A while back I read an article on one of the blogs that visit daily and it was a piece called “Why do you want to be rich?” and it provoked a lot of thought about the issue. I cant even remember what the reasons listed were, but after careful consideration I have come up with a lot of reasons to get rich.

1) Freedom. I want the freedom when I am older to do whatever job I want wherever I want. Old people get cold easily so I want to have a house somewhere tropical. Or maybe I just want a jouse somewhere tropical because tropical places rock.

2) Family. I come from a middle class family. Without my help my parents might have to work indefinitely. I full intend to have enough money to be able to take care of them when they are older. There are other family reasons as well. I have a younger brother in college and I can’t help him with tuition but he lives at my house for free… I would like to have enough money to help younger sisters out when they reach college age. Not to mention when I have kids of my own I would like to be able to help them. Plus, I want to be able to do things for my wife that I couldn’t if I didn’t have money.

3) Travel. I want to travel. Who doesn’t want to see the world? I have been to Austria and I have been to the Netherlands. Both of those times I didnt see NEAR as much as I wanted to see. I have never been somewhere tropical and I intend to visit a ton of tropical places. I want to play golf in Scotland. I want to go pet a kangaroo in Australia. Im not sure if they let you pet kangaroos, but I am going to try.

4) Free Time. I am a hobby person, a sports person, and an outdoors person. Its difficult to go mountain biking while sitting inside at a desk. Hell, as it is, I sometimes feel like the guy in the Pearl Jam “Evolution” video where the vines come out of the computer and grab him. There have been too many times where I spend a ton of time at work, come home, and am too tired to go outside and play. I want to go find the dumb hippies at the park and play ultimate frisbee with them while my money makes money for me.

5) Charity. The more money I make, the more money I can put towards helping people. I know very well I can do a lot more to help people with a huge bankroll. Anyone who tells you different is selling something.

6) I can. Its a shame to live in the land of the American Dream and not take advantage of it. It is a waste not to.

7) Stuff. I like stuff. I want to have the big house that so that all the guys come over and play poker and then watch the game on the big TV where we arent all having to cram into a tiny room to watch a 13 inch TV (caution: massive exaggeration). I want to have a pool in the back yard. I love computers and gagets and cars. Im not materialistic in the sense that I NEED possessions, I can get along fine without them….I just like stuff.

There are plenty of other reasons to get rich. Some people want status, some people want stuff, some people just want security. Whatever the reasons, anyone that makes their own money has my respect. And the truth is, ANYONE can do it.

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