Motivation

Happy weekend!

Well if you've been keeping up with my posts I recently wrote about how I was going to be trying for a new outlook on my life. So far I think it's been working!

This past week I went from being in a very glum and sad mood to being much happier with what I have.

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That picture is one of the many quotes I have floating around my room. This one is just simply written on a post-it note stuck to my desk, but it's really one of my favorites.

Well I titled this post "Motivation" for a reason. Today I was eating dinner with my friends and we were talking about summer. See we just signed a lease for an apartment last week, so we were talking about rent. My friend asked me if I had any kind of savings and I said no. I don't have a savings because I've been a little irresponsible with my money so far, and I've also provided a lot for myself because my parents aren't the most wealthy people.

At that point in time I said "that's why I'm going into finance." See, ever since I was little I knew I needed to do something that made me money. Now many of you may call this shallow and for the longest time I thought so too. Some of you may say, well why aren't you going into something you love, or something that makes the world a better place. Well, I just recently realized myself that I'm not trying to make money for me. I want to make money for others. I've always been a provider and protector. One of the ways I know to do that is by spending money on people.

Today at dinner I realized that my parents are quickly approaching 60. They have no savings, no retirement, no back-up plan. Nothing. Then the words "my mother will not be a greeter at Wal-Mart" came out of my mouth. Right then was when I realized why I'm doing all this. There will be a day when my parents want to retire. They aren't going to be able to do it on their own though, and my brothers aren't going to be able to help. So, in a way I almost feel like the burden lies with me to provide for my parents. Some of you may say that it's my parents fault for not preparing, but to that I say a big fat no. I have watched my parents work their butts off my entire life to give me everything they could. We never had much, but there also wasn't much I went without.  It's from them that I learned what a true work ethic was. For years I've watched my father get up everyday and go to a job he basically hates because he knows he has to in order to provide for his family. I'm not going to let that hard work go to waste. All the work they put into me is going to pay off, and if that pay off happens to be financial so be it. It's what I'm good at and it's what is truly going to make me happy in the end.

It's that realization that I've been searching for the past almost two years. I always knew I was here for a reason and now I feel like I've got some real motivation to keep going and to work hard. I not only want to provide for my parents. Someday I hope to be able to give my partner everything he wants and deserves. Now I hope he is just as successful and driven as me, but I just want to know that I can be there for him and not have to worry about things like bills. I also want to be able to provide for my friends. I have some amazing friends and a lot of them are going to do things that change the world  and make it so much better, but they won't make any money doing it. Well, here I am. Let me buy you something, let me pay a bill, let me take the burden off your life so you can continue to help others without worrying about finances.

So I suppose in a way my life revolves around money, but I'm really hoping that I'm not just doing this to make a lot of money and be selfish with it. I truly want to do good and help those close to me. I will be successful. No one is going to stop me.