Turn your passion into your profit. Make what you love your livelihood. I’ve heard all the expressions, but it wasn’t until 2018 that they actually rang true for me. I’ve always loved writing, but I was always encouraged to ‘be safe,’ to get the ‘smart job’ and to not be ‘foolish’ when it came to choosing a ‘stable’ career. People were well-meaning in their advice, but truthfully, I feel the most alive when I’m doing what I love.
So why wouldn’t I try to make money from that?
I launched my writing coaching, tutoring and editing services company, Be A Light Collective in 2018. It was the scariest and most exciting thing I’ve ever done, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’ve realized that it is possible to make money doing what you love. You simply have to believe in yourself and keep going (no matter the struggles you face).
Ultimately, making money doing what you love is possible, but it’s born of hard work, (literal blood, sweat, and tears) and dedication to your unique craft. If this resonates with you, keep reading! Here’s what you need to know about how, exactly, to make money doing what you love the most:
1. First, you have to know what lights a fire in you.
Success, in my opinion, is born of passion. You have to know what excites you, what you care about, and what you want to put into the world. How you’ll do this will come later. But identifying that initial passion and drive is what starts everything.
This can be silly, it can be serious, it can be ‘realistic’ or it can be crazy. But knowing what sets you on fire will help you build a business, career, job, avenue, opportunity, and future that’s more aligned with your heart than anything you’ve ever known.
2. Start with the dirty work.
Making money doing what you love doesn’t just happen overnight or by chance; you have to put in the work. Once you know what you want to do, start researching potential jobs and opportunities. Think about where you want to work (office, remote, or physical area/location). Think about what you value. Think about your availability, expected income, and budget.
Start your career search in local and obvious places, job boards, or business websites. From there, branch to local events, social media pages, and of course, your personal network, too. Be prepared to spend a lot of time in the research stage. Although frustrating at times, it will help you feel (and become!) prepared.
3. Be realistic about your workload.
If you’re deciding to pursue your passions for the first time, you can’t just up and quit your regular life, especially if you’re currently in a full-time position. Rather than throwing caution to the wind, get serious about your options. Can you pick up a side hustle until you figure things out? Can you work part-time? Shadow someone who’s doing the passion that you love?
Consider the time, energy, and bandwidth you have before committing to something new to prevent burnout before you even begin.
4. Keep work-life balance in mind.
Work-life balance is huge. You can’t pursue your passions if you’re constantly stressed and focused on work. Think about how you can carve intentional time in your schedule to do things you love, or prioritize differently so that you feel like a passion is possible.
You need to create a healthy balance or you’ll risk failure.
5. Be ready to work really, really hard.
If you want to profit from your passions, you’re going to have to work really, really hard. If you’re new to an industry, you’ll have to create and advertise your products/services, too, which can add an additional layer to the equation. This doesn’t mean you can’t be successful, though, it just means you’re going to have to work hard(er) for that success.
6. Implement a budget and stay organized (especially in the beginning).
Regardless of whether you’re pursuing a passion project or full-blown career, you’ll need to create a schedule and budget. These will lay the solid foundation in which you can build on. This is especially important if you’re going to be working for yourself or freelancing, but it’s still useful, even if you’re not.
7. Don’t slack on the networking and marketing.
You can launch a business, start a passion project, begin a new career avenue, etc. But if you don’t tell people about it, market the hell out of yourself, and network, you’ll ultimately fail.
If you seriously want to make money doing what you love, you must market and network. Use social media, connect with friends, family, and colleagues to create a strong client base. And constantly work to build connections and share your products/services.
8. Don’t be afraid to say ‘yes’ to new things.
If you’re serious about making money doing what you love, you can’t be afraid of the unknown. When you step forward into this career path, there’s a lot of risk. But there’s also a lot of potential for reward, too. Regardless of what you’re trying to do, be confident. You might make mistakes along the way, but that’s okay.
Saying ‘yes’ and stepping outside of your comfort zone will help you and your passions/business/career venture grow. That being said, don’t be afraid to say ‘no,’ as well, espeically if things aren’t aligned with yoru goals and vision. You have that power.
Featured Image Credit: Kevin Grieve
