The Weekend 4/13/12~Pursuing Your Passions

“Do what you love and the money will follow.”

Who hasn’t heard that phrase with its promise and allure? But is it true?

We also know well the phrase “starving artist”.

Desire is all important. It will make you more creative, resourceful and propel you further faster. And when things get tough persistence is Key. There are so many obstacles you face when starting something new, getting that business off the ground, or an unusual project, something that you have never before attempted.

But the reality is that no amount of desire will guarantee success. Not in business, not in relationships and not in life.

So temper your passions with reality. If the thing you are passionate about won’t support your life, pay the bills, then No this great invention should not be your next career move. As the authors of Just Start: Take action, Embrace Uncertainty, create the future write, “every small step you take should leave you alive to take the next step. “ So the basic needs and survival should be first. A friend shared some valuable words of wisdom with me once. “It’s a job. You don’t need to love what you do. It just needs to support your life.”

At the time I was working for myself, a struggling entrepreneur. I regaled the fact that I could set my own schedule. The reality was I was working all the time, barely scrapping by and most months going further into debt. And mind you I argued with my friend ALOT. Fought the change, sure I was giving up on my dream.

I learned a valuable lesson, how wrong I was. And in my life this has made all the difference. Once I let go, heeded her sound advice and took a 9-5 in an industry that was not my passion I truly felt free to thrive. My basic needs were met and more. This freed me up to pursue what I was passionate about.

For many there is never enough money. They never land at the place where they feel secure in their finances and everyone could probably tighten their belt in some place or another. I know I don’t have to have a latte every morning. Drip would be just as good and far better on my bottom line. So be realistic about your needs and wants and evaluate your spending.

Now I am not saying you won’t make a living engaged in your passions. People often do. Insights, inventions spark creations every day that sell. Look at Instagram! So Act! See what happens. Once you have met your basic needs all bets are off.

Make sure to pursue your passions even if only 15 minutes a day. Don’t let anything stop you. If you do a little something towards what you care about every day and you will be more satisfied and fulfilled. Even the smallest step can change everything. So explains The Power of Small Wins. And I can attest that once I met my basic needs I found I had so much more time to dedicate to the things I am passionate about. I am happier for it.

So take those steps. Don’t worry about the outcome. You can’t predict the future and you will never be able to plan for every contingency. So don’t waste your precious creative energy trying to do just that. You may even be lucky enough that your passion will make you money. But even if it never does I promise you will be happier. And what’s wrong with that?