Timothy “Tim” Ferriss (b.1977) is an American self-help author, entrepreneur, and public speaker. A great self-promoter, he is also an investor in Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Evernote, and Uber, and other Silicon Valley companies.
Ferriss’s first best-selling self-help book, The 4-Hour Workweek (2009,) was initially rejected by 26 publishers. He followed it up with two more books on the “4-hour” theme—The 4-Hour Body (2010) and The 4-Hour Chef (2012.) Ferriss later wrote Tools of Titans (2016) and Tribe of Mentors (2017.)
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Learn to ask, “If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?”
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Learn, Work
If it’s important to you and you want to do it “eventually,” just do it and correct course along the way.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work
Tomorrow becomes never. No matter how small the task, take the first step now!
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work
The key to having more time is doing less, and there are two paths to get there, both of which should be used together: (1) Define a short to-do list and (2) define a not-to-do list.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work, Doing
The most important actions are never comfortable.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Action, Act, Work
What you do is infinitely more important than how you do it.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work
It’s amazing how someone’s IQ seems to double as soon as you give them responsibility and indicate that you trust them.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Give, Trust, Responsibility, Work
It isn’t enough to think outside the box. Thinking is passive. Get used to acting outside the box.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Thinking, Think, Acting, Work, Act
Focus on being productive instead of busy.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Focus, Work, Busy
A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Success, Life, Work
That’s precisely the question everyone should be asking—why the hell not?
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work
Short, sweet, and to the point. Clear writing, and therefore clear commands, comes from clear thinking. Think simple.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Thinking, Think, Work
Fun things happen when you earn dollars, live on pesos, and compensate in rupees.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Live, Work
Resolve to do one thing every day that you fear.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Fear, Work
Slow down and remember this: Most things make no difference. Being busy is a form of mental laziness—lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Busy, Thinking, Act, Work, Think, Action
The commonsense rules of the “real world” are a fragile collection of socially reinforced illusions.
—Tim Ferriss
Money is multiplied in practical value depending on the number of W’s you control in your life: what you do, when you do it, where you do it, and with whom you do it. I call this the freedom multiplier.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Life, Money, Act, Work, Control, Freedom
Lack of time is actually lack of priorities.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work, Act
Most inputs are useless and time is wasted in proportion to the amount that is available.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work, Waste
Never check email first thing in the morning. Instead, complete your most important task before 11:00 A.M. to avoid using lunch or reading email as a postponement excuse.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Sin, Work
If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is, too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Think, Work, Better, Rest
I’m not a big believer in long-term planning and far-off goals. In fact, I generally set 3-month and 6-month dreamlines. The variables change too much and in-the-future distance becomes an excuse for postponing action.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Action, Work, Goals, Change, Believe, General, Dream, Future, Act
I open each class with an explanation of the singular importance of being a “dealmaker”. The manifesto of the dealmaker is simple: Reality is negotiable.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work, Sin
Just a few words on time management: forget all about it.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work, Management, Time Management
What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work, Doing, Fear
In all cases where doubt crops up, ask yourself, “If I had a gun to my head and had to do it, how would I do it?” It’s not as hard as you think.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Doubt, Think, Work
Don’t suffer fools or you’ll become one.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work
There is a direct correlation between am increased sphere of comfort and getting what you want.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Work
Personally, I now aim for one month of overseas relocation or high-intensity learning (tango, fighting, whatever) for every two months of work projects.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Learn, Work, Persona, Learning
The fishing is best where the fewest go, and the collective insecurity of the world makes it easy for people to hit home runs while everyone else is aiming for base hits. There is just less competition for bigger goals.
—Tim Ferriss
Topics: Security, Best, People, Goals, Work
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