There are a few for whom the pursuit of making money is a passion…the way that a baker bakes incredible bread, a gardener harvests beautiful plants, a painter creates a masterpiece. These folks who hold a passion for finances will be very happy to make money while working at making money.

However, for most of us, money is a by-product of our work. If we love what we do and are diligent in perfecting our craft on a daily basis (even when sometimes we really want to take a break) there is a very good chance that eventually we will feel successful. And look at it this way, even if you do not end up rolling in money, you are doing something you love.

The tragedy is the inverse of this: doing something you hate for money. Ouch.

That is the one lesson I tell both of my children time and time again. Please, please choose a line of work that you love. Work that will inspire you and make you better every day and work that will make a difference to you and those around you and maybe the world itself. I also tell them that diligence in work is what brings about rewards, and that reward absolutely can also be financial compensation.

I often remember my very first paycheck. I couldn’t believe it…I was being paid to do something I loved. Throughout my career and really throughout any of my business ventures, I have tried to always find that passion, that feeling of: I deserve this, I have earned this.

I like financial rewards. I want to make sure that I have earned them so I may enjoy them and value them.