your passion and not money should drive you

[FreedomOffshore]

I have thought to myself if people concentrate on their passion then
there would be too many adult sites out there polluting the internet
world. But passion is more than just physical desires.


There is a passion that arises out of the soul and spirit of man and
you need to look at the things that have formed your life and what
you are interested in and then form a business that will help people
in that area.


I have spent a lot of time reading and studying about offshore living
and offshore financial matters and I am extremely interested in the
whole concept of how this relates to freedom in a world of declining
personal privacy and freedoms.


I do not expect to make a lot of money from my concept but I love
what I am doing and I love building a web site business to help people
become more and more free in their personal and financial lives.


Spend some time looking over your past and what has interested
you and what you think you will be studying about and spending time
doing in the future and follow your passion. From that passion build
your business and do not let money be your guiding motivation. You
can always move to South or Central America and live there in
comfort on only $1,000 per month.


Sincerely, FREEDOM

[jmidas]

For me, I think it is a combination of passion and finances. Both motivate me.

Freedom, a few years ago, I read a book called "How to be Invisable" I think the author was something or other Luna or Lune. kind of interesting - along the lines of what you are suggesting.

Only problem I see is that nowadays we all love on line and it is tough (but not impossible) to remain invisable.

[ExRat]

Hi freedom,

Don't know if you've seen this -

I'm a big fan of this site and it's owner, and I particularly enjoy the essays here -

Essay Index

There are all sorts of resources on that subject around the site, and I've been on the newsletter for a year and enjoy it. HTH

[jdmitchell]

We are on the same page man. I am all about freedom in every way.

[Steven Wagenheim]

I think it is up to each individual to decide what drives them. There is no
right or wrong.

Many people build businesses in a certain market simply because they know
the market is one where they can make a lot of money. The reasons for
wanting that money can range anywhere from simply wanting to leave
their children something when they die to wanting to own every fancy toy
that the world has to offer.

There is no right or wrong in either approach.

Also, many people's "passions" may not be profitable enough to live
anywhere, South America or not.

If my daughter comes to me and says that she wants to be a lawyer
because they make a lot of money, then I will see nothing wrong with
that. Conversely, is she says she wants to be a social worker because
she wants to help people, that is just as fine with me.

I'm not trying to nit pick at your post, but you've done what, ironically,
I've done way too many times. It's funny how sometimes when you look,
you can see yourselves in others.

The bottom line is simple. Each person has to decide what their motivating
force is and it isn't for us to say what is right or wrong.

At least that's my honest opinion...for whatever it's worth.

[Bryan Kumar]

I've found that if you choose what really, truly makes you happy, what makes you feel good for most of your day, you can't go wrong.

If you keep asking yourself why you want "XYZ"...whether that's a house, a new car, a relationship, or whatever... you'll always find the final answer to be "because it makes me happy" or "it makes me feel good."

So, why not just start there. Choose what will make you happy from the beginning...including the marketing methods, the niches, and so on (if you happen to be a marketer.

I've always been big on helping people. That got instilled in me very early on, as a child. But, even that has to be done in a way that makes YOU happy as well.

You can't run yourself ragged trying to help others either. I've done that many times before. My health, relationships, and even my wealth suffered, eventually.

Find a way to live your true passion(s), whether it is teaching or building a corporation. (It's your passion. No one can tell you what it is.)

But, leverage everything so that following your passion doesn't cost you other areas of your life. The end result should be happiness, while maintaining good health.

Bryan

[Mike Long]

I like staring off into natural landscapes for hours on end. But that doesn't exactly pay the bills.

What I can't figure out is what you do when you have no real passion for anything. My life often looks a lot like the movie Groundhog Day. It isn't necessarily bad, it's just sort of the same thing over and over again.

So what do you do when nothing in life "sparks" you?

[ExRat]

Hi Mike,

So what do you do when nothing in life "sparks" you?

Good question.

Get on a mission to find it.

Where to start? Change, any change. Ideally change that challenges you and puts you into situations that you are not used to.

Still stuck? Talk to your friends. Tell them your mission. Tap their brains for ideas. Act like a sponge.

STILL stuck? Go and live somewhere new. Too drastic? Ok, as you like staring into space (I do too) go away somewhere likely to be a good place for reflecting. Somewhere that makes you feel good. Get away from all of the usual stimuli. Give yourself time and space.

Then stare and think. Stare at something inspiring, like nature in all of it's glory. Keep staring and thinking until it hits you like a lightning bolt. Write it down. Stare some more. Develop that plan. Think of alternatives.

None of that works for you?

Plan B. Accept that plan A didn't work. Find something profitable that can sustain you or hopefully turn a profit. Accept that it will bore you but focus on the money. In the meantime, re-invent the mission.

If you get 'on a mission' to do something, such as trying all those things, eventually you will find something. If you don't, open your eyes and your mind wider.

HTH

[Bryan Kumar]

Cool post, Roger.

Mike, you're not alone. It seems that at least 70% (my guess) of the people out there haven't figured that first step out...

Most of us have no idea what our true passions are.

As Roger pointed out, oftentimes, it takes a LOT of thinking, searching, and digging to find 'em. But, it's well worth putting the time in to find out. (Even if it takes an hour a day for several months - or more)

As for staring off into landscapes....photography, tour guide... just off the top of my head. And if you wanna add the IM aspect to it, sell the info, pics, reports, whatever it is that you gather while staring off.

Also, do look at your past - especially the ages between 5 and 21. You'd be surprised at how many times I've worked with people for hours only to find that their passion turned out to be what they enjoyed doing as a kid or during their high school years. Baking, dancing, even something as obvious as "talking and socializing a lot."

[richard92780]

Hey guys,

I believe that the only way to maintain a passion we already have for something, is that we need to make sure that we put other people first over us and make sure that their needs are met.

Many people gain a passion and loose it because they develop a "selfish" and "self centered" attitude of what can other people do for me, instead of what can I do to help others and make a huge difference in their lives.

There is always great and continuous JOY in giving to others first and making sure their needs are met.

I hope I made some sense by what I just said.

Best wishes to all of you.

Richard

[Ken Preuss]

Originally Posted by Mike Long

I like staring off into natural landscapes for hours on end. But that doesn't exactly pay the bills.

What I can't figure out is what you do when you have no real passion for anything. My life often looks a lot like the movie Groundhog Day. It isn't necessarily bad, it's just sort of the same thing over and over again.

So what do you do when nothing in life "sparks" you?

Mike,

You bring up a vital point as it relates to building a business based on your passions. And that is this:

A business generates revenue only when customers are willing to actually pay for whatever product or service you provide.

It's one thing to identify one's passion and want to build a business around it. It's entirely another for that business to actually make money.

For those who have an identified passion, see where there's a match for your passion in the marketplace. Meaning people hungry for and paying for products/services related to your passion. Then tailor your passion toward those existing successful business models.

For those who do not have a passion identified, no problem. Simply find something in the marketplace working outrageously well where hungry buyers are spending money hand over fist.....then build your own version of that.

Are there many details to fill in, skills to learn, hoops to jump through? Yes.

However when you cut out the noise and the time-wasting activity, building a successful business really is that simple.

Ken

[ExRat]

Hi Brian,

Cheers.

As Roger pointed out, oftentimes, it takes a LOT of thinking, searching, and digging to find 'em. But, it's well worth putting the time in to find out.

I agree. I'm actually in the process myself. I started the day I quit my offline business and went online. That was the start of my mission to 'find my calling', as it were.

The biggest problem I have at times is that the process is so absorbing and enlightening that work becomes secondary. It's kind of a good and bad thing all in one.

You know when you are 'on the mission' when you will sacrifice almost all comforts to find the answer. Then, you are engrossed and on the way.

Mike,

Living without passion is short-changing yourself - massively. Don't do that. The worst scenario is that you finally 'get it' just as the lights are going out, and then you will wish you had the time again to do it differently. Regrets suck.

I use that scary scenario to drive me forward, constantly. Even if achievements are in short supply on a particular day, as long as one is 'growing' in the right direction - it's all good.

Put another way -

'The journey is the reward.'

(Chinese proverb.)

If your journey is currently tedious, where's your reward?

[tomw]

Maybe my eyes are clouded and my brain a little addled by all of the recent shenanigans around here of late, but am I the only person who sees this thread as spam?

Based upon the responses by such esteemed Warriors maybe I'm completely off base. If so I apologise to the OP...

Thomas

(p.s. Brian...great to see you posting again. Your books, Beyond Storytelling, Seduction Marketing 1 & 2 should be required reading!)

[Steven Wagenheim]

Originally Posted by tomw

Maybe my eyes are clouded and my brain a little addled by all of the recent shenanigans around here of late, but am I the only person who sees this thread as spam?

Based upon the responses by such esteemed Warriors maybe I'm completely off base. If so I apologise to the OP...

Thomas

(p.s. Brian...great to see you around again. Your books, Beyond Storytelling, Seduction Marketing 1 & 2 should be required reading!)

Tom, I checked to see if this was a copy and paste job from somewhere
else. It's not.

Since there is no sig (I know, he can't have one yet) and there is really
nothing promotional about it in any way, my gut tells me it's legit.

[Bryan Kumar]

Good points, Ken.

Here's another thing that often gets people stuck or confused...

Your passion does not have to turn into your main source of income.

(I realize some will disagree with that statement.)

It could be your side income. Or no income at all.

I know some people who make good money online but still go to their 9-to-5 job. Because they love what they do at the job.

Nothing wrong with that.

Your passion doesn't have to turn into a home business. If you're happier doing what you do while someone else (the boss) handles the paperwork, customers, and other things that you'd consider "not fun," there's nothing wrong with that either.

There are some people on this forum that could easily turn into the next 'guru' or double their income. If doing so will make a person happier overall, then go for it.

If, instead, the extra income will also double the work, stress, etc. then it really doesn't make sense to do so.

Happiness and financial freedom don't have to be a "one or the other" situation. If you do it right, you can have both.

[Bryan Kumar]

Originally Posted by tomw

Maybe my eyes are clouded and my brain a little addled by all of the recent shenanigans around here of late, but am I the only person who sees this thread as spam?

Based upon the responses by such esteemed Warriors maybe I'm completely off base. If so I apologise to the OP...

Thomas, no your eyes are not clouded. Heck it very well could be spam. I thought the exact same thing when I first saw the OP, then the username.

Originally Posted by tomw

(p.s. Brian...great to see you around again. Your books, Beyond Storytelling, Seduction Marketing 1 & 2 should be required reading!)

Thank you! Appreciate that.

Bryan

[Thomas Belknap]

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

Tom, I checked to see if this was a copy and paste job from somewhere
else. It's not.

Since there is no sig (I know, he can't have one yet) and there is really
nothing promotional about it in any way, my gut tells me it's legit.

He has a link strategically placed. You just need to look closer.

[Steven Wagenheim]

Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap

He has a link strategically placed. You just need to look closer.

That is very clever. I would have never thought of looking there.

Thanks Thomas.

So, is this spam then? It seems like a decent message.

[Thomas Belknap]

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

That is very clever. I would have never thought of looking there.

Thanks Thomas.

So, is this spam then? It seems like a decent message.

I didn't report it because it has some good info even if it started off as spam.


I am getting softer (geez, I just typed software instead of softer. I must be working too much lol) in my old age.

[Dayne Dylan]

Nice spam.

[jmidas]

I see nothing spammy about it.

[Dayne Dylan]

Originally Posted by jmidas

I see nothing spammy about it.

You aren't looking close enough.

[Bryan Kumar]

Maybe it is spam. And if so, it'll get deleted. (If you feel like reporting it, go ahead...and then move on.)

Meanwhile, there's some good info in the thread, as a whole.

Maybe focusing more on that would be more productive. Just a thought...

[kf]

You'll be happier if your passion and not money drives you, but ... in many cases, there won't be a market where your passion lies. Unless you can somehow wedge two things seemingly unrelated (and difficult to monetize) together. Like the woman who loved walking, cooking and Italy and now does walking tours in Tuscany to visit fabulous restaurants.

I'd recommend a book by Barbara Sher called 'I could do anything... If I only knew what it was: How to discover what you really want and how to get it.' (She also has a title for those with so many passions they have trouble choosing.)

Really anything by Barbara Sher is worth reading - it's been her life mission to help people suss out what they most want and live passionately, and she's good at it.

As Bryan said, your childhood is a great clue. Or anything that makes your heart sing. Or --- big one --- any activity where you lose track of time when you are doing it.

Or one where you will pour money into a hole to feed your passion (like flying )

And I second Roger, about regrets. That's what keeps me moving. Ticking things off the list. I don't want to look back and say 'I wish I'd ...'

There is nothing more interesting to me than something new that challenges me to expand my horizons and keep learning. So my passion doesn't have to be 'sailing' or 'teaching' ... it can just be to 'experience' and 'learn' .. and by that criteria I can measure the ways I might spend my time to see if it will be satisfying or not.

[kf]

No, I think you're right on the money. But it morphed into an engaging discussion.

Originally Posted by tomw

Maybe my eyes are clouded and my brain a little addled by all of the recent shenanigans around here of late, but am I the only person who sees this thread as spam?

Based upon the responses by such esteemed Warriors maybe I'm completely off base. If so I apologise to the OP...

Thomas

(p.s. Brian...great to see you posting again. Your books, Beyond Storytelling, Seduction Marketing 1 & 2 should be required reading!)

[Bryan Kumar]

Thanks for mentioning Barbara Sher, kf. Her name darted through my mind, for a second, when I was responding to Mike's post above.

You're right, she's great at explaining this subject in her own cool way. And pretty funny too.

[kf]

NP Bryan. I had a chance to see her speak in a very small setting. She is as warm and genuine in person as you might expect reading her books. not to mention incredibly intuitive and quick.

.

[Joanne Greco]

Interesting thread....I am personally motivated by making money AND things I'm passionate about. When they're combined, that's even better.

I have thought to myself if people concentrate on their passion then
there would be too many adult sites out there polluting the internet
world.

Unless you're talking about child porn sites, I disagree that adult sites pollute the internet. One of my passions IS related to the adult industry.

[admin]

I banned the user and left the post...

[sevenish]

Originally Posted by ExRat

The worst scenario is that you finally 'get it' just as the lights are going out, and then you will wish you had the time again to do it differently. Regrets suck.

Good one Roger. That's something I've been thinking about a great deal recently.

Last year I was with my father as he was dying. He had always taken big, lusty bites out of life and relished every minute of it. Before he closed his eyes for the last time he fixed me hard with his eyes, grabbed my hand and gasped "Too short ... it's too short."

Knowing that he died with no regrets is not only a source of great comfort to me, but a lesson I've realized I'd better heed.

I'm getting there; thanks to everyone for the perspective ... spammer or not.

[FoodForThought]

Success Is not a destination its a journey. Greatest gift god give us is the ability to choose. What comes with that is to be accountable and responsible.

Your Passion obviously gives you hunger for more its infact a feeling of emotion that drives you toward your goal. Everyday is exciting enough to jump out of bed everyday and get going andddddd get paid for it.

Theres a lot of people whom focus on success. But with success comes failure. But when you think like Einstein
You can either see everything as success or failure.

Become a person whom GIVES VALUE.
Instead of focus on success focus on VALUE.
Look at VALUE instead of success or failure.

[ExRat]

Hi Allen,

Nice touch. Boot 'em out, but keep any good stuff they leave behind

Hi Sevenish,

I was lucky. I made so many mistakes and wasted so much time on nonsense when I was young that I learnt the lesson earlier and got a second chance to do something constructive.

I know many people who I was often a little envious of previously - everything seemed to slot into place for them and they seemed to get the breaks and had people on their side, rooting for them and showing them the way. It was too easy for them....

Now, they have everything and nothing. Eventually they get bored of the merry-go-round and the endless circular race, turning tricks on everyone who gives them the chance, and constantly feeding their ego.

And these are the people who will come to us with empty plates, complaining that their wife and kids don't know them, asking for sage advice! People need a bit of struggle to make them get their act together and appreciate the gift of life.

Knowing that he died with no regrets is not only a source of great comfort to me, but a lesson I've realized I'd better heed.

What a great example, and legacy. You must be very proud, and rightly so.

Hi Matt23,

I know other people who do what they do because they love and it and have a great deal of passion for it. I myself do what I do for a little bit of both.

A BIG bit of both is preferable though, eh?

[sevenish]

Originally Posted by FoodForThought

Become a person whom GIVES VALUE.
Instead of focus on success focus on VALUE.
Look at VALUE instead of success or failure.

Yeah, quite agreed.

I have started offering a new service line. Since much of what I offer are actions my clients could easily undertake themselves with their existing resources if they have the expertise, I include a list of recommendations based upon my initial analysis of their situation free of charge in my first exploratory email after I've been asked to submit a proposal. (sorry for the long sentence, I'm a bit bleary-eyed. I probably need a glass of wine.)

In any case, they're appreciative of that. I'm hoping to get some contracts signed this week, but just demystifying some of the mechanics of how it's done for them helps me help them and helps to hone my proposals and articulate the value that I can offer.

I think Truman Capote would agree that the above wasn't so much "writing" as it was "typing". Apologies for the incoherence.

[Ken Preuss]

Originally Posted by Bryan Kumar

Good points, Ken.

Here's another thing that often gets people stuck or confused...

Your passion does not have to turn into your main source of income.

(I realize some will disagree with that statement.)

It could be your side income. Or no income at all.

I know some people who make good money online but still go to their 9-to-5 job. Because they love what they do at the job.

Nothing wrong with that.

Your passion doesn't have to turn into a home business. If you're happier doing what you do while someone else (the boss) handles the paperwork, customers, and other things that you'd consider "not fun," there's nothing wrong with that either.

There are some people on this forum that could easily turn into the next 'guru' or double their income. If doing so will make a person happier overall, then go for it.

If, instead, the extra income will also double the work, stress, etc. then it really doesn't make sense to do so.

Happiness and financial freedom don't have to be a "one or the other" situation. If you do it right, you can have both.

Bryan,

Great points you make here.

It's a bit of a catch 22 because a lot of folks enter into entrepreneurship seeking not only financial success but also personal fulfillment in their work - something plenty of people are not getting in their current jobs.

In addition there are some who can't seem to motivate themselves to take action unless they are doing something they are passionate about.

That said, you are 100% correct. Your passion does not have to relate to your income.

However in order to actually earn revenue online - or through any other entrepreneurial endeavor - we obviously agree that you'd better be motivated enough to do whatever is necessary, whether you're passionate about it or not.

Ken

[Steven Wagenheim]

You know, this conversation has made me realize a lot of things.

My passion is my music. Always has been.

Yet, I make no money from it. I don't even try to.

What I do, I am only able to do through the motivation of providing for my
family. It is the thought of letting them down that keeps me doing what I
do.

This isn't to say I don't enjoy what I do. But to say it is my passion, that
would just not be true.

Let's just say I have "learned" to love IM.

But if I'm honest, I'd rather be in the recording studio cranking out tunes
all day.

[sevenish]

Roger,

Thanks for the SovereignLife.com link. It appears most worthwhile.

[sevenish]

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

My passion is my music. Always has been.

My bachelors degree is in music composition and music was always my passion.

Since I recognized early that I actually disliked performance, I went into production. I became a very successful producer and engineer in the NYC market with several profiles and interviews over more than a decade in what was once a hot, hard copy magazine that catered to the production and engineering professionals community known as "Mix".

Won some Clios, a Peabody, an "aggregate "Grammy" and lots of Grammy nominations for the production and engineering work.

I retired that career in '95 to go fulltime into what was then known as "interactive media" and I've never looked back. I and my partner at the time were unsuccessful in convincing our record company clients to even allow 16 bit audio for play on CDROM or online back then, let alone distribution, so we moved on because we had bills to pay. That partner and I still work together and collaborate on projects. Let's just say the record companies have [finally] come around, albeit much too late for us to be able to help them with our resources NOW.

Meanwhile, my former partner and I have found that we can add value in ways we never imagined back in the '90's, and in ways we never imagined we would care. Hmmph. Imagine our surprise to find that we are veterans of user experience and internet marketing for brick and mortar and traditional media companies. Of course I'm paying great attention to the "offline" threads here and learning how I can offer more value to my current clients.

Ah! I know the OP was spamming, but this thread has been very helpful for me. I hope others have enjoyed the same benefit.

[Ken Preuss]

Originally Posted by sevenish

My bachelors degree is in music composition and music was always my passion.

Wow, there's a lot of musical background represented here.

Me - bachelors in music performance (trombone) and masters in music education.

Now look at all of us - doing internet marketing. Go figure.

Actually I do still play quite a bit. My wife kicked my butt back into it after I had put the horn down for a while.

Ken

[sevenish]

Originally Posted by Ken Preuss

Me - bachelors in music performance (trombone) and masters in music education.

Piano here. But look: Where in the hell were you when I needed to put together a brass ensemble for my recital?

Seriously though, from a production perspective, finding a good trombone player is difficult. Finding a good trombone player who is available for work is impossible.

Hell, finding a trombonist with whom I can even work is even rarer still.

The brass cats were always the most difficult for me to work with. They also taught me waaay more than I wanted to know about myself and what I needed to learn in order to get the best results from the performers. Many scrappy, but fond, amusing and appreciative memories there.

Thanks for reminding me of those lessons.

[Bryan Kumar]

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

You know, this conversation has made me realize a lot of things.

My passion is my music. Always has been.

Yet, I make no money from it. I don't even try to.

Why not, Steven? Absolutely nothing wrong with turning your passion into a side income. (In fact, a lot of things really right in doing so.)

I just picked up my guitar again 3 months ago (after 12 years of it collecting dust) because a friend decided he wanted to learn to play the guitar this year.

Now, I wish I had never stopped playing. (I would have logged in my 10,000 hours by now - ala Malcolm Gladwell.

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

But if I'm honest, I'd rather be in the recording studio cranking out tunes all day.

Crank out some tuneage, dude. Record some stuff and offer it as a WSO - with PLR - for folks to use on the audio/video product - as intros, outros, etc. (Only one way to find out if it will sell or not.) Or just put up a myspace/youtube page and throw up some of your stuff. Just for fun. (If you don't make a penny from it who cares.) You never know how it will unfold from there.

One of the most common pieces of advice I've given niche iMarketers (aside from picking an existing hobby, interest to write about) is to pick something they're interested in but never had the time to learn, or just never got around to.

Then, put the time in to learn, study it...with the goal that they will turn it into an income source, even if it's a few hundred bucks per month. (That's one way to 'force' people into sucking a little more enjoyment out of life while they still can.)

In your case, you're already good at it. Plus, you still enjoy it. Why not have some fun with it. Combine it with IM in some way.

If nothing else, it might make IM a bit more fun for you.

Bryan

[Bryan Kumar]

sevenish,
Wow, you've got some heavy duty music background. Good for you.

[sevenish]

Originally Posted by Bryan Kumar

sevenish,
Wow, you've got some heavy duty music background. Good for you.

Perhaps, but your posts are more on topic and actionable in the context of this thread.

[Paul Myers]

Mike,

I like staring off into natural landscapes for hours on end. But that doesn't exactly pay the bills.

Depends on how good your camera and your eye are.

Or your pen.

Can you communicate to others the thing you get from that time? A lot of people don't make the time, but want the experience, the feeling and the connection that come with it. Give them that, and they'll give you what you want.

Ansel Adams. Henry David Thoreau. Frederic Remington. Claude Debussy. The Buddha.

If you understand it so well that it's perfectly clear, you can communicate it to others.

That's value.


Paul

[ExRat]

Hi Sevenish,

Thanks for the SovereignLife.com link. It appears most worthwhile.

I find there's always someone who gets something from that when I share it. Personally, I find even if I'm not 100% with the guy on a particular essay, it still helps me to see 'the landscape' from that unforgiving, 'I've had enough' point of view.

Ah! I know the OP was spamming, but this thread has been very helpful for me. I hope others have enjoyed the same benefit.

Looks like conclusive proof to me that you can polish a turd, and that you can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Warriors are so cool they can even take spam and turn it into an educational masterpiece.

Hi Paul,

Depends on how good your camera and your eye are.

Or your pen.

Can you communicate to others the thing you get from that time? A lot of people don't make the time, but want the experience, the feeling and the connection that come with it. Give them that, and they'll give you what you want.

Ansel Adams. Henry David Thoreau. Frederic Remington. Claude Debussy. The Buddha.

If you understand it so well that it's perfectly clear, you can communicate it to others.

That's value.

I realise that was for Mike, but thanks anyway. What you say is kind of obvious, but for those of us who can find everyday solutions by watching the sun rise, but struggle for hours with 'what's for dinner?' - it's helpful.

[Peter Bestel]

Originally Posted by ExRat

STILL stuck? Go and live somewhere new. Too drastic? Ok, as you like staring into space (I do too) go away somewhere likely to be a good place for reflecting. Somewhere that makes you feel good. Get away from all of the usual stimuli. Give yourself time and space.

Moving house may be drastic but that's exactly what we did and it's by far the best thing we could've done. The idea was to simply move somewhere where we felt more comfortable, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

We figured that we'd get inspired and find our passion in due course. As is probably the case with many folk that take this approach, we 'discovered' that we already knew our passion, we just hadn't tapped into it. All that was left to do was to figure out a way to monetise it without ruining it.

We think we're doing that and we're exploring new avenues every day.

The biggest issue we face these days is actually doing some work. We too love "staring off into natural landscapes for hours on end" like Mike. We now have the opportunity to spend walking in those landscapes which takes up even more time (just a wee bit colder this time of year) It's on those walks that most of our business planning takes place - so it's not wasted time at all.

Peter

[ExRat]

Hi Peter,

Moving house may be drastic but that's exactly what we did and it's by far the best thing we could've done.

Likewise here - except I did it alone. My priority was to be near the sea (with a view of it over my monitor), somewhere as warm as possible in UK, where I didn't know a single soul. Like pushing the 'reset' button. It became such an independence based mission that I had to fight my new neighbour off from helping me to carry my larger furniture in.

It's a simple equation, but when you face something that inspires fear and walk straight through it, then everything else that is less fearful is no longer an obstacle. Kills a million birds with one stone.

Which is why after two years here, although I am happy, I'm currently squeaking in my chair and trying to stop myself from u-turning on the next step in the same direction. It's not easy currently because the fear appears overwhelming, but I have learnt to recognise when comfort is setting in and those alarm bells will not stop ringing

[Peter Bestel]

Roger,

Good luck.

Sometimes it's OK to be comfortable.

Peter

[ExRat]

Hi Peter,

Good luck

Thankyou Sir!

Although, 'good strength, courage, desire and persistance' is probably more apt.

Sometimes it's OK to be comfortable

I agree, and would go further - it's the ultimate goal, bearing in mind the different ways in which those comforts can be achieved.

But I guess it's entirely dependent on we are at, in terms of achievement. As can be observed by our posts, we are in different 'places', with different goals. For example, some of my principle goals are still not clearly defined yet, therefore one of my current tasks is to successfully educate myself further, before I can proceed to the next stage.

Plus I have been distracted from challenges many times, in order to sample many of the 'comforts' along the way. There is some logic behind this approach, as many of those comforts are more easily sampled with the aid of youth, to the point where youth is no longer an attribute and certain opportunities disappear forever.

As time passes, it appears wise to find better ways of achieving the same goals, that maximise whatever attributes are in abundance at that time.

Fresh stimuli, experiences and challenges, help me to continually discover those new attributes, which in turn lead to new discoveries, and hence new comforts. I could summize that the best way to be as comfortable as possible, is to first seek discomfort that leads to positive gains.

[Martin Luxton]

Finding a passion to hold on to can be tough, especially you aren't a spring chicken anymore.

When a child has a dream about becoming something we encourage them but when an adult comes up with something similar they are often met with opposition

"You? At your age?"

When I told my wife I wanted to be a rock star (at the tender age of 43), she took it quite well, considering. She helped lug speakers from venues at 2 a.m. and gave out flyers in the street, bless her.

It was a real uphill struggle (I wasn't 17 and cute) but I think the biggest reason it didn't work out was that I didn't plan - I just jumped in and did it.

I had no real idea where we were going (2 years in I was discussing fame with the bass player and he said "Don't want to be famous, Just do a few gigs now and then" - oops!).

I spend all my time promoting the band when I should have been practising
guitar. Or taking singing lessons (ExRat and Tomw can vouch for that ).

My passion is rock music, 60s to the 80s, and that's the kind of music that I wrote. Not the stuff people wanted to listen to in droves.

So, those of you looking for a December passion here's my advice.

Read Sonia Choquette's "Your Heart's Desire". It's ten times better than "The Secret" and was written 10 years earlier.

Then, once you find your passion that you want to monetize

1. Find the right market
2. Know where you are going
3. Plan
4. Practise your skills
5. Accept no opposition to your plan based on your age

If this guy can climb Mt Everest at the age of 76

Min Bahadur Sherchan Climbs Mount Everest - Min Bahadur Sherchan Becomes The Oldest Man To Climb Mt Everest

what can't you do in your forties, fifties or sixties?

Martin

[Steven Wagenheim]

Originally Posted by Bryan Kumar

Why not, Steven? Absolutely nothing wrong with turning your passion into a side income. (In fact, a lot of things really right in doing so.)

I just picked up my guitar again 3 months ago (after 12 years of it collecting dust) because a friend decided he wanted to learn to play the guitar this year.

Now, I wish I had never stopped playing. (I would have logged in my 10,000 hours by now - ala Malcolm Gladwell.



Crank out some tuneage, dude. Record some stuff and offer it as a WSO - with PLR - for folks to use on the audio/video product - as intros, outros, etc. (Only one way to find out if it will sell or not.) Or just put up a myspace/youtube page and throw up some of your stuff. Just for fun. (If you don't make a penny from it who cares.) You never know how it will unfold from there.

One of the most common pieces of advice I've given niche iMarketers (aside from picking an existing hobby, interest to write about) is to pick something they're interested in but never had the time to learn, or just never got around to.

Then, put the time in to learn, study it...with the goal that they will turn it into an income source, even if it's a few hundred bucks per month. (That's one way to 'force' people into sucking a little more enjoyment out of life while they still can.)

In your case, you're already good at it. Plus, you still enjoy it. Why not have some fun with it. Combine it with IM in some way.

If nothing else, it might make IM a bit more fun for you.

Bryan

Bryan, thank you for taking the time to make this reply. I certainly wasn't
expecting it.

Maybe it's the mathematician in me (I was originally a math major in
college) but I can objectively look at the music I've created in 30 plus
years (over 700 songs) and quite honestly, I ain't that good.

I hear music written by so many talented people (I won't go into the long
boring list) that I am just in awe of them. I wish I had a dime for every
time I heard a song and afterwards said to myself, "I wish I had written
that" or "I wish I could write like that."

And it's not that I'm not trained. Hell, I'm classically trained thanks to my
mother who was an opera singer and concert pianist (talk about an odd
combination) but you can't teach talent.

This is an argument that I have been making in regard to IM that you
can't make somebody a great copywriter or article writer or whatever no
matter how much "education" you give them. I know people will tell me
I'm wrong, and have. But I'm living proof of that. Nobody, and I mean
nobody who has ever heard any of the music I've produced in 30 years
has ever said, "Steve, that's good enough to be on the radio." Certainly
the hundreds of publishers I've sent my stuff too haven't said it.

One song that I've written in 30 years...one song...finally received an
honorable mention in a song writing contest and actually got published.

It never got recorded and probably never will unless somebody happens
to stumble onto it one day and decide it's just right for them. Yeah, I
know, I should push it harder. I should send it to more people. Heck, there
are a lot of things I should be doing with my music.

But it still all comes back to one thing...I'm just not that good and I'm
intelligent enough to know it.

The intangibles of songwriting elude me. It's like a magic formula that you
can't write down...that magic combination of words and music that
produces something that many people want to hear over and over.

It's been the one true mystery in my life that I don't think I'm ever going
to figure out...with all my training.

Anyway, I'm sorry. I've rambled on enough. I guess you can tell this is a
subject near and dear to my heart. Today I'll be going back into my little
recording studio and finishing yet another tune that I started on Monday.

Thanks again for replying to my thoughts Bryan.

It's much appreciated.