What drives you? Why do you get up in the morning?

Are your a benefactor of mankind? Just your family? Yourself?

[Fribble]

Do you seek to save the environment? Be ultra-rich? Create a race of mutant-ninjas to enslave mankind?


Excuse me for getting all existential here... But I've been thinking...

For about 4 years I've sat on my laurels, letting Google pay most of my bills, through the all-mighty adsense. It's allowed me to move to Maui and spend nearly every day surfing. I don't write this to induce envy - but thought. I know it won't last forever but at the same time; more money and possession for myself isn't enough to drive. I want to continue on, but how? How do I frame my next goal? I would love to have a positive net-impact on humanity in my lifetime, but how? Have children? Adopt a cause? What? I realize that no-one can answer that for me - but I'm curious what has answered it for you...

We're all working for something. In the beginning it's simple. Money, health, security... whatever... but after you reach a certain point... you become comfortable. You're security/comfort/family/health etc needs have been met. Then what? Do you settle into a neat little existence that will work well for your immediate future or do you expand and work for a larger world-view?

What?

[weeks]

Do your best. (Cub Scouts!) That does NOT mean you have to work until your hands are bloody.

If you are making serious money with Adsense, then you are obviously doing something well to help people connect with each other. If your sites are actually useful this way, that's a good thing. You might look at ways to making them more useful.

Check to make certain to make sure you are not driving out those who can do it better.

That's my rule--stay out of the way of those who can do it better (and are willing to do it). Doesn't matter if it is scooping the cats' box or building a city, same rule applies.

Sometimes I find people who can help me better do what I want to do. And sometimes I help people who are striving to do something worthwhile.

That's what I do, everyday. We don't get to ask what the meaning of life is; it's our job to answer. Everyday.

[wyweb]

I really don't have any answers. In my younger days I had a lot of questions and wasn't the least bit reluctant to ask them, to shout them out if necessary. Adequate answers never seemed to be there though. My questions only led to more questions and a growing frustration at my inability to accurately define the various aspects of my existence.

What gets me out of bed in the morning is sometimes something as mundanely simple as the fact that I can't sleep anymore. I'm just as likely to jump straight up at 1:30 am because some flash of brilliance has hit me and I have got to get to work on it. If I'm in between jobs sometimes I don't get up at all.

Adsense pays my bills too. I don't have the sort of cushion that would allow me to get complacent though. I could get banned tomorrow even though I'm in total compliance. It happens, though I doubt as frequently as some would have us believe. I've never had enough money, even when I've had enough. I always have the feeling I'm leaving something out there, that there's something more I could be doing to better my position. If I was in Maui surfing and had a ton of money there would still be this slightly uncomfortable twitch in the back of my head telling me not to get too settled in. I can't get rid of it so I've learned to live with it. May sound a bit pessimistic but it's not. I am, at heart, the eternal optimist. I have a persistent, unshakable belief that tomorrow will always be better than today and I don't get discouraged if that turns out not to be true. I may not have a concrete plan for tomorrow and my goals are often so hazy they appear not to be there at all. They're there though. They're just waiting on me to catch up and after 50 years of banging around through life I've learned to believe that.

Patience has been a difficult concept for me to understand and apply to my own life. It works though. You don't need to know all these answers today. You don't even need to know them tomorrow. The big ones you may never know. The others will fall in line when they're ready. I'm living proof of that.

My apologies for such a wordy non-answer Fribble. You remind of me when I was younger. Some of the best minds this planet has ever seen have spent good portions of their lives trying to answer the same questions you're asking now. Most of them still aren't any further along than you.

Some consolation maybe....

[BillyS]

I'm like an ant, I'm continuously working. If not my day job, it's my hobby site.

At this point I'd like to spend more time helping those that are in need. Instead I've decided to donate more money to charity. In fact, I donate a certain portion of all income from Adsense to charity. The more I earn, the more I give away.

[bluntforce]

While not answering all of life's questions, you might consider a bit of volunteer work. You have specific knowledge and evidence that knowledge can provide a lucrative career path, why not share it?

Hawaii has a huge need for kids in school to establish goals and develop skills not readily available on the islands. Most of the high schools will have a computer lab or mini-lab in the school library. Perhaps spending a couple of hours a week after school holding an open door workshop on web development/design might help some of the kids and satisfy your greater needs.

Just a thought.

[rocknbil]

What drives you? Why do you get up in the morning?

I've thought about this for two days. I do it because no matter how bad things get, I have it ten times better than half the people on the planet so I'd better get on with it while I have the chance.

[wheel]

Pretty simple. I work to make things better for my family and eventually myself. And I get job satisfaction because I'm an expert in my industry, every sale I make is helping my clients.

[Fribble]

Thank you everyone who responded, it seems my feelings are not unique, which while not helpful, does make me feel a little better. I know it's been a while since I posted this, I wanted to wait until I had something worth adding before replying.

So, I've done some research. Websites, blogs, books, autobiographies, direct questioning, and the best answer I can come up with is that I simply haven't collected enough life experiences to make that decision yet. Now, supposing this is true, as I believe it reasonably could be, the obvious remedy is to go and explore and see the world that exists outside of my comfort zone. So over the next two months I will sell off and give away all of my worldly possessions. I'll keep a laptop and a back-pack's worth of supplies, and go vagabonding for a while. It should be fun, and I'm looking forward to it.

I will invest in life experiences rather than possessions, and keep on moving until I find a reason stop and focus on something specific.

Thank you everyone. :)

[wyweb]

the best answer I can come up with is that I simply haven't collected enough life experiences to make that decision yet

And the fact that you recognize this is evidence you're on the right track Fribble.

I've probably made more mistakes than most people have. My relationships with women, and there have been several marriages, several live-in G/F's, with the exception of one have all boiled down to open warfare and big hits to my wallet. My finances are in a mess. I'm into the IRS for 70K because I had an accountant once that said, "You know, I think we can get a little creative here." For years I took sleeping pills simply so I could shut down at night. Without them I couldn't sleep. I drink too much. I smoke too much. I play music way too loud and would just as soon spend every day on the lake fishing if I could. And I often do.

And I've asked the same questions you're asking now. In my opinion you're defined by what you leave behind when you're gone. What good things have you done? I wrestled with this one for years because I didn't think I'd done anything good at all. Not that I was a failure but simply because I hadn't actually contributed anything to the overall cosmic scheme of things. Bear with me for a minute and I'll try to put this together.

Leaving a mark doesn't necessarily mean donating 500K to a charity or pulling a kid out of a burning building. Those are big ones for sure but you don't have to do it all at once and I was a little confused about that. Make the small moves man. Let somebody in your lane in heavy traffic. Smile and wave at somebody you don't know. Go down to the homeless shelter one day and ask them what they need done and if you can help. Help an old lady get her groceries in the car. Cut your neighbors grass just because you can. Don't be invasive but be available and if you see someone struggling lend a hand. That more than anything else has become my philosophy of life. I can't make the big moves but I'm counting on the belief that those small ones are all going to add up some day. And even if they don't, I feel better about myself simply for being there.

You're closer than you think you are Fribble.

[grandpa]

So over the next two months I will sell off and give away all of my worldly possessions. I'll keep a laptop and a back-pack's worth of supplies, and go vagabonding for a while. It should be fun, and I'm looking forward to it.

A bit of info from someone who went that route.

Giving away my possessions was one of the most liberating things I have ever done. I found that I was free from the worry that someone might steal my "stuff". I was free from the fear of not keeping up with the Joneses. I didn't have to tote that crap everywhere I went!

Don't limit your experience to two months. I spent six months alone in the wilderness of Arkansas - editing a book (first time editor for an unknown author), and hunting for crystals in my free time. There were four years in Idaho helping a fellow increase his family owned and operated business - before he went to prison. There were two years in Georgia as the head toilet cleaner for an enterprise, I worked my own schedule. I was the live-in caretaker of a community garden located in the middle of a crack infested neighborhood, and never had a problem with the hookers, addicts or dealers. Nearly every summer I follow the spirit and go camping in a wilderness area miles from civilization - getting there and back (or to wherever I can get a ride) without the luxury of an automobile.

The world is expansive, the opportunities are nearly limitless. For one who wants to seek an alternative to the daily grind, there is much being offered. Hike the Appalachian Trail. Meander through the Rockies. Take any form of transportation except jet, plane or your own automobile from one coast to the other.

I don't drink beer, but if I did, it would be Dos Equis. Enjoy your experiences.

[maximillianos]

For me it is family. Ever since we had kids, they are the reason for my being and my successes. I want to provide a good life for my family. That is what keeps me going every day.

[bwnbwn]

Hmm wonderful question. I am like Billy an ant that never ceases to find something to do. I am by no means secure in anything because life is never a sure thing.

We are blessed to have a beautiful home almost 5k sq feet on 10 acres of land. Last winter I spent fencing the whole 10 acres and one acre around the home. Got 3 dogs so they have a nice play pen.

Dug and built 2 cattle guards [en.wikipedia.org...] one for the road entrance and one for the home entrance. Installed 2 electric gates for each entrance and put a couple cows and 7 goats on the place. Why? All this work alone is just plain crazy.

Then for the last 2 weeks I have mixed and poured 60 bags of concrete to fill in the gaps in our driveway 600 feet. Darned near died from the heat so a couple nights I worked by moon light. Each crack had to be filled and smoothed by hand just like tiling. My knees are wore out my body aches and my wife thinks I am nuts. Sometimes I wonder why do I continue to push myself beyond what my body can endure. I really don't know nor do I care really as I get a personal strength knowing this 57 year ole man can still hang. I also know if I don't do it now there will come a time I am not able so I guess I am looking to the future and a place I can produce my own food have freedom to go in my birthday suit if I so feel (actually I work in my garden all the time this way), and a home I can leave my kids to sell without much effort.

Since we have such a place my wife and I have decided to become foster parents for children that have been removed from there homes for whatever reason. When we are approved (final stages) we have been told we would get two little girls (they were battered) and were seperated due to not being able to place them in a home together. My wife will soon become a home mom to the children. I have built them a sand box and hung a horse swing for them.

Child protective services really likes our place as it does provide a higher level of security then most places, our dogs are big dogs and are protective of their domain, place in fenced in I used goat and sheep fencing, can't open the gats without a security code, and we are 600 feet off the road.

I guess what I am trying to say is sometimes we do things that open other doors if your willing to open the door.

When we become secure we become lazy and decay sets in.

[akmac]

my wife and I have decided to become foster parents

Thank you.

[skibum]

For about 10 years I just stared at a computer screen. Agency during the day, affiliate every other free moment. Had I put in another 5 or so years, might have been able to sit on enough to live simply on just investment income.

Couldn't take it anymore and just working to build up money for some later date just wasn't cutting it. Quit the agency, aff stuff is more or less on autopilot. Hit the road for 6 months. Had a room for 2 months near Snowbird, got little apt in Mammoth Lakes and then spent 2 months camping, staying in hostels, sleeping in the car and exploring the west.

I wasn't sure I was going to quit the agency until the day I gave notice and after I quit wasn't sure I was going to have the guts to hit the road but once out on the road, well the plan was for just 2 months and it turned into 6. Going to get a car I can sleep in and head back out for another 10-12 months.

Didn't have the guts to get rid of all my stuff and the apartment but might. It would be quite liberating and maybe there is a fear there that I'd never go back to the "normal" way but now that I'm back home for 2 months, it feels like a big crash. Life was soooooooooo much better out on the road seeing new things everyday, running into new people and driving to lots of new places with nowhere to stay in advance.

the best answer I can come up with is that I simply haven't collected enough life experiences to make that decision yet

Yep, and until going outside of the comfort range it simply wasn't possible to even realize what life experiences are out there just in the US!

[Fribble]

Thanks for that... It's pretty close to my personal feeling lately.

Since my last post I've began posting my stuff on Craigslist (thanks Craig!) and Ebay (Thanks Pierre!) and I've felt more invigorated since I've made the decision to travel aimlessly than I've felt in a long time. My energy levels and productivity (work included) have skyrocketed. I've got until the end of November to be free of anything that will not fit into a carry-on bag. Whew!

My first plane ticket will land me in India. From there I refuse to make any plans. I've used edufire to contract a native Hindi speaker to acquaint me with the language before I arrive and I refuse on planning anything beyond my arrival.

Man, I feel like I should have done this 10 years ago. Well, better late than never, right? Anyone want to meet up for a beer in Mumbai? Delhi? Bangalore? Kolkata? Tokyo? Ha!

[wyweb]

Mammoth Lakes.

I did the drywall on 40 or 50 townhomes and condos up there in '93. We stayed in motels because there was nowhere else to live and sometimes in the morning there would be these enormous brown bears jacking our dumpsters for stale pizza crusts. It was totally cool. The money was good. The people were friendly and the bears would leave you alone as long as you left them alone.

Totally off topic but I just wanted to throw that in there....

[SevenCubed]

I long to post a reply here from the heart -- like a few other heartfelt posts in this thread. Fribble I'd like to share what matters most with you as you set out in your quest but I cannot. I'm trigger shy. But, in a manner as uninformative, generic, and insensitive as possible I'll say that what gets me up in the morning is my quest to understand how we have arrived here and where does it lead. I am a scientific person, not religious. Scientific theories can only stand backed by proof. To provide proof sometimes one needs to quote ancient sources of knowledge. You'll find much more practical ancient knowledge in India than you can ever hope to find in the "social media trashcan" world. You are definitely moving in the right direction, without doubt.

If this post gets deleted, along with my account, let me just say it won't be unexpected. It's what I face everyday. Common people (who I am most comfortable with) don't understand me, church people fear me and lock their doors when they see me coming, and scientists think I'm crazy. The last leg of of journey of self-discovery is a lonely one. I wish you all the best in yours.

By the way, if you haven't already, learn the meaning of "bambalooze" and practice using it in a few sentences. Like when a carriage driver quotes you a fare; respectfully, lovingly, and with a smile, ask him if he is trying to bambalooze you! It may save you some money so you may be able to enjoy your freedom longer.

Peace Brother

[skibum]

@wyweb - Cool, Mammoth Lakes is awesome! Throughout Yellowstone, Yosemite and a bunch of others, the only bear I saw was in Mammoth when looking over the balcony one floor below at Royal Pines (used to be a "luxury" hotel back in the day, now "apartments".

Man, I feel like I should have done this 10 years ago. Well, better late than never, right?

Yep. Once you get a taste, you'll find a way to keep going. When you have no fear of going somewhere without really knowing anyone or having a place to stay you'll go anywhere! Some rough plans are good but they'll often go out the window. When you can just wander you see so much more. Get a decent camera to put in that carry-on bag!

You may be able to find some people in similar situations on twitter or blogging. Love this one - [thelongestwayhome.com...] He's been looking for a home for almost 6 years!