What motivates many top entrepreneurs?

A few years ago, I remember having a discussion about Richard Branson with a friend of mine.... (I was reading Richard Branson's autobiography at the time....)

This friend of mine, by the way, is an aspiring bass guitarist and also script-writer.

Anyhow, my friend was getting agitated.... He was getting angry that someone could have all his money - and yet keep working! His rationale was - when you have all that money, why would you need more? He seemed to feel it was as if it was immoral for someone with "all that money" to keep working!

Anyhow, to come back to the present, a week or two ago I saw an interview with Sumner Redstone on TV. Sumner Redstone essentially owns and runs Viacom, a media entertainment company. (They own the CBS television network, among other things.)

Sumner Redstone is now 79 years old, yet he's still very active in running his business. The interviewer asked him why he kept going - surely he has enough money, he doesn't need any more.

I think his reply was very illuminating....

Sumner Redstone replied, "I know you won't believe it, but it's really not about the money. It's about winning."

I think this is what motivates most of the top entrepreneurs, and this is why they also keep going. While I'm sure money was a motivation at some stage, the reason why they keep going is because they are in it for the competition....

Anyhow, I think that also helps to answer my friend's objection. Yes, they do have enough money, but they're not doing it for the money. They're doing it in order to win.

- Dien Rice