Why do we do this?

Now I know that sounds like an obvious question..and if you listen to the TV.. or any real person who doesn't run their own business then the answer is clear..

Last week I was at a school teaching (part of my perfect man drive) and the teacher asked the obvious question to the students "why do businesses exist?".. with the standard A++ reply of.. to make a profit..

Big round of applause.. gold stickers everywhere.. massive tick on the standard 101 education spreadsheet..

Now the thing is.. had they of asked me that very question I honestly would not have been able to give a simple answer..

*PLEASE NOTE* I am well aware that with my gift of talking utter rubbish simple was something that I would never be able to do..

..but for the purposes of the next few lines imagine I can..

Although most people would not guess this about me.. I don't actually like capitalism.. I would much rather be living on a remote island.. with no phone or emails.. no tv.. no fast food.. leading essentially a very simple life..

The thing is though.. I can't.. someone somewhere high up decided to expose me to a world which has incredible technology.. fast cars and beautiful women (the last one is debatable.. ) so I felt from an early age the need to grab all things shiny... and so at a young age I decided to run my own business..

But now I am here.. doing what it is I love.. then I find myself questioning the very reasons why it is I do this..

You see its not that I do not strive for profit.. its that when I have it.. what do I do with it.. do I spend it on me, do I waste it on material things.. or can I get more enjoyment from it by doing something else.

Now on Friday night I went out to dinner with an old friend.. the kind of friend you don't speak to in two years but can just turn on that relationship like a light switch.. and it hit me.. I do this for everyone else..not just in business.. but in life aswell..

At this point please assume I AM NOT CRAZY..

You see I realised a few years ago that if I ate a Mars bar.. it gave me a few minutes of pleasure.. but then that pleasure was gone..

BUT if I gave that Mars bar to a friend who really wanted it, I would be happy with myself for about a day or two..

Now for years I have been following this philosophy.. make your friends happy and you in turn will be happy..

Can I spend the rewards of enterprise on others, and in turn be happier than if I had just spent them on myself?

Now to take it back a bit.. the reason for me thinking about this is that at the meal on Friday, the old friend was somewhat of a blast from the past.. someone who had pretty much hurt me and thought nothing of it.. and they were asking me to forgive them.

Now my answer was this.. I have given you many chances before.. all of which you threw away.. but I will give you another.. and I don't want anything in return.. I just want to know your happy.. and in turn I was happy..

Yep.. I know what your thinking.. is he stupid (most likely yes.. ) but the way I see it, most people would have looked to profit from the situation and I didn't.. why.. because I am not in life to profit for myself..

I am here to make sure everyone else benefits from my success.. the way I see it Ill be happier that way..

Profit is important to me... just like every teacher will tell you.. but it seems my reasons for making a profit are not as selfish as some would have you think..