Happiness vs Riches
Here's a question for you. Are you doing this new business venture through WA as a way to reach happiness? or is it to get super rich?
What is your real goal here? What is the destination you are trying to get to?
It's Funny How We Set Our Goals
I surely want to earn money to be well enough off, so that I can do the things I enjoy. I definitely want to be able to pay my bills and be able to be with family and friends. I'd love to travel (more). I don't need to be a millionaire to achieve that however.
Is it about the steps to take us to a place, or is it about the destination you want to reach, no matter what way we need to take to get there?
Minimalism or Being Grateful
We have to be grateful for the things we got in life. I've read many books in the past weeks. Among them is the book of Marie Kondo and the Minimalism documentary on Netflix. Keep what is sparking joy, says Marie Kondo. Once again the happiness sparks here something within me.
Minimalists live with the bare minimum of stuff around them. Some of them travel.
Being grateful with what we got already. We are lucky to be born, lucky to have parents that put us in this world at this very moment. Grateful to have that "shitty" job that earns us a living, or grateful to have an opportunity to do something about it all online.
Don't Stare Too Blind On The Money
Let's not race after the big riches. I've met people that are most unhappy but have a 500.000 USD on their bank account resting. They are too scared to take it out and use it on something.
Being rich isn't everything either and most people that have gotten rich quickly, have no clue how to keep being rich. Most of them lost it within a couple of years. There are plenty of examples of those.
How Rich Do You Need To Be?
How much money do you really need? Do you really need to live in the best neighbourhood? Do you need that expensive house? Do you need that big car?
I battle with these questions as well on a daily basis. I got a house and a big car. I got them cheap, but all the same, I do wonder if I need them to that extend. Could I live with a smaller car? Could I possibly move to a place where I don't need a car or where I would easier get a job?
Do I use all the subscriptions that I got still? Could I run my websites cheaper than they are now?
What is the minimal amount of money you would need to survive? If you know the answer to these questions, you know how much you will have to work for - wether that is a regular job or your new business venture you just started. More importantly, will you be happy with that?
More Important To Be Happy
Happiness is within you. I am not telling you to stop with your website, by all means, build it out. Especially when it is your passion.
If you got the boring job, but it is paying the bills, than consider whether it is worth to stay with it to enjoy true happiness after work at home, or whether you should find a job that is more fitting to your passion.
If you got a burning passion, then you should start a website, or a youtube vlogging series and add social media to the mix. In fact, you should do anything within your power and time to fuel your passion.
If you are not ready to take the deep plunge yet, you could also just find a job that is related to your passion, to explore more of your passion and to pay off the bills.
Please share your thoughts below!
Recent Comments
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A great post and some good thoughts, Steven. Personally, I think having enough money to enjoy time doing the things I want to do, is my aspiration, Alan
The ideal mix would be to have a website that you loved to do - then happiness could potentially lead to wealth.
Do what you love and you will never loathe going to work.
Easier said than done normally - but WA allows us to choose.
It is one of the reasons I love being part of WA.
For me it is currently a story of not really knowing which thing I want to go for. I have many interest, many hobbies, many skills, but haven't figured out yet what the eventual main thing is that I like to do more with.
People would say: just choose one, but I don't feel that I know which one is going to be that one. It's a little sounding like indecisive, but maybe I am quite sure that deep within I have made already a choice, just can't put a word to it yet.
Maybe the fact that I chose to document the entire journey, is going to be the actual direction I choose right now.
WA allows us mostly to build a site. They cannot make us choose nor make a choice for us. We don't need WA to make a living or to start a business, or to make choices in life. We do perhaps need the knowledge to make a successful website, generate traffic, monetize traffic and run a business - that's what WA is for.
Steven
You are correct, WA cannot choose for us, nor can they ensure that we will actually do the work that is necessary to succeed. They simply provide the tools.
I am still working on a choice for a final website that I will pursue. I have started a few, and I have purchased several domain names. But while making that choice, I am learning the methods that will help me succeed.
Currently working on an online shop that I will be running in conjunction with a brick and mortar location. I have managed to leverage the things that I learn here in WA effectively.
I really like that I can ask a question here and get a response, that is simply that. An answer to my question, not an attempt to sell me something. That alone is worth the price of admission here.
Hi Steven, great post. I know my riches, my trips to Vegas and my Bugatti are all heading my way. Maybe not this year. I just have to be persistent, focused and determined. WA has deprived me of sleep, a computer I threw out the window, frustration and a lot of other things. The success it has given me are the friends I have gained, the hope I had lost and a sense of achievement to me those are all priceless. If it makes any sense, I could have all the money in the world and yet not be happy. The wealth I seek is in having a sense of purpose and getting over the hurdles without getting caught up in a knot. I hope that kind of answered your question, I still am half asleep. Once again someone switched the keys on my keyboard, but I will make it work.
All the best,
Michael
Hey Michael,
Are you saying you got your Bugatti? Or was that a side joke? I know that Kyle was 1.April'ing that amazing car. It is though a fuel car, you could just aim for a Tesla ;) Just saying.
I think you nailed the answer to my question however, and I praise that you are on your way to get there!
Steven
Thank you Steven, no Bugatti for me. I have a 75 Buick LeSabre Custom convertible with a big 455 cu.in engine. I think my pride shows. This car is just fine in the warm weather. Mainly used in shows. The other, one seems to attract the law too much and the other is a winter beater.
All the best,
Michael
These are questions I ask myself too Steven. It can be a difficult balance of work, life, money, and enjoying free time. I find that I'm more interested in "success" than money, but even then, success can be hard to chase because your idea of success always changes.
Success definitely is a good one too, as long as it makes you happy or creates happiness within you.
I don't think this is a question of balance. I think it is a matter of priorities. Sure, we need some money to survive, for that is how the world works.
It's not a world of barter (aside from the fact we can still use some forms of barter in the marketing world - and even money is barter), but we don't need to be extremely rich to live well or to be happy.
Aside from the monetary need, we mostly need to find purpose, fulfillment, happiness, find gratitude and love family and friends.
Naturally, I cannot tell you what you should do or go after. Money can surely be a goal and a thing to experience.
I think that if you go after a passion you will experience work as life and work and life as passion or hobby and hobby as work and so on. It will all be one thing and it won't matter anymore whether you work 16 hours or 6. Most likely you will share this all with your family and friends, so it will become a natural part of your life.
Maybe that is too idealistic, not sure. It is something I try to aim for however.
Success seems to be hard to chase, but perhaps this is defined in your ever changing destination.
Steven
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I'm just looking for retirement security. I wasn't lucky enough or smart enough to have retired with a pension. My 401Ks took a beating from the dot com bust of 2000 and the financial melt down of 2007.
So my financial goal here at WA has been to supplement my retirement income. I'm not driven by a need to have a 6 figure annual income business.
Happiness is my answer Steven ... retirement supplement is my goal.