Tributum Newsletter #67
Hello
After last month’s newsletter #66 a friend asked to borrow my copy of Tim Ferris’ “4-Hour Work Week”. Being a bit selfish I read the book again before making the “investment” in his future time by lending it to him. I just want to use two quotes that the author used in the book:
“We create stress for ourselves because you feel like you have to do it. You have to. I don’t feel that anymore.” Oprah Winfrey
“One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.” Bruce Lee
The following story is also in the book and I am setting out the Dirk’s Digest version below:
A venture capitalist on his 2 weak (not a typo) annual break in Mexico is on the beach looking at a fishing boat coming to shore. He then watches a man and presumably his teenage son clean and sell the fish to tourists walking by. The son leaves with some unsold fish and the man then sits on the beach with some friends, drinking a beer while looking at the ocean. The venture capitalist walks over and asks whose boat it is. “Mine” the man says. The venture capitalist then tells the man that instead of him and his son going fishing he must employ some of his friends so they can catch more fish. With the extra money he will then have to buy more boats and employ more people.
The venture capitalist goes on to say that the man will then have to incorporate, buy bigger boats and start to buy upstream and downstream opportunities – building his own boats and fishing equipment and buying a fishery from where the fish can be distributed. Once this is all operating smoothy the man will have to consider an exit strategy like selling the business and retiring with millions.
The man then asks the venture capitalist how long this will take. The venture capitalist thinks and replies that if all goes well the man will have to work at this for between 15 and 20 years. The man then wants to know what he will have to do after that. The venture capitalist thinks a while and then suggests that if he wants to, the man can retire somewhere near the sea, fish with his grandchildren and spend his days drinking beer with his friends while sitting on the beach and looking at the ocean…
The idea behind the “4 Hour Work Week” is not to work just 4 hours (unless you can), but to simplify life so that the “want to’s” can exceed the “have to’s”. Sounds extreme, and it can be, but it can also be simple. Start by applying the following principle – if it’s not a hell yeah, it’s a no. Apply this to things you think you have to own or have to do. KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid. Life I mean. It will throw enough curve balls to make it difficult without you adding more. Less is more – some more thoughts in that in next month’s newsletter.
For now, enjoy the repo rate cut. It’s not very big, but hopefully it’s the start of a downward trend that gets the economy going. And start thinking about how your life can be simplified. Until next month, keep breathing.