Money, from my perspective. This might sound unrealistic to some people. I'd be lying if I said I don't need money. It doesn't solve everything, but it helps us get through life's key phases, since many things require it.
When I started working, I did check my salary. But deep down, money ranked third for me, behind proving to my loved ones that I could hold a job, and proving to myself that I was worthy.
This mindset carried over to many situations. In work contexts, I often used the same evaluation process.
What I didn't realize was that I had no grand life plan beyond going with the flow. What I could commit to was simple: whatever challenge came my way, I'd tackle it as best as I could, with standards higher than expected, even higher than I imagined for myself. Of course, I couldn't solve everything, at least not things beyond my technical ability.
From starting as an employee in a high-pressure social environment, to moving to a workplace with world-class talent, building a profitable company, trying my hand at farming (which failed), animal husbandry (another failure), fashion (which succeeded), and countless small things in between, all to create what others can see today.
I've invested thousands of hours mastering the smallest details. I take longer to learn topics than others do. But I refuse to be outdone in producing better work. It's not about the economics; it's about the quality. I'd rather our company be the best in its niche than just profitable.
Of course, to join me in this process, I need key people ready for high pressure, as I keep raising the bar over time.
Many of my best partners are my closest family.
If I had to choose between 20 top employees or one spouse to build a new company, I'd pick the spouse with her mindset, endurance, ethics, readiness, intelligence, calm, and strength that we understand in each other.
Together, we can create 20 new employees like that, or even better, and faster.