Bankers have been catching a beating recently because of their oversized multi-million dollar bonuses.
Remember the evil-sounding quote from Michael Douglas playing Gordon Gekko in the 1980s movie ‘Wall Street’?:
“Greed is good. Greed is right. Greed works.“
No doubt there’s some shysters and snake oil salesmen out there, but I’m here to argue that ‘greed’ isn’t just good — it’s an entrepreneurial necessity.
Greed is Just Another Word for Passion
What’s wrong with making (lots and lots) of money providing valuable services to people willing to buy? Let’s face it, the bankers have a captive market, a monopoly power you could say, over the general public. They’ll make money no matter which way the tide moves.
But entrepreneurs like you and me have to get wildly creative to earn our daily bread.
We innovate. We have fire in our bellies. We don’t tolerate the status quo.
…and we’re greedy. We have an unquenchable desire for more…
More knowledge, more customers, more effective ways of solving the world’s problems. If you’re a fellow traveler looking to build something you can be proud of, you probably can’t stand the idea of working for a set wage for the rest of your life or punching a clock until you retire.
That’s a good thing. Your greed (ok, passion) for excellence can lead to some cool new discoveries, like key performance indicators for your business, or better ways to engage customers.
I know because I’m just like you — my mind never stops thinking up new ways to communicate ideas, turn thoughts into products and services, and sell solutions to people who need help finding success. I’m obsessed to the point that my wife needs to remind me to shut the computer off and come to bed at least 5 nights per week.
That’s just how we operate.
We’re willing to risk, willing to fail, and make change happen. So don’t apologize for being greedy for success and profit. I am. But not for the reason you think. I love what I do and obsess over discovering new and measureable ways to increase ROI for individuals and businesses (ROI in terms of time as well as dollars).
Money is just a scorecard for entrepreneurs. Money in the till means the idea is working and we just can’t stop making it better. I hope you’re feeling the same rush of energy I do every morning. Stay curious…stay passionate…hell, stay greedy!
(Just make sure your aim is pure…)
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