Work occupies the time and minds of the average person for the majority of their adult life. Depending on what you do, that statement can be very negative or very positive. Traditionally, work was something that you did to make ends meet to provide for your family. It wasn’t necessarily about doing what you loved to do. With the explosion of the internet, our culture has grown into a more collaborative and entrepreneurial one that promotes individuality and making your work and your passion the same thing.
I have struggled with this balance for a long time. In my life I have made decisions that have made me successful, but not necessarily doing the things that spark my passion. That is the root cause of most of my daily frustration (and one of the biggest driving factors in making this website). Recently I have started to take the steps toward making my passion into my work, but the biggest challenge is making sure that I can keep the same amount of income doing what I love. Obviously at the start that’s not going to be possible, thus the need to keep the day job. For me personally, the only answer is to do both until my passion can support my family as well as my day job does.
It can be a lot harder when you have to transition to doing something you love like I am having to do. It means that you cannot devote all of your time working on the things you want to. The daily frustration is still there, plus I have to work almost full time in the evenings to build my business, which can be a strain on my family. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming, but it’s manageable since I know that I’m spending my extra time trying to build something that I love. Can you imagine if this site was able to support me and my family and I could spend my normal 8-5 workday adding content? That vision is what keeps me motivated, and the constant progress I see is what continues to build my passion for what I’m doing. It’s a good lesson to apply to your own situation as well. Concentrate on your vision of success, use it to fuel your motivation, and continue to build your dream.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout the process so far is that I wish I would have started earlier. Like most things, success takes time, and you must pay your dues. If you have something good to offer and you can continue to deliver over a long period of time, you will eventually see success. I have just started my journey, but I look forward to the challenges ahead. My passion for what I’m trying to do is at an all-time high, and I am excited to build my business one day at a time.
