What I learned from Tim Ferriss

I am sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to Dusseldorf on my way to Italy with my wife (No Kids:-) for some much needed R&R.  And I am just back from a seminar in Austin which I normally would not have thought to attend.  But what I am about to tell you is very significant and may even shock some of you.  In fact, this may be one of the most important posts I have ever made, so please read it all.  I would also very much appreciate your comments and thoughts about what I am going to say.  Please leave them below.  Here’s the story.

Some of you know who Tim Ferriss is. Until about 2 weeks ago, I actually had no idea. Then a good client of mine called and said “Doug you have to read this book called the 4 hour work week, its by this guy Tim Ferriss.”  As a rule I generally read every book that is recommended to me. I considered it basically a sign from the Universe that I need it. And when the recommendation comes from a client and friend, I don’t even stop to think, I just push Buy Now on my iPad.

The bottom line is that I was blown away by the book. It is brilliant. I could not put it down.  So when that same client called me again about a week later and said, “Hey Tim is speaking at a Health & Fitness Internet Marketing seminar in Austin, Texas next weekend and I am going“, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tag along.

As you know if you are reading this blog, I am not in the health and nutrition world. I am an asset protection attorney. My world is helping people protect the money they have worked hard for from lawsuits and predator attorneys. But I have also learned that getting out of my bubble is sometimes the most productive thing I can do. And right there in the midst of learning about squeeze pages, product launches and belly fat, I received a gift from Tim Ferriss.

On the last talk of the last day of the seminar in the last 5 minutes of that talk someone asked a simple question. “Tim, your blog is one of the most read blogs on the internet, and all week we have heard from every single speaker that you should never pass up an opportunity to sell. Sell in your emails, your webpage, your blog, everywhere, do not be afraid to sell, sell, sell. But I have been reading your blog since your book came out and I notice that not once have you ever sold anything. Why is that?”

I looked at Tim, who was on stage pausing, clearly considering how to answer this question to a room full of internet marketers.  And after a very long pause, he said the following:

“I don’t sell on my blog because I believe that my Net Worth is what I have after

I take away all  my possessions and my  money.”

He went on to explain his basic philosophy in life, which is virtually identical to a saying from Africa which my wife often says:  “I would rather have the person [reading my blog], than his money“.

And while this may seem odd or even counter-intuitive being repeated from someone who works to protect my clients from losing their money in a lawsuit, I can tell you that having held the hands of hundreds of people as they go through traumatic situations in life around their money, that this statement is 100% true.

I sincerely hope this means something coming from the nation’s leading asset protection attorney.  Protecting your money is prudent and wise, but PLEASE do not make the mistake of judging your worth in this life by numbers, unless you are counting people.

Thanks Tim!

Douglass Lodmell

Credit: Photo by DragonWoman