12 Inspiring Quotes for Small Business from Tim Ferriss

If you haven’t heard of Tim Ferriss, it’s not for a lack of his trying. Ferriss is a successful entrepreneur who has shared his strategies for success on his blog, and in several best sellers, including The Four Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. It’s a remarkable book with a compelling premise: anyone can work just a few hours a week and live like a millionaire. Even if your goal isn’t to work less than an hour a day or to travel the world while you work, he shares lots of good advice for small business owners who want to do things more effectively. The book has been the subject of both positive reviews (Fast Company named him one of the Most Innovative Business People of 2007) and negative critiques (Wired called him the “Greatest Self Promoter of All Time” and accused him of taking every idea to the ridiculous extreme.) Mr. Ferriss might be inclined to agree with both, but then his ideas appear to be working for him, at least.

No matter how you feel about Tim Ferriss the man, he has a talent for finding new ways to do things better, faster and cheaper—whether it’s work or play (the subjects of his other two books). We’ve recently been re-reading the 4 Hour Work Week and thought we would share a few of the things Mr. Ferriss has said that might appeal most to other small business owners. Take a look:

“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.”

“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.”

“Tomorrow becomes never. No matter how small the task, take the first step now!”

“There is no sure path to success, but the surest path to failure is trying to please everyone.”

“It isn’t enough to think outside the box. Thinking is passive. Get used to acting outside the box.”

“For all of the most important things, the timing always sucks. Waiting for a good time to quit your job? The stars will never align and the traffic lights of life will never all be green at the same time. The universe doesn’t conspire against you, but it doesn’t go out of its way to line up the pins either. Conditions are never perfect. ‘Someday’ is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you. Pro and con lists are just as bad. If it’s important to you and you want to do it ‘eventually’, just do it and correct course along the way.”

“One can steal ideas, but no one can steal execution or passion.”

“What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.”

“A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.”

“Becoming a member of the new rich is not just about working smarter. It’s about building a system to replace yourself.”

“Most things make no difference. Being busy is a form of mental laziness.”

“By working only when you are most effective, life is both more productive and more enjoyable. It’s the perfect example of having your cake and eating it, too.”

—Timothy Ferriss, Author and Entrepreneur