Do you want money or freedom? | Hacker News Reader

Do you want money or freedom?

blog.buildv1.com

11 pointsbuildv110 comments

Another pointer is to have insatiable curiosity in everything that you do instead of thinking of work as just a job. Be your own judge of your quality of work instead of relying on others and you will be pleasantly surprised. Being able to overcome great challenges (especially ones that have been thought as impossible by others) is the long-lasting and purest form of happiness that money can never bring.

I definitely agree with the sentiment but it's difficult to practice without freedom. No one can maintain a sense of wonderment while spending 12 hours a day doing something they hate, for someone they hate, and being exhausted the rest of the time.

I think he's misinterpreting a lot these people who are "too driven". Perhaps the reason they don't stop after the windfall is because they're working for themselves and doing what they love? Freedom is the ability to choose what you do, it doesn't mean not working.

I'm not even sure it's accurate to say that "most" don't stop. I personally know some very driven people who have "retired". They're doing things now they feel are more fulfilling or more interesting.

I'm definitely not saying that people are "too driven" as though it's a bad thing. I'm simply saying that it seems that many successful people are successful because of their passion and the fact that they'd do the same thing even if it wasn't lucrative. I think that's great.

I define freedom as control over your time, and I was trying to say that you don't need a ton of money to gain control over your time and that it's almost impossible to control your time when you're working for someone else. You're best off figuring out a way to generate passive income.

Very nice article and I agree with your general point emphatically. The part that seems somewhat off is the comparison of investment bankers/lawyers/doctors and entrepreneurs. Being a professional who sells his time is very different from being an entrepreneur that creates a successful business. How many lawyers or doctors could retire at age 30?

Thanks and you're right. It was an oversimplification to highlight the fact that many of the people who make the most money don't have control over their time. Some entrepreneurs fit in that category, but there's certainly a huge difference between selling your time and being a successful entrepreneur. That's one of the many reasons why I'm an aspiring entrepreneur and not a professional who sells his time : )

great article. I couldn't agree more. Last year during college I worked at T-mobile selling phones and I hated it. Everyday I thought my potential was being wasted. It was awesome money (60-70k part-time) but I was miserable. Even though I work way more with my start-up I love it, I could work even more but I have research and an internship...:(.

Doesn't have to be either-or.

Whatever gives me a better chance at improving something that can and should be improved. If everybody waits for someone else to do it, it'll never get done. So if you think you can do it, you should.

For me it's a third option... I got something to prove... to myself

Freedom

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