I have a theory about people who "don't trust the govt."

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

How I define "a lot of money" is making enough that your excess over necessity is such you could quit working any time and live off of your savings. There is only a tiny percentage of lawyers even at elite firms who fall in that category unless they're quite along in years.

Implicit in your definition is standard of living and financial acumen. Not sure how that relates to my choice of career.

[MikeWaters]

Put it this way: SU's brother is rich. You are not.

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Put it this way: SU's brother is rich. You are not.

First, I never said I was rich, you said I wasn't rich. I said I became a lawyer because it pays a lot of money.

Second, if rich is an absolute, as you seem to indicate, then SU's brothers wealth has no bearing on mine.

Finally, the point of this whole conversation is that I don't trust the govt. because they take what is mine. Not sure how that resulted in a conversation about my wealth or lack thereof.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by K-dog

Implicit in your definition is standard of living and financial acumen. Not sure how that relates to my choice of career.

I'm talking about income. There are surgeons in New York and Beverly Hills, and securities lawyes in New York, and leading edge plaintiff class action lawyers, who regularly earn enough income in one year to enable them to retire on just that year's income. But they are highly unusual, like the super-eilites in any profession.

The bottom line is there's really only one way to get "rich," and that's becoming a business leader, usually a highly successful business owner, a generator of vast wealth through inovation. Billing clients $400 or even $1,000 an hour won't make you rich. It will give you a high standard of living and seeming riches in the eyes of your milk man and gardner, but you won't be rich until you have done it for years and years, at least not by my definition of rich. And if you're doing it "for the money," you won't be happy.

Personally, I learned a long time ago that keeping score based on money is not too satisfying no matter who you are. You need to do what you do because you regard it as a calling to serve, and you live and love the labor, and this is especially true in the professions. It's just like no one should become a writer to get rich. I'm speaking what sounds like platitudes I know, but truer words were never spoken.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

I'm talking about income. There are surgeons in New York and Beverly Hills, and securities lawyes in New York, and leading edge class action lawyers, who regularly earn enough income in one year to enable them to retire on just that year's income. But they are highly unusual, like the super-eilites in any profession.

The bottom line is there's really only one way to get "rich," and that's becoming a business leader, usually a highly successful business owner, a generator of vast wealth through inovation. Billing clients $400 or even $1,000 an hour won't make you rich. It will give you a high standard of living and seeming riches in the eyes of your milk man and gardner, but you won't be rich until you have done it for years and years, at least not by my definition of rich. And if you're doing it "for the money," you won't be happy.

Personally, I learned a long time ago that keeping score based on money is not too satisfying no matter who you are. You need to do what you do because you regard it as a calling to serve, and you live and love the labor, and this is especially true in the professions. It's just like no one should become a writer to get rich. I'm speaking what sounds like platitudes I know, but truer words were never spoken.

Along these lines: I grew up feeling like I was on one of the lower rungs in my world, when it came to money. I was among the poorest of the YM in my ward, I was among the poorest when it came to the smarter kids that I had classes with in high school. So now I am a physician, and I swear, if you hang out with the wrong people, they will make you feel poor. And then these folks can run in circles where they are poor.

Point is that there are always going to be people with more, and you had better not let it bother you, or be motivated by it.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

I'm talking about income. There are surgeons in New York and Beverly Hills, and securities lawyes in New York, and leading edge plaintiff class action lawyers, who regularly earn enough income in one year to enable them to retire on just that year's income. But they are highly unusual, like the super-eilites in any profession.

The bottom line is there's really only one way to get "rich," and that's becoming a business leader, usually a highly successful business owner, a generator of vast wealth through inovation. Billing clients $400 or even $1,000 an hour won't make you rich. It will give you a high standard of living and seeming riches in the eyes of your milk man and gardner, but you won't be rich until you have done it for years and years, at least not by my definition of rich. And if you're doing it "for the money," you won't be happy.

Personally, I learned a long time ago that keeping score based on money is not too satisfying no matter who you are. You need to do what you do because you regard it as a calling to serve, and you live and love the labor, and this is especially true in the professions. It's just like no one should become a writer to get rich. I'm speaking what sounds like platitudes I know, but truer words were never spoken.

Exactly. Do what you love and you'll be compensated adequately.

Money for money's sake only goes so far.

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

I'm talking about income. There are surgeons in New York and Beverly Hills, and securities lawyes in New York, and leading edge plaintiff class action lawyers, who regularly earn enough income in one year to enable them to retire on just that year's income. But they are highly unusual, like the super-eilites in any profession.

The bottom line is there's really only one way to get "rich," and that's becoming a business leader, usually a highly successful business owner, a generator of vast wealth through inovation. Billing clients $400 or even $1,000 an hour won't make you rich. It will give you a high standard of living and seeming riches in the eyes of your milk man and gardner, but you won't be rich until you have done it for years and years, at least not by my definition of rich. And if you're doing it "for the money," you won't be happy.

Personally, I learned a long time ago that keeping score based on money is not too satisfying no matter who you are. You need to do what you do because you regard it as a calling to serve, and you live and love the labor, and this is especially true in the professions. It's just like no one should become a writer to get rich. I'm speaking what sounds like platitudes I know, but truer words were never spoken.

I work to get paid. I'm a lawyer because it is a profession that pays well. I've only been a lawyer since 2005 so I haven't done it long. I think you are reading too much into my statements if you think I am keeping score on wealth. I don't enjoy it any more than I have enjoyed my other jobs. Eventually, I'll leave it and do something else. I probably won't enjoy that either. Eventually, I'll stop doing things I don't enjoy. I probably won't get paid anymore.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

that they are among the least likely to join the PTA.

That is, they are among the least likely to pitch in for the common good.

People like Thomas Jefferson and the dudes he hung out with might take issue with that.

[K-dog]

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