On Logic's newest album, his title song, called, "The Incredible True Story," includes an excerpt from an Alan Watts speech. He talks about doing things that we love, and the importance of working for more than simply money. The following is all that is included in Logic's song:
"We’d like to be painters, we’d like to be poets. We’d like to be writers, but as everybody knows we can’t earn any money that way. What do you want to do? When we finally got down to something which the individual says he really wants to do, I will say to him you do that... and, um, forget the money. If you say that getting the money is the most important thing, you will spend your life completely wasting your time.
You’ll be doing things you don’t like doing in order to go on living, that is to go on doing things you don’t like doing, which is stupid! It is absolutely stupid!
Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way. And after all, if you do really like what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter what it is – somebody is interested in everything, anything you can be interested in, you will find others will.
But it’s absolutely stupid to spend your time doing things you don’t like, and to teach our children to follow in the same track. See what we are doing, is we’re bringing up children and educating to live the same sort of lives we are living. In order that they may justify themselves and find satisfaction in life by bringing up their children to bring up their children to do the same thing, so it’s all retch, and no vomit it never gets there. Therefore, it’s so important to consider this question: What do I desire?" Alan Watts.
I know that Alan Watts doesn't agree with me on everything. However, he makes a fantastic point, here. Our society has been led to have an obsessive affection for money. Now, earning a lot of money is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I'd say it's a great thing! People talk about America having this "live to work" mentality, in that our lives are centered around our jobs. Evidently, this is true for the majority of America. We live in a society where money is the goal.
Like I said before, wanting to make money along with the act of making money are not bad things in themselves. In the world we live, money is necessary to survive. Therefore, I'd argue that money isn't the problem in and of itself. You see, our motivation comes from whatever we love; whatever we put value in. So if your ultimate goal in life is to earn as much money as possible or even some finite amount, then your motivation is rooted in money -- something that will never last.
Think about what money is. Truly, it is only a means which we use to obtain other things that we desire. Money has never done anything good for anyone. We only use it to pay for things that then will be applied to do good for people. Where is the ultimate satisfaction in money as an object? Its paper that we've decided has some arbitrary value. These days, it's even less than that. For most, money is some number stored in a computer at a bank. That number will do absolutely nothing for this world once you are gone.
The amount of money you have when you are gone is meaningless. What lives on is everything you've said and done. Each word that has passed through another ear, every interaction with a stranger or friend, will all have some effect, no matter how big or small, in this world. Shouldn't that be how we look for motivation? We should desire to use the potential that our actions have in order that, whatever we leave behind, it is for the betterment of others.
As a Christian, I believe that God has given each of us talents and desires as individuals, making each of us fit to be used as He desires within His ultimate plan. Therefore, our goals should be centered around whatever it is that we are passionate about, so that we may glorify God by using the gifts He's given us. Then I would say that all of our goals collectively contribute to an ultimate, eternal goal that is to glorify God. If we do this, we will spend our lives doing exactly what we were created to do.
You see, since God desires that we be joyful; He has lined up His will for our lives with the things that we are most passionate about. Thus, if we work to become excellent at those things we love, we can find joy and fulfillment in our lives by simply doing those things. And that is where Watts hit the nail on the head. The important question is, indeed, "What do I desire?" In other words, ask yourself, what are you passionate about? Do you truly, deep down, desire only to acquire money? Or is there something else that you earnestly long to do? I promise you that there is, you must simply find it.
Know, though, that when I speak of work, I mean hard work. None of this will come easy -- I guarantee it. Just last night, I met a new friend. His name is Donald, but most people call him DJ. I spent what seemed to be about an hour talking to him about his life, the work he does, and his goals in life. This man may be the hardest working human being I have ever had the fantastic pleasure of meeting. Talk about motivating -- DJ is a history teacher, serving seventh to 12th-grade students. On top of his teaching, he is a musical artist and actor, basically full time. The man sleeps an average of four hours for every 24 that he lives. Every bit of those other 20 hours, I assure you, are put to good use.
DJ longs to bridge the gap between art and education, that he can show his students that the two are very much one. He has a lead role in a movie that he will begin shooting soon, which will premiere in the summer of 2017. He is a singer and songwriter, who also plays percussion for his younger brother, Matthew. Matt is fairly well-known as a contestant on "The Voice," back in 2013, and has an album dropping (most likely) within the next few weeks.
DJ is 26, working his way to becoming a millionaire by 30. That is one of his goals, as well. A God-fearing man if I've ever met one, DJ has a money-measured goal. You see, for him, all that money means no worries for his family. Money doesn't spell success or satisfaction but opens up an avenue to a better life for others. Everything that DJ has spent his life working toward comes from his understanding of what God created him to do. He found what he is passionate about, and spent his life on it. Oh, and I forgot to mention, he's still a graduate student amidst everything else I've mentioned.
Not one thing is going to stop DJ from accomplishing whatever he wants to. He has the motivation coming from the right places and the desire to glorify God in all of it. The way I see it, the money has come as a blessing from God just to make things a bit easier for him. And I think he deserves that blessing, along with many more.
Don't waste your time any longer. As Watts mentioned, doing something you hate for the sake of living to keep doing it is pure stupidity. If you don't love what you're doing, find something you do love. For some of you, your job will provide that. For others, maybe you need to find a job separate from that desire, so that you may accomplish what it is that you do desire. It is true that at times, we need to do something that we don't exactly love in order that we may work our way to doing just that - doing what we love. That is all part of the hard work. It will take time that you won't get back. However, your joy and satisfaction will pay the value of that time in full. Let your life be one that you love, that others will love, and most importantly, one that God will love.
