This is such an eye-opening article.
Following your passion is like the ultimate bullshit. I agree. Why? I’ve lived it.
But wait…
It isn’t that black and white. Following your passion really is great for the soul. If your passion happens to support the lifestyle you want, you are blessed. Although for many, it doesn’t always work out.
What you should do first…
Stop worrying. You never, ever have to give up your passions. What you do have to do is support yourself. There are alternatives to your passions. What else are you good at?
Write them down.
Now how can you incorporate them in the money-making world?
Let me use myself as an example. When I entered my mid-20s, I was exposed to a life I never saw growing up. A life where money was available to everyone. That I could actually one day make a living on my terms. That started a crusade of alternatives for me. I’ve spent the last 10 years at least dabbling in a wide array of projects and business ventures. I made some money and lost some as well. What I gained from all these experiences was knowledge. And that is the most valuable of all.
I arrived at a place where there isn’t just one way. Our journey isn’t black and white. We will have to change courses and rework plans/goals constantly. Because I know this now, I’m so much more at peace with my life. The cliche…it’s the journey, but wait, I think the destination matters too. No one wants to keep working on one goal for their entire life. We all want a win. I’m not much of an idler. I need to keep moving. The journey is humbling. Something you’ll always be proud of. That feeling doesn’t go away like the feeling of checking off a goal. Most goal oriented individuals don’t like to stop and relax for excessive amounts of time. There is just something within us that needs to keep doing, learning and progressing.
My passions haven’t made me tons of money. But it has allowed me to reach people in different parts of the country. I’ve created friendships and found mentors that have shaped me through the years.
Writing is a passion of mine. Like do I find joy in having to learn YouTube and talk to a camera? Not really. That isn’t something I would call a passion of mine but a wall I must climb. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll really start to enjoy it.
Money or no money, writing isn’t going to stop. But I have to make money. So…what am I good at? Let’s see…
I’m super organized
Great at research work
Great eye for detail
Great listener
Fair
Open minded
Likable
I work well in business environments (healthy and respectable ones anyway)
I’m a professional
So…how can I use all these things to my advantage?
Find a job suitable for me. A job where I can utilize the things that I am good at.
“What they were passionate about was being great at something, and then the accouterments of being great at something — the recognition from colleagues, the money, the status will make you passionate about whatever it is,” Galloway says.
You can still find a job that isn’t your dream job rewarding.
Common places for people to feel truly passionate — like sports, films and restaurants, says Galloway — require a lot of time and don’t generally don’t lead to financial success. “So if you want to go to work for Vogue or you want to open nightclubs or you want to produce films,” you need to be prepared for a modest payout for your labor, Galloway says.
You’re going to have to choose. One or the other will have to come first. Passion, money, time? What do you want more of?
For me it’s time. I want to be in control of what I do with my time. Therefore, money is going to allow me freedom. While I still write and pursue my passion projects, I also work full time and invest daily in financial literacy (reading and staying up to date with the market, stocks, etc.). I want long term wealth and I plan to live for a long time. So building a money machine is #1 for me. That is where 10 hours of my day go. The other 14 go to whatever else I want.
A field in Finance would be great for me. So…guess what I do for a living? I work in finance 🙂 Does it light me up like fireworks? No. It’s an alternative that fits well with me. Along with a good environment. It isn’t extremely demanding. Allowing me time for my passion projects. Now let’s say my passion projects take off…will I have enough saved to be able to walk away from my day job? Maybe. What is the ROI on my passion projects? That I don’t know yet. Until I know, I won’t just quit my job. I’d need consistent ROI data over a period of time before I could decide. I’m a Virgo and I need security 🤷 Would I love one day to solely work for myself doing what I love, YES. That is the truth. Am I currently happy with my day job? Yes.
I strive to stay in an equilibrium state. I want my day to day to be enjoyable, peaceful. Not anxious and desperate full of despair. I’ve cultivated my mind and life in a way to be able to achieve this. I am fully aware I can have what I want, just not EVERYTHING I want.
Now let’s say you don’t mind sharing a home with roommates in order to live in LA and pursue your dream, then that’s what you should do. Again, there is no one way and the journey is not black and white. The key is to figure out what it is you truly want. And you must be realistic. What are you willing to give up? How are you willing to live? You are the only person who knows the answers to these questions.
So…marinate on this. And then choose.
Oh, did you read the part about choosing the right life partner? Some of these things I haven’t even thought about. I not only want someone ambitious…along with many other things haha but we have to agree on the type of lifestyle we want.
Like…if you’re someone who’s into health and fitness…it’s a lifestyle for you, more likely you are going to want to choose a partner who also is. I love hiking and keeping myself in shape. That is extremely important to me. Therefore I need someone who values it as much as I do.
You’re someone who manages your money well. A year of emergency savings for living expenses is a must but your partner wants to spend every dollar they have…it won’t work. You’ll be fighting about money all the time. It would be wise to choose a partner with the same financial goals.
Let’s be honest. There are some things that you are willing to bend on and there are some things that you should just not. I have zero time to be someone’s personal trainer or financial advisor. Make sense? Good 🙂 Choose your partner wisely my friends.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
The Freedom of Choices 