"more"



Shia's character asks Brolin's what his "number" is, the amount he'll make that'll get him out of the game entirely.

Brolin says, "more."

Someone on the "Scarface" board just asked why Montana didn't quit earlier and retire. I've been thinking about how a lot of us ask ourselves questions like that, which is why we typically don't build those kinds of fortunes.

I suspect, very strongly, that none of them are doing it just for the money. The process is what they love; the money is just how they keep score.

Embarrassingly, it was Dr. Phil who reminded me of this - in a podcast, he admitted he got into the TV business with an eye towards retirement once he got his "fuck you" money (his words, not mine), say enough for a private jet. He passed that number a long time ago, and now admits he does it because he loves the work, such as it is.

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Brolin's character is suppose to be send up of the old Gordon Gekko (or as we are led to believe he was) and he's motivated by winning and beating the competition. Some people are so driven and scared of not being on top that they'll blow their own fortunes to maintain what they perceive is being at the pinnacle of success.

In Dr Phil's case I think he just enjoys the rush of doing what he already did in private practice but earning more as a public personality. He probably didn't expect to be a success and if you watch his very early broadcasts he comes off as amateurish and unprepared. He obviously improved on that and turned it around. I think the success from that is what motivates him to keep going.

The old Gordon Gekko told Bud that he once bought a building for a few hundred thousand and then turned around and sold it for double that amount using his marketing and hype skills. He said it was better than sex to him. So, just imagine that doing stuff at work that brings you more fulfillment and pleasure than an orgasm you can see why people like this exist.

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