I know I have this tendency to believe that the rules don’t apply to me. Or that I am an exception to something. Maybe this drives to me to succeed in areas where others wont, simply because I have a belief that makes me feel I belong in some other place…so then I work to arrive there.
Lately, it seems this general way I am is making me believe something like “I shouldn’t have to work for money.” I question the idea of money at all. I QUESTION EVERYTHING. And when I question it, I doubt it and I separate myself from the idea. If I’m separating myself from the idea of money, then I’m not going to feel very motivated to actually go and get money now am I? Now, I am NOT separated from the idea of doing things for others, and currently, I am doing software development for another (a company) who happens to pay me. Its what I was taught, its what I know, so its what I’m doing. If I was bad at this, I’d be seen as lesser by my peers, and potentially by my family.
In trying to not have to work for money, it is clear that a significant amount of work must be done up front in order to achieve that state. This work can be building a business, or learning investing and then performing enough successful investments to multiply thy savings to a retire-able amount. (Of course there’s the option of saving money from our income for decades an then retiring, but the whole point is to FIRE. (Financially Independent Retire Early))
So, if I must perform a significant amount of work…what should that work be? What should the FOCUS of that work be? Should it be
“to earn as much money from as little work-time as possible”
or
“to earn as much as possible from doing what I love doing”
or perhaps
to earn as much money as quickly as possible by whatever means (morally) necessary
with “morally” here meaning, whatever we are ok with doing. Sure, selling drugs might be very lucrative, but if we’re not willing to go there…then obviously its not a consideration.
I seem to be in a comfortable spot at number 1. This means I’m still trading work-time for money.
Number 2…although it doesn’t necessarily mean trading work-time for money, it carries with it a feeling of resentment about money, that money cannot be earned from doing what you love doing, and that there will be struggle to earn.
What would the “Choose Two” triangle be for money?
- Money, Passion, Free Time — Choose two
So where does this put me?
I want to be earning more money from less time. Or, I want to be on my way to receiving a large sum of retire-able money.
However, though I definitely like the idea of earning money for less (or no) time…my soul seems to disagree. In other words, that time is what is valuable, and so that is what I should be selling…my time.
If time is valuable, then maybe I can save someone time with a product, and sell them that?
What if people don’t actually spend less time doing things when they use my product? Well…maybe they’re using that saved time doing other related things, or, my product sucks and isn’t actually saving them time.
Here is an idea that’s been given to me by some friends and for some reason it still hasn’t stuck…
you can’t control your customer
if I build something that saves them time, and they don’t use it, that’s on them. If my product says “use this with other tools” and they don’t, that’s on them. If they purchase it and don’t use it at all, that’s also on them!
So where does that leave me?
Well…
- if I care about my customer (which of course I do…but if I care TOO MUCH) → then I’ll be worried that they’re not using my product correctly, and perhaps I’ll feel guilty that I sold them in the first place.
- if I care about doing things I enjoy, and I enjoy solving certain challenges, and I can turn those solutions into products → then I’ll be happy to earn money from the solutions that I built.
I like the sound of number 2. I think I’m living number 1.
Maybe what I need is
- If I want to earn money, then go build and sell things that will earn me money, and start caring a little less about where that money comes from. If I’m solving challenges I like, then call that good enough.
- Put myself out there and market. Market myself and my products, for the sheer reason that I created something and I want to world to know about it. Or I can offer something and I simply want to find people who are interested in my offering.
Of course the world is full of fools…and as such, fools will buy. Of course the world is full of doubters…and doubters will not purchase. Yet the world is also full of believers…and believers will happily buy, if you convince them.