what is your "why"?

This:
D.T. said:
Plus it's extremely fun - finding and negotiating on deals, dealing with people from all walks of life, getting results, discussing ideas with those more experienced, helping those less experienced.
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And this:
Corey Batt said:
Time is the most precious and finite item that we all own, yet we trade it away for $x/hr. I think it's a very valuable thing to be able to spend your time doing what you want, as eventually you will run out of hours to sell and regret not being able to do the things you love.
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I don't have to do it and I don't do it for the money. I do it because I like to hunt down a great deal. I like to take something that isn't great and I like to improve it. I like looking at new builds, talking to builders and imagining what I could do. Ultimately, the outcome is more money, like the time I fixed up my rental and took it from $320 a week to $440 a week. I did most of the work myself because I wanted to. If it was just about the money I would have paid someone to do it. I will be very involved in my building projects, not because I have to be but because I want to. Being able to do what you want to do is a privilege.
 
I'm with Dave - I'm having a ball at this real life game of monopoly. It's great learning, exhilarating 'wheeling and dealing', and even better helping a pal do the same.

I'm not so big on the idea of retiring early, I feel like i'm only getting started and just imagine getting bored if I have to spend too much time to do other stuff (definitely something I need to work on, balance!).

I remember going on a family holiday when I was 12 to Canada. I was trying to convince mum to invest in a 4-6 unit blocks in Montreal for around $350k because of the yields and potential for growth. Now i'm old enough to go and take those risks, it's great.

I don't think any of it has to do with making $x or buying back my 'freedom' (love the idea, but I feel like that's in the mind anyway).

I do it because I get a real kick out of it. Its energizing. Long may it continue.

I imagine over time, it may get less exciting. But I imagine i'll still crave the same highs/lows you get from investing...may just change 'sports' (asset classes).
 
Blueberry said:
I am at that time where I revisit *why* I want to invest. *Why* I want to be financially free. *Why* I am willing to put in all the time and effort into persuing this goal of financial freedom.

Mine basically comes down to that I do do not wish my finances to control me or my children. I have lots of specifics and consequences of that, but in essence that is where it boils down to.

So, what is your *why*?
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Why for me is what else can it be?
 
D.T. said:
Why do you need to?
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Because I came from a humble background and made a decision as a teenager that I could do better. Investing is just one of the ways I have dealt with this. I'm also very well qualified and have a fairly high flying career.

My biggest achievement, though, is a happy marriage with happy children.

EDIT: I've had a lot of naysayers along way, including within my family. Achieving my dreams has been a hard but wonderful road.
 
A few whys for me......

1. Every day on the walk to and from to work - I walk past a number of homeless people and whilst I know everyone is only one or two bad decisions away from this - I take a lot of comfort knowing that I currently have a certain level of financial security and therefore should always be able to have a roof over my head.

2. I like the idea of retiring within 10 years (age 50) however the reality for me is that I love my job and get great personal satisfaction from helping others (I work in the health industry). But I know that at least I will have the choice.....

3. I want to have $'s to travel and do the things I want - go see a show, have breakfast out at a cafe etc, I don't want to feel deprived.

4. I want to support all of my children with the best education possible (private school fees x 3 soon add up)

5. Like others have said, I enjoy and I am interested in investing (property & shares)
 
Ace in the Hole said:
Significance.
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one of my faves

you can be hugely sucessful in whatever you do and be a sad and lonely billionaire/artist at the top of their game

But if its all about you, without sowing into and for others......... it will be short lived success.

Significance is the next life goal for many achievers


ta
rolf
 
Hmm... Why...?

(a) Because I've seen my parents coming home tired from work - mum is 69 and dad is 74. They both still work part time as they are worried their savings will not last and they are not entitled to a pension in Australia until 2017. I am 43 and only have $90K in super and I don't want to be worrying about trying to stretch small fixed savings or living off govt pension when I am older.

(b) Whilst I might never have anything like the Bill & Melissa Foundation I'd like to be in a position to be philanthropic when I'm older. For that reason I'd like to aim a couple a properties beyond my own needs.
 
What is your "why"

My why is being absolutely sure I can provide for myself. I now have choices and financial independence. Second why is helping others grow by way of property investment.
 
Wow, great thread and an inspirational read. My why?

I grew up the son of a coal miner, part time farmer. - The old man worked like no-one I'd ever seen. Night shift 5 nights a week, ran the farm and did contract farming in daylight hours. As he aged he bought another farm (with a more solid income) as a retirement plan and spent every weekend driving 4 hours each way to run it. - God he could work! He hated debt - One time he got a loan for some new farm equipment (about $60k) and it was the only debt he'd ever had - he couldn't sleep because of it, despite having a net worth of close to 2 million. When he finally retired early from the mines, he continued to run the 2 farms, 360km apart for about 10 years. I dont think he'd ever spent a whole day inside or not being flat out. He died just before his 58th birthday. I guess you could say he bought himself a job and the only way to retire was to sell the thing that kept him going, because farming is who he was, even in his last days, chasing cows with his colostomy bag taped to his side, lol.

Fast forward to today and my wife and I have bought out the family farm which we totally love - and so do our 2 young girls. It's a great life, but between running a school, and a farm, as well as the property thing, I need to remember to slow down. There's a song with the lyrics 'Working hard is what took my dad, and I can see a better life to be had" - My wife will tell you that 'she's married her father in law' and that I'm just as ADD as he was.

So for me, I want to retire and enjoy the lifestyle we've worked hard for, and to provide for our girls.

That is all.
 
Wow.

Just joined Somersoft and blown away by some of the Whys here. As a financial planner i ask this to clients and it's very similar to a lot of the answers above.

Our why starts from a very early age and our inner financial beliefs are shaped because of this. George Kinder wrote a book on this called 7 stages of money maturity and a great book to understand your why.

For me, it is very similar to the above but put down to one word - Divorce. My parents divorced over money and I never want that to be more important than love itself. To do so, you need to be in control of the role money plays in your life - respect it and learn from it.

That's why i do what i do.
 
Why hey,well...

I know this may sound dated and old fashioned but I believe it's my responsibility to be able to support both myself,wife and family both now and when I retire in the future..currently a long way off in the distant horizon.

With both mine and my wife's families I can see people destined to be old and poor and for me after working for 40+ years and not been finicial secure to me is negligence of the highest order..

After reviewing both our families it is clear that we are currently in a better position than most albeit that is not saying much as both of our sisters currently do not have a house and they rent,with my wife's sister hasn't worked in years and is 100% dependant on her de facto to support her..

But the WHY for me is not purely for me but "US" as when our kids eventually leave the nest there will be just the two of US,me and the wife and for me I want to be able to enjoy that time together and being finicial secure will mean that will be a lot easier and open up more possibilities with where we live and travel etc...

Coota
 
I've got more than one "why"!

I just started working full-time in a corporate office, and it didn't take long before realising that I didn't want to be stuck to a desk for the next 50 years. Sure I enjoy my job, but do I feel like I'm contributing to society? Not so much, instead I feel I?m in the rat race making someone else money.

I also want to give back to my parents. They came to Australia with nothing and with no support, they worked hard and invested all they could into me. I've travelled around the world and had opportunities that could have never happened without them or their bold decisions. To this day, they still work hard and I want to make sure that they can retire more-than-comfortably.

I also want to be able to provide; for when I have a family. Eventually, I'd like to give back to the wider community and maybe start my own business.

Awesome thread!
 
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