So let’s talk about another BIG MYTH that comes up when we discuss or contemplate finding and doing the work we love to do.
One of the most common things that I hear from our coaching clients is they think there is a need to decide between doing work that they are truly passionate about and making a good living doing so.
Their thought process is that if you do something you love you will somehow need to sacrifice the income you could make doing something else.
On the flip side they also think that if you follow the money that it can’t possibly be something that you’re deeply passionate about.
Basically they think that the two cannot coexist.
While this way of thinking might seem logical it really doesn’t pass the stress test.
Here is the kicker…
The two are in no way inversely correlated.
The MORE passionate you are about something does NOT mean that you will make LESS money.
Or that the MORE money you make the LESS passionate you will be about the work that you do.
The whole thought of being the stereotypical “starving artist type” and following your passion while living on your neighbors couch or in your parents basement (god forbid) is the vision most people have…and want to avoid!
But that doesn’t have to be the reality…at all!
I would say that doing something you love while barely making enough money to buy coffee (or beer) while panhandling on the street to make ends meet isn’t anyones idea of a dream job.
And here is the best part…it doesn’t have to be.
I know plenty of people who are doing the work that they love to do AND are making a killing doing it.
It doesn’t have to an be “either/or” scenario.
Now that’s not to say that every single thing that you are passionate about can lead to job, career, or company with big financial rewards.
Like everything else on this journey to find the work you love it requires validation.
The real problem is not coming to the understanding during your journey that it is simply not an “either/ or” proposition.
Now we all know the stories of chasing a job just for the money and the risks that are involved with that.
However you need to understand, right from the get-go, that you are fully capable (especially now) of finding and doing work you love AND making a nice income on top of that.
As a matter fact if you think about it there really isn’t a better time to start to pursue something you love.
Why?
Because there are so many different ways that you can do that today that you couldn’t even think about doing just a few years ago.
Technology has leveled the playing field.
You can search for and find a job or career easier now than ever before.
You can network and meet people that could lead to great opportunities easier now than ever before.
You can create something on the side (your part time or side hustle) easier now than ever before.
You can try things out to see if they gain traction.
If they do gain some traction you’re going to be able to determine whether or not you can make the money that you’re looking to make with the project that you started.
If it looks like you can’t make the money that you want to make you can either tweak the system or simply move on to something else.
It’s a very low risk proposition to start.
The problem is that most people don’t even start because they don’t believe the thing that they love can make them enough money to sustain the lifestyle that they want.
Stop thinking that way!
On the flip side…what if that thing that you love and that you build or create starts to make the money that you dreamed of?
What if it’s successful?
You may just surprise yourself…but you’ll never know unless you actually take action and get started!
I know plenty of people (and can give you plenty of examples of people) that are doing some of the most unique things (that they love) who are making a good living doing so.
Things that no one would ever expect could make them a good living.
How about the guy who trains people on how to use Microsoft Excel?
Spreadsheets? Really?
Yes really!
Now you may think that teaching people how to use spreadsheets would be like watching paint dry…but you are missing the point.
It’s about what HE loves.
It’s something he is passionate about, it’s something he loves doing day in and day out, and he is making an absolute killing doing it!
He has found the way to do what he loves AND make a lot of money doing it.
Or what about the girl who started her own artisan popcorn company out of her own kitchen?
It’s something that she found she had a passion for.
She loves to make different types of popcorn.
She loves to explore with all the different flavors so she can get people to try them to see their reaction.
Once she finds a hit she then markets the new flavor locally and on her website and is now selling more popcorn than you can probably imagine.
What started as a hobby turned into a part time business and then into full time income.
She is doing what she loves AND making good money doing so.
And finally how about the guy that is teaching banjo lessons online and making more money now than when he was a middle school teacher?
It’s a good thing he didn’t think the way that most people think.
He believed that people might just pay for lessons online to learn how to play the banjo so he gave it a shot.
Boy was he right!
He now basically has an online school for banjo players with all kinds of lessons and different courses.
He is doing what he loves AND now makes MORE MONEY than in his previous career.
I can give you even more examples but I think the point is clear.
If any of these people would have had the “either/or” mindset and thought that they couldn’t make money doing what they love to do they probably wouldn’t have even started.
Luckily for them they actually took action and put it out there in the world to see what would happen.
They validated their idea.
They made sure it was a good business model.
They made sure that it was able to make enough money to sustain whatever lifestyle they dreamed of.
So don’t think for a minute that you have to choose between making money and doing something you love.
The goal is to find the balance making sure you are getting everything that YOU want out of it.
Not what someone else wants or thinks that YOU should have.
Determine the money YOU want/need to make.
Determine the type of work YOU want to do.
The combination of those things are something you should be striving for.
If you think that the thing that you love cannot make money you owe it to yourself to get out there and validate your way of thinking.
Don’t make assumptions.
Get out there take action and put something out in the world and see what happens.
You never know…you just may hit the jackpot!
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