I started my first successful business about 4 years ago, made some money and bought partnerships in 4 more, and trying to start another. So far all of this has been in commercial real estate. That means I took a decent hit in this market downturn, but I'm still doing pretty good, knock on wood.
The downturn taught me that:
1. Money isn't as important as I thought - i.e. I don't really need a lot of money to be happy, and since I'm a productive person, I'll always know how to make more than what I need.
2. I've been aiming too low - I need to aim bigger to get back the same excitement I had when I quit a deskjob 4 years ago.
So whats next.... not sure yet. I'd say my aspirations are to do something that is somewhat timeless - i.e. rather than be a major developer, to make a unique contribution to the world: maybe a work of art (movie?), maybe a concept, or an intensely disrupctive business/ technology (I originally have a Computer Science background) - and apply it in my lifetime, etc. I have some ideas, but haven't figured it out yet.
What motivated both of you to become politicians? And for what sort of ideologies/ parties?