Don’t Do It for the Money

  • Posted By: Bob Buskirk
  • 4 Comments... What do you have to say?

This weekend on my Personal Day I was watching a lot of TV, and actually there was something interesting on. The Science Channel has their Geek Weekend, which focused on the history of personal computers etc. On the one show they talked to a lot of the people who revolutionized personal computers. The interesting thing about all of these people is that they were doing what they were interested in, not what was going to make them rich. Most of the successful people in the technology industry did not go out looking for fame and fortune. Yes money is good motivation, but if you doing something you don’t enjoy is it really worth the money?

Now I don’t make a ton of money, but I do make enough to live in a nice place and have some nice things. When I was growing up everyday my Dad would come home pissed off at work. I always would notice that and told myself that I would not end up like that. I wanted a job that I enjoyed doing. Because of this I went full steam with ThinkComputers and my other sites instead of finishing school and getting a normal job.

I started ThinkComputers as a hobby, something I enjoyed doing and was interested in. I never thought I would be doing it as my job. I also never imagined it making any money. It was always a hobby to me, I did it in my free time. Finally after realizing I could make money off it I wanted to see where it could take me, and now here I am. As long as I’m doing something I enjoy and it’s paying the bills its well worth it for me. Don’t try to go out and make all the money because you can only be motivated so much and it’s not so easy to go out and make a ton of money. If you are doing something you enjoy you will be much happier and more motivated to make it big.

  1. Damien said on May 21st, 2007 at 2:23 pm

    Even Howard Koch loved what he was doing when he was designing the fast food commerce of McDonald’s. You are right that innovation is the child of enjoyment.

  2. Joel Szerlip said on May 21st, 2007 at 3:24 pm

    If you don’t enjoy what your doing, and your only in it for the money, then it will only last so long before you burn out. That is what happens with many people in mundane jobs, if you work for the money and don’t enjoy what you do then either a) your not going to do a good job or b) your life is going to be miserable.

    I choose doing things I actually enjoy doing.

  3. Shawn Knight said on May 21st, 2007 at 9:24 pm

    Same here - hell I started my first site using Geocities cause I wanted to show off some case mods. Never imagined id end up where I am today :)

  4. Jacob said on May 21st, 2007 at 10:10 pm

    That’s the important thing. If you love something, you will succeed a lot more than if you are only doing it for the money. Money is a good motivator, but having a love for something is better.

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