Plan to start a colorful vlog? maybe a thoughtful blog. Is it an engaging YouTube channel or even a fun podcast?
Let me guess, you are bored with your conventional routine job and make a living out of the things that you do actually love to do. Right?
Hmm. That does make perfect sense.
If this is something you spend a quarter of your life doing then rather than doing something that sucks the life out of you and at times makes you feel miserable; Shouldn’t you do something that would put a smile on your face when you have that hot coffee at the end of your day?
Of course, that’s right!
But before you jump in and make that big life choice, let me just walk you through something. Something that you should definitely think about before that big moment.
You might wonder, what could possibly be the problem with doing what you love? Isn’t this how you will have your happily ever after ending?
For the sake of your convenience, here is a content page that will tell the main heading in this article, and if you click on it, it will take you to that section.
Problems with monetizing your passion
- Creating things you love vs things that others love
- Monetization kills your passion
- Dealing with competition
- Consistency is the key
- Never make it your primary income source
- Find the balance between you vs others
- Find other objectives than making money
Let’s get started then.
Problems with monetizing your passion
These are some reasons I think monetizing your passion is not such a great idea as it claims to be.
Creating things you love vs things that others love
The whole reason you started this is that you love to do this, right?
Now the question is, why do you love this?
Is it because your craft is perfect? Your technique is flawless?
Hell no!
You love this because the process is fun for you. You will enjoy doing it even if what you made is garbage. To be honest, that is when you enjoy it the most.
Until this point, what you have been doing is what interests you and motivates you. When you put yourself out there and try to monetize your passion, you understand that what others care about is what they love and not necessarily what you love.
Doing what others are interested in rather than what you are interested in does not feel good if you haven’t tried it.
To sell your product, you need to sell what your customers want, not what you want.
This conflict which you have been oblivious to until this point becomes an annoying problem once you monetize your passion unless your taste aligns with your audiences.
Monetization kills your passion
Have you done sales pitching?
If you haven’t, then I don’t suggest you do it because it’s not fun.
Once you monetize your work, you will notice certain changes
You have tried creating what others might be interested in. Now you need to overrate your work and thereby underrate other’s work.
This is the dirty business side of selling your product and is definitely not fun.
When you put yourself out in the world, now others can start judging you and your work and start showering their valuable comments.
There will be public opinions that you need to cater to, even if you don’t feel like it.
Once you make what other love, fix your previous mistakes, highlight your strengths. You will miss the time when you enjoyed doing what you loved, making silly mistakes, and feeling proud of your little imperfections.
This is the point when you will stop enjoying what you are doing and which will eventually kill your blazing passion
Dealing with competition
Only when you publish your work is when you realize there are millions of people just like you, and the only way your work can excel is when you offer something better than your competition.
Now, rather than creating what you love, you have to create something that others love but better than your competition.
Competition isn’t inherently a bad thing. But when you do it wrong, you will be in deep problems.
Having a mindset that sees others as creatives individuals rather than competitors and trying to collaborate with them rather than competing with them should be your goal.
Don’t lose your positive outlook.
Consistency is the key
For any endeavor to be successful, you need to be consistent with it. If you are not consistently doing it, then it is highly unlikely that it succeeds.
This seems like a good thing until you do it and realize you need to do it regularly, even if you are in a creative slump.
Like the autumn that follows the spring, there will be a period when you feel you have nothing to create. This is the point when your consistency will take a hit and feel like a burden.
When you force yourself to do or create something when you have no interest in it or don’t have many reasons to do it, nothing good will come out of it for anyone.
Consistency is real trouble when you are planning on doing something for a long time.
Your craft might end up like that awkward silence when you have nothing to say and can’t figure out anything to keep the conversation going.
Please only do it when you actually want to do it.
Things I learned so far
Never make it your primary income source
This is the mistake you want to avoid first. This might even put you in a position where you need to compromise your integrity. If possible, never make your passion your primary income source.
There are always two paths ahead when your profession is your passion.
1, A path that makes a lot of money
2, A path that makes you happy
Don’t be shortsighted and choose the first option. The only way you can sustain your passion is if you choose the second option. The only way not to choose the first option is if you have other income sources.
Have the luxury to do anything you love, even if that doesn’t make you any money because you know you can survive without this.
Find other objectives than making money
Define your aim for pursuing this passion. Have objectives that somehow add value to other’s life, not just ones that are all about making money.
Have dreams bigger than yourself because only they are inspirational.
Understand that people will not pay to make you rich, but pay you for the value you provide.
Work toward achieving your objectives. Making money should be a byproduct of that, not your primary aim.
This is possible only if you have other income sources. So try to have other income sources as a backup.
Find the balance between you vs others
Sustenance of your passion depends on how much you enjoy it, and the value you give depends on how much others enjoy it.
The sustainable way is when you can strike a balance between the two.
Having only either of the two will only make your endeavor short-lived. If you don’t enjoy it, why should you do it? If others don’t enjoy it, why should they bother about it?
The trick is to find the right balance between you vs others.
Conclusion
I know when talking about the passion you should stuff your words with positivity and have eternal optimism like the quote from Alchemist
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
— Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
I don’t want to give you false hopes and leave your heart broken in your moment of truth when you realize the universe doesn’t care the slightest about you.
But having said that there are no needs to bite your nails or get frightened. Following your passion is definitely the path for your happily ever after ending. It’s just that you need to see what lies ahead and realize that it’s a bit longer and rougher journey than you might have expected.
Do think about these points if you think it is relevant or useful and ignore it if you feel it’s pointless.
Whatever you decide, I hope you follow your passion and become successful at it and finally reach your happily ever after ending!
Cheers.