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| DrivenWe are all driven by our own motivations to succeed in life. During my travels, I find it varies from generation to generation, and from culture to culture. Some motivations are fulfilling and some seem to only bring emptiness (surprising, right?). This is my perspective for the US:
Refugees tend to have a survival motivation. It's not uncommon for them to have a wife/husband and several little ones to feed. And when they are in a position where a professional job is not within reach, it boils down to two choices: labor work and/or business. Ones that choose business have the most to worry about, but it takes their mindset to the next level. If they are comfortable with taking the risk, fortune is within reach.
Second generation kids, such as me, are typically motivated by different factors. We tend to blend more into the white collar middle class. This is because the school system pushes us toward that direction. In some cases, the child will also be an entrepreneur like their parents if the parents raise them with that kind of mindset. But white collar jobs seem to be enough because there's rarely a case of life or death situations that a refugee will face when entering this country.
With second generation kids, the motivations vary the most because we tend to have more options to choose from. Some want to be financially free, while others do it because they found the love of their life and want to do the best to take care of them. The coolest ones are those that find a passion in life that grows into a huge business. Those are the most greatest stories.
What's your motivation to move ahead?
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| StandardsMaybe I downplay it a bit, but to me a standard is simply previously somebody else's opinion. At that point in time, it just so happen that many people agreed with that opinion, so it is labeled as a standard. Give it a logo, make it look official, and people will believe it's a standard. But deep down, it's simply an opinion, maybe a really good one, but it's really just an opinion.
I've noticed most corporate people want to find standards to follow. Standard procedures, documentation, etc. Follow the standard. To me, that means follow someone else's opinion. Why do that? Because it's easier. It's easier to follow something than to be original. It's harder to think. Sometimes it looks like people just want to be machines and follow directions. In essence, I agree it is easier. But to me, it's less fulfilling.
Don't follow a standard. Become a standard.
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| Today I had a conversation with a client towards the end of the day. She had given her notice and today was her final day in the office. She went on about her house, how the mortgage was so huge, and that they wanted to sell the house, but they could not because she still owes more on the mortgage than what the house is worth. She wants a new house closer to the suburbs and sees some good deals.
I thought about it for a second and then initiated a conversation about this with her:
Me: Have you considered renting out the house and then buying the dream house you would like to live in?
Her: Well...I don't know if we could get enough to cover the mortgage.
Me: Really? How do you know?
Her: I checked on Craigslist and it didn't seem like I would get enough.
Me: Well, have you worked out the numbers? See what the mortgage would be on the new house, find out how much comes out of your pocket after rent is collected on the old house, and add those two together. It could possibly be less than what you are paying now if good deals out there exist.
Her: It's an old house, and when things don't work as it should, like the toilet, we just deal with it. If we get a renter in there, I don't think we can deal with it like that. We'd have to fix it right away.
Me: Well...yeah, you're supposed to.
Her: We'd probably have to hire a property manager...and...well we don't want to do that.
It's seriously all about the mindset. It's easier to give your reasons as to why you can't have what you want. It takes courage to go after what you want and not ever look back. I only asked her if the numbers worked out...but I think she didn't seriously calculate anything. And the thing about the rental price...there's obviously a maximum threshold of what you can charge, but there's a lot a person can do to make the perceived value of a home go up dramatically. Price isn't everything. And how does she know that those posts on Craigslist are even done professionally? Numbers could be made up.
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| What amount is enough?What is the reason for the road to riches and wealth? From my travels abroad meeting people from both extreme sides of the food chain, it is rarely for the sake of having more money. There's usually some other underlying important reason as to why people seek riches. People are driven for different reasons and circumstances. You may have heard of some of these reasons:
- A first generation immigrant that must find a way to feed 9 other family members
- A loyal employee that has been pushed way too far by a spineless manager
- A person passionate wanting to bring a new useful product to the mass public
- A man that will find all means to build a prosperous future with the love of his life (and vice versa)
- Financial freedom to enjoy one's own hobbies (traveling, charity work, etc.)
In most cases there has always been an underlying reason. The amount of money earned per year, whether $50,000 or $10,000,000, becomes almost irrelevant if there is no personal end reason as to why it is needed. What ends up happening is no amount is ever enough. $50,000 won't sound appealing anymore because $70,000 sounds better. Then it'll be $100,000, then $150,000, then $300,000, then...you get the point. Soon you might find yourself becoming jealous of another co-worker that makes $3,000 per year more than you. But at $3,000 a year, that's maybe an extra $75 per bi-weekly paycheck after taxes. That other person isn't that much better off....he/she might be able to have one extra expensive dinner or make a few more trips to the movie theater. From the big picture, their lifestyle is not any better because of an extra $3,000 yearly income. Look at yourself and see if you ever get jealous over this type of thing. It's hardly worth the time to even think about.
What is worth the time is to know what's important to you. The money you need to make is really the means to an end. Why is it that you need the amount of money that you wish for? The enough amount really depends on what your own end goal is. Otherwise it will never be enough. This has to be clear. Otherwise you will be overcome by greed. Just take a look the recent headlines in financial news and you will see what I am talking about.
From personal experience, when the end goal is clear and you want it so bad, it changes everything. The pace and diligence in which I was moving in the past 4 months is more than what I've done all of the last two years combined. When I found my reason, the plan became so clear.
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| Out and AboutNext stop: Beijing!
June 26 - July 12
谁想陪我？
It's rarely a good idea to make major decisions while the mind is not in order. Time to clear it up!
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