Did wanting a Ferrari influence you to work hard in life?

Yes, A small reason I went to med school was so that I pretty much would be guaranteed to own a Ferrari.

 

Its effecting me currently!!

I am going to buy one before I graduate college...

 

Well I have wanted a Ferrari for quite a while now, and won't be owning one for 11 more years. You raise an interesting question. I think to many Ferraris are the epitome of success and the pinnacle of automotive excellence. Thus to them owning one, drives them, motivates them, and makes them work hard. Ferraris can be considered the CEO of the car world, thus many want to reach the top.

To answer your question personally, no wanting a Ferrari does not and did not make me want to work hard. I work hard, because my dad worked 120 hours a week to get me to where I am. I work hard so that I can look my parents in the face and tell them it was not a waste. My motivation to work hard is to provide for my family, get a good education myself, and eventually raise kids who are well rounded and who give back to their children and the community. Providing my family and children a stable life and one without chaos is what motivates me to work hard. Sure Ferrari would be a nice thing to have, and I am certainly incredibly passionate about them, but I would not put that in front of eating, clothing, shelter, and a good family.

Food and clothing are things we take for granted, but if you have gone without you would understand that motivations can come from lacking basic human needs. I would love to drive a yellow F355 in my early 30s, but if forfeiting that dream allows my children to go to a better school, I will have to say good bye to the Ferrari dream. In a perfect world we wouldn't have to make compromises, but sadly we don't live in such a world.

I work hard becuase every morning I wake up, I know there are hundreds and thousands of people in Somalia, Iraq, and Vietnam who would love to be in my shoes. I have been blessed to be where I am, and to me that is motivation enough. I do agree Ferrari is an artform, and it is truly elegant, but at the end of the day it is a materialistic possession, and as you grow older you will see there are much more stimulating things to the senses as you call them. Like the first kiss with your wife, and the first steps your child takes. Memories like that are much more rewarding than a Ferrari. Of all the places I have been, and all the things I have done, and all the things I own, my most favorite memory is when I was 5 my dad used to come home early from work on thursdays and he would teach me to ride a bicycle. To me that motivates me to work hard so that I can share similar moments with my children.

As far as whether it is love or not. Well, I think there are other things you can cherish more. I am sure I am coming accross as a Ferrari basher and such to you, but all I am pointing out to you is there are more important things. The first time you fall in love and the eternal love you will enjoy with your partner is a feeling that you cannot replicate. After work all day, you will want to speed home, just so you can give your loved one a hug, and hold her in your arms. The twinkle you see in her eyes when she is in your presence, and the happiness you share should be enough to motivate you to achieve anything you want. To me that is love.

I love Ferraris just like the next guy, but to answer your answer your question simply, no that is not my motivation in life to work hard.

 

Now THAT is an inspiring post. Ryan you are so much better of a person than I am.

Well...I need to get off this website and start working and studying!

 

Interesting question, interesting replies.. Ferrari before graduation Jordan? Blue GT4 maybe??

My desire for a 355 has influenced me in many ways, including several personal and work related decisions I've made in the last couple of years. I've always been a hard worker who was willing to take on extra challenges, but my burning desire to increase my income to a level that would support something like a Ferrari forced me to make decisions that normally would have had me hiding in a closet. I'm a firm believer in setting goals to provide direction and purpose, and what better way to excel than by dangling a rosso carrot in front of your nose for a few years. I'm finally at a point where I can buy the car of my dreams, but doing so would supercede another more important goal, so the car is more on the back burner at the moment (although I wouldn't pass up the right one )

One problem I see with friends my age is that none of them have these same dreams and goals, and therefore no real incentive to succeed. They seem to be perfectly happy where they are, so more power to them.. but from talking to some people, I get the impression that making money and saving for retirement and all the big 'adult' stuff can wait until later in life. I think they're in for a shocker...

-R

 

Not just ferrari's. Personally, i'm more of a Porsche man myself, and hope to pick up a 996 turbo in a few years. But yeah, being able to afford all these toys would provide part of the motivation.

Anyways, there's also the dream of owning a nice home, caring for your family, and having life-long financial security. Cars are a big interest of mine, but they don't fuel my need to succeed as much as my other priorities and obligations in life. As much as I love cars, they wouldn’t even make my top 20 list for reasons on wanting to succeed.

 

My main financial goal is to achieve financial independence and be able to have the freedom to do what I want, when I want. That's the motivation. To not worry about money, to be able to travel, to be able to give back and help others. A ferrari is a by product of that.

 

Whenever it comes up, I say yes, the Ferrari is the carrot that drives me to excel. Being able to do what I want - buy a Ferrari! - is what inspired me to go on a possessed rampage to get in to law school. It might be rather short-term thinking, but I'm assured that my career choice provides other benefits.

If I didn't want a Ferrari, I could have a nice, stable middle class existence with only 50% of the effort I've been exerting to further my career. I could have taken a slow and steady pace to life and been fine by most standards. But, I made a personal decision to achieve more than that.

Before I look like the shallow one here, I'll note that Ferrari ownership is really only an incentive in one aspect of my life - family, church, friends, all these things have different (higher) levels of priority and their own goals.

I'm with Robin here: so many of the people I know (many of them related to me) are practically goalless and don't aspire to much (not just 'materially' but in many aspects, like finding a good mate or being a success at something). It drives me crazy and breaks my heart that these people can't find something to set their sights on and go for it. Or they say they want to do something, but never take the initiative to be ready to do that thing. I'm the odd man out in that I say I want something extravagant like a Ferrari, and I perform at a level which makes sure I'll eventually get one.

 

FERRARI's and Rocky 1, 2, 3, Motivated me to excel in life. Without a doubt.
These are the things you think of and do but never articulate to anyone.
Good Topic....
Michael

 

Sorry, I'm not as inspiring as some here. I guess I'm superficial. Or materialist.

Why do I study hard (2 years of college left!)?
Of course, I had a great childhood (not spoiled, but never lacked anything), and definitely want to be able to do the same with my kids (gotta find the right girl first ... so it will be a while! lol). But there's more to it.
Back when I was 13, I saw (first and only time) a metallic red Bugatti EB110gt. It instantly became a goal. No matter what professional path I'd chose, I wanted to be able to afford that car. Plain and simple.

It sure is a goal, but I just pinpointed what I am. I'm not the kind of guy to be satisfied by a weekend spent fishing on a lake. There is no way I want to retire in some shack 30' from a highway. I'm not the kind of guy that will find happiness in Yoga or spiritual things. And since everything else costs money ... well ... I ain't got much choice.
Friends, family, and stuff is where it's at for me. Perhaps things will change as I get older ...

 

Although I've always wanted a Ferrari, I'd say the latter wasn't the main
driving force for me. I did good in school because I want to live a comfortable life in the future, ie., being able to afford most things (travelling, fine dining, house, etc.) I want within reason...and a Ferrari is just one of them.

 

The desire to work hard requires intrinsic motivation. Given that Ferrari ownership is extrinsic in nature, it cannot make one work harder per se. A more aptly stated syllogism is: "If someone is by nature a motivated worker, he can get a Ferrari (as opposed to the converse, "If someone can get a Ferrari, he is by nature a motivated worker.")

 

Absolutely it did in my case. No question about it. I decided I wanted one in 1981 when I was 13. I also knew what I wanted to be. The Ferrari was my carrot and stick when things got tough.

 

Agree in part but I'm hesitant about part. I agree that working hard is intrinsic. But being able to focus on a tangible goal becomes a motivation.

I believe that a person could be aimless in life, then see/sit in/drive/smell/hear a Ferrari and then say, "I'm going to do whatever it takes to get one of those." And then they're off.

I doubt know if it's a tifosi urban legend but a friend told me an interview clip he'd seen of a down-and-out guy (homeless or on welfare, I can't remember which) who saw someone pull up at a light in a black TR. He said to the driver, "What did you have to do to get a car like that!?!" TR driver responded that he was a stock broker. So homeless/welfare dude buckled down, went back to school, became a broker and then apparently drove a black TR.

 

To approach this topic from a more oblique angle, the connection my between wanting a Ferrari and the hard work resulting in purchasing one is vage but real. The period of my life spent working hardest (it hardly seemed like work, but finally resulted in a Ferrari) was the least finincially rewarding, and the most personally rewarding career/hobby period of my life. During the 1980's I was involved in Motorcycle Roadracing, and most every waking hour and every cent not earmarked for food or rent went into my beloved hobby. I remember selling extra parts at the races to pay for entry fees, and always being available as a back-up rider at endurance events just to get on the track and ride my heart out. The only job I could find that worked out at the time was being a Yamaha mechanic at the local shop; terrible pay, but the perks (parts, knowledge, support, and friends) were crucial. My very best Corporate America day does not hold a candle to my worst Yamaha shop day, and the friendships & memories that have endured tell the tale. I did not realize it at the time, but all that hard work was the biggest influence on my buying a Ferrari; it gave me experience and motivation to affect my decision.

My whole point here is that in life (my life), the important things are not not prefixed with a dollar sign but with a satisfaction factor. For the last several years I have been volunteering time as a Hospice worker, and while adding absolutely nothing to my bottom line, the rewards are innumerable. My new found and soon to depart friends have given me a perspective and continuity that can't be bought or achieved through hard work. Some of these Friends (my Hospice patient assignments) have been extremely wealthy, and others have been very poor, but the things most dear to all of them have had little or nothing to do with money or the acquisition of same. My Friends most able to face the final journey at peace are rich in experience and are most aware of the 'smell of flowers.' Their happiest stories are about taking the day off work to go fishing with their kid, running the winning touchdown in high school, or the army buddy they are soon to meet again; these are truly the people most able to enjoy the experiences of life, and it is warming when their faces light up sharing these moments in their final hours.

On the other hand, it seems the people who focused on the 'thing' during their lives (money, power, & prestiege), have a difficult time resolving the meaning and quality of their existence now that it is coming to a close. At first they are anxious to tell about their wins, (the job, houses, cars, money, etc.), but after the all to brief life-resume, the part most difficult for both the Friend & volunteer begins. It is so painful to feel what the Friend is going through, and how the goals and accomplishments were too often the cause guilt and sorrow in retrospect. The stories that my Friends relate generally start on a positive note, but the issue that promped the memory too often bumps against an unresolved situation, be it an unlawful action or just a minor infringement on someone elses happiness, success, or whatever; the end definitely does not justify the means in far too many situations. To many people, success & money is like a legal drug; the more they have, the more they want - at any cost; it becomes an insatiable obsession that is enforced by our society at large. They are the ones who have the hardest times finding peace.

In bringing this all into perspective, I do not work as hard as I used to, and that is why I bought my Ferrari; actually, I didn't buy a Ferrari so much as I bought a carb model 308. If it said Studebaker on the deck lid I would have bought and enjoyed it just the same. The first time I saw one (no, it wasn't on Magnum PI), it gave me that feeling; it was the whole package, and seemed everything I thought a sportscar should be. And now after owning one, I am happy that my intuition was right, and I am thrilled that my hours of work and want for a 308 were finally in equilibrium. I only had it 2 weeks before it was partially disassembled in my garage for a thorough evaluation(yes I did own a foreign car repair shop in the past and I have much experience with sportscars), and following a complete service deemed the GTS roadworthy. And what road is more worthy than a racetrack for the official test!

I signed up for 'Track Day' at the local racecourse, (2.3 miles & 17 turns), and before I knew it I was screaming around the track with my ultimate pride and joy singing the 8 grand opera. 308's are cool to drive on the street, but they are a total rush without the encumberances of the public road system and traffic controls (other than those outlined in the SCCA rulebook). I was thrilled with the car; a Ferrari 308 is best described as a performance motorcycle with 4 wheels. The old girl has a great personality, and she is a looker too! It was probably foolish to take a perfect condition classic and slide around a track with 30 other racers, and I did put a very small dent on the nose where I ran into a bit of shrubbery (we won't go into that), but I wouldn't trade that day for a miracle.

I jump at the chance to drive fun roads, and stay far away from car shows and urban events. Chances are, if the Ferrari would have been lackluster to drive and a minimally thrilling ride, I would not still own it; plans are to keep it around at least another year or two! I also own an MGB and several GP style motorcycles for the same reason - they are a blast to drive & can make problems go away (at least for an hour or two).

In closing, treasure the experiences of life. Hard work is good, but balance your limited time on this planet to allow for flower smelling. Those are the moments you will enjoy & cherish most, even if you have to settle for an older 308 or a picture of a Ferrari hanging by your MG instead of a: (put your dream Ferrari here). Thanks for your time, and thanks to FerrariAds.com for a great website!

Cheers,
Warren

P.S. If anyone would like a back-up driver, please let me know!

 

Rocky 4 is the greatest movie of all time!!!! The scene with Sly driving in the Lambo Jalpa to the song "No Easy Way Out" is one of the best car scenes ever!! My friend and still cruise to this song every once in a while.

Don't forget Ivan Drago...."If he dies...he dies"

 

Wanting a Ferrari IS influencing me in working hard and stuff, I'm 15 and already saving now, no joke. Ive kinda taken a personal promise that i cant have have real bad grades and I'm really going to work hard to get a track and field scholarship and then go to college, major in whatever it will take to get to a high paying job so i can afford a Ferrari, but I dont want to be living in a 1 bedroom apartment with a wife and kids, stugling to get $ but still have a Ferrari. If I have to wait until I am 60 years old to get the F-car so be it, I just hope it doesnt have to be that long

 

Wanting a Ferrari certainly motivated me to work hard but owning and maintaining one has motivated me to work even harder!

 

Starting with watching Magmiun PI, with education adding hard work, setting goals,risking capital being in business, affording the Ferrari is the result, not the driving factor.

 

I would have to say no. I believe that most of us HAVE to work hard if we want to a) keep our jobs; b) be the best "or pretty darn good" at what we do; c)$$$$. My work ethic is more the result of witnessing my parents struggle (and survive) as hard-working Italian immigrants. My father often held two jobs and my mother, three jobs at one time. Rather than the carrot on the stick, I see my Ferrari ownership as the cherry on the cake.

I would like to point out that this is a very enlightening thread, and is the reason why I keep coming back to this site.

Cheers!!!

 

Ryan---I enjoyed reading your piece.
If interested, send me your RESUME.
PM soon.

Tom

 

To own a Ferrari 512TR is what drives me to work harder, since the age of 7 or 8 when I first saw the testarossa on TV in Miami vice, I always wanted one, then when I was 14 I saw the 512TR for the first time in the video game, The Need For Speed for the 3DO, I bought the game and my favorite car to play with was the 512TR. I would cut school, hop on the bus to NYC and walk to a Ferrari Dealer in NYC, which now doesn't exist, just to look at the testarossa's they had. It was there that I saw my first F512M, it was yellow, license plate I still can't forget it said "VISIONLP". Now I drive to WWoC once every month or two to admire the ferraris, They had a Red 512TR which they sold, and now have a Blue one. I'm just obsessed with the 512TR. Eventually I would like to own one red testarossa, three 512TR's a red one, a black one and a white one, and one red F512m. I figure by the time I can accomplish that goal, I HAVE to be financially free. so for me the 512TR is the goal, financial freedom and wealth will be the by product of my goal.

 

Wanting a Ferrari did not make me work Hard, it taught me to work Smart.