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#248August 23, 202153:30

#212 - Why You Shouldn't Be A Slave to a 40 Hour Work Week

About This Episode

Sam and Shaan explore the origins of the 40-hour workweek, arguing that it is a relic of the industrial age that is poorly suited for modern knowledge workers. They discuss alternative work philosophies like 'working like a lion' and the 'new rich' model, which prioritizes time freedom and high-impact sprints over constant busyness. The episode also features anecdotes about career evolution, the future of work as small 'missions,' and Shaan's personal encounter with a rattlesnake.

Episode Description

In this episode Sam (@theSamParr) and Shaan (@ShaanVP) discuss alternatives to a 40 Hour Workweek. They start off with Tim Ferriss & his ideas around mini retirements followed by the work ethic & career drive of people outside the US. They then dive into Naval Ravikant and his origin story, his thoughts on work, and his vision for the future of work. They end the episode with a few stories about rattlesnakes and bees. --------- * Want to be featured in a future episode? Drop your question/comment/criticism/love here: https://www.mfmpod.com/p/hotline/ * Support the pod by spreading the word, become a referrer here: https://refer.fm/million * Have you joined our private Facebook group yet? Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/ourfirstmillion and join thousands of other entrepreneurs and founders scheming up ideas. ---------

Show Notes

  • * (1:04) The 40 Hour Workweek
  • * (3:56) The Science of Fear
  • * (7:57) What Shaan learned from The Four Hour Workweek
  • * (11:23) Mini retirements
  • * (13:35) What it's like in other countries
  • * (17:35) Living like a lion or cow
  • * (20:04) Shaan on Naval
  • * (27:05) How to get rich without getting lucky
  • * (29:27) The future of work
  • * (36:51) The history of writing
  • * (41:17) Beware of the rattle snack
  • * (48:05) Bert behind Bert's Bees

Key Takeaways

1

Adopt the 'lion' work model by performing high-intensity 'sprints' on high-value tasks followed by periods of rest and observation, rather than 'grazing' like a cow with constant low-level activity.

2

Prioritize 'effective wealth' by calculating your freedom number—the amount needed to cover your life costs—and optimizing for time and location independence rather than just a high salary.

3

Prepare for the 'Ocean's 11' future of work, where small, specialized teams of independent agents assemble for short-term 'missions' with high bounties rather than staying in permanent large-firm structures.

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Quick Stats

Duration53:30
Guests0
Ideas Discussed0
Topics0