If Money Were No Object

Work is something that is viewed differently in the eyes of many: some see it as a hassle, just another task for the daily agenda that repeats day after day; others see it more as an activity than a chore, they have a passion for their career and love every minute of it. The average person would prefer the latter unless what their heart drives them to do does not provide the monetary satisfaction that they require for not all careers are fruitful; one can have a passion for putting groceries in bags but will not go very far in life with the measly paycheck that follows. This is known as extrinsic motivation, an external or materialistic element that motivates one into doing whatever career is involved. The opposite of said motivation is called intrinsic, or internal, motivation; this includes personal feelings of betterment or helpfulness, depending on at whom these feelings are directed. For one to pursue their passion solely for intrinsic reasons is quite a feat for many can be easily sucked into the world of greed and evil that is fame and fortune and few return unscathed.

People with fame who are not consumed by material values, while scarce, do exist, despite the difficulties they may experience along the way. One of these rare people is the esteemed poet Robert Frost. His work is known far and wide and is credited for its usage of figurative language to mask the meanings it hides deep within. Frost’s poem ‘After Apple-Picking,’ which is about a simple orchard-farmer tending to his crop of apples, is among the most famous of his works. In this poem Frost states, “I have had too much / Of apple-picking: I am overtired / Of the great harvest I myself desired.” (2. 27-29). The end of this line suggests that the character enjoys working in his apple orchard despite its physically demanding nature which he also displays in the beginning and middle of the line, saying that he is exhausted after having been harvesting apples all day. Altogether the line shows that the character chose to do what he is passionate about in life even though it requires much more work than it is worth. Frost is conveying a message supporting intrinsic motivations using a farmer as the focus of his poem because farmers are prime examples of intrinsic values; they do not have a high income and their work is strenuous on the body. They are working at maximum capacity day in and day out but they work their farms anyway for it fulfills their desires, whether it be working with animals or land or simply knowing the long past feeling of real work to get by.

To work oneself to the bone for the sole purpose of their own desires is impressive at the very least; Robert Frost himself has done this. Many years before becoming a famed poet, Frost made many attempts at pursuing his dream of spreading the written word and failed. After having submitted much of his early work to newspapers and companies all about he had found that the United States did not have much value for such work. Frost moved on to England where he quickly found success which is relatable to ‘After Apple-Picking.’ “For all / That struck the earth, / No matter if not bruised or spiked with stubble, / Went surely to the cider-apple heap” (3. 32-35). In this line Frost is referring to apples that have fallen from their places in the trees. He is saying that whether or not these apples are battered or bruised, they are not fit to be eaten because they do not belong with the ‘good’ apples in the trees. Much like the apples, in the past Frost was not fit to be with the other ‘good’ writers in the United States and was thus tossed aside like a bad apple. These fallen apples do belong somewhere else however, they are placed in the cider-apple pile because they are to be made good use of for cider. This line implies that if one is not to be with others in one place, they still belong in another. Again, like the apples, Frost did not belong with the writers in the U.S. but instead those in England which is why he made it there. This is showing that above all else, perseverance is important alongside intrinsic motivations for it is that that keeps one on their path to happiness and not caught in the web of materialism. Frost has single-handedly proven that if someone were to try hard enough they could achieve greatness without the darkness that would follow in its stead by not only doing it himself but also putting that message within what it was that made him famous.

Working toward one’s own desires is important when choosing a career path; if someone were to choose based on materialistic goals then they may not enjoy what they are stuck with doing for the remainder of their life. To stay true to the goals and true desires had is key to leading a joyous and fruitful life and career. I am striving to be a digital artist and graphics designer; this is what I enjoy and am passionate about so I have made goals to pursue said path in the foreseeable future. I plan on going to college in Chicago, Illinois at Flashpoint Academy. Flashpoint specializes in digital arts and gaming design, both of which are in my interest. I want to take up digital arts not only because I am passionate about it but also because it has a huge impact on our daily lives. People are constantly seeing visuals whether it be on a sign, on television, or even graffiti; images are one of the most common and effective forms of communication. All of these pictures are designed by someone and these anonymous artists are responsible for the eye-catching restaurant signs, graphics in video games, and the visual effects in movies. While these people are not usually given the recognition they deserve they still work hard to bring spectacular sights to the world around us and that is why I want to become one of them. To have that ‘wow factor’ on the people around me is my dream and I will surely guarantee it becomes a reality.