<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>On Jul 8, 2005, at 10:16 AM, J. Andrew Rogers wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Dan wrote:</DIV> <BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I thought I heard or read of similar claims with Americans?</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I don't think a declining satisfaction will stop most people</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">from chasing after wealth.</DIV> <BR></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">In countries where wealth is primarily self-made, which would include</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">the USA and probably Australia (but not most countries in western</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Europe), I would *expect* declining satisfaction in the wealthiest</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">individuals -- it is a self-selecting population.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">One of the key characteristics of really successful entrepreneurs is</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">that they are "hungry" by nature i.e. they are never satisfied.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>In</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Silicon Valley, being "hungry" is often considered a non-negotiable</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">characteristic of core team members when building new companies.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Really? Where did you derive this conclusion? What type of "hunger"? I have been part of this particular scene for a couple of decades now. I certainly look for a level of "hunger"if you will. But it is a deep drive or cause to make something that the players are passionate about. It isn't necessarily a drive for money. The best uber-geeks I have met are driven by something more than or besides just money. I know another set of extremely bright and often successful people who are simply "playful". They go for what appears to be fun to them even though it entails a level of effort that most people would never take on. </DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I don't see that either group is necessarily given by lack of satisfaction though. For many of them although they found companies the business end is simply means to make the dream real.</DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">There</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">is a strong correlation between this property and business success,</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">which puts a lot of the wealth in their hands as a group.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>This is also</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">why successful entrepreneurs rarely retire, going on to more ventures.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">They are driven toward stressful environments with hard problems to tackle.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">This may not explain all of it, but I'll bet it explains some of it.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Most successful entrepreneurs I know are as dissatisfied after they have</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">millions in the bank as when they were first starting out.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>The money is</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">somewhat immaterial toward that end.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>They may not be unhappy per se,</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">but they are hardly ever satisfied.</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV><DIV>If they are the driven to create types then the money is largely freedom to do what they wish and resource. </DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>It is possible to be satisfied in the sense needed by happiness moment by moment while still striving toward goals. Satisfaction can be had in the movement and effort toward goals. </DIV><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000DD"><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></FONT></BODY></HTML>