Why I'm obssessed with money-making
The first part of the answer to this is frighteningly straightforward:
BECAUSE I'M ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY.
When you're in this position you can't be any other than obssessed with making money. Especially when you've got a 13 year old daughter to look after.
But my new focus on money is more deep-seated than a temporary reaction to circumstances. And I suppose it's something to do with my being an ALL-OR-NOTHING kind of guy. Which I suppose has something to do with my being BiPolar...
Trust me, I find very little inspiration in commerce, accounting, people in suits, selling etc. If you could get payed for doing anything, I would roam the world, producing concrete poetry and posting the odd blog-post. In fact every past-time that I have ever been interested in has zero financial benefit. It's like a direct correlation - the lews money that is in it, the more I'm likely to like it. And versa vice. The old cliche: No passion in the money and no money in the passion.
So what do you gotta do? You gotta spend the bulk of your life doing something with very little passion in it. For what? To make money. (doh!) So here's where the all or nothing part comes in: If you gotta drag yourself off every day to do something you have hardly any passion in, then why not just trash the passion part of the equation altogether and just go the route that's likely to bring the most money?? At least that way you might get lucky and get a chance to retire early saying "Fuck You" to monetary needs altogether.
That's the thinking that got me to do my Commerce degree. Hey, if it was about passion I would have done metaphysical philosophy and creative poetry writing.
Now I know the response from you all out there. "What about compromise? What about a healthy balance between passion and money?" I'll tell you why. Because I'm BiPolar and "healthy balance" is not part of my repertoire.
BiPolar, not mediocre.
CURRENT MOOD: HALFWAY HOUSE
It is such a coincidence that as I am reading this post that a letter is posted through my door from a Messenger-At-Arms (Olde name for debt collectors) demanding I pay a substantial amount of money, that I didn't realise I owed, to the local council.
ReplyDeleteDebt is a terrible feeling. It is also a tremendous incentive to make money. Is it possible that the debt beast growling at your feet is the catalyst to complete your "Pole Vaulter" analogy when it comes to motivation?
Reminds me of a very old joke. A guy stands next to a running track and walks up to an athlete and asks, “Are you a pole vaulter? The athlete responds, “Sorry I am from Russia, but how did you know my name was Valter? “
Make money with a passion!
The problem I see with investing the time and money in school for something you hate, or couldn't give a damn about, only because it makes more money, is you'll get bored of it, hate it, and life will be a living hell, not to mention a true waste of your time and talent. This has got to be even more true for us bipolars, cause we are sensitive, and do have a natural finger on the pulse of emotions like hating our jobs, etc. and feel these things more than the average person.
ReplyDeleteThat's no help whatsoever, I realize, especially when you are in debt. Since you are in a different country from myself, I don't know if they have those consolidate your debt people, etc., or other options. I don't know what the answer is, because you and others seem to have a much better skin than I do. I majored in something I really liked in school and got a job using it, only to fall in the same rut, the same problem that I always do: the people, whether coworkers or the idiots on the phone become something I can no longer handle, no matter how well I hide and handle it from them. While that may sound silly (you'd probably say, get through it, you need the money) my jobs are never about money. I get paid squat purposely (I have disability) for the privelige of acting like a normie for a couple of years.
I'm just saying you have many talents and abilities, you are a member of MENSA, think about life in a few years. If Commerce or any other thing is a no-brainer for you, its just not your fave, then great, that is the compromise: something you hate not too bad in order to support your family. If it is a difficult hateful job, consider now the many talents you have because the answer may be some small thing you didn't consider.
I studied Visual Arts at university, and graduated with a BFA, sometimes referred to as a Bachelor of F***-all. Why? Because I wanted to get to know other people who were interested enough in the same things as me to study them seriously. Most of the classmates I still keep in touch with are relatively happy and productive, though it may be safe to say that none of them have gotten rich yet. This is ten years on.
ReplyDeleteI think the key to avoiding financial insecurity is saying NO to debt. I stopped applying for student loans after two years, and have not received a cent of credit since 1993. I currently own neither a car nor a house. I'll be paying cash for both those items (used and previously occupied, of course!) in the Fall of 2007. What's my secret? Frugality, a bank account, and no credit card. It's amazing what one can live without...when it's a lifestyle choice.
makes perfect sense to me
ReplyDeletePaid...not payed!
ReplyDeleteWhat ever happened to backbone! Do you really need to subscibe to materialism? Try reading some buddhism! Erm...maybe you should have read that before you decided to have a child! Your own actions are to blame for your current situation! Have you studied Dharma at all?? Dont preach till you have the credentials to do so! I find your blog an interssting story of what not do to if you suffer from Bipolar. You make all the mistakes! You also seem to think that everyone with this condition will do the same! Surely we are all not as egotistical and shallow as you! No offence intended! Try reading more!
ReplyDelete