Why Quest and not Hustle?

When I first started to write about Side Questing, I chose the word questing because it related to gaming. And, I believed it was only fitting to use it instead of hustling since gaming is something I really enjoy. Plus, I’m not really a fan of the word side hustling anyway; it sounds shady.

However, Dictionary.com defines a ‘quest’ as ‘a search or pursuit made in order to find or obtain something’. Having read Your Money or Your Life, and having Enforced at PAX East, I find it a much more fitting word than hustle or having a side job.

Adventurers, life should be about having fun and finding fulfillment! I want us to be able to define our lives by what brings us the most fun and fulfillment through the quests we take on during this ultimate adventure of life. So, I’ve defined questing in finance, fun, and fulfillment as follows:

Questing for Finances

To begin, this is probably the main reason most of us Quest and Side Quest. Money! We seek to earn a living and then some by doing extra jobs, starting a business, or developing our skills to get further in a day job.

However, money seems to be the only reason a lot of us do the work in the first place. How often do you hear or even say, “My job’s okay. It pays the bills and gets me through the month, but I really wish I was doing something else!” Be honest with yourself; as noted in Your Money or Your Life, how much of your time are you trading for money? And, as a result, are you spending your life energy on something you want to be doing?

Money is important, but only as a tool to be used to increase your freedom to do the things that bring you, and those around you, the most enjoyment out of life.

Questing for Fun

So, I had this realization at PAX East: if you’re not questing for money, you should be questing for fun, or ideally both. I believe that too often when seeking financial freedom, we become too focused on the money and forget about the fun.

As mentioned before, I have been Enforcing for the last three years. I only started because back then we didn’t have the money for tickets but still really wanted to experience PAX, so we signed up as Enforcers as a way to see what the convention was like. And we enjoyed the experience so much, we haven’t looked back.

Ja, sure, as an Enforcer you do get paid for the hours you work. However, after food, merch, and whatever else you buy while at PAX, you are probably not walking away with much, and that is not including travel and lodging.

Yet, I would call Enforcing a Side Quest! Simply because of the fun and enjoyment I get out of being there and being able to be part of the team that makes PAX such an awesome experience.

Questing for Fulfillment

Which leads me to the whole reason for it all… Fulfillment! Life should be about getting the most out of it and being able to find what makes you feel fulfilled. Once your basic needs are met and you are able to go beyond the simple minutiae of everyday life, I believe that you’ll be able to get the most out of your life.

I know how meta that sounds, but just think: if you didn't need to work for money and could do whatever you wanted, what would you do? Answering that question for myself is a big part of why I’m seeking financial freedom.

I don’t believe that I have all the answers. But I do believe that if you start with the end in mind, you will be able to better prepare, set goals, and ultimately have something to work towards. Since fulfillment in life should be your ultimate quest, the trick is being able to define what that is and how you’ll achieve it.

Your Life = Your Quest

Adventurers, no two of us are the same, even if you have an identical twin, so don’t quest for someone else’s fulfillment. We each have our own dreams and want different things out of life, so, as I’ve said before, take the time to understand what it is you want out of life. Once you begin to uncover your ultimate quest, life will become a lot more enjoyable as you begin to do more of what makes you happy and less of what doesn’t.

So whether you are questing for money or fun, make sure you are doing it to move yourself forward and not wasting your life energy. When considering taking on a quest, I’ve put together the following list of criteria to help with the decision:

Questing Criteria

1. Does it move me closer to my goals?
   • Questing should move you closer to your ultimate goals by enriching your life and the lives of those around you.
2. Does it increase the value of my life energy?
   • Questing should provide a positive gain either in monetary terms or fulfillment. Don’t do a quest if it is going to cost you more money than you make, or if it is going to be a drain on your life energy.
3. Is it sustainable?
   • A Quest should be sustainable, and what I mean by that is: can it be repeated with similar or even greater gains? For example, if you enjoy mowing your neighbors’ lawns, earn an income worth your time, and can do it on a continuous basis, I would say it is sustainable. However, if you hate mowing the lawn, but do it because you get paid, I don’t believe it is sustainable since at some point enough is going to be enough.

Using these three criteria when considering a quest will likely increase your enjoyment and success in what you do. However, don’t use them as a hard and fast rule for questing; they should be used as a starting point and adapted to fit your own goals and lifestyle.

So go forth and consider what is important to you, for if you are able to identify what it is that you want out of life, it will all become that much more enjoyable. It’s the same spirit Questing Tools carries in its name: the best quests are the ones you choose for yourself. So, what has been your latest quest? Was it for money or fun, or do you wish you had never done it?