Today's entry was going to be the usual long day at the office, left at 20:00, so didn’t get home and have tea until 21:00. It was another day of frustration spoon feeding people through to the right decision. A day when a good friend solved a major technical issue, not one of my staff, and when I needed to make technical suggestions as part of an investigation into a customer fault. But then I read my sisters entry and its makes the constant moaning were seem self inflicted. She asks the million pound question, no not Anakin good or bad, but money a necessary evil or a drug?
I am not sure I agree with her view of me. I agree with her view of her, she is working hard, and applying a level of self control that is incredible to get to the right money point. She as set things she is prepared to spend on, and a plan for having more based on structured debt reduction. I am very proud of what she has achieved, and I know she will enjoy the benefits all the more for having done it herself!
As for me, she has the view that I work hard for the money, but I don’t think that is true. I work hard, and do what I do, because I am good at it, and despite the above, and most days ranting I enjoy it. I cant deny I enjoy the benefits that the money brings, and it would be hard to adjust if things changed, but I do what I do, because I need intellectual challenge. Shaping the team, fixing the business, helping customers, making things better give me self actualisation. The money is the reward, but the truth is it is only recently that we have really thought about how to enjoy it.
Yes we have nice cars, and good holidays, but ask me to spend £40 on a pair of trousers and I would faint. I needed to be bullied into spending money on me. So now we try and do something nice each month. We are going to the theatre, gigs, or out for a meal. We have bought a painting for our anniversary for the reasons we first bought pictures, because we love it. Its not an investment, it’s just for us.
The key thing for me is that I have always planned my money. I had a spreadsheet from my uni days, and finished debt free. I worked through the hoidays, and some weekends. I got a job and changed the spreadsheet. As the jobs grew the rows became more and the duration longer. It meant my wife could give up work and go to Uni, and I could get her a Jag when she graduated. Yes I have been paid well for the work I do, but I have always lived within my means and as such I am comfortable, with a few luxuries.
One of the key differences between me and my sister, is I am doing what I am good at, and what I enjoy. She is great at her job, and could do more if she wanted, but she gets a buzz from different things. She is the creative talent. I am luck that I enjoy something that pays well.
So what does this all really mean, well this blog is meant to be cathartic, so I will continue to rant about the frustrations of the day. I will continue to park my day in words so I can sleep and move on, without the baggage on over analysing it all.
Do I have money, yes, does it create a lovely life, yes, would I like to be fitter and less tired, yes. But life is about compromises, and as I get older, I am getting better at the balancing act.
Tomorrow is a WFH day, so hopefully a bit more WLB. At the end of the day, I only know one way to work, flat out!
I am not sure I agree with her view of me. I agree with her view of her, she is working hard, and applying a level of self control that is incredible to get to the right money point. She as set things she is prepared to spend on, and a plan for having more based on structured debt reduction. I am very proud of what she has achieved, and I know she will enjoy the benefits all the more for having done it herself!
As for me, she has the view that I work hard for the money, but I don’t think that is true. I work hard, and do what I do, because I am good at it, and despite the above, and most days ranting I enjoy it. I cant deny I enjoy the benefits that the money brings, and it would be hard to adjust if things changed, but I do what I do, because I need intellectual challenge. Shaping the team, fixing the business, helping customers, making things better give me self actualisation. The money is the reward, but the truth is it is only recently that we have really thought about how to enjoy it.
Yes we have nice cars, and good holidays, but ask me to spend £40 on a pair of trousers and I would faint. I needed to be bullied into spending money on me. So now we try and do something nice each month. We are going to the theatre, gigs, or out for a meal. We have bought a painting for our anniversary for the reasons we first bought pictures, because we love it. Its not an investment, it’s just for us.
The key thing for me is that I have always planned my money. I had a spreadsheet from my uni days, and finished debt free. I worked through the hoidays, and some weekends. I got a job and changed the spreadsheet. As the jobs grew the rows became more and the duration longer. It meant my wife could give up work and go to Uni, and I could get her a Jag when she graduated. Yes I have been paid well for the work I do, but I have always lived within my means and as such I am comfortable, with a few luxuries.
One of the key differences between me and my sister, is I am doing what I am good at, and what I enjoy. She is great at her job, and could do more if she wanted, but she gets a buzz from different things. She is the creative talent. I am luck that I enjoy something that pays well.
So what does this all really mean, well this blog is meant to be cathartic, so I will continue to rant about the frustrations of the day. I will continue to park my day in words so I can sleep and move on, without the baggage on over analysing it all.
Do I have money, yes, does it create a lovely life, yes, would I like to be fitter and less tired, yes. But life is about compromises, and as I get older, I am getting better at the balancing act.
Tomorrow is a WFH day, so hopefully a bit more WLB. At the end of the day, I only know one way to work, flat out!
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