Those of us held hostage by our fear of change eventually slide into a fog of mediocrity that becomes comfortable, familiar and safe.  Years can go by – often unnoticed –  until its much too late.  Then one day you wake up and scream, “is that all there is?”

For 29-year old Timothy Ferris, that day came pretty early in life – but the difference is he splashed some cold water on his face and made a u-turn.  In his new book which is netting lots of debate, “The 4-hour Workweek:: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich.”

Tim lays out his escape plan out that is based on the realities of today’s global workforce and the capabilities of anyone to do anything…. from anywhere.   See, he, like many of us, simply got caught up this never-ending rat-race – car payments, increasing mortgages, and a lifestyle to maintain. But rather than take it lying down, he looked into his future and <b> just said NO. </b> <br>

The 4-Hour Work Week  is an easy read that I bought for my husband but ended up spending my Saturday reading it in one setting.  While “accomplished” brainiac academics and insecure corporate drones will poo-poo his premise, methods and recommendations, I must admit I really liked it.  Certainly not everyone has the ability to do what he suggests (which is basically outsource your day-job to someone in India (details provided), find something else to do that makes revenue without you having to do much (like sell a product on the Internet and again outsource every aspect of it) and then you are free to travel the world uninhibited…  or to write that great novel you’ve been putting off. 

Ok I’m oversimplifying it – and I know it sounds absurd now – but I could sense the author’s belief in this, his passion for it if you will – with every page.  He believes in this – and you don’t have to.  That’s ok with him.  And that is enough for me.  At a minimum, it’s a brilliant commentary on our over-informed, rat-race culture and the sad realization many people are having when they go to work every day for 10 years and then realize their health is shot, their kids barely know their name, and they can’t remember who they used to be be before Corporate America sucked the life out of them.  Maybe its not the only book you read… but I definitely recommend it in your stack. 

• Competitors – the warriors of the office, to them business is a game.  They battle to get noticed, accumulate power and move up the food chain.  They excel at politics and are typically the ones running the show or poised to do so. They understand the rules of the game and know how to take advantage of office politics to get what they want.  If you aren’t a competitor, you may be completely blind to the fact that this sort of environment exists until now.
• Believers – yes I’m sorry to say these hard-working saps never get ahead but work hard because they believe in the cause and think naively that their efforts will magically lead to their inevitable promotion.  Sorry believers!  The competitors need you to stay just where you are so they can continue to get the lion’s share of the glory and keep you burning the midnight oil. If you suffer from burnout and can’t figure out why you never get any respect… watch out, you could just be a believer!   
• Rebels – these mavericks hate “the system” and consider themselves above politicing and people problems. They hide their insecurities with bravado and disdain but what is it really buying them?  Sure they are often the most creative of the bunch and when they have passion behind their purpose they will excel beyond belief. 

A quick read, you’ll come away with a greater understanding of the office politics, yourself and those around you.   Beyond that, you’ll gain some key clues on how to make the most of your strengths and how to better compete in any environment.  Understanding the Competitors’ “Ten Commandments Plus One”  will allow you to let go of the need for praise from supervisors, learn to live by your own decisions and how to read the writing “not on the wall.” It’s a paperback and available from Amazon.