Ever since the book, the 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss, there seems to be this gold standard in entrepreneurship that the goal is the freedom to travel and live your life while your business practically operates itself from the influx of all the passive income.
I want to talk about this!
Because there are many factors at play here and the risk is that you decide to pursue a soul-led, passion-fueled endeavor but when you find yourself working 80 hours a week as an entrepreneur instead of this elusive four, you think you’re doing something wrong.
Is the Dream Sustainable?
Let me tell you. I have been co-creating with entrepreneurs from their copywriting to their content, to their brand strategy and buzz plans, and I have yet to see ANYONE work a 4-hour workweek! They may work long weeks and then take vacations, but make no mistake about it, work is getting done to get them there.
If you READ the book, you will also find that SOMEONE is working those hours, it’s just not the author. The book is about outsourcing and leveraging your knowledge.
So there are more than 4 hours of work that need to be done each week to run a successful and profitable business but Ferriss is about efficiency, leveraging your work in the form of passive or residual income, and outsourcing when you can at a lower cost so you can have the freedom lifestyle you desire.
The 4-Hour Workweek is a Myth!!!
Which is why I want to talk about this because I’ve come to realize that so many new entrepreneurs set this extremely-hard-to-attain metric as their measure of how well they’re doing and it often leads to a lot of heartbreak and broken dreams because that kind of outsourcing and proficiency in your business comes with experience, an in-depth understanding of who you serve and what they want from you, and a OK-ness with having free time on your hands.
If you don’t yet have clarity in your business and know how to convert prospective clients to buyers, it’s OK. You will get there and it may take time, trial and error, and effort.
It’s better to measure your success in terms of moving the needle forward in your business and gaining momentum over how many hours per week it takes to do this.
Not everyone is ready to manage a team, outsource and can afford to pay others right from the beginning, and let’s be honest, it can be fun to work at your own business when you become your own boss which will make it hard to manifest the 4-hours only per week anyway.
Give yourself time and explore whether or not “free time” is the only measure of your success.
UNLOCK YOUR GENIUS WITH YOUR SOUL’S SIGNATURE ENTREPRENEUR BLUEPRINT
Beyond the Hours: Finding Your Why
Who wouldn’t want free time? Let’s talk about this.
It sounds so good to say you want a freedom lifestyle and that you don’t want to work. But is that really true?
Is the goal to sit on a beach all day every day or is there more to it?
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with travel and luxury, but what I’ve found with the clients I serve is that they are trying to make an impact.
They love teaching techniques to support someone’s nervous system, they enjoy sharing tips on manifestation and self-worth and are passionate about encouraging people to go after their best lives.
They may unlock health struggles, release energy blocks, foster community, or share mindset shifts that bring a more positive outcome in the workplace.
Working 4 hours is NOT really what it’s about if they stop and think about it.
Instead, it’s about sharing their wisdom, making an impact, and hopefully leaving the planet a little better off than how they found it.
More recently, it’s also become about being confident in the chaos and leading through challenging times when the world looks explosive and corrupt – and how to find footing and navigate that and then help others do the same!
I’ve encountered so many entrepreneurs who think they want the 4-hour workweek but honestly, if they really stopped to think about it they are creators, teachers, and healers at heart and enjoy spending time doing those things.
Redefining Success: What Matters Most to You?
What most people are likely saying when they say they want to work less, is that they want to feel aligned to their soul purpose. They want to feel like they are making a difference, that their work has value, and that they feel good about showing up every day to their career or business.
Most people actually can’t work just 4-hours per week without getting restless and going stir-crazy!
Take my husband for example. He would be thrilled to surf every day at lunch but beyond that, he can’t sit still! I’m always saying “Just sit down” so we can watch one show together but it’s hard for him to relax – even on vacation.
So would he be doing something else if we could travel unlimitedly? Maybe. But I think he would be bored after a few months and be ready to work with a team and contribute again because he seems to really enjoy that.
Bottom line, we all think we want to work less, but is it really more about spending our days doing what we love instead?
Let’s Reframe the Conversation
If you had all the money in the world, what would you do? Is it travel? Is it start a non-profit? Is it help the Earth? Is it paint, draw, photograph, or create?
Thinking about why you want the 4-hour workweek will help you know if you want a business where you manage several people to have that kind of time off (some people hate managing people!), or if there’s another business venture out there for you where you do what you love full-time.
Because there IS a difference!!!
The Truth About Passive Income
In any case, let’s stop this idea that we all need a 4-hour workweek because it’s making new entrepreneurs feel like there’s not a WHOLE bunch of work upfront that goes into attaining that.
I remember when I bought a blogging course from Create & Go because their six-figure blogger lifestyle looked so appealing. When they shared what it took to achieve that – they had both quit their jobs, moved into a free home with money saved, and worked 17-hour days eating only eggs and rice for months – well it was an eye opener for me.
That “passive” income was actually very active, head-down, work-hard income. This doesn’t mean they weren’t doing what they loved and had made a career out of it, it just means that it took TIME to achieve those results and keep them up.
In their case, it allowed them to travel with a “wi-fi” tribe of other entrepreneurs who worked remotely and got to see the world. But the keyword there is “wi-fi”, they still were working but had redefined what that looked like for them.
Work can be fulfilling, but it depends on how that looks for you! Is it expansive feeling or restrictive?
It’s like that expression, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life again”. You’re still working, but hopefully, you can do it in such a way that feels meaningful and fulfilling. Perhaps even answering your soul’s calling along the way?
In any case, the 4-Hour workweek as described by Ferriss is a MYTH! People get rich, sell businesses and retire – but they don’t get that way working only 4 hours a week without outsourcing any of it.
So if you are craving a lifestyle with more financial freedom, just know that it will take time to set up, gain momentum, and put the pieces in place to get there. Don’t give up too soon!
What are your thoughts?
How about you? What does success look like for you? Is it time to be creative? Free time? Vacationing? Working remotely? Working with a great set of co-workers at a job where you feel valued?
I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
XoXo,
If you’re struggling to understand who you are as an entrepreneur, I highly encourage you to schedule your Soul Aligned Entrepreneur Brand & Visibility Accelerator package where we dive deep into your Soul-Aligned “WHY” and you can begin to embody your big-picture vision with Soul Alignment and actionable steps that help you set up a business that matches your energetic needs!
