phaithful

So I just finished reading an article in the May issue of Details, The article is entitled, The New Salary Envy: You're making good money, so how come everyone is earning more than you?

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems

The basic premise is that no matter how much you make, you are still unsatisfied with what you have and always try to obtain more and more.

The guy who makes six figures envies his friend who just cashed in his stock options for a few million. His friend, who is spending his millions on an extravagant vacation to France and staying in a different chateau every night, is envious of someone who makes millions a year... Business class and first class flights are not enough because others have their private Lear jets.

"A million seems like a disaster to me," one hedge-fund manager says. "People a lot stupider and less talented are making more."

What Drives You?

What's beyond that? Do you want to make more than your friends? What if you do? Then do you want to make more than your boss? Then what's next? Bill Gates?

I have to admit... I have a fascination with increasing my wealth just like these guys in the article. Although I don't float the credit card debt like these guys to live the high life, I still have that aspiration to "make it big"

I'm not exactly sure where it comes from. Is it society, was it something I learned from my parents growing up, is it just peer pressure, is it the girlfriend? ... all these things could be factor and one of many things could have been the trigger, but in the end... I've really got to ask myself, what is it you really want?

My Revelation

With anything I do, I know I have to enjoy it and love every minute of it. Otherwise, it's just not worth doing. The temptation of money, power, and position is all around, and the hardest thing is not to become obsessed. Although I'm a "kid" by many people's standards and still haven't lived enough of life to really reflect back upon, I believe the advice I'd give myself is this:

Do what you want, and do what you love. If you do both well, then success and happiness will follow.