This is a post from Tripp Friedler, author of "Free Gulliver" over the course of the next few days Friedler will respond to comments made by readers. We look forward to a good exchange of ideas here on Simply My Life...
First I would like to thank Bruce for allowing me some air time. I feel right at home here because my book is all about simplifying your life. It is about cutting all those pesky little things that tie us down. It is about getting freed.
I have done many things over my career (restaurateur, record producer, fashion photographer) but for the last 15 years I have been involved in financial consulting. I have worked with numerous clients and I began to notice that they all had the same basic issues. They were focusing so much on accumulating wealth that they were forgetting about having fun. My book is about getting rich but it has very little to do with money.
One issue most relevant to many of my clients is retirement. Somehow in our society retirement has become a good thing. In fact, many people today will stay in jobs they hate just to be able to save for retirement. In some ways this is like getting married, coming back from the honeymoon, and stating that you cannot wait for the divorce.
If we look at really successful people, they do not "retire." In fact, Suze Orman who preaches about retirement is herself not retiring. She has plenty of money yet continues to work. She understands that when you do what you love you never want to stop.
I know many people will say, "Easier said than done. I hate my job but at least it pays well." My question is; what is the appropriate trade off between a job you hate that pays well and one you enjoy doing that pays less?
So I would like to end with the following question: Do you think it is smarter to do work you love and save very little or work you do not like and save a lot?
email: TRIPP FRIEDLER
Author of "Free Gulliver: Six Swift Lessons in Life Planning"
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13 comments:
The hard part of course is figuring out how to get paid for doing something you really love. It sounds nice is theory, but making it happen is difficult.
A couple years ago I came to the conclusion that I didn't want to be doing the same thing that I was currently doing 10 years later. I didn't know what I wanted to do though. I'm still not sure I do. I've been putting in some work on the side, laying a foundation, and it is making me a little money, but I need to x10 it to be able to make it my career.
In the meantime, it's probably going to involve burning the candle at both ends to get the second thing up and running while still working the "day job". That doesn't feel like having a "simple" life to me.
In the book I talk about the root of the word passion which comes from the latin word "pati", which means to suffer. Sometimes, actually many times, pursuing your passion will involve suffering. No easy way to get there.
There are things I enjoy doing, some of them are even things which other people get paid to do. But it seems that once something becomes a job the joy goes out of it. Even if the same activity, outside of an employment scenario would be intrinsically rewarding. For example, I love gardening, I like to landscape and improve my own yard, but I'm not so sure I'd want to be someone's gardener.
There is a distinction between a hobby and a job. I agree. Where I would disagree is that if you really love something than getting paid to do it is the ultimate dream.
Is there a way I to get paid to do what I love and not surrender freedom and autonomy? I like my job now, that is I like the work, but I don't like working on someone else's schedule and according to someone else's rules. I haven't been able to find a situation where someone will pay me to do things the way I want.
The way I see it you have two choices. The first is to have an open dialogue with your boss to see if you can work out a compromise. At our office we meet monthly and have such discussions. If this is not possible than I would challenge you to either open your own shop and do it your way or find another place that will allow you more freedom.
"I would challenge you to either open your own shop and do it your way"
That certainly is a challenge...quite possibly an overwhelming one.
But I guess as one subheading in your book says "Failure is learning to succeed"
Hi,
I just wrote a little article on 10 Tips for Sensible Living & I wondered if you would be interested in looking at it & giving your feedback. Also, could you please forward this to Tripp if it's not too much trouble? I would really be interested in Tripp's feedback. The article is at www.stockmarketplus.com
Thanks,
Scott
PS: Nice job getting rid off the CC debt!
As I said in the book, I believe if you have a big vision, really know your location and have enough passion(fuel) you can achieve wonders. The secret is really knowing where you are. But in the end it is all about taking some risks. Just make sure you know what they are.
I read Scott's piece and like it. Life is a series of trade offs. Make sure you make the right ones.
Thanks Tripp for your feedback!
I agree. I wish you luck There is a chapetr in the book on risk you might enjoy. The biggest regrets are often the riskd we NEVER took.
I agree. I wish you luck There is a chapetr in the book on risk you might enjoy. The biggest regrets are often the risks we NEVER took.
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