[Editor’s Note: This is Part 2 of The Four-Hour Phenomenon Series. If you missed the first article, check it out here.]
For those of you who actually give a damn and want to change your life to push it to the next level of awesomeness – Welcome back for part 2. Things are about to get serious now because we are talking about how you are going to mould your life into what you want it to be. This session will involve the first 2 steps – Figuring out what you want and how to eliminate any obstacles that stop you from reaching your goals.
Tim Ferriss introduces you to a concept called ‘Lifestyle Design’. If the answers to the next few questions are a yes, then you are on your way- Q1- Do you want to be your own boss? Q2- Do you want to pursue your dreams and still be financially fulfilled?
Ok, so what do you need to do now?- Write down three things you want/need to do– Write it, do it now. You heard me, get your pen and paper (yea don’t need an app for that). Write it down; physically writing down something is a better memory muscle than leaving it as a byte of forgotten information on your phone’s memo list. Also, remember to keep this list at a place where you can see it every day as a reminder. Your closet door, wallet, etc. are good spots as reminders.
Good examples: Want to start up a business in 6 months, learn how to swim and get those illusive 6 pac abs. Having these additional goals will be extra motivation because you are consciously trying to enhance yourself in all aspects as a human being.
Now, write down three corresponding things that stop you from reaching each of the goals you’ve just set. These could possibly be your nightmares, weaknesses and things you dislike handling.
Corresponding examples: A loan to pay, fear of water/water bodies and tough work schedule/massive family pac covering your abdominal area!
How to go about carrying out your task whilst tackling those annoying evils-
- Remember to apply the most efficient methods to anything and everything you do. Remember the keyword here is efficient and not economical.
- You take baby steps but significant ones. A baby takes steps to learn crawling first and then learn walking. All of these are major events in his/her life. These smaller rewards push you to bigger goals and bigger rewards subsequently.
- Do important tasks with a shorter deadline. This creates more focus and better results.
- Remember this is the four hour phenomenon, catered to people especially locked in hectic schedules and no time to follow their dreams. You cannot rush to build 5 pounds of muscle over-night healthily or create a concise and profitable business plan over a weekend. This is a process and the process only takes four hours a week or less and you’ll get there! (Thank you Tim Ferriss!!)
Follow the above two steps and share it with us and we will see how soon you can achieve those goals and you may even come up with more efficient methods. A 1 hour work week perhaps?? Now for some important closing words-
Understand that you are the master of your life, your mind is laying the fears that paralyse the very same mind and body from going all out and reaching what may actually be easily within your grasp. It is quite forgivable that you let your culture and backgrounds define your circumstances but let me end with one quote that has been the motto of my life-
“Anyone can achieve their fullest potential. Who we are might be pre-determined but the path we follow is always of our own choosing. We should never allow our fears, or the expectations of others to set the frontiers of our destiny. Your destiny can’t be changed, but it can be challenged. Every man is born as many men but dies as a single man.” – Martin Heidegger
Stick around for part 3 of 5. We will move on to automating business and income and how to completely liberate yourself to become a new age entrepreneur. But don’t forget to do your homework with the two steps above. If you don’t want this for yourself, then go ahead live your boring life but don’t waste your time or mine! Till part 3, fellow Ferrissians- Adios!
