Money and Your Passion for Life
What’s your passion for life?
Like… what are you excited about? What gets you out of bed bright and early on a Monday morning?
Once you’ve identified it, good!
Because now I’m going to tell you why following your passion sometimes isn’t enough.
And I will be contradicting myself a bit in what I have to say today from what I have previously stated.
Because I’m guilty of telling others to follow their passion a lot.
But I need to keep it real.
So here it is: Sometimes, you won’t ALWAYS earn a living dedicating yourself to something you’re passionate about.
It’s not good enough, and I want to tell you why.
And, It Will Sound Familiar!
Most of us need money and have a job. Monday – Friday.
One you can handle.
And this job might not be your most favorite thing in the world. But it puts money in your pocket and pays the bills.
Which allows you to do the things you really like when you get off work, on the weekend, or when a specific holiday arrives.
But you can be fired.
And quitting or walking away for something else isn’t easy. Doing so comes with a lot of emotional weight. Because now you have to find a different way to purchase food and pay your bills.
Or collect unemployment for a while.
This Situation is Also Quite Common!
And for those of us who’ve gone through something like this…
Seeing yourself start a new job with the possibility of having the same thing happen to you again becomes something you don’t want to go through again.
It can create a lot of anxiety.
You might become really overwhelmed by the thought of it that it affects you physically and emotionally.
And when this happens, you might realize: a fixed
And this is good.
Because it forces you to rethink things differently.
This awareness of HOW you make your “money is everything.“ And it makes you want to discover what you’re good at. Figure out a profitable skill talent.
Find a service you can offer, or dedicate your time to something you already love to earn a living. This awareness then leads to you discovering certain beliefs that often block many people.
Perhaps the most interesting and on which I want to reflect today – passion is enough.
Making money from your passion for life or hobby is not enough.
It isn’t easy. And it takes a lot more than passion.
It takes sacrifice, willpower, a clear vision, resources, learning from failure(s), and support.
You Can Earn Money Dedicating Yourself to Your Passion for Life
This is a very powerful belief many of us share.
We want to find a job that fulfills us. And we tell ourselves a story:
- I don’t know what to do
- I don’t know what I’m good at
- I’m unaware of my talents
But when you’re asked what you really like, you know exactly what it is you enjoy.
But this isn’t an option.
You unknowingly or knowingly choose to disregard it. And don’t take it seriously.
You leave your passions and dreams buried deep inside the vault of your brain. And never consider them.
Or how to get paid from them by making em’ a passion for life.
All because you “unconsciously” believe you have to find something formal. Something serious.
Something that pays well. And the truth is you’re right…
You can earn money dedicating yourself to your hobbies.
But the truth is:
- No one’s going to pay you just because you enjoy something
- No one’s going to pay to watch you workout, or see how you do art, or put your makeup on
Many people are earning a living, maybe thousands, through their blogs, YouTube channels, Instagram following, and more.
But think about it for a moment.
Reflect on it: are they paid just because they enjoy what they do?
Well, the answer is NO!
People earn money because they manage to add value and improve the lives of other individuals.
So burn this in your heart. And let it light a fire in your mind.
“Successful” individuals offer value to other individuals. They help people improve their lives in some way.
And those they are helping become happier because they solve many of their problems.
So let’s say you want to earn a living dedicating yourself to something you’re passionate about and believed achieving it was possible.
If this is the case, then the first thing you need to do is change your mindset.
Stop focusing on what YOU want. Instead, focus on the VALUE you have to offer and can give to others in their life.
Because the moment you focus on what you can do to make this world a better place, you’ll have more options!
No longer will you be anxious or forced to work a job you don’t like. A job that might fire or let you go when shit happens because they do not need you anymore.
And remember, businesses that are self-centered: my needs, my products, my services, my ego… they usually don’t work.
To have a business that works and lasts generations, we must provide something someone else needs, and from there, offer them solutions.
Solve their problems. Or save them time.
Make it your passion for life. And the more you like what you do while serving others, the easier it’ll be to generate
“Working” will not be a punishment.
And you’ll give up seeing work as a burden or an obligation. It might even turn it into an experience that brings you lots of joy and excitement.
But making money off of your enthusiasm and passion is easier when you dedicate yourself to helping others through that you love. Don’t you think?
I hope you agree, but let me move on to something more practical.
How to Monetize Your Passion for Life
Please understand making money is not our mission in life, No! It’s just a result of doing something well.
A good purpose in life has to serve two functions:
- Make you happy
- Benefit others
I mean, it has to be something you love so much you can even do it for free. Think about how you can offer value to other people.
There are many ways, for example, it could be by selling them something, a product, or a service that helps them.
Your best option is to define or think of something that solves or meets one of your needs, dreams, or desires.
And think about this: They will not pay you to see you take photos of your girlfriend.
But they will pay you for a wedding session with a bride before and during her wedding. Because she (the bride) will leave with physical pictures and have memories that’ll last forever.
Do you see the difference?
Get The Most Out of Your Free Time
Once you find what you want to do and define it, it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to dedicate 100% of your time to it overnight.
To live from what you have defined, you’ll have to carry on with your daily routine and the job you might be anxious about for a short time.
You’ll invest that short time in preparing yourself!
You must grow and acquire new habits: what you see on the internet, the books you read, the things you watch, the people you surround yourself with; everything will have to be related to your new “passion.“
So try not to make it boring.
Make it your passion for life. Because it needs to excite you.
When Starting You Should Do It for Free
As you prepare, put your skills to use.
Your free time invested will begin to pay off. Because if you’re very dedicated, you can become very skilled in a subject in a short amount of time.
And a good way to learn is by doing. And helping others.
You can volunteer for something related to or tasks that require only your time passion.
But Don’t Live to Work
It will be necessary and justifiable for a short time.
Especially when you start, but those who live to work often suffer from addiction. They become addicted to work. So be careful!
This addiction I know from personal experience has consequences:
- Your social life disappears
- Physical and mental problems appear, like muscular, digestive, and psychological problems
- Work and all the problems around it come first
And when you live to work, you’re a slave to what you do. And you’ll be at the service and mercy of what you created, which is a terrible sign.
It’s the opposite of doing what you love for a living (your passion for life).
How to Know If You Live to Work, Or Are You Working for a Living:
1) What Do You Do On the Weekend?
People who “work for a living” know the value of each hour of their work.
They have no difficulty spending on a purchase because they know exactly how many hours of work they’re giving up to acquire what they purchase.
On the other hand, people who live to work’ often find it hard to spend money.
2) How Do You Approach Professional Discussions?
Those who “work for a living” often view professional criticism as an opportunity to improve working methods.
Versus, those who live to work normally view professional criticism as a personal attack.
They often take professional discussions personally, making it hard to succeed at what they’re trying to accomplish.
3) Do You Balance The Professional and Personal?
Beware of ambition!
There must be a balance between factors such as health, family, spiritual development, and leisure, among others.
This does not mean further learning and training cannot be sought outside of working hours.
But comparing the amount of time you spend doing one or the other (work vs. family time) will help you realize you either “work for a living” or “live to work.”
4) Do Professional Problems Affect Your Relationships?
Ask yourself this, what is your priority: family or work? Your answer determines where you lean.
It would be best if you talked to your family about particular challenges.
Because you want to make sure tensions, anxieties, fears, and all the other work-related stress factors remain out of your house.
And stay healthy!
Exercise, lift some weights, do something physical. It always helps me release stress and come up with some new and refreshing ideas.
And now that you’re at the end, answer this question: do you live to work or work for a living?
What’s your passion for life?
