Fame, money, or power: why it’s important for an entrepreneur to understand their true motivation — and what the cost of not knowing is.

"Understanding your dominant energy helps you align your inner harmony with the external world."

This insight came to me during a deep educational program for entrepreneurs, in which we took a multi-level test to uncover our core motivations.

The result stunned me. It turned out that behind all my actions and decisions wasn’t just the desire to earn (although that was part of it), but rather a strong need for recognition from my peers or those who had achieved more. This is a form of fame. That feeling when you've done something meaningful—and it gets noticed, appreciated, acknowledged.

So what? You understand this—what does it change?In fact, a lot. I spent a long time reflecting on the test itself, its results, and how many people achieve impressive success in business without realizing what kind of energy fuels them: the energy of money, power, or fame.

Money, fame, and power are the three forces that drive people.

These are the dominant energies of our time. But it wasn’t always this way. In the 19th century, status was what mattered most. Great composers, writers, and entrepreneurs were often sidelined if they didn’t have access to the royal court.

The 20th century became the age of power. It was a time when influence, resources, and military strength ruled. The 21st century, however, introduced a new model. According to the theory we studied, every modern entrepreneur is guided by one of three core energies: money, fame, or power. Just one—without blending or compromise. Everything else follows as a result. It’s hard to identify this driving force with logic alone.

I experimented with people around me, asking fellow entrepreneurs, “What drives you?”Most replied instantly, “Money.” No surprise—businesses, revenue, deals.Then I’d ask, “Why do you want money?”Some answered quickly and confidently: “To accumulate.” Instantly I knew: this person is driven by the energy of money. They think in terms of saving, controlling, multiplying. These people don’t just earn—they live for the process. The money flow is like a heartbeat. They must stay in operational control—lose touch with cash flow, and the system falls apart, along with their inner resource.

If a person is driven by fame, recognition will always be the focus. But not the superficial kind—not hype or likes. They need a sincere, deep sense that their efforts have been noticed and valued. These people build companies, launch products, write or speak to evoke a response. They need to be heard.

They don’t have to be public figures—they’re simply people who care about ideas, form, and beauty. Their projects always carry a sense of meaning. They go beyond functionality and strive for depth. Everything they create has soul.

And if a person lives by the energy of power, their key motivation is influence through status. Not about domination or control, but structure and system. This is one of the strongest energy types—it allows for big-picture thinking, responsibility, and complex decision-making.

Such individuals are drawn to environments where authority is built into the system. They thrive in hierarchies—politics, public administration, large organizations—where positional power allows for fast and effective decision-making. They need to be part of a stable system that provides both a foundation and space to act.

These three energies don’t conflict with each other. They form an equilateral triangle where each point reinforces the others. Money can open the door to power. Fame can bring resources. Power can deliver recognition. But each of us has only one dominant force—everything else is built around it.

What happens when you live outside your natural energy

It took me thirty years in business to admit this: I brought my best projects to life when I aimed to create something beautiful, visible, and bold. That’s fame energy at work. The projects I started or supported just for money were doomed—not because the ideas were bad or the execution was poor, but because they lacked my energy. I went into them rationally—and lost myself. Over twenty years—ten businesses. Only three felt truly alive. The rest? A loss of $1.5 million, wasted years, and the painful feeling of dragging a dead horse.

I saw completely different results when I acted out of a desire to create something meaningful and inspiring. For example, when we started building a factory, I had a limited budget. The plan was to start with the shell of the building and install equipment later as funds allowed. But the project was so energetically strong that resources started flowing in: contracts, prepayments, the right people. It was as if someone from above was saying, “Yes. Keep going.”

I felt something similar when I began building a personal brand—writing, speaking, sharing experiences. Driven by recognition, fueled by the energy of fame. I invested hundreds of thousands into this area. So far, the financial return hasn’t arrived—but the process has given me far more than money: inspiration, inner stability, drive.

Living in your energy means living truthfully

Why does this matter? Understanding your dominant energy helps you tune your inner world to the outside one. When you know what force underlies most of your decisions, you can act in resonance with reality—without wasting yourself trying to meet others’ expectations or fit into imposed models.

Take Elon Musk, for example. His energy, without a doubt, is the pursuit of recognition. He lives in the field of attention, feedback, influence. Everything he touches gains a powerful impulse—so long as it stays within that energy.

But the moment he steps outside it, the situation begins to shift. Focus turns into distraction. Recognition becomes criticism. Growth gives way to backlash. Stepping away from your inner truth always has a price: the loss of clarity, grounding, and results.

Honestly, I haven’t fully integrated this new awareness into my life yet, so I can’t point to concrete outcomes. But even the simple act of understanding my driving force has been invaluable. Now I have a much clearer sense of direction. Every new plan runs through my internal filter: does this action align with my energy of recognition?

At the heart of the “Happiness System” I describe in my books is one simple but deep idea: the most valuable thing a person has is their individuality. The theory of the three energies—power, money, and fame—that dominate an entrepreneur depending on their nature fits perfectly into that system.

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