For those of you that know anything about me, one of the things I am most interested in life is the concept of money. Where does it come from? How can I make more of it? How can I make money everyday without working? Through the investment of stocks, I have become almost obsessed with the idea that my money is working for me. I have spent so much time researching which stocks have the highest dividends, and why and when I should be investing in them. Although this is all relevant, and comes solely from the hard work that I’ve invested thus far, how relevant would it all be if I didn’t truly earn it??

Casey Neistat states “I never want money that I didn’t earn.” As a high school drop-out, and teen parent, Casey entered his twenties on welfare, with a young child, no job, no degree, and virtually no place to live. Realizing the severity of these circumstances, Casey took a risk, and moved to New York City to find a job. While he started off washing dishes, he set out to be the best dish washer there was, and is now one of the most successful creators on youtube, amongst many of his other accomplishments. Because of these experiences, he takes pride in the fact that he has earned every penny through old fashioned hard work, with the help of risk.

And this makes me wonder… is money really worth it if you didn’t truly earn it? People set out to win the lotto, or sit around waiting and praying for a miracle to come along. I begin to wonder if money can truly bring happiness if there is no hard work behind it all. Every dollar bill I own is symbolic of the countless hours I worked to earn it. This quote has shed light on the concept of working to live. While many of us may not like to admit it, we have become accustomed to relying on an easy way out, however there is no reward for the man who choses this path.

Maybe I am wrong, or crazy to think that people can’t appreciate money that’s been handed to them. For me, it is the reward of hard work that makes the money worth it, and for this I’d have to agree that “I never want money that I didn’t earn.”