I crack up when I hear that question...
For one thing, while I’m pretty well off, I don’t think of myself as “rich.”
I’ve got a few friends who are “rich.” They’ve got 9 or 10-figures in the bank.
But aside from their high net worth, they’ve got something else in common:
They all work full-time!
And that’s the other reason I chuckle when I hear this question. It implies that the only reason anyone works is for the money.
The truth is a little stranger than that…
The Dream
If you’re a longtime Crowdaility reader, you already know the sorts of profits you can earn from investing in start-ups.
By getting involved in a high-growth company early—and cashing out when it gets acquired or goes public—you can reap huge returns.
Maybe you’ve imagined what it would be like to get in on one of those deals...
And then sit on a beach sipping piña coladas for the rest of your life.
But if you look at the entrepreneurs and investors who’ve made big money on start-ups, you’ll quickly see that most of them steer clear of that path.
They all keep working...
Why The Ultra-Rich Keep Their Day Job
Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg...
Billionaire entrepreneurs—and they all continue to work even though they no longer “need” to. What keeps them going?
As it turns out, wealthy people think about work differently than most folks do—and by adopting their mindset, maybe some of their wealth-building capabilities will rub off on you.
Here are a few reasons they keep working:
Legacy — According to a recent article in Forbes, wealthy businesspeople continue working to ensure a legacy for their families.
Entrepreneur Alan Meckler, whose net worth is roughly $400 million, says he keeps working for “posterity.” He wants “to go out with another winner.”
The takeaway? Think about what your work and wealth might mean for your family after you’re gone.
Bring on the Challenge — Another common trait among these successful businessmen is their constant desire for another challenge. Once they succeed at one thing, they go after another.
For example, after Mark Cuban sold his Internet start-up for $4 billion, he tried his hand at running a pro sports team, and at investing in other entrepreneurs.
Takeaway? Keep looking for new ways to challenge yourself. Little by little, you’ll accumulate more knowledge and skills—and maybe even more wealth.
Work is Fun — For most folks, work is work. You go to your job, put in your hours, and collect a check. But for many of the world’s wealthiest people, they love what they do. And it’s not simply because they’re successful at it... it’s because this is what they’d be doing even if they weren’t getting paid.
But when you do what you love, you tend to throw yourself into it with real passion—and that gives you a higher chance of succeeding.
Takeaway? If you can, try to do what you love. That way, even if you don’t become a billionaire, at least you’ll enjoy the ride.
Why I Work
When you grow up without much money, you assume you’ll always have to work just to survive.
But after cashing out of my last start-up and realizing I wasn’t going hungry anytime soon, I started asking myself what I wanted to do with my life...
Did I want to spend the rest of my days traveling the world?
Or did I want to keep building things?
In the end, I did both: I took two years off to travel the world—and while I did so, I thought about what I wanted to do next…
And before long, I got excited about starting Crowdability.
I fell in love with the idea of helping other people accomplish their financial goals by investing in start-ups. And now it’s become my personal mission.
Matt and I are passionate about this market—and we’re passionate about helping you succeed in it.
So if you’ve ever wondered why Matt and I continue to do what we do each day...
The answer is, you!
Happy investing.
Best Regards,
Founder
Crowdability.com
