Book Review: ‘4000 weeks’ & What it means for my training and life
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This person told me about a book he read, and enjoyed so much that he went to a special event to listen to the author speak about.
Technically, this is a ‘productivity’ book. But I promise you, it’s not what you’re thinking - after getting stuck into the audiobook with my wife on a couple of long drives, we very quickly discovered it goes far deeper than that.
Oliver Burkeman’s book ‘4000 Weeks’ offers a profound and refreshing perspective on time management, nudging the reader to rethink their approach to life as we know it, and its finite nature.
The book’s title is a reference to the (roughly) 4000 weeks that make up the average human lifespan, anchoring its core argument: that our time is incredibly limited, and most traditional time-management techniques we see on YouTube or popular magazines, always fail - because they aim to squeeze infinite productivity out of a finite existence.
Why ‘infinite’? Because, think about it - you find a quirky new way to free up your time… and then you fill that time with more things that make you busy! You can’t win.
Rather than chasing endless efficiency, Burkeman advocates for embracing our limitations and focusing on what truly matters. The result is a thought-provoking exploration of the psychology of time and a guide to living more meaningfully.
The central theme of the book is the futility of attempting to control time. Burkeman critiques the modern obsession with productivity tools and life ‘hacks’, which promise to ‘free up’ time but often lead to that overwhelming pressure to accomplish even more.
He argues that these strategies only perpetuate the illusion that we can dominate our schedules and avoid making hard choices. Instead, the author advises us to confront the reality that we will never get it all done, and just focus on the very few pursuits that align with our deepest values.
You can’t go to every sexy holiday destination you see on instagram. You will never complete your mile-long bucket list. So guess what? You’re going to have to choose. This acceptance of limitation is paradoxically liberating - it frees us from the tyranny of perfectionism, and the idea that we can actually do anything and everything, and achieve the ultimate efficiency.
The coolest fact I learned in the book was the origin of the word decide:
It literally means to cut-off. To free ourselves from this trap, we have to be ruthless in establishing what is important to us, and savagely rejecting the un-important.
Eliminate, to accumulate.
This is the hardest thing to do in today’s society, where we are spoilt for choice and are presented with the illusion that we could have it all.
Another key takeaway is Burkeman's emphasis on embracing uncertainty and imperfection. He uses philosophy and psychological insights to show how our fear of missing out (FOMO) and need for control often lead us to postpone meaningful experiences or avoid challenging but worthwhile endeavours.
By accepting that we cannot do everything or know the outcomes of our choices, we can focus on engaging fully with the present moment. Ie. Let things unfold without trying to force the issue and impose your will all the time! This mindset shift not only reduces stress but also encourages deeper connections with the people and activities that matter most to us.
I remember as this photo was being taken, with my nephew and my brand new wife, standing there and thinking what an amazing moment it was.
Considering this outlook on life, I’ve thought that maybe I should just settle on my ‘holy trinity’ (I’m not religious), which is all I really care about:
My body
My family
My calling
My ‘body’ is not just my physical health, but also my mental and spiritual (again, not religious) wellbeing. I’ll keep looking for new ways to do this - as there’s always work to do.
My ‘family’ doesn’t just include my immediate family: my wife, my mum and 2 older brothers, my sisters-in-law, my 2 amazing nieces and my nephew, but also some very important people to me who represent my closest circle.
And my ‘calling’, as you may have guessed, is what you see broadcast out to you on a weekly basis, whether that is via my newsletter, my LinkedIn or instagram, my online community, or my core offering: 1-to-1 coaching. My wife and I were talking about our respective businesses recently and after some probing, she made me realise I don’t have a mission statement for GJP Elite. She sat with me and helped me talk through why I do what I do.
‘Why are you here? What is your purpose and why that? Why not something else?
The GJP Elite mission statement:
‘Help as many people as possible to their dream of health and fitness. Educate, inspire, change peoples minds about health and exercise, and motivate and support them to take care of their bodies for their most fulfilling life, and a better society for all.’
The book also critiques the cultural narrative that life’s value lies in achievement. Burkeman dismantles the myth of the famous ‘work-life balance’, suggesting that attempting to juggle every responsibility flawlessly only leads to burnout. Instead, he talks about ‘radical acceptance’ of our limits and recommends consciously prioritising activities that bring joy and fulfillment. He uses practical concepts like ‘settling for what’s good enough’ and ‘failing better’, which empower readers to make peace with imperfection and find satisfaction in small, meaningful accomplishments.
Ultimately, ‘4000 Weeks’ is an awesome take on mortality and purpose, challenging us to live intentionally within the constraints of our limited time. Burkeman’s wisdom and key message is that we should finally stop seeking some mythical and magical rigid system for life and productivity, and instead, shift our mindset: the brevity of life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be embraced.
By letting go of this daily pressure to optimise each moment, instead we can focus on what truly matters and cultivate a richer, more fulfilling life.
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