[Phoenix]

Does anyone have ideas for how to increase your drive to make money?

I've met and know of many people who seem to have the drive built in. Generally with these people, I have noticed, it is because they really want certain material goods. They want big houses in nice places, they want fancy cars, they want an expensive watch, they want first class flights, they want 5-star executive suites, they want a butler or a driver etc.

However I don't have the desire for any of that. For me, a $150 hotel feels 20% better than a $25 one. Sports cars impress me only slightly, and I have no real desire to own one. I don't care the comfort level of a flight as long as it's not noticeably uncomfortable and has as few stops as possible. I don't need a house, and the idea of owning a prime-location luxury apartment is only mildly more attractive to me than just renting a lesser apartment. Hence I have no in-built drive to facilitate any of that - i.e. to make more money.

The only thing I really have significant desire for is women. More women, better women. I immensely enjoy women. My other minor pleasures are quite simple. I like motorbiking, which is cheap and easy. I like to ride jetskis or motor-race from time to time, but not enough that I would want to invest much time or money into these. I like philosophy and science - understanding how the world works, but this is free or a few cheap books. I like travel - but I already have enough money to facilitate the amount of travel I want.

So either there is something else that will improve my drive that I don't know about, or I have to link money to women. Whilst I know that women like rich men, I have never actually seen evidence of it. I haven't witnessed losing to another guy because he had more wealth. I've only ever seen one man pull from a club because of wealth - it's normally because of other factors. I would need to see something that would psychologically ingrain the idea that money can improve my success with women, and I don't know where I would find that.

Ideas?

[Peregrine]

If that's the case, why do you want to improve your drive to make money?

Money = freedom. If you don't have it, you'll continually have to go to a job that you (probably) dislike so that you can fund even your modest desires. With your tastes, 5MM (or maybe less) in the bank means you'll never have to work another day in your life.

[worldwidetraveler]

I suggest not focusing on the making money part. My motivation comes from building cool stuff that helps people. Find your vision and through that vision the drive and money will come.

I have found focusing strictly on stacking cash isn't the motivation I needed to confront the obstacles that I have had to endure. A lot of times, it was pure will power of wanting to see my vision come to reality.

Hell, every project seems to want to fight me to completion these days. haha

[germanico]

I keep a file on my computer where I save pics I find motivating. Cool cars, interesting places, hot women. Those things I want, and those things are better enjoyed with money.

[stefpdt]

(02-13-2015 01:04 PM)worldwidetraveler Wrote:  

I suggest not focusing on the making money part. My motivation comes from building cool stuff that helps people. Find your vision and through that vision the drive and money will come.

I have found focusing strictly on stacking cash isn't the motivation I needed to confront the obstacles that I have had to endure. A lot of times, it was pure will power of wanting to see my vision come to reality.

Hell, every project seems to want to fight me to completion these days. haha

This is the truth. Focusing on "making money" isn't the way to actually do so.

Focusing on delivering amazing stuff/value/services to people at a nice margin will bring in the cash.

To the OP: Don't focus on money. Stay focused on building something of value that is in demand. Whatever you "build" doesn't have to be a passion of yours (this is a huge myth that really fucks people over). By building something of value, you'll naturally develop a "passion" for whatever it is once you start receiving positive feedback and revenue from customers.

Source: Self-employed.

[Sooth]

(02-13-2015 04:43 PM)stefpdt Wrote:  

(02-13-2015 01:04 PM)worldwidetraveler Wrote:  

I suggest not focusing on the making money part. My motivation comes from building cool stuff that helps people. Find your vision and through that vision the drive and money will come.

I have found focusing strictly on stacking cash isn't the motivation I needed to confront the obstacles that I have had to endure. A lot of times, it was pure will power of wanting to see my vision come to reality.

Hell, every project seems to want to fight me to completion these days. haha

This is the truth. Focusing on "making money" isn't the way to actually do so.

Focusing on delivering amazing stuff/value/services to people at a nice margin will bring in the cash.

To the OP: Don't focus on money. Stay focused on building something of value that is in demand. Whatever you "build" doesn't have to be a passion of yours (this is a huge myth that really fucks people over). By building something of value, you'll naturally develop a "passion" for whatever it is once you start receiving positive feedback and revenue from customers.

Source: Self-employed.

Totally agree with the above.

Focusing on money to get money is what scam artists and fraudsters do.

It's like focusing on girls to get girls. That's what orbiters do.

[berserk]

(02-13-2015 01:04 PM)worldwidetraveler Wrote:  

I suggest not focusing on the making money part. My motivation comes from building cool stuff that helps people. Find your vision and through that vision the drive and money will come.

I have found focusing strictly on stacking cash isn't the motivation I needed to confront the obstacles that I have had to endure. A lot of times, it was pure will power of wanting to see my vision come to reality.

Hell, every project seems to want to fight me to completion these days. haha

This. It's a cliche but true. Make something you really want yourself and others will want it too, particularly in this internet age of 8 billion potential consumers.

(02-13-2015 04:33 PM)germanico Wrote:  

I keep a file on my computer where I save pics I find motivating. Cool cars, interesting places, hot women. Those things I want, and those things are better enjoyed with money.

Also this, it's primal but it works.

[el conquistador]

Hang around with people who are driven to make money. You say you know people who have that drive. Can you get around them more?

[Phoenix]

I was when I knew them, but I'm in a different city now. Takes a while to find and meet new ones.

Yes the 'having pictures' of the thing you want to motivate you is a good idea, but that works much better if money directly leads to those things. I could have all the pictures in the world of the kind of women I want, but since I can see no 'price tag' on them, there is no psychological motivational link.

[Switch]

If you don't want the things that more money can give you, why the hell do you want more money?

[Phoenix]

(02-14-2015 12:11 AM)Switch Wrote:  

If you don't want the things that more money can give you, why the hell do you want more money?

Because ultimately I'm going to need more money one day. Better to have it saved up for when I start having kids versus waiting until then and being compelled to thereby.

I.e. I want to be ahead of the curve.

Also it supposedly boosts your attractiveness to women (I assume indirectly, via fancy cars etc).

[Katatonic]

(02-13-2015 12:45 PM)Phoenix Wrote:  

So either there is something else that will improve my drive that I don't know about, or I have to link money to women. Whilst I know that women like rich men, I have never actually seen evidence of it. I haven't witnessed losing to another guy because he had more wealth. I've only ever seen one man pull from a club because of wealth - it's normally because of other factors. I would need to see something that would psychologically ingrain the idea that money can improve my success with women, and I don't know where I would find that.

Ideas?

I don't necessarily believe that women like 'rich' men. They like successful men, and successful men generally have money.

WWT hit on the head. It's very hard to find money when you're chasing it, but when you create value for others, money finds you.

I'll give you a personal example. I built a small site in the health niche back in August with two articles about a subject I've been paying attention to for a while now.

I did no link building, and only put up an affiliate link a few weeks after it launched to track any clicks I was getting. I figured I would be happy with making the reg fee over the next year since the sole purpose was to create a decent resource available to people who are also interested in the subject. The affiliate link went up at the beginning of September, and through January I've made nearly $3,000 total and growing on a site I created for no other reason than to just help people out who shared my same interest.

[malakaix]

(02-13-2015 12:45 PM)Phoenix Wrote:  

I've met and know of many people who seem to have the drive built in. Generally with these people, I have noticed, it is because they really want certain material goods. They want big houses in nice places, they want fancy cars, they want an expensive watch, they want first class flights, they want 5-star executive suites, they want a butler or a driver etc.

However I don't have the desire for any of that. For me, a $150 hotel feels 20% better than a $25 one. Sports cars impress me only slightly, and I have no real desire to own one. I don't care the comfort level of a flight as long as it's not noticeably uncomfortable and has as few stops as possible. I don't need a house, and the idea of owning a prime-location luxury apartment is only mildly more attractive to me than just renting a lesser apartment. Hence I have no in-built drive to facilitate any of that - i.e. to make more money.

The only thing I really have significant desire for is women.

As someone with a very similar mind-set i understand your situation. I have almost zero desire for material wealth, it has next to no value to me apart from its practicality therefore i'm not interested in luxury.

Women do play a central role in motivating me to earn money, however the biggest motivator and ultimately what i value the most is freedom. Money = Freedom, the more i have the more my money begins to earn me money and thus the more freedom i have to do what i want.

I had to change my whole perspective of money in the past year after hitting rock bottom financially, now i'm focused on learning about investing, saving and minimalist living.

[PhDre]

I agree with "Money = Freedom". Money gives you the opportunity to work on whatever you want, where you want and when you want without the need to take bullshit from anyone. Money doesn't buy you happiness, but a lack of money will give you misery for sure. Also, money buys you time. It gives you the opportunity to outsource cleaning your apartment, ironing your clothes etc. such that you have more time to do the things you really enjoy.

Another very important benefit is that money buys you health. Eating a healthy diet full of grass-fed beef, pacific salmon and organic vegetables and fruits is a lot more expensive than stuffing yourself full of Monsato frankenfood. In my experience healthy eating is at least two to three times more expensive than the current, doctor approved, western diet full of wheat, soy, pesticides, hormones and additives. Also classic western medicine is complete bullshit for keeping you healthy. Our doctors are extremely good at keeping you alive, but they completely suck at helping you with chronic issues and improving your health and quality of life. If you want to be really healthy and look the part, you will need to go to a knowledgeable integrative practitioner or private clinic, which is really expensive.

Who will look the best: the average guy or the guy who can afford a high quality diet, quality nutritional supplements, TRT, growth hormone,... ?
Who will have the highest energy? The most drive?

[TravellingSoldier]

Don't look at money as a means to an end. Look at money as the catalyst to freedom and a product of innovation.

At the end of the day, will you be happy on your death bed looking forward with the current path of your life? If yes, then forget about making money. If no, start working harder

[Isaac Jordan]

Treat Mediocrity as a Crisis - Danger & Play

Quote:

People are very good at doing two things – surviving crises and accepting mediocrity. To protect our egos, we use euphemisms for mediocrity. We say we are good enough rather than admit we have accepted mediocre life outcomes.

To some extent, we can blame evolution.

Our bodies are regulated by the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. As everyone learned in 9th grade biology, the parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for your bodily functions when you’re at rest. You don’t need will power to breath, have a beating heart, or digest food. The parasympathetic nervous system puts us into “chill” mode.

Our sympathetic are responsible for the fight-or-flight response and give us huge doses of adrenaline. If you heard a gun shot outside, your body would automatically give you a huge dose of epinephrine, norepinephrine. Your heart rate would skyrocket, your body would release glucose for fuel, and you’d be ready to move – to fight or to flee.

In other words, our bodies are evolved to help us avoid dying and to conserve energy. Our bodies are not evolved to drive us to accomplish great things.

Everyone has had to overcome some huge life crisis. We may smirk at a high school kid being emo about “having his heart broken,” but when you put yourself into the shoes of a teenager, you remember how awful all that lovey-dovey shit was.

I would laugh at a guy with approach anxiety, and that would be unfair. There was a time when fear controlled my life, too. I am unsympathetic to the plight of newbies only because I live in denial of my former, weaker self. It is a character flaw that I am working on.

When life gets really bad, we find a way to overcome obstacles that seemed insurmountable. We find a way to make things happen. Yet we make thing happen only when life forces us to.

Think about your last life crisis. You probably dealt with some huge problems. Your body became very stressed. You felt hopeless. Then somehow you were able to solve the problem. You survived.

But you didn’t rush to that crisis, did you? Instead it was thrust upon you. You didn’t have a choice. You had to either survive or die. You really didn’t have a choice.

After surviving, you probably did what everyone else does. It’s what society tells us to do. You went back to your normal life and waited for time to heal your wounds.

You did not take the resolve and fortitude you found deep within yourself and apply it to something else.

You didn’t say, “Wow. I never thought I’d be able to solve that problem. Now that life is back to normal, I am going to use those same skills to take myself from a state of mediocrity to a state of excellence.”

There are undoubtedly areas of your life that need work. You may suck at something and want to improve. Or you may be “good enough” but know you can become excellent.

If I put a gun to your head, could you accomplish your goals? Would you do something that you’ve been putting off? If I put a gun to your head, would anything stand between your current mediocre self and your excellent self?

What would happen to your life if you treated being mediocre not as something you can live with, but as a crisis that must be survived?

[Ibagemyoutagem]

tbh some people are born alot less materialistic . Those lucky bastard. Same with women, those are the ltr type.

[Alche]

How badly do you want it? This is what it all boils down to.

[Phoenix]

(02-15-2015 05:43 AM)Alche Wrote:  

How badly do you want it? This is what it all boils down to.

Noise. Not insightful. This thread is specifically about 'making oneself want it more badly'.

[Alche]

Listen to motivational speakers, the only person that can want it more badly is you. Nobody can hold your hand through it, but motivational speakers might spark something in you.

Anything more is just turning into mental masturbation.

Stop trying to think and learn about how to want it. Just take action.

[memcpy]

read boldanddetermined.com Victor really is living the lifestyle.

[The Reactionary Tree]

The threat of being made uncomfortable is often a greater motivator than the desire for wealth.

[POASTER]

I used to be just like this, but now I am making money and it's got me more motivated. I understand what you mean when you say you don't know how to get motivated. No speakers or articles or quotes will get you there.

You really just have to be exposed to it and make money to get the juices flowing. You need to experience the freedom and option to buy what you please and invest to make more money in order to appreciate this drive. Making money and investing is such a reward feedback loop. It's not even about the money, it's the dopamine rush.

Also realize that you will get more girls once the money comes in. I don't mean paying for them, I mean you just get this confidence boost and swagger that improves your game. You walk differently. You are busy and tired so you don't waste time on flakey bitches. You no longer come off as needy because you send quick texts and only schedule dates when you are free.

Actually it may help to hang in an upscale neighorhood and see how hot the girls are there. It will motivate you to make money and be exposed to a new class of girls.

[zatara]

It's a very American thing to be obsessed with money. In most of Europe once you reach a certain level of 'comfortable' wealth you start to scale back your work, try to maximise your relaxing / family time. But it seems so common for Americans to just keep pushing for more unnecessarily. If you can earn 100k a year working 35 hours a week or 200k a year working 60 hours a week nearly everyone would be better off doing the former, but quite a lot of Americans would go for the latter...

If you're comfortable, and enjoy your current financial status, why try to change it? You're probably significantly better off quality of life-wise than someone whos chasing that big salary, working horrible hours, because they're obsessing over money.

[worldwidetraveler]

(02-15-2015 06:26 PM)zatara Wrote:  

It's a very American thing to be obsessed with money. In most of Europe once you reach a certain level of 'comfortable' wealth you start to scale back your work, try to maximise your relaxing / family time. But it seems so common for Americans to just keep pushing for more unnecessarily. If you can earn 100k a year working 35 hours a week or 200k a year working 60 hours a week nearly everyone would be better off doing the former, but quite a lot of Americans would go for the latter...

If you're comfortable, and enjoy your current financial status, why try to change it? You're probably significantly better off quality of life-wise than someone whos chasing that big salary, working horrible hours, because they're obsessing over money.

That isn't what the OP asked. In any case, we can apply that type of logic to anything and everything. Why change at all if one is comfortable with their situation?

Growth teaches us much more than sitting around relaxing. You are focusing on the money, but the journey to becoming better than average leads to a lot more experiences and insights.

This site isn't for average men, yet that is your advice towards the OP's question.