For Work Builds Wealth, and Wealth is Life Itself For Us.
[1] Abstract:
What are we doing here?
It has been said that system is the soul of business. If my writing business is to have an enduring, powerful soul and the longevity that comes with it, then I must learn a system of thought around getting up and doing it every day. It occured to me that to be a writer is not unlike being a farmer, rising at dawn and working the Earth day by day, so I decided to investigate the farmers mindset. What force is it that stirs in the heart of the farmer, day by day, in order to move him to his work? Traditional wisdom has it that it's jealousy, or envy. Hesiod's Works and Days says:
"So then, the varieties of Discord were not a single one, but on Earth there are two of them. One is to be praised when a person takes note in his mind, but the other is to be blamed. They have the opposite kinds of hearts. One of them - Conflict - promotes evil war and strife, the wretched one! No mortal loves this one, but, by necessity, in accord with the will of the immortals, humans give worth to this burdensome Eris. As for the other one - Jealousy - she was the first of the two to be born of Nyx. And Zeus, seated on high, made her to be far better for men, rooted in Earth as she is. She rouses even the resourceless person to work. For when one man who needs work looks at another man who is rich, who strives to plow, to plant, to keep his household in order, then it is that neighbor envies neighbor, as the rich man is striving for his wealth. This Eris - Jealousy - is good for mortals. Potter envies potter, carpenter envies carpenter. Beggar envies beggar, singer envies singer. You must place this in your heart. [...] For wealth is life itself for wretched mortals. " - Hesiod, Works and Days
The point of this page then is to help me learn to feel that jealousy, to systematize the process and thus make it more efficient, to place it into my heart, for as Hesiod says, "wealth is life itself" for us. The farmer looks at his neighbors possessions, feels the sting of jealousy, and is thus spurned to till his own field and build his wealth just as his neighbor did.
Tirukural 616: Work builds wealth, the lack of it brings only poverty.
So what do we do?
Repeat the following every morning:
1) Look at your peers. I've identified them here. Some are rich, others have attained mastery, but each has something I can feel jealous of. Each is a writer. I have a connection with all of these people. And remember, in the face of whatever hero worship of these people you might come across, that they're only humans - and that just like in the boxing ring, having just a touch of disdain for your opponents can be a very healthy thing.
2) Look at what they've attained that you haven't. Feel jealous. Then ask yourself, "Why the hell not me?" Look at Rowling. Look at King. Look at their financial and social successes. Look at their wealth. Then think, "Why the hell can't I do the same thing they did? They've written books that pile up into mansions - why the hell can't I do that?" You can. And you should. And you should get started, right now. Sometimes it might even be helpful to say the words out loud: "I feel jealous of X. I want Y too..."
3) Go to work, determined to outdo them. Now, with the spark freshly burning once again, you do what Hesiod insists on: stop staring at your neighbor's field, turn back to yours, and dig. Because jealousy is only useful if it feeds your work.
Look at your peers accomplishments every morning, feel jealous, then outdo them.
Have a Strong Work Ethic:
A strong work ethic is a set of values centered on the importance of work, involving diligence, discipline, integrity, and responsibility, and is demonstrated through behaviors like punctuality, reliability, focus, and a commitment to high-quality, high-quantity results. Having a strong work ethic means that you're committed.Be committed to writing daily.
There are 2 ways to really influence productivity:
1) Spend more hours writing.
2) Write more per hour.
Remember:Writing = Money. Because of the nature of intellectual property - that you can sell it and you still have it to sell again - stories can earn you incredible amounts of money. Every story you write earns money to your death and 70 years beyond. Writing is an investment for your whole family. Writing a book is like planting a money tree. It'll keep giving fruit year after year after year.
Be afraid of not writing.
What are we doing here?
It has been said that system is the soul of business. If my writing business is to have an enduring, powerful soul and the longevity that comes with it, then I must learn a system of thought around getting up and doing it every day. It occured to me that to be a writer is not unlike being a farmer, rising at dawn and working the Earth day by day, so I decided to investigate the farmers mindset. What force is it that stirs in the heart of the farmer, day by day, in order to move him to his work? Traditional wisdom has it that it's jealousy, or envy. Hesiod's Works and Days says:
So what do we do?
Repeat the following every morning:
Have a Strong Work Ethic:
A strong work ethic is a set of values centered on the importance of work, involving diligence, discipline, integrity, and responsibility, and is demonstrated through behaviors like punctuality, reliability, focus, and a commitment to high-quality, high-quantity results. Having a strong work ethic means that you're committed.
There are 2 ways to really influence productivity:
1) Spend more hours writing.
2) Write more per hour.
Remember:
--What Have My Peers Accomplished?:
[2] J.K. Rowling: $1.2 billion net worth
The following are photos from one of Rowling's houses:
This is like a model U.N. or some bullshit. Don't know why she needs that.
Great bathroom.
Some of these rooms would give Tony Montana a hard on.
How many tables and chairs can one woman need?
Dope.
She has a fucking upside down room. Outrageous.
Does she even work out?
Is this already like the 4th or 5th pool? This is all at one fucking house!
What is this shit? Something for karaoke with the girls?
I don't even know what I'm seeing here.
Look at this fucking place.
The following are photos from one of Rowling's houses:
[3] James Patterson: $800 million net worth
Patterson's Florida home, 20 thousand+ square feet:
They have "decorative staircases to nowhere." What the fuck. Who ever heard of a decorative staircase.
Here he has a photo taken with Dolly Parton or somebody. Big celebrity.
He has a kitchen island made out of fucking lapis lazuli. Seriously. You know, the gemstone that was so rare that in Asian cultures they thought it literally came from heaven.
Being interviewed like a bigshot. Nice piano too.
Patterson's Florida home, 20 thousand+ square feet:
They have "decorative staircases to nowhere." What the fuck. Who ever heard of a decorative staircase.
Here he has a photo taken with Dolly Parton or somebody. Big celebrity.
He has a kitchen island made out of fucking lapis lazuli. Seriously. You know, the gemstone that was so rare that in Asian cultures they thought it literally came from heaven.
Being interviewed like a bigshot. Nice piano too.
[4] Danielle Steel: $600 million net worth
Steel owns "the Spreckles Mansion," which was originally built by a sugar tycoon, Adolf Spreckles (apparently the original sugar daddy, he built the house as a gift for his wife). 20 thousand square feet. Current redfin price estimate: $20.67 million. Impossible to find internal photos. Called "San Francisco's most extravagant mansion." Do you know how much money you need to have to have the nicest house in fucking San Francisco?
A fan posing for a picture outside the house.
Steel owns "the Spreckles Mansion," which was originally built by a sugar tycoon, Adolf Spreckles (apparently the original sugar daddy, he built the house as a gift for his wife). 20 thousand square feet. Current redfin price estimate: $20.67 million. Impossible to find internal photos. Called "San Francisco's most extravagant mansion." Do you know how much money you need to have to have the nicest house in fucking San Francisco?
A fan posing for a picture outside the house.
[7] George R. R. Martin: $120 million net worth
I'm jealous as HELL of Martin getting to work with FromSoftware on Elden Ring. Even worse, Miyazaki was such a fan, THEY sought HIM out. Maybe if I work hard, I can work with FromSoftware one day. Maybe Miyazaki will even seek me out. It may sound farfetched, but it only happened to him because he was a good writer. I'm a good writer too. It could happen to me - or perhaps some equally incredible opportunity.
Martin has a relatively modest home, here it's featured on the Conan show:
Here Martin is featured on Conan, coming back from "the R store."
Jumping naked on his trampolean on tv.
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I'm jealous as HELL of Martin getting to work with FromSoftware on Elden Ring. Even worse, Miyazaki was such a fan, THEY sought HIM out. Maybe if I work hard, I can work with FromSoftware one day. Maybe Miyazaki will even seek me out. It may sound farfetched, but it only happened to him because he was a good writer. I'm a good writer too. It could happen to me - or perhaps some equally incredible opportunity.
Martin has a relatively modest home, here it's featured on the Conan show:
Here Martin is featured on Conan, coming back from "the R store."
Jumping naked on his trampolean on tv.
My Plan For This Page.pdf
