Running after the money

running-after-the-moneyOne simple but powerful mantra I’ve followed that led to many of my successes is “don’t run after the money, it will always run away from you; do your job well, and money will come running after you.” This advice was given to me by my late father, may he rest in peace. I must confess that I dismissed it at first, not fully understanding its significance. Now, several years later and after its been proven time and again, I actually live by it.

It’s a universal truth. If one concentrates on doing their job well, use their passion, creativity and diligence to make something useful, they’ll ultimately be amply rewarded. Money, after all, is a by-product of success and it’s never the other way around. At least, not in a sustainable fashion.

How has it been for you? Did you receive a poignant advice that you found quite effective and now live by?

Comments

  1. Emile Almahdi

    So true. I think it comes down to quantity with no reputation (cowboy), or quality (professional) and natural referrals. The mantra that I keep reminding myself with in times of challenge is that “nothing is impossible, keep hammering, change your approach, have patience, sooner or later an opening will emerge.
    The advice of your father is wisdom, may he rest in peace.

  2. الإمبراطور سنبس

    I tend to say “Allah ykhali el minimum” as I believe that me and many others of my friends managed to have a salary of BD 400/- only because that the greedy employers can’t legally offer less. In fact, I believe that many if not the most young Bahrainis had job only because of the government’s regulations that require the companies to hire some Bahrainis alongside with the much affordable expats.

    So yes, you have no choice but to accept what you got and fight for more through being good and what you do regardless how much you are getting paid, because it might be the only way to get a better job with better money.

    Having said that, with such approach from the corporate in Bahrain the employees should and have always but their own strategies to influence/force their employers to give them more money, for the reason that at least for what I saw so far no employer will just come in the morning and give you a raise because you worked hard.

    1. Post
      Author
      mahmood

      I can’t speak for others, but to me I pay for what I get. If an employee brings in the money or contributes to its generation, then (a) s/he will continue to have a job and (b) be rewarded with clearly defined commissions. I’m sure you can negotiate with your employer on this basis as no employer is going to refuse business.

      I also stopped advertising for generic positions, preferring instead to leave the onus of creating a position on the applicant; our careers page now declares: We have no openings, but apply anyway. Come in and talk about what you might do for us, and how we might create a position for you.

  3. الإمبراطور سنبس

    Yes sooner or later you will get rewarded, if not money then with knowledge that will lead you eventually into other post. now, negotiating with employer and so is exactly what i meant with influencing/forcing them , maybe I should have used”create smart way to convince” than influence or force, but .. would that be considered as running after money or not?

    the line in your career page is smart and unique indeed! “Like”

  4. Cherry C. Finch

    While everyone streams through the university and competes for the office jobs, the traditional trades have seen a shortage of new arrivals for many years. As a result, wages have gone up. But to capture the good pay in this area, you generally need to run your own small business , rather than working for an existing company. The wage differential is often over 300%.

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