A little while ago I was watching a series of interviews on TV featuring famous professional golfers Greg Norman, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Peter Senior. Now I'm not the world's greatest golfer, but as these great players were being interviewed, I became really interested. I'm always fascinated by stories about what makes successful people succeed. What drives them, how they think and why they do what they do.
As these four great golfers were asked why they played golf, it became very obvious to me why they were so successful: "I love playing golf." "I love to try and beat the best players in the world." "I love the competition." "I love the challenge." "I love to meet all the interesting people I come across when I play golf." "I could play golf every day, all day long." "I think I'm one of the luckiest people in the world. - How many people get to do what they really love and make a lot of money doing it?"
As I watched and listened, I thought, that's it! These golfers were not playing for money! They were playing because they loved to play the game of golf. As the interview progressed it also revealed that many of them also had built up some very successful and lucrative business ventures. I was fascinated. After the interview was over I poured myself a drink and sat out on the back porch to reflect on what I had just heard and observed.
I thought that surely in the early days money must have played a part - perhaps even a big part - but money was never the primary motivator. When I looked at Tiger Woods who became a world champion golfer in his early twenties, his prime motivation certainly did not appear to be the money. He truly loved the game and was not chasing the glory and the money. He just seemed to be having fun playing golf. He seemed to thrive on the challenge. The more he loved what he was doing, the better he played and fame and fortune just seemed to flow into his life.
All of these golfing pros were passionate about the game of golf. I really couldn't imagine them sitting down and writing out a goal like: "I want to be a millionaire playing golf before my thirtieth birthday."
I think the money flowed into their life because they had a real love and passion for what they were doing, not because they had set out to earn a lot of money in the first place.
I realised then and there that when you're doing what you love to do, the money comes naturally. Maybe not at first, but eventually - if you stick with it.
Do you think that Bill Gates started out with a financial goal: "I want to become a billionaire by writing business software and then I'll retire to do what I really want."? I doubt it. He started out in a garage writing software to allow people to have computers in their home and on their desks at work. At the time when he explained his vision, only large organisations had computers and they were far too large and expensive for an individual to buy. Bill Gates turned his vision into a reality and is now one of the richest people in the world. Today his power in the market place is extraordinary and his software is running on computers right around the globe.
Bill Gates just did what he did best and the money came. It may have been slow at first, but then it came in truckloads. Today he earns millions of dollars a day! Now that he's extraordinarily wealthy, why doesn't he retire? When you're living your dream, why would you want to retire?
Do you think that Tina Turner sings just so she can make a lot of money and then retire? No way! She loves to entertain. Although she's now a grandmother, she still loves to sing and stay in shape. The money is just a by-product. She always knew she was born to sing. Even during the tough times in her career, I doubt whether she would have considered another career.
Sometimes we don't know what we love so it can be hard to do it. For some of us it's a process of 'suck it and see.' Others may love doing lots of different things. Most importantly, it's a matter of attitude. If you haven't yet found what you really love, change your attitude so that you love whatever it is that you do.
If you really don't like your job, you may have to make some changes, like transferring to another department or branch, or avoiding the people that irritate you. Once you love your job, you will also find people and tasks that you enjoy more. You may be presented with employment or business opportunities, within or outside your company, that wouldn't have come your way when you were miserable.
If you really, really hate your current working conditions, do everything you can to leave that job as soon as possible. Start applying for new jobs, register with employment agencies, look for solid business opportunities in the areas that excite you.
The saddest thing I know is when someone stays with a job they hate for 25 years just for the retirement plan at the end. My neighbours at one of my previous homes worked till he was sixty five. He always spoke about what he would do when he retired. Sadly, within six months of him retiring, he was diagnosed with cancer. Within eighteen moneths he had passed away. Life is too short. We should enjoy it. We do have choices. So choose to do what you love and love what you do TODAY!
About Hans Jakobi
Hans Jakobi is an educator, author and investor. He is the author of six best-selling books including, How To Be Rich & Happy On Your Income which is available at:
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