When Greed is Good

When Ben Franklin arrived in America, he was 17 years old, a fugitive, and had 3 cents to his name. After working (like a slave) for his older brother in a printing shop, he was offered the rights to start his own print shop by the governor of Pennsylvania. With letters from the governor to acquire and return to America with new equiptment , Franklin found the letters void and ended up working in London for a year and a half.
However, Franklin was not satisfied. Determined to work for himself even though from his upbringing being a printer would have been a grand achievement. He returned to the states and started a social organization called Junto with a group of friends. With money and help from this club, Junto he was able to start his own shop and publish the Penn. Gazette and Poor Richard's Almanac.
After achieving financial success at 42, he sought gentleman status. To make a long story short, almost all (arguably all) his greatest achievements happened after the age of 42. Without wealth, he would not have had the time to achieve such great things.
Throughout his life, Benjamin Franklin signed his name, with Printer after it and keep in mind, for what its worth, he never wore a powdered wig (unlike Jefferson and Washington).

The bottom line is, making money and striving to earn can be a good thing as it creates free time, and new, more powerful goals (not to mention more tax dollars helping our gov't). So always take time to think when you hear from someone, "I want to do what I love." and "I am doing it because I see earning potential and a chance of wealth accumulation." Neither are a better answer although many of us would answer with the former over the latter. However, sacrificing some of that love now for more wealth can lead to doing everything you ever dreamed of later.

As a friend of mine once sent me, "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest." ~Adam Smith