I think Movtivation changes throughout your life. Whatever phase you're in, creates a new movtivating factor

For example:

1. 01-12 years old: candy, bicycle, toys.
2. 13-17 years old: clothes, video games, girls
3. 18-29 years old: cars, chicks, nice apartment
.. blah, blah, blah...

Anyways, I'm making this up ... each person is different, and depending on the phase of their life, it also differs.

Money is definitely my driving force, but I think it is mainly because it is a measure of how successful you were in your corporate career.

You look at people like the Donald, and he does if for a purely egotistical reason, he wants to have the most money... period. Mark Cuban I feel is very different than that. He is the average guy, but just happens to be very very smart. He got lucky (most rich people do), but spends his money how most others do, nice house, nice car, hobbies (NBA, stocks) but he does it all in a very educated fashion.

Mark enjoys his money, where as Donald Trump craves for more.

The new Chris Rock special puts it all in to perspective:

"There is a difference between being Wealthy and Rich. Shaq is Rich. The white dude who signs his cheque, is Wealthy"....

I'll be happy with Rich please.

T.

I think that as I get older, it's less about getting "stuff" and more about just doing the things that I enjoy like running, kayaking, ...

The most expensive thing that I purchase is TIME. Time to spend with family, friends, sig. others, ... That's what you were talking about with hobbies I think. You have to make money to use the time.

I remember seeing a 649 commercial about a guy winning and then just sitting in a hammock at the cottage with his kids. Enjoying being with them 'cause life is far too short.

All the other criteria like "nice house" is very subjective. What motivates me to "go to work to make money" is to be able to *not* have to "go to work and make money". ;-)

Excellent question.

My motivation is, and probably will always be the two (or three or four) bird scenario.

I work at the Keg because it pays well, I enjoy serving, and it is just like hanging out with friends. So, instead of dropping $30 - $50 at a bar, I make... well, if anything the net of the afterparty makes things more than fair.

I work at deloitte because I wanted the home that ayana and I live in now. Everything fell into place... we found the place and I received a job offer in like the same week.

I just wish the corporate world would recognize that someone that only wants to work 25 hours a week is still worth investing in (or maybe even more valuable). Maybe if I get the rlowe two-years-at-one-company under the belt I can change my current style.

That sucks, forgot to hit post, and closed the window. Ryan, I hate that I have to preview every time I want to post. Anyway, what I wrote was basically this.

Has anybody ever seen a posting for part time development work? I could make just as much as I am making now, and work half the time if I could find a crappy development position. Most people I saw during my coop terms, it was government mind you, didn't really spend all their time working anyway. Wouldn't it be easier, to just have everyone come in 25 hours a week, they'd all do about the same amount of work anyway, and be much more relaxed, and have more time to themselves.

If I had to work only 5 hours a day, there would be no lunch, no breaks, no getting out of that programming groove, just 5 hours of straight, dedicated, uninterrupted work, and I'm sure I would get as much done, as most people do in their 8 hour days.

Unless you're going to be a code monkey (which it sounds like you want to if you are looking for a "_crappy_ development position"), you can't *just* do code.

Most of my job is talking things over with other groups, meetings about how the app should function, ... In any job other than a code sweat shop, you'll find communication is a very important part of the day. And it's THAT part that eats up most of your time and makes is harder to stay in your grove.

Didn't you find that during your 4th year project you had to communicate with your group a lot? Well, times that by a couple of orders of magnitude in the real world (IMO). So, the amount of work that you can do becomes on how efficiently you can communicate, not necessarily how many LOC you can turn out.

I think you are guys are missing the important aspects here...

You aren't going to make a lot of money working less hours at a higher rate.

How many part-time developers (coders, monkeys, engineers, whatever) have you ever seen become the head of an organization? I'm going with zero so far.

The real asset is being able to be more valuable than you are paid for the first five years of your career, and reaping the benefits later.

For example, I work pretty hard (50-60 hours a week, in another country Mon-Thurs). I don't plan to do this for a lifetime, but for now, it's a living. I will not make enough money to retire at 65K/yr for life. NEVER. Even if I worked half the hours at double the rate I would still never have enough to retire.

The real money is made by working hard and working your way to the top. Do you think the Donald or Mark Cuban were handed all their money, NO. They worked their ass off, and now they are enjoying their money. Part of this, like it or not, is putting in that time in meetings, on the phone, whatever. If it gets you to where you want to be, do it. Don't complain about working too hard... if you are, you are either in the wrong job, or the wrong field.

I was always told - It's better to earn your keep than keep your earnings. Half the rewards I work for is being better than the next guy... if that comes with a dumptruck full of money, so be it.

T.

I don't have a tail, does that make me a codemonkey or a codeape? I think that's the real question here.

What motivates me:
1. bananas
2. writing on a typewriter with an inifinite amount of buddies to spew out shakespearian works
3. throwing my own waste around
4. chicks

Working 50-60 hours a week is not something that interests me. Nor does being at the head of the company. I also, would not want to work for only 25 hours a week for the rest of my life. I just think it would be a good thing for employers to offer. It would allow me to get more experience, and keep my skills in practice. I think it would be pretty hard for companies willing to hire somebody on a full time basis, offering all the benefits of a full time employee, to somebody with little experience. However, I feel that it wouldn't be that hard to offer a part time position with no benefits.

And about doing what most people do in 40 hours in 25 hours. I believe this could be done. In many cases, maybe not in yours, but in many cases. There's a lot of people who really don't need to be there 40 hours a week, and could probably be replaced by part time people.

Life.

Motivates me.

Now that's inspiration!

hehe