"Through the whole of his life he pursues the idea of a certain artificial and elegant repose which he may never arrive at, for which he sacrifices a real tranquillity that is at all times in his power, and which, if in the extremity of old age he should at last attain to it, he will find to be in no respect preferable to that humble security and contentment which he had abandoned for it.
It is then, in the last dregs of life, his body wasted with toil and disease, his mind galled and ruffled by the memory of a thousand injuries and disappointments which he imagines he has met with from the injustice of his enemies, or from the perfidy and ingratitude of his friends, that he begins at last to find that wealth and greatness are mere trinkets of frivolous utility, no more adapted for procuring ease of body or tranquillity of mind, than the tweezer-cases of the lover of toys. " - quoted in Adam Smith, Behavioural Economist by Ashraf et al (2004) from the Theory of Moral Sentiments
2 comments:
Money is a biproduct of talent and The most important thing is to enjoy whatever you are doing. If you can do that and earn well, you are very lucky
"The most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing" - for many people, that's probably true. For others, the most important thing is to put food on the table for the people who are most important to them. The most important thing is to recognise and act upon the most important thing - which is different things to different people.
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