You probably know several people who just hate their jobs or at least feel annoyed when they have to go to the office. But people need to eat, so to make money we have to do things we are not really fond of. What is sad about this is that our passion often differs from what we have to do for a living.
If you are good at something, never do it for free. Have you ever thought of doing something that you enjoy and somehow earn money from it? Writers and artists do what they really love and sometimes even make a fortune!
If you have ever thought that it is a crazy idea to quit a dull job and earn money with what you love, you are not alone. According to recent studies 87.7% of US citizens are not satisfied with what they are doing to make money. They dislike what they do but never let themselves do what they really want.
To hate your job and continue to go to your office every morning is easy. To start doing something with your life and to make your passion earn you wealth – that’s difficult. Here is a short list of things you can implement to start doing something you really like.
- What are you really good at?
The first thing you need to do is discover what your passion is. What are you good at? What can you do better than others? Keep in mind there is a huge difference between a hobby and a passion. You need to find what makes you tremble from within. You might like painting, be a crazed copywriter or feel total satisfaction when planting flowers. Sort it out before quitting your routine job.
- Are there people in need of your skills?
If your passion is lying on a sofa and eating Pringles, that’s fine; but are there people ready to pay for watching it? Before working on transforming your passion into a source of income, learn the demand. It is better if the demand for your talent is huge; and it’s perfect if you are one of a kind at what you are doing. If you’ve got lots of competitors, don’t worry – that’s not a disaster. If you are good at something and confident enough, you can easily enter this new market as long as you’ve got a strategy.
- Do you know how to achieve the things you desire?
It is both simple and challenging; but before starting you have to make a plan. Include all the steps you have to take in order to turn your passion into a career. Take into account that you can’t rely on sudden success. Thus, you can’t add a “get lucky” paragraph. Think everything through thoroughly and try to predict as many things as possible. Write down all the skills you have to acquire and all the tools that will be useful. Think about money – how much you can save, what amount of start-up capital will you need, and if you don’t have it, where you can get it? And always have a backup plan!
- Are you good at your passion?
To have a passion doesn’t necessarily mean you are good at it. If someone’s passion is to throw a ball in a basket on the weekends, it doesn’t make him a professional basketball player. Be extremely honest with yourself at this point. Can you sell the products of your passion? Maybe you need to learn something new or work on your talent – additional training, rehearsals, more practice. Use all the free time you have to improve your skills and knowledge on the subject. Be prepared to deal with the unexpected. Overconfidence will hurt you as much as a self-distrust.
- Are you ready to fail and repeat?
Life is not a bed of roses. Everyone fails sometimes. But you need to continue and not simply capitulate. Another danger is that you’ll have the temptation to put your feet up and relax after the first success. You have to realize that your new career will not always be smooth sailing. Other people will advise you, and you’ll have to differentiate between stupid ideas and real diamonds. You need to embrace new ideas and concepts and be prepared to improve yourself on a daily basis. That’s not easy, but it will help you to turn your passion into a career.
One last piece of advice – find motivation. That’s a must for turning a passion into a source of steady income. Be active and open. Be ready to listen and to learn. Consider yourself a total novice, and it’s actually true. Other people do not really care whether you succeed or fail; but you’ll meet some who are willing to help. Count on your own skills and assets but be ready to accept help. Learn something useful every day, and eventually you’ll meet with success. If you’ve decided to turn your passion into a business – don’t give up.
Do you have additional ideas on how to turn your passion into a career? Share your thoughts with others. Good luck!
