I Will Stop… When My Heart Does

We all have different ideas and concepts on what lifestyle is. It is a rather simple decision on whether or not you'd like to live an average life and just make a living or you'd rather work your ass off to be able to determine the proclaimed good life just isn't enough anymore. When I think of lifestyle, happiness is the first thing that comes to mind. Of course, money is essential if you'd like to live a particular fine lifestyle, but happiness is the beginning of that long, never-ending journey. Once the happiness is permanent, it's easy to be enthusiastic about the work that needs to be done in order to acquire what you'd like to possess in life. Vanity isn't good, but I don't know one person who doesn't enjoy indulging in "things of the world." With that said, I have already made up my mind I will not stop working for what I want until my heart does.

While I say the word "work," I consider what I already do my passion, and doing your passion for a living is the ultimate luxury. It's the ultimate luxury because you're enjoying it...you're doing what you love. Is there a better feeling than knowing for sure doing what you love easily provides for your family? If you were to ask me, I think not. It's the best luxury of all, and this is when what you do for a living is no longer considered work. This is what lifestyle is all about: enjoyment, making sure your loved ones are taking care of, and being able to easily take part in self-indulgence while making sure it isn't done in a selfish manner. I take pride in my tastes and nothing's free; this gives me all the reasons in the world to keep going, so I will stop when my heart does.

You determine what type of lifestyle you'd like to live, and I recommend living one like no other. You only get one chance at life, so aim to surpass the extraordinary. Never give up on your goals and start living the way you've always wanted to. I'm on a journey that will continue way past the days when I'm old and gray, but this is why I will not stop until my heart does.

Twenty-Two

Exclusive is a word I hardly ever use these days, but when you come across an old, beautiful automobile like the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, there isn't any other word necessary to describe it's charming presence. Another reason this racecar can be labeled for its supreme exclusivity: Between the years of 1957-1958, only twenty-two were made. The Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, created for racecar driving, was more than successful on the track; it helped to win the opening round of the Buenos Aires and the Sebring twelve-hour. Winning races in the 250 Testa Rossa only meant one thing: finishing first place in Italian style. The body of the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa was designed by Scaglietti & C. I never like to take the spotlight away from the main subject, but it's only right if I add a little known fact. Even though the 250 Testa Rossa was successful on racetracks, its main rival was the much more faster and powerful Aston Martin DBR1. If you know just a little bit about me, you know what that means.



The story behind Ferrari's engine choice for the 250 Testa Rossa is an interesting one. The Commissione Sportiva Internazionale (CSI) limited the sizes of engines to slow down speeds. It came down to two engine types: the V6 or the quad-cam V12. In the end, after many test runs, neither was worthy. Instead, Ferrari ended up selecting the SOHC V12 engine to insert into the Scaglietti-designed body of the 250 Testa Rossa. I'm not sure why the CSI would even want to slow down high speeds if these specific cars were created to go as fast as possible to win races, but the 250 Testa Rossa was still triumphant more than anything.

Admire: The Hard Workers

"I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process." — Vincent Van Gogh

I'm a big fan of Vincent van Gogh's work. The main reason is because he creates pieces that speak to me and motivate me in such a reserved way. I always find myself admiring paintings of his subjects that are hard at work, maybe because that inspires me to keep pushing and do as much as I can within the twenty-four hours of a day. When I look at the man in "Evening: The End of Day," I see someone who is exhausted (by facial expression), but at the same time, he gets that assuring feeling he completed yet another pleasing day of hard work. It's all about productivity, and when you complete every task you set out to do, it's a great feeling of accomplishment, a feeling of triumph. This is the same way I look at life: If you stay consistent with working towards everything you'd like to achieve, it's almost impossible to fail. Stay hard at work.