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 really value them.