To live happily, you should always have a project

I firmly believe that the key to happiness is to have a project on the go.

Something that makes you wake up and smile, or think about fervently while at work.

Self-made millionaires who don’t throw themselves into their next project or to find something to do, say they aren’t sure getting rich was worth it:

Well, as a self-made wealthy individual ($20+MM), sometimes I think wealth is really a burden. I was an early employee of a tech company that had a multi-billion dollar exit and I made it big in my mid-30’s. I wanted to get rich and I did it. But I actually feel maybe it’s not worth it. A slower path to wealth might be a lot healthier to my career and to my life in general.

Four things stand out.

Sloth Work is no longer necessary. I can do anything I feel like but I end up doing mostly nothing and spend the days browsing the internet and writing as Anon User on Quora. Plus, the fact that I can just pay to get out of most of the situations makes me lazy and un-resourceful.

Greed I have a lot of money, but I crave for more. I want to be a hecto-millionaire now. But in the mean time, I don’t feel like working.

Entitlement I feel I deserve the BEST of everything, because I paid for it: $1000 a night for a hotel suite, $500 for a Michelin 3 star meal, and $1000 for a bottle of wine. I grow really angry if I don’t feel I am treated like royalty.

Loss of Purpose I feel my life/career has peaked. I don’t know what I am supposed to do now. What’s the purpose? I can go do some charity work, but this is not intellectually stimulating and most non-profits are run by a bunch of bozos anyway.

I think I would have been a better individual if I didn’t make the money, stayed in a corporate job and just been a “normal” person. But it’s impossible to give up the money. Being wealthy is probably not worth it. But once you get there, you want to stay there forever.

Via: Is getting rich worth it?, and trust me, the thread is worth a read!

What this boy needs is a PROJECT.

EVERYONE needs a project.

Projects for everyone!!!!! *Oprah-style*

Getting rich is great and it’s always awesome, but like the founders of Paypal, you can’t just sit around and do jack squat all day, counting your millions.

You’ll die a slow and meaningless death.

FIND SOMETHING TO DO!

MY PARENTS ARE TOTAL OPPOSITES

I’ve based this partly on a comparison between my parents.

My mother on the one hand, is full of projects.

She wakes up at 6 a.m., is happy to go to work, loves doing things with and for others, and is happy about 99% of the time.

She always has something on the go — making new curtains, painting a picture, or learning how to email me.

My father on the other hand, has nothing to do. He has a (minimum wage) job, but he can’t be bothered to go sometimes as he calls in sick a lot. He also refuses to walk to work, and drives even though he lives no more than 15 minutes away on foot.

He has no project on the go, and he just seems listless all the time. Lonely, annoyed, no joie de vivre as one might say.

My mom is always trying to give him a project — fix the front yard! fix the back yard! clean the garage! clean the basement! no wait, finish the basement first!

He just isn’t interested in life.

I’VE HAD A LOT OF FREE TIME LATELY….

I’ve also noticed this in myself. In the times when I work, I work a lot. I’m not a workaholic (37 hours a week), but I do work. When I work, I have projects at work to do which keep me mentally alive.

In the past year that I had taken off to travel around some parts of Europe and Asia, I noticed that I was starting to get exhausted. More so than if I had been working with a set routine and schedule.

I’ve also noticed lately that in between, I’ve been bored with all this free time without working.

I am basically living like someone who has all the millions in the world, even I don’t (not that I plan on letting this continue any longer, however).

I am seeing what my father is feeling, and napping a whole lot more, but it isn’t as bad for me, mostly because I blog here, I read, I’m traveling and doing something.

But I certainly feel listless and bored, which is why I’m looking forward to working again.

MY MINI PROJECTS AND GOALS

Finish a travel photography site I had in mind.

I’ve taken a lot of beautiful photos over the past 5+ years, and I’d like to share them with everyone, without having to blog or talk about it.

Like Tumblr, but more of a real site made by myself.

I am mulling over making comments on the photos or not.

I am also mulling over selling the photos as art, if people find them worthy enough of course.

I may….not. Not sure yet.

Buy that darn electric piano and get serious about practicing pieces

I’m ashamed at how rusty I am. I need way more practice on the piano.

I’ve vowed to learn my entire piano book of difficult favourite classics.

First, I need to make money!

Find more vegetarian recipes I like eating

This one is hard, but it is getting easier as I get older.

I am noticing that my taste and craving for meat has dropped, and all this talk about PCBs and mercury in seafood has turned me off eating it.

I’m not ever going to turn vegetarian or vegan, but I would like to see if I can find ways to eat more fruits and vegetables in fun ways. I seem to enjoy eating dips like hummus and guacamole. There’s something there…

Work

Obviously. Can’t live like this forever. I’m not a bum!

I’d like to see if by next year I can reach $250,000 in net worth, but it all depends on the timing of contracts.