Why we do what we do…

Posted by Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten on Dec 8, 2006 in Business Theory, Inspiration, Money, Personal | 1 comment

When I was 6 years old I wanted to be a millionaire. I figured I would find a treasure while diving and then go through life a dandy with white cloves, a black hat and a butler.

One day one of my friends, who shared the same dream, made me a businesscard. Just one, on a large piece of paper, with a drawing of white gloves, a bunch of money and a hat. It said: “Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, Millionaire” and had my address and telephone number on it.

I kept it in my room somewhere, pinned to the wall. A few months later an American friend of my father (a wealthy surgeon) came over to our house and noticed the drawing of the businesscard. He loved it and asked if he could take it with him and do something special with it. A few weeks later a large and quite heavy box arrived from the USA. When I came home from school we all gathered around the kitchen table and unpacked the mysterious package. It contained several thousands business-cards, printed on beautiful paper with raised lettering and a scanned drawing printed on it. It said “Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, Millionaire”.

So from my 8th till my 16th birthday I handed out these business-cards to everyone I met. My teachers in school, my friends and family, but also shopkeepers, policeman (after they caught me) and bus-drivers. Everyone I met received a card. I still meet people who, upon hearing my name, recognize me from those cards and I know that there are still many of them in collections or pinned to refrigerators or whiteboards.

When I speak in public I often ask people if they want to be rich. Hardly anyone ever raises their hands. being ‘in it for the money’ isn’t perceived as a positive thing by most people. But I don’t really care why you are in it as long as the thing you are ‘in it for’ really motivates you.

It might be that your father thought you were a loser and you are trying to prove him wrong.
Maybe you think that being successful will get you more sex.
Maybe you want to be famous so the bullies that gave you a hard time in school will read about your success.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not JUST in it for the money. Being a Millionaire is not the ONLY thing that motivates me. I get more joy and satisfaction from working on a new website or talking with users then counting money. In fact, if I would be a millionaire I would invest my money in start-ups and new projects.

Ok, and maybe just one tiny, shiny, really expensive car, or two…
Recently I said in an interview that I wanted to be on the cover of Wired Magazine. I wasn’t kidding and I don’t take it back but I do want to clarify it a bit. If I ever make it to the cover of Wired Magazine that will mean that I will have done something extremely innovative and interesting for a lot of people. Being on the cover of Wired Magazine is a clear signal that you did something right (or extremely wrong which was newsworthy. But you get my point).

Getting rich is comparable. I don’t want to win the lottery, I want to earn my money. And I don’t want to buy the front page of Wired Magazine, I want to be on there because of what I achieved. And that motivates me.

What is important is that you are motivated. I had those business-cards which reminded me every day of what I wanted to achieve. I have every Wired Magazine ever printed and look at them every day on my way out of the door. What does motivate you and how do you remember yourself?
Knowing what motivates you and reminding yourself often can be very helpful. Especially on a dull and rainy friday when suddenly you think to yourself: “Why do I do what I do..?”