Thank you…
Thank you…
Thank you!

The last two blog posts have moved me more than any others, and the new expanded 4-Hour Workweek has hit #4 on The New York Times bestseller list and #3 on the USA Today Money list!

In a future post, I will explain exactly what I did in PR and marketing (including recordings and screenshots) to help it happen, but the reality is: you made it happen.

You all rock. For buying the book? No. For making this community what it is. For helping one another and sharing your stories and lessons learned. For teaching me more than I can ever possibly teach you.

This is my dream team.

I’m leaving for South Africa this week (first time to Africa!), but I wanted to try and express my thanks before I left. There are three things I’d like to start with:

1) Free signed books at Samovar in San Francisco
2) Free round-trip ticket anywhere in the world per the last post
3) 600 free books on Facebook (+ Facebook bankruptcy template)…

1) Free signed books at Samovar in San Francisco

There are roughly 100 signed copies of the 4HWW–including both hardcovers and paperback galleys–available for free at all Samovar locations in San Francisco. Please ask the manager on duty, and there is a limit of 2 per person. Alas, once they are gone, they are gone.

2) Free round-trip ticket anywhere in the world per the last post

The winner of the video case studies from the last post is…. Chuck Holton!

Here were the top 8 most-voted videos:

I loved all of them and felt that it was hard to vote for one, as lifestyle design is — by definition — personal. That which impresses the most people might not be the best approach for you to emulate, if your circumstances are different. For that reason, I would like to mail a thank-you gift to each of the initial 15 case studies who were finalists. You know who you are.

If you were one of them, please e-mail Amy your mailing address with the subject line as “Video Case Study – [your name]“.

Use the e-mail address you used to post your comment (Chuck, please do the same for now). It might take a week or two, but I will send you a thank-you gift for taking the time to share and teach.

In a word: incredible.

3) 600 free books on Facebook

Not long ago, I declared Facebook bankruptcy and moved things around. In fact, I started over from scratch. 1,200+ unread messages required it. Information Chapter 11.

The catalyst was an e-mail I received from Paul Colligan, which inspired me to finally take the leap and get things under control. To tame the beast. Find his group e-mail here, which you can use as a template if needed.

Here’s what I’m doing as a belated Christmas giveaway: changing things up.

My Facebook peeps never get any love — it’s always my blog readers and Twitter followers. This time, I’m giving away 600 books using what Facebook does best: getting people in touch. The first 100 people to do the following will be mailed up to six books to share (1 for each of their friends, and 1 copy for them).

The three steps are simple and fast:

1) Step one: Take a picture of yourself holding a copy of The 4-Hour Workweek (old or new) and upload it to the Tim Ferriss fan page, so I can easily find the pics and contact you directly. There are more than 100 photos I’ve put nowhere else, and dozens of never-before-seen videos are coming. If it’s a Kindle or electronic version, just show it on the screen and you’re all set.

The link is:

http://www.facebook.com/timferriss

Having trouble uploading? Here is a tip from reader Cameron Hurd (Thanks, Cameron!):

…Try clicking on a fan photo, and then choosing ’see all photos’. The page will now have an ‘add photos’ link at the top. http://bit.ly/7rcbNE Or, once you’re logged in to facebook, click this linky-poo: http://bit.ly/8SQhnf

2) Step two: Tag 3-5 friends (no fewer than 3 friends and no more than 5) in the picture whom you’d like to give the new version of the book. They might be workaholics, travel lovers, recent college grads, people who hate the rat race, or even your parents or siblings. Be sure to tag at least 3 of your friends in the picture, but don’t tag more than 5 friends total. There are a limited number of books I can give away, and I want as many people to have gifts for their friends as possible.

3) Step three: Post reasons and a link. In the photo description, you need to do two things: explain to your friends why you chose them, and link to either the post of case studies or this Slideshare presentation. Feel free to write your own, or you can mix and match these templates:

1. I’m calling you guys out — you’re workaholics! In an effort to reduce your work hours and re-kindle our friendships, I want to give each of you “The 4-Hour Workweek.” More to come soon. If you don’t know what the book is about, here it is: http://bit.ly/7ntXSU [or http://bit.ly/87GkE5]

2. Hey friends! I want to give you all a copy of “The 4-Hour Workweek” (which is why you’ve each been tagged in this picture). More to come soon, but I should have a belated Christmas gift for you :) If you want a sneak peek of the book, check this out: http://bit.ly/7ntXSU [or http://bit.ly/87GkE5]

3. Hello fellow travelers! I want to give each of you a copy of “The 4-Hour Workweek.” It shows you how to travel at 50% off, hire virtual assistants for next to nothing, and otherwise live like a king or queen overseas. The author is sending out a ton of free copies of the book. More to come soon. If you don’t know what the book is about, click here: http://bit.ly/7ntXSU [or http://bit.ly/87GkE5]

Unfortunately, due to logistics, I can only mail books to addresses in the US. Shikata nai and lo siento mucho!

There are 48 hours.

The three steps must be completed by 12 midnight PST this Thursday, 1/7/10.

What then?

Nothing — that’s it. One of my assistants will contact the first 100 people via Facebook in a private message no later than Sunday (1/10), and you’ll be asked for your shipping address. The books will be shipped next week.

In closing, and this applies to all of you international friends as well:

I dislike shopping, but I love finding the perfect gift.

Finding that gift, though, gets harder with time. Those damn adults seem to already have everything. That includes me.

More salt and pepper shakers? Nah. Alternate versions of the shirts I got last year? No, thank you. In the eternal quest to eliminate clutter, I now give Santa a not-to-buy list instead of a wish list.

If you’re having trouble thinking up killer (in the good sense) gifts, here are 12 goods that deliver.

All of them have either changed my life or saved my ass…

—

#1 – Israeli SilentEar Ear Plugs – $17.90 for trial pack

I have tried almost every earplug and noise-canceling gadget on the market, from $1 throw-away pairs to Bose headsets. I wasn’t really satisfied until I ordered these SilentEar plugs, introduced to me by Andrew Rosca when we were traveling in Vietnam. Get the trail pack, which includes multiple sizes. It’s not fun to order the wrong size and have to re-order.

#2 – Zorba the Greek – $10.20

Zorba the Greek is one of the two most impactful books (the other is the short Letters from a Stoic) I’ve read in the last two years. It’s both Epicurean and Stoic philosophies wrapped into a laugh-out-loud story you will never forget.

#3 – Fujitsu ScanSnap S300 Color Mobile Scanner – $242.99

This is the only scanner I have ever liked. Like isn’t strong enough. I love this scanner and have used it to remove at least 90% of the paper from my life. No more binders and folders for records, no more stacks on tables and desks.

I’ve never had a single paper jam, and it’s small enough to throw in a backpack for travel.

#4 – YouBar Customizable Protein Bars – $15+

Forget the maltodextrin-laden candy bars masquerading as meal-replacement bars. Adding protein to a Snickers bar does not make it good for you.

Skip to YouBars and create your own from all-natural ingredients. I suggest about 12 grams of protein per bar for optimal texture. Delicious and unique to you. They will even label the bars with someone else’s name for gifts.

#5 – Kershaw Ken Onion Leek Serrated Folding Knife with Speed Safe – $36.30

I have collected knives since taking pack trips through the Teton mountain range as a teenager.

This Kershaw knife with “open-assist” (basically a side-opening switchblade) is the most all-around convenient and beautiful knife I currently own. Fixed blade knives are awesome, but the balance and utility of this Kershaw blade is outstanding.

Be sure to get it with the serrated edge.

#6 – The 4-Hour Workweek Organic Yerba Mate Set – All profits go to DonorsChoose.org – $49 (only 250 sets available)

This is an exciting one for me. Samovar Tea and I have partnered to create an Argentine yerba mate set of three mate blends!

Here’s the bonus: All profits will go to DonorsChoose.org to benefit US public school students, and when you buy the set ($49), you get a $50 gift card to DonorsChoose! For obvious reasons, this is limited to 250 sets.

Yerba mate, with it’s unique nutrient and stimulant composition, is my favorite beverage on the planet. 3-4 hours of kick-ass zen productivity with no caffeine crash. Most people have never tried organic mate, and this is your chance.

#7 – Motor Trend 11-410 Power Center Jumpstart with Compressor – $84.16

I bought this Motor Trend device after getting stranded at the airport due to a dead battery. This compact powerhouse has prevented disaster on at least half a dozen occasions. From inflating tires to jumping the car without a second car, this is the Swiss army knife of fixing car trouble. I don’t take any trips without it.

Sidenote: The reason my battery was dead the first time? GPS plugged into the adapter. Even though it was turned off, it was draining the battery while I traveled. Unplug or be prepared.

#8 – Logitech Squeezebox Boom – $275.37

The Logitech Squeezebox Boom was my introduction to Internet radio streaming at home. Though I now use Sonos for higher-end playing, Sonos costs 4-6x as much as this simple and compact device. The Boom allowed me to listen to Pandora (here is my channel) and Rhapsody, the only two places where I now find and listen to music, while jamming on whatever needed jamming.

I haven’t seen anything better for the price.

#9 – Kindle with Global Wireless – $259

I resisted the Kindle for ages, as I like to take copious notes in my books. Then I went traveling with Matt Mullenweg and Kevin Rose on two trips. Then two things happened. First, note-taking became possible (which you can export as text files), and second, I was getting scoliosis from carrying a stack of books with me while Matt and Kevin sat pretty with their slim Kindles.

So I bought one. Now I won’t go anywhere without it, though I still prefer reading paper at home, so I often get both paper and digital copies of books I like.

#10 – Aqua Sphere Kaiman Swim Goggles – $11+

Some of you might recall how I conquered my fear of swimming. I went from a maximum of two laps to almost two miles in about two months. It’s still hard to believe.

In doing so, I logged a lot of swim time–I now love swimming–and tried every goggle out there. These are the bomb and elegantly seal the eye chamber without me feeling like my eyeballs are getting sucked out of my head. In world where it is rare, these puppies are comfortable and stay in place.

#11 – Sous Vide Supreme – $449

I first saw this French-inspired water oven, designed by Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades, demonstrated by the world-famous Heston Blumenthal, head chef at the Fat Duck restaurant in the UK, which was voted by his peers as the best restaurant in the world in 2005. This is the first device to allow the “sous vide” method (French for “under vacuum”) of cooking at home.

I had the single best chicken and steak of my life using this machine. It is possible to evenly cook just about anything while retaining all of the juices. From main courses to desserts, Heston called it the greatest home cooking innovation of the last several decades.

#12 – Dedicated Virtual Assistant Through AskSunday – $279

AskSunday is the personal outsourcing service I’ve used most in the last two years. Speed-dial a NY 212 number and get connected to someone in India or the Philippines who speaks English well and can do just about anything. For everything from fact-checking to travel on the run, it makes life infinitely easier.

#13 – The New and Expanded 4-Hour Workweek – $14.85 (Kindle $9.99)

First, let me apologize, as I know this is my book. But there is a good reason.

The truth of the matter is that since April 2007 when this book first came out, my life has changed dramatically. It’s hard to believe how much has happened. 100s of case studies have come over the transom from 35+ countries, I’ve found gaps in the material, more families have provided tips, and this new and expanded edition adds in everything I’ve wanted to add for the last 2.5 years. It quite simply applies to more people and provides more examples.

Don’t get me wrong: the older edition still works just fine. This version is just better, and includes the best updated resources as voted on by 60,000+ people.

If you order two copies, you can get free shipping, so why not give one to your friend or dog? Dogs love the 4-Hour Workweek.

I will also do a live 2-hour Q&A on Dec. 22nd for all who order now. Take a perusal through the new edition and think up some questions!

###

Happy hunting!

May you get what’s on your wish list, and give the same to your loved ones.

Dean Kamen is no stranger to innovation.

He’s also no stranger to doubters and skeptics. People said the Segway was impossible, but Kamen disagreed, and he was right.

“Don’t tell me it’s impossible,” he says, “tell me you can’t do it.” “Tell me it’s never been done. Because the only real laws in this world–the only things we really know–are the two postulates of relativity, the three laws of Newton, the four laws of thermodynamics, and Maxwell’s equation–no, scratch that, the only things we really know are Maxwell’s equations, the three laws of Newton, the two postulates of relativity, and the periodic table. That’s all we know that’s true. All the rest are man’s laws…”

-From Esquire profile titled “How Dean Kamen’s Magical Water Machine Could Save the World“, December 2008.

Dean was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1997 for his biomedical devices and for making engineering more popular among high school students. He was later awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2000 by then President Clinton for inventions that have advanced medical care worldwide. In April 2002, Kamen was awarded the Lemelson-MIT Prize for inventors, for his invention of the Segway and of an infusion pump for diabetics. In 2003 his “Project Slingshot,” a cheap portable water purification system, was named a runner-up for “coolest invention of 2003″ by Time magazine. In 2005, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for his invention of the AutoSyringe. (source: Wikipedia)

Be careful about trusting intuition, but be more careful not to bend to the majority for whom “impossible” is a comforting excuse for inaction.

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It’s finally time to tell you all.

My next book will be a hacker’s guide to the human body. The working title is “From Rapid Fat Loss to Strongmen: A Guide to Becoming Superhuman.” It has actually been planned for more than two years.

I’ve recorded almost every workout I’ve done since age 15, and my house looks like an ER, with dozens of gadgets and medical devices for capturing data. I’ve had hundreds of blood tests performed and have been doing this since 1996, with costs now totalling well over $100,000. I’ve taken my weight from 145 lbs. to 225 lbs. (lean) and back down, and I can remove or add 20 lbs. in 3-4 weeks on-demand.

So, what is the result of all this OCD madness?

I can show you how I safely do things outdated physiology textbooks tell you is impossible. This isn’t because I have some unique intelligence. It’s because I’ve tested the most basic assumptions of nutrition and exercise… and I experiment with outrageous alternatives that end up working.

Cut 2% bodyfat in two weeks? No problem. Increase muscular strength 30% in 48-72 hours, or drop 50-100 pounds of fat? Not an issue. I’ve done the guinea pig shotgun approach so you don’t have to. I’ll spare you the 10,000 pages of literature on a given topic and give you the one unusual 1-2-3 method that produced unbelievable results. That is not to imply this book will not be limited to me. I’ll attempt to include replicable results on multiple subjects (of both genders and including 60+-year olds) instead of “It worked for me, therefore it will work for you” in almost all cases.

Self-experimentation galore, cutting-edge labs from the Ivy League to the Middle East, interviews with superhuman athletes, and a guru-killing examination of results with some of the brightest PhDs and MDs in the world will form the backbone of this book. It will be equally designed for men and women.

And I need your help.

I am looking for research assistants to help with this book, as well as elite athletes (national level or above), trainers of elite athletes, case studies, MDs/PhDs/researchers doing interesting work, and anyone else who thinks they have something that could fit in human performance. Normal people who’ve made incredible progress or found an unusual method that works? Let me know.

Just send me a quick note here.

The 4-Hour Workweek has been sold in 35 languages, has been on The NY Times business bestseller list for more than 2 years unbroken, and has hit #1 NY Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and #1 BusinessWeek, among others. I expect this next book to be MUCH bigger. The names and findings of those featured will be launched worldwide.

Some of the topics I will address include: fat loss, muscular hypertrophy, and reversing injuries (acute, but especially chronic). There will be dozens more, but I have to keep them under wraps for now. I apologize, but trust me — you won’t be disappointed.

Can you help, or know someone who can? Please let me know here.

Exciting times ahead :)

If there is one thing I’ve learned from this blog, it’s that the readers here — that’s you — have some stellar ideas and skills.

For the next book, tentatively titled “Becoming Superhuman”, I would therefore love to invite any designers out there to throw their hat in the ring for the cover design, especially talented beginners who might not otherwise have a chance to work on a project with international reach.

This is a 7-day competition, and the clock is already ticking…

The last book is now in 35 languages, and I’m hoping the next book will be much bigger. I’ll be firing all cylinders and then some.

So here’s the deal: I’m not a corporate type, but I have to play nice with my publisher. Sooooo… I’m forbidden from making any big promises, and I need to make a few things clear. So here goes:

1. I will offer $250 to four of my favorite designs, but this doesn’t mean any of them will end up being the cover. There is a good chance all of them will be vetoed completely, so the $250 is offered as a good faith gesture. Obviously, if we do use your cover, you will get cover credit, fame and glory, and there is the possibility of a follow-on agreement.

2. If we borrow elements or concepts from your cover but don’t use the whole thing, I will make sure you are recognized and thanked, whether in some form of partial/conceptual credit or in the acknowledgments.

3. That said, the publisher’s in-house design team, a few freelancers, and I have been working on tons, and I mean tons, of different cover options. This means that there is a distinct chance we might have tried concepts you might try. Please don’t assume we stole it if things look similar. It’s not in my best interest to screw anybody, and it’d be idiotic to do it so publicly. That’s not how I roll.

4. By submitting your design mock-ups and cover ideas, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions. Please read them here. It basically says that once you submit anything for evaluation purposes, you can’t sue me or my publisher. Unfortunately, in a world where people sue McDonald’s for pouring hot coffee on their own genitals, this lawyering is necessary to prevent any misunderstandings.

The Upshot

Best case scenario, you get $250, your cover on a huge international bestseller (awesome for a major portfolio jump), full cover credit, and all the perks that come with massive recognition.

Worst case scenario, you give it a shot, have something new for your portfolio, but don’t get recognition or money.

For those interested in submitting and giving this a shot, here you go! Just follow this link to 99Designs for all the juicy details…

Good luck!

For those who think I’m a jerk for offering the above, please feel free to protest by not submitting. Feel free to call me names, too. I find “sweetcakes” particularly offensive. Just ask yourself this first: would you submit a design if it would take you a few hours and it might be featured on a Times Square billboard with full credit, even if for no pay? If not, I’d consider you unique. If yes, then recognize there are benefits to certain projects besides the compensation. Not that this cover is comparable to Times Square, but for a designer looking to break into a new and lucrative niche (book covers), or an experienced designer who can kick out a good design quickly, it might well be worthwhile to give it a shot. Realize also that there is a good shot we’ll end up using an inhouse cover, so the $250 is intended as a good faith gesture.

For a thoughtful critique of this post, I suggest the following article, which is the best written I’ve seen: Is Tim Ferriss Acting Like an Asshole?

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