I Used to Worry About Money. Then I Inherited...

[digitalnomad]

Lots of artists, writers, and other hippie jobs-- to be sure there were a few lawyers, doctors, politicos and biz folks but the majority were in the arts. Nothing wrong with this if u have a trust fund.

Honestly, even with a trust fund I'd feel guilty slacking on easy street. Just couldn't do it, after watching my father sell his soul to get from rags to riches, only to die of cancer at 68.

 

[Zzzz1]

How old a guy are you if i may ask? Congratulations on the baby from my side as well.

Thank you-- Not bad for an old guy! In case anyone needs clarity on my comment- i met my bride on this site-- hence my reply to Baron.

surf

PS- and no, I did not marry a "surf groupie". Lol!

 

[Zzzz1]

Very well said, thanks for sharing this Baron.

It makes sense if you think about. Many famous people have been interviewed over the years and asked what are their top rules for success in life, and more often than not, one of those rules is to "Find your purpose."

When an entrepreneur cashes out of a business for a big sum, he may have gained money but he also lost the one thing he really needed in order to have meaning in life, which was his purpose. And when someone loses their sense of purpose, all sorts of negative emotions like fear and anxiety start filling in the mental space that purpose once occupied. And once the mind starts going negative like that, the body usually follows.

Oprah Winfrey said, "Your immediate goal is to find out what your purpose is, and the sooner you do that, the sooner you can get on with the business of fulfilling that."

Having a purpose in life is where satisfaction lies, but it's not one of those things that just falls into your lap. It's like best selling author Michael Pollan said, "We aren't just given a purpose or meaning in life. We must derive it from experiencing life on our own."

I can honestly say that I get great satisfaction and a sense of purpose from running Elite Trader. It may not be the grandest purpose anyone has ever had in this world, but it's mine, and it brings me a lot of joy just knowing that what I'm doing brings people together in a unique way.

 

[smallStops]

Both nicknames start by Z , so "where is the love" ?

 

[felixbocharov]

Health and family matter most! Money is secondary.

 

[lawrence-lugar]

There is no endgame with the pursuit of happiness (and worry) -- it's either initially money, ...relationships, purpose, health, power, politics, the world, etc.

 

[Frederick Foresight]

There are multiple stories of people cashing out for large sums, retiring and dying soon after. One guy retired to aspen and dropped dead 5 weeks later skiing.

Maybe he should have taken lessons.

 

[Frederick Foresight]

Reminds me of an old "The Far Side" comic. One of the most esoteric panels ever published by Gary Larson.

I loved Larson's "The Far Side." And here's what happens when you lose your sense of purpose:

 

[Frederick Foresight]

When an entrepreneur cashes out of a business for a big sum, he may have gained money but he also lost the one thing he really needed in order to have meaning in life, which was his purpose. And when someone loses their sense of purpose, all sorts of negative emotions like fear and anxiety start filling in the mental space that purpose once occupied. And once the mind starts going negative like that, the body usually follows.

I agree, but I think there's a nuance to it. A sense of purpose provides direction, which is important. But people dying soon after leaving the work that defined them also likely lost their sense of self. It is unfortunate that many people, more men than women, associate their self-worth with what they do for a living. Their self-image lies in their careers, so that when they call it a day for whatever reason, there's nothing left.

True, they should have sought a new purpose, but I imagine that the ones who succumbed never quite got over the hump of leaving behind what defined them. It is unfortunate that we tend to derive our self-worth and identity by what we do for a living. We are more than that. Perhaps the people who sought a new purpose and flourished realized their lives had value irrespective of what they did and just continued on with the next phase of their lives, jumping in with both feet.

 

[marketsurfer]

Maybe he should have taken lessons.

This wasn't a Sony Bono tree crash-- more like a heart attack.

surf