How Much Money is Enough?
There’s a fabulous story in the 4 Hour Work Week - where a Harvard MBA is vacationing in Mexico and sees a guy bringing in a few fish in his boat - working just a couple hours in the morning.
The man reports that this is enough to feed his family, sell the rest for what he needs, fool around with his wife in the afternoon, and go play guitar and have a couple beers with his friends in the evening. He is satisfied.
The MBA lays out a plan where the guy would work harder, grow to a fleet of fishing vessels, make so much money he’d move to New York, go public, and finally after 20 years sell out for millions.
“What would I do then? Asked the Mexican fisherman.
“Well,” says the MBA, “you could retire to a little fishing village in Mexica, fish a little, fool around with your wife and in the evening go into town and play guitar with your friends…”
I’m hardly the picture of altruism or character - but I’m not in this to make a million dollars.
“The eye is never filled with seeing.
The ear is never filled with hearing.
And he who loves money will never have enough.”
The Bible
Caroline Middlebrook has posted two excellent posts on her blog. The first one is about whether people can really make a lot of money Internet marketing to niches titled Can You Make Money Online Without Teaching About Making Money Online?
The follow up Do You Really Want to Be Rich - has evoked some fantastic comments.
They motivated me so much I copied my own comment about the man in the fishing village and posted it here.
It's your life - do what makes you happy - and start now. IMHBAO
Resource: How to Find Passion in Your Job
Filed under Blogroll, Internet Lifestyle, World According to Rick by Rick
Comments on How Much Money is Enough? »
That is a mooseknuckle not a cameltoe
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=moose-knuckle
And yes i am making that kind of life a reality
OMG! Moose Knuckle! I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe.
Here's the story on this picture - I did a search for happy fisherman. This is one that looked like a guy in a little boat catching a nice fish - that's all.
Only when I published it and saw it blown up on the blog post did I see how truly "HAPPY" he was!
So much for the cold water shrinkedge theory on this dude.
All Hail the Moose Knuckle Happy Fishermen out there and the women who love them.
LOL
Rick
Thanks very much for covering this Rick. I feel a little bit like the fisherman at the moment. I don't have very much money but I have free time. This week I'm going to spend some of my afternoons at the beach. When I was working 9-5 I would dream about having more time off to do stuff. Money only buys you to ability to spend your time in more fulfilling ways but if you have to work yourself into the ground to earn the money then you don't get to enjoy the benefits of it.
Caroline Middlebrooks last blog post..Making Money With Ebooks, Courses & Membership Sites - Which is Best?
When I think that you aren't making enough money when you are providing some of the best real world transparent content on any of the blogs I read -
I can't help but think of the inequity of school teacher pay vs NBA pay.
I know you didn't ask for my advice but I want to encourage you to keep at it - keep hitting it - and you WILL find the jet stream.
You are building more than cash now - you are building TRUST.
I have a serious B.S. detector (ask anyone I've been forced to call "foul" on - and I dub thee Caroline the Right.
Rick Butts
I know it's not right to laugh at your own blog, but, every time I go to this page and see that guy with the fish I laugh my ass off - out loud.
Someone - gimme a Stumble or Reddit or something?
xoxox
Rick Butts
You got it, babe…
Lisa Prestons last blog post..Rick Butts Rocks
Rick this so has to be stumbled, talk about funny, I love this blog !!
Hugh Frasers last blog post..The Secret Affiliate Code Reveals All…
Awww thanks Lisa = you are genuinely the BEST!
rick
Hehe thanks Rick
Caroline Middlebrooks last blog post..Making Money With Ebooks, Courses & Membership Sites - Which is Best?
Hi Rick
A very useful reminder of why not to over complicate things!
Thanks for those links to Caroline's blog - some interesting stuff over there! It's easy to see why she's building a good audience with her refreshing writing style.
Cheers
Stephen Spry
Stephen Sprys last blog post..It’s My Birthday Today… I’m Older Than Yesterday…
BRILLIANT topic, Rick!! You da man.
Hubby and I are emphatic believers in the whole "how much is enough" convo. Been into Vicky Robbin's book "Your Money or Your Life" for eons. Totally love Thomas Stanley & William Danko's "Millionaire Next Door" book too. Millions of Americans are quietly making just the right amount of money for them and their needs. This whole drive and pressure to push hard and win big and finally "make" it is mostly sheer hyperbole.
We were greatly influenced by Tim Ferriss last summer when our San Diego (family) beach house finally sold after 3 years of family drama and 14 months on da market. We purged a ton of stuff including our furniture and opted for the completely mobile lifestyle traveling the country in an RV. We're about to enter our second year! w00t!! As Tim says, "Do your dream now."
I really think most people like the IDEA of a squillion bucks… but no matter how much or how little money you have, each level comes with its own unique set of headaches. People with mega wads worry about losing it, how to invest it, how to make more, how to only pay the minimum taxes, etc. Sure, da broke peeps always say gimme those problems!
The important thing is to get clear on what YOU want and how much is enough for you right *now*. It's fine to have a big ol' lofty dream. But focus on the here and now 'cuz it's all there is anyway.
Btw, my hubby has five degrees including a Harvard MBA and yet he chose to be a serial entrepreneur all his life dabbling with a variety of pursuits that were fun, rather than pursuing mainstream careers for da bazillions.
Great story from the 4HWW - the pic is totally hilarious.
Cheers,
Mari
Mari Smiths last blog post..Social Media Marketing: Battle Of The Sexes?
Here's a contrary opinion.
I make money. I know how to. I'm good at it.
Because making money is my talent, I have a (moral?) obligation to do so, and use the money I make in excess of what's enough for me, for two social goods:
1. I can employee people. Because I'm good at making money and I'm entrepreneurial in spirit, I think have a responsibility to create jobs and stimulate the economy.
2. I can give more. The more I make, the more money I can donate to worthy charities. In fact, I have a goal to get to a point where I can reverse tithe… spend, save and invest only 10% of what I earn and donate 90%.
So for me, the answer "how much is enough" is…
I'm grateful for all the abundance I have, and I promise to be a good steward of the infinite abundance that's coming to me.
Donna Fox
Your Mexican Fishing Story has effectively defined the "curse" of my life.
When business is rolling and I'm swamped, I'm making plenty of money but I don't have the time to enjoy it. When business is slow and I'm not busy with work, I've got the time but instead of enjoying it, I tend to work equally hard at "priming" the business pump again.
I'm trying to learn to enjoy the seasons… both work and rest as I try to remember, even God took 1 day off to rest! Part of that journey is learning when "enough is enough".
Kathys last blog post..A Day in the Life of a Full Time Blogger
speaking strickly as a physician, the pacakge is impressive, I will read the post eventually….
Dr Wrights last blog post..I Used to be an Imaginary Friend
As long as we are "doing" what we desire, a person can't be bogged down or too busy to enjoy.
Working for a loving in pure enjoyment.
Money just seems to follow.
Of course it helps to only Need about 50% of it,
ad that is very doable for everyone if they apply some energy
"This too shall pass"
Its the poor mans biggest hope, and the wealthy mans greatest fear.
. . . . .
For me, its about finding balance. I dont want more money than I can reasonably spend. And I dont want more time than I can reasonably enjoy.
I have already had offices and full staff, and have no intention of going back that route. I absolutely love the easier more laidback lifestyle of going solo and outsourcing to VAs & freelancers. But the point is not about what is right or what is wrong - but what suits each individual person.
The key is to know what that is. And then MAKE it happen.
Mari loves the mobile life. I love to be at home. We should each look at our ideal lifestyle, what it would take to make it a reality and easily manage it - and go for that… with blinders on.
Lynn Terrys last blog post..Live Q&A With Lynn, Tuesday July 1st
Don't you guys realize this is a picture of RICK from our Costa Rica fishing trip back in 2004?
Sure, he shaved the beard after vacation… and grew another 6 inches… but it's him!
Nathan Andersons last blog post..Open Forums and Social Media Can Be Very, Very Dangerous