Do what you love....

Gordon,

I'll be writing a detailed reply later.... I have to take my Mom to hospital today (Aussie time) for some scans (gotta shower and get going)....

However, soon I'll be sharing my own views (probably tomorrow morning your time).... I hope some others chip in too. It's a very important topic....

Till later,

Dien

Hi Gordon and everybody....

Here are my views on "Do what you love and the money will follow"....

And following that, some advice from Ross Perot....

I don't think the saying is fully true, since there might not be a market for "what you love". Or the competition could be very tough....

I think the number one thing is that there first has to be a market for the product or service....

For example, let's say I love to lounge around just watching TV. (Okay, I admit it, it's a bit too close to the truth!)

It's tough to get paid for that.... No matter how much I might love it (hypothetically)....

But, having said that, if there is a market and you love what you're doing, I think it may give you an advantage. If you love what you're doing, it means you're happy to put extra work into what you're doing, and to put in the extra effort required to excel at it....

So, in that sense, I think there is SOME truth in that old saying, "Do what you love, and the money will follow."

You're much better off if you love what you're doing, than if you don't!

In addition to that thought, a few days ago I was reading through parts of Ross Perot's book, "My Life and the Principles of Success".

Ross Perot founded Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS) and also after that Perot Systems. He started EDS as a one-person company, and now it's a HUGE (multi-billion dollar) operation. But I probably don't need to tell you that, as Ross Perot is very well-known since his two runs for the Presidency.

The second part of his book, "The Principles of Success", was apparently written as a graduation gift to his son, Ross Perot Jr.

And luckily for all of us, Ross Perot Sr. also decided to publish it, so we could also see the same advice he gave to his own son.

I admire Ross Perot a lot. I believe he's an honest guy, and a remarkable one at that....

Anyway, to press on!

Here's some advice that Ross Perot writes in his book :

Success and Money

The best way to make money is not to have making money as your primary goal. Again and again, I've seen great people come into the business world, primarily motivated to make money. Almost without exception, they failed. They missed the real essence of learning to do something well, of building something better than anyone else, and were contantly reaching with only one objective in mind -- to make money.

Fortunately, because you live in this country, if you learn to do something better than anyone else, you will find that financial success comes as a byproduct. This has been certainly true in my case to a unique degree. Making money has never been one of my goals. I can clearly remember how surprised I was in 1968 when I suddenly realized what a great job the entire team had done in building a company that could generously reward the people who created it and who continued to build it. If we had set out to create a vehicle to make money, I don't believe we would have been successful at all. Instead, we set out to build a great company made up of great people. The financial rewards came as a byproduct.

Don't expect the financial rewards to come quickly or easily. You would probably consider me to be quite successful at an early age. It took me fifteen years to build up to an income that substantially exceeded our family's monthly needs. Unrealistic expectations can damage your effectiveness and potential.

- Ross Perot, My Life and the Principles of Success (published 1996), p. 109-110.

The relevant part of that is where he says the key is not to have making money as your primary objective.

Instead your objective ought to be to do something well, and build something better than anyone else.

(Like building a great company with great service....)

That's good food for thought too!

Dien Rice