If Money Were No Object

Recently, I've been thinking about what's the purpose of me being here. I'm probably going through the typical college stage where you are trying to define yourself, identify the things you are good at, and give yourself a purpose. Growing up has made me more perceptive on the things that actually matter in the long run. I watched a video recently that I shared on my Facebook and one of the quotes in it made me want to write this blog (another factor in me writing this is that the philosophy class I am currently in is putting me to sleep). The quote was, " I'd rather live a short life doing the things that make me happy, instead of living a long life being miserable".

This quote is by a philosopher named Alan Watts who's job it was to advise kids on which direction to take their life. He asked all of them, "If money was not an object, what would you want to do." As soon as the young person had told him what they wanted...he told them to do that specific thing. The video, all too powerful, made me realize that there is no point in living a life that you do not want to live just for the money. This video hit me exceptionally hard because living a life I do not want to live is the exact position I am putting myself in right now. Here is the video. You might want to watch it before reading on.

Going to Amherst College will open many opportunities for me after I graduate. However, its opportunities that sound great to the outside world, but to me I do not even know what it is that I actually want. To stereotype my path through Amherst would sound something like this. 'Play football and baseball. Meet some alumni at an event. Interview with them. Get a job being an investment banker or some other financial thing on Wall Street. Make a lot of money at a young age. Work my ass off for 3 years putting in 100 hour weeks until the 4th year where it slows down a bit and you actually enjoy your money.' Sounds great right? It did to me too, however the other day, my friend and I were like "Dude what do you want to do when you leave this academic sleep away camp". He responds with, "I don't know... I'll probably end up being an investment banker.....but I don't even know what an investment banker is or does". It is this type of life that the video contends with!

You only have one life to live. Money should not be the driving force behind every decision. Your life should be more fulfilling than waking up to a job that you hate only because it makes you money. Doing this only sets you up to live a life that you are not fully committed too. Putting in all those hours while the whole time you're thinking to yourself "I don't even like this". If you find something that you love, you never work a day in your life. I've come to the realization that if you do things that make you happy, all things that make you the person you want to be, all things without the worries of monetary expenses, the summation of these things will in turn make you live a happy, successful life. A life where you can make money, but at the same time enjoying what you do and reaping the benefits that life has in store for you. What's the point in doing things you do not want to do. You get one shot. One shot at the life you want to live. Why not make your mark on a platform that best suites your abilities and desires. Stay level headed on what's important to you and the rest will come. Unnecessary worries about pleasing people only cloud your ability to be truly happy. Money is great, but you can't take it with you when you're gone. In my last seconds before I die, I want to know that I had the most fulfilling, satisfying life...and that it was all worth it.