For many people the necessity of making money is an unhappy reality of life. Others learn to make money fun. Unfortunately most people seem to be in the former category and not enough in the latter.
But there is no doubt about it. When you do the work you love, when you enjoy the way you make money, life in general is a lot more fun.
Fun Making Money in the Job You Have
There are a lot of things you can do to make your current job better, more enjoyable, and even fun to do. Sometimes just changing some of the circumstances of your present job is as good as changing jobs.
Getting in control of your money, and then getting out of debt, followed by building up an emergency fund of perhaps six months living expenses is the prerequisite to having fun making money no matter what job you have. Often the reason people grow to dislike a job is really a feeling that comes from being trapped.
If you are tied closely to getting your check every month you feel like a slave. If you could quit, suddenly the pressures that bug you with a job may be eliminated.
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If you are tied closely to getting your check every month you feel like a slave. If you could quit, suddenly the pressures that bug you with a job may be eliminated.
Sometimes you can get your employer to reassign your responsibilities in some way to eliminate unpleasant aspects of your job and make it more satisfying. That may be all it would take to make the job you have the work you love!
Once I worked under a supervisor who was a bully as well as being upredictable and irratic. I became so frustrated with him I decided to quit. But first I went to the owner and explained my intensions. To my surprise, he was understanding and helpful, offering to transfer me to a different position with a different supervisor if I would stay on.
Many times people dislike a job because they really are not qualified for the specific tasks they have to do. Instead of enduring the frustration or quitting, why not get some specialized training that will enable you to do your job effectively.
Ask your employer for training and he/she may provide it (at company expense). Once you can do the job well you may be able to have fun making money in your present job.
In short, anytime a job becomes unpleasant, do not become discouraged and decide you don’t like the job before asking why you are not enjoying it. If you can identify the specific problem that takes the fun out of your job, try to make specific changes to eliminate the problem and save the job. It may become work you love after all!
Prepare Yourself For the Work You Love
Find someone who says they hate their job, or wishes they were doing something else to any degree, and ask the basic question: “What are you doing now to prepare yourself for a different job?” The answer may surprise you. Don’t be surprised to hear something like: “Nothing yet, but I’m thinking about it.”
The primary reason that people do not have fun with money and do jobs they do not like is because they usually look for jobs they can get rather than jobs they want. Of course we need an income. So there is nothing wrong with taking a job that meets our financial needs primarily because we need the money.
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The primary reason that people do not have fun with money and do jobs they do not like is because they usually look for jobs they can get rather than jobs they want.
But once we have a temporary means of support, it only makes sense to get started spending time preparing do work you love. If you want to have fun making money, make a decision to do so and get to work on it.
Do some real soul searching to make sure what you would really enjoy. Do practical research to find what you need to prepare for that work. Then set out your plan and get started.
Many people have found the book, 48 Days To The Work You Love by Dan Miller to be helpful in exploring how they can move in the direction of work they enjoy. You might want to check it out if you want to have fun with money, too.
When you are working toward a goal like this your life has more purpose and you can enjoy the preparation process. Your old temporary job becomes more satisfying when it is seen as a help along the way toward something better.
Fun Making Money Outside Your Job
In the previous articles of this series I have discussed the importance of seeing income as more than earning an income from a single job. There are many ways of generating money and it is important to learn how to have fun making money in all you do.
So each of your sources of income should be carefully chosen based on what you have a potential to enjoy. For example, I used to have some single family rental income. No more. It is a good way to make money if you know what you are doing, but I no longer enjoy dealing with the problems that are unavoidable with it.
Many people can have fun with money owning and managing real estate rentals; if you do, it can be very profitable.
On this site I consistently suggest that people invest primarily in whole market index funds and Standard and Poor’s 500 index funds because they consistently beat 60% of other funds. That makes it safer for basic retirement Roth IRA’s, for example.
However, at times I have invested in other funds and have had great success. I did it because I had fun finding and investing in funds that had great potential. I really do have fun with money when I find an investment that pays off well. Other people find it difficult and scary.
Again, in every aspect of your financial life find ways to do what needs to be done in ways that you can enjoy. The good news is that when it comes to making money there are so many options that it is not difficult to find a way to have fun making money.
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The good news is that when it comes to making money there are so many options that it is not difficult to find a way to have fun making money.
As with their primary job, many people pick up on ways to earn additional funds from the recommendations of friends or associates with no thought about what they would enjoy. They look primarily at the potential dollars.
Whether it is working at WalMart, selling perennials, developing a web business, selling real estate, buying stuff at yard sales and selling it on eBay, or selling John Deere tractors from your front yard, only do those things you enjoy.
Have Fun with All Financial Activities
Make money fun! Learn how to do work you love in a way that pays the bills. Everything about earning and managing your money should be enjoyable.
When you are in control and prospering in a way that eliminates the frustrations most people suffer needlessly, you will see your income increase consistently. To have fun making money should clearly be a top priority.
