldwide connection for thinkers of all ages to experience true freedom in learning, and we’d be proud to include a copy of your book in the library of the first 200 centres to open around the globe ~ Buenos Aires, here we come (and thanks for the packing tips, too!)
Aloha a hui hou, Aikane ~
Your *Secret* Pal, Penne :o)
Tim,
just send them over here to Guatemala. The books will be distributed between English Language Students at professional academies and therefore be read by more than one person. Per printed edition the highest reader factor you can reach.
Greetings
Christoph
Tim,
Rather than be wasting time and blog space saying how I’ve become absolutely beserk about your book and its philosophy, let me just get to my request.
Please publish a blog or a book about how to find and successfully afforable classes in everything you’ve ever wanted to learn from mushroom growing to art history to finance to nuclear science. Also, how to fund your education, how to choose a college – ivy league or community, how to find those unkown treasure snippets of wisdom, knowledge, experience in education. I trust you best to do that over anyone else I’ve read.
Hi Guys!
What awesome feedback. I’ll be digesting this and getting things in motion upon returning to the mainland from Maui.
Speaking of awesome… Roger, killer video. Really well done. I dig the koi at the end.
To all who invited me to party/drink/connect in Costa Rica, muchas gracias por la invitacion! Les agradezco mucho. Pido mil disculpas pero ya estoy en Hawaii — asi que hasta la proxima!
G’night,
Tim
Tim,
I’d send 25 books to the MATCH Charter Public High School here in Boston, they are doing a fantastic job of getting kids out of tough situations and into college.
http://www.matchschool.org
Thanks,
John Wall
Tim, why not just put them in libraries, especially of top business schools
In response to the question of who/what to donate the 200 books to–How about a contest? In the book, you say that it’s better to find a need and fill it than it is to create a product and then try to find a market. So, why not throw it open to the world and see what entrants show the most promise of a 4HWW lifestyle. Personally, I think this book should be the basis of our education system as well as a college major. Just some thoughts. Good luck.
John McGeorge
Here is an idea for those 200 books…
There is a viral distribution of books movement called Pass the Book. (http://pass-the-book.blogspot.com/)…I’ve come across a few in youth hostels. It is very interesting to see how books can travel the world.
So…seed them to where the budding vagabonds are…these are the ones who will be changing the world…Just print the Pass the Book directions, put your name at top…and just sit back and see where they go (kind of like messages in bottles). Encourage them to let you know about where and when they found the book..and what they plan to do with the knowledge.
I am also very passionate about changing education, and have pretty well dedicated my life to it…and once I test my muse I’ll be hopefully picking away at the iceberg with you but from the other side…I sincerely hope more will be joining you.
Tim:
Thought I’d drop my two cents. Anyway, thanks for the spot as one of the finalists. Just checked back to the site and was pretty surprised. Also, thanks for the $25 gift certificate. An old friend had recently emailed and she is a part of the organization, so it was easy to find a classroom to donate the money, as she has some really great ideas and is great with kids.
As for the books, I have a different take. The books are most useful if they find their way into the hands of people who are most likely to understand the message and make change in their lives. This excludes the vast majority of people. Most people are too scared to follow the road less traveled by, even it makes all the difference.
B-schools, even entrepreneur programs send students down one path and most are motivated by this path. If anything, the audience is those who drop out of b school or are disillusioned with it.
I think the audience are those who are already somewhat adventurous and who have an entrepreneurial spirit. Is there an organization for those who dropped out of business school because they were disenchanted with the educational experience? Is there a different type of more enlightened business school?
What about sending 25 to a random hostel in Europe for backpackers to find? I remember backpacking around Europe and leaving one book and picking up another that someone had left behind. 25 books circulating among those adventurous enough to tackle backpacking on their own might be a good place to start.
The most motivated and like-minded group I have met was the leaders of student organizations while I was in college. What about picking a couple colleges and sending the leaders of the student groups a copy?
Finally, Fast Company has a list of their “hot” cities in the latest issue. Maybe finding somewhere in each of the hot cities, whether it’s a forward-thinking business, culturally relevant place or a university.
Anyway, just some of my thoughts. Thanks again.
B
[…] I did not notice in time to generate votes in my favor, but I managed to sneak in as a finalist for a competition inspired by the book, Four Hour Work Week. Here is the link. […]
I think you should mail them to highschools with entreprenuerial classes (get the teacher to recommend the book to their classes and perhaps make it required reading?) and to colleges with the same.
At risk youth is a good idea too. Perhaps gang banging won’t be as cool as making $40,000 a month in sales while travelling the world living like a pimp… plus… why not be a legal drug dealer if you’re going to be one? lol.
Alternative 1:
Supply the books to the valedictorians of the graduating classes of the top 200 colleges in the US. I will be happy to absorb the excess shipping cost resulting from sending the books in individual packages.
Alternative 2:
100 books: Eagle Scouts are generally over-achievers who enter the world with values, energy, a track record and plans. Many are destined to live a life of high impact. Unfortunately, many of them will be driven by the conventions of their roots into a life of slave-burnout-retire-die, and will never be able to impact the world with their full potential. Perhaps you can rescue them and teach them how to fully leverage their lives to truly change the world! Supply books to the 100 eagle scouts that reach 18 this year having earned the most merit badges and palm awards.
100 Books: I would supply the remaining 100 through an organization that recognizes young women of similar accomplishments and potential. Perhaps “CAREâ€? or Girl Scouts.
Contact up and coming successful network marketing companies to give ten books to each of those companies to give to their top network marketers.
You will find people who are trying to become the NR through joining network marketing companies.
After a 2 day stint in Herbal Life, I laughed at everyone else in network marketing for the next 20 or so years until I found a company that has combined the internet and real estate investing to train and mentor people in how to correctly invest in real estate to lead to financial freedom.
Why did I join? I was sick of how my life was going and I saw an opportunity to change my life. NetWorth and your book have helped me to believe I can see my dream of building modern, energy efficient and eco-friendly housing for low income single parent families become a reality.
Another team member in NetWorth recommended reading your book and I found your book the Friday before the fourth of July.
Unfortunately I was several weeks too late for your 36 hr week essay contest. So I hope I am not too late to say what I think 200 of your books could accomplish through people who have already taken a step to change their lives and share that change with everyone they ever knew and will know.
Hi again,
I think I entered your challenge a day or so too late, having just found out about it then, and it looks like you’ve already shipped out that 200, I think, though nothing is etched in stone. I’m also happy to vote for my favorite finalist, if it isn’t already too late for that, too. There are some really great ones with similar plans to the one I submitted, so I’m really happy and grateful that others were on the same wavelength.
Haven’t been here for awhile since the last email that there was a post related to my last one, though I really do love and embrace what your book teaches. As a not-so-young person, though I certainly don’t feel any older than an early 30-something, again, I was invited to Myspace by Jack Canfield as a member of his ‘list’, otherwise who knows when I would have checked it out, having the same impression of it as most. I was in large part wrong, so I’m also grateful to Jack for asking.
With regard to your book question, and in light of the above, I have the same passion for supporting our children and youth as those that do here. There are a number of passionate souls on Myspace that seem to be so engrossed in their respective causes that your book may not yet have crossed their radar. They’re not radical ‘fanatics’ either, rather, they’re younger versions, or as young at heart as we are. That said, I’m proposing that a bundle of 25 come to me, after which I give you my shipping address I will commit to identify those individuals who respond to my first official bulletin inquiring those who have knowledge of your book. Those who express they’ve heard of it and express the most desire to put principles into action will get a copy (without my announcing such in the bulletin, so their getting it will be a complete surprise).
Some will have already read it and may take the time to offer their personal reviews, which I may also utilize. The result will be your principle in action to those who may be able to touch a significant number of lives in addition to what they’re already doing. Based on the addresses they provide, I will qualify in advance according to each destination the cost of shipping, not a penny more; my labor of love will be the time involved in packaging each book and getting the estimates from the shipper for each address before they’re sent off, keeping the communications honest and clear.
This will be an interesting part of the journey in itself (when you’re ‘starving in college’ the ‘sacrifice’ of the shipping will be a chosen worthwhile and motivated investment, by those who will really inhale the book and use the information as quickly as possible, anywhere in the world); I feel it could lead to something truly significant that as you say our ideas spark new ones in you, what this could lead to through Myspace would not only help many, those who put your book into practice could make a serious impression on the poverty initiatives alone, which includes lots of young people driven on a daily basis to free children from not even another day of needless abuse immediately. I would love to do even more by way of your book in helping to make that happen.
I will create a new blog to record how this all plays out as it unfolds so that up-to-the-minute info on progress can be seen. Let me know what you think. Best, J.
P.S. I tried to find you on Myspace with no result, which I’ve learned doesn’t mean you’re not there, as who I’ve specifically searched for have either turned up on others’ pages or have assigned a designated individual to maintain their pages under certain criteria, which I understand (Example: Nelson Mandela). Or maybe you’re really not (which is okay, too, not that any approval is necessary).
Hey Tim,
Your photo of Arenal is broken! I was just there on July 19th and 20th, myself. My whole trip to Costa Rica was from July 14th-24th. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy/rainy at night for me to get the full view of the lava, but is was amazing nonetheless. I half-expected to bump into you while walking the streets of La Fortuna.
Pura Vida!
###
Hi Brandon,
Oops! The photo resizer I use spits out all smaller files with the same file name, and when I uploaded the Pocari Sweat shot, it overwrote the Arenal photo. I’ll get on it…
Cheers,
Tim
[…] How to Change The World with 200 Books – […]
I went to school with Mel, Candidate #1. I think a batch of books to Olin College, through its summer reading program, could have a huge impact.
Olin is all about paradigm shifts. We emphasize the need for change in technical education. This leaves us in a prime position to influence changes in the workforce. The students are passionate and curious, so they would benefit from the books, as well as connected, encouraging the propagation of your ideas.
Love,
Bonnie
Send the books the Ron Paul 2008 for president campaign.
Much of your lifestyle redefinition is routed in American having lots the core values set by it’s founding fathers: Freedom and Liberty.
Ron Paul will re-define America and allow Americans to live free once again within thier own country – then there will not be such a huge demand for a book such as yours.
I know this post is a month old but I have finally started reading your blog after my husband has been changing our process on already existing goals using a lot of your methods form your book. I don’t mean to get into all of that but it explains why I’m reading your blog in the middle of the night. (and researching info for my own web based company.)
For the best ripple effect I think as long as you’re patient, I think the best distribution of those books would be to parents. There may not be a drastic immediate change. Those families would read and change understand a more productive way of thinking but the dramatic ripple effect would come from the children of those families learning early on how to be productive without giving away their freedom. Their children will be born without the brain clog of the assumption that a company will take care of you.
I don’t mean to sound soft and silly but I do believe that to change a world you change the children. I am teaching my children to understand money and productivity and they will be prepared to teach their children. That’s the best ripple effect I can imagine.
I’m off to start reading your book now, minus all the parts my husband has already read to me!
[…] On July 4th, Timothy Ferriss wrote a blog entry about changing the world. […]
Here is the most effective way you could possibly distribute your book that would reach the people to whom it would make a difference.
Select a few of the top companies that represent everything that you prescribe NOT to be. Then work out an arrangement with their HR department so that HR gives a copy of your book to every employee that is fired.
Chances are good that the ones “lucky” enough to get an exit pass would benefit the most from reading your book.