The Online Investing AI Blog

For some people, investing is all about the Benjamins. They want to make as much money as quickly as possible. They can’t wait to buy that new car, new house or new plane. They believe that there is only one reason to invest: to make money, money, and more money.

Have you ever had a financial goal and achieved it? Maybe it was a new car. Or a promotion at work. It’s great to succeed and achieve, but there is a small challenge. Often when we achieve goals like these, there is a certain let down. Have you ever felt that feeling?

In my own experience, I felt, “Is this all there is?” When I achieved my big goal, I was happy and excited. Unfortunately, the feeling was gone in just a few days. It took years or months to achieve, endless thinking and anticipation, but the ecstasy dissipated in just a matter of days. I thought, “Wow, that’s not fair. All that hard work and the pleasure is already gone!’

Unfortunately, I don’t think money alone is a very good goal. Perhaps money is a means, and not an end. Sure, it is a means to buy more and better stuff. But that stuff won’t make us happy. (OK, I’ll admit it. A new car will make us happy. But only for a short time.) Buying more stuff only generates desire for still more stuff. There is no end.

Some people say that you need to have a good reason to make the money. They believe that if we have a higher purpose for our money, then it will have meaning. For some people, that meaning is helping other people less fortunate than ourselves. For others, it could be creating ways for people to achieve their dreams. For still others, they may find a purpose is supporting charities that cure diseases.

Although it is great to become wealthy and financially free ourselves, there is more satisfaction and fulfillment in achieving our highest callings. I can’t tell you what is right for you. We each get to look inside and ask ourselves what would make life truly worth living? What contribution can we make that would ignite our most volatile passion?