Starting a Business? Rant #2 - Castles Made of Sand

"Should I go into business doing something I love, or just to make money?"

Unless what you love doing is simply making money, there are only two options, and the majority of people end up either;

(i) creating a business for money with no concern for love, but they don't make any money.

Or;

(ii) creating a business for love with no concern for money, and they don't make any money.

There appears to be a common theme!

Creating a business is like building a castle. The goal is an impenetrable fortress, a safe, stable enterprise that will withstands external change. A well-built business provides security and protection for its investors, including of course, you.

The problem with a business motivated solely by money is that it lack of passion. Excitement is a pre-requisite of success. Attempting to create a business without passion is a chore. During the inevitable difficult times, discipline and courage is required to progress. Passion is the fuel that drives our endeavours. A lack of passion is like a lack of petrol in a drive across the desert, you might make it, but it's going to be very hard work!

Doing something you love invigorates you. It excites you. Excitement and passion attract people. Investors, partners, employees and customers will be intrigued, why are you so excited? They'll want some of what you've got...

I've heard people say they hate selling. This is just a lack of passion for the product. No one hates selling something they love; a product they truly believe will improve the customer's life. They'll recommend it to their friends and family, for free! You're doing them a favour, not trying to steal their money!

What are the magic ingredients of your passions?

The key is to discover how to make money through your passions, but this is where most mistakes are made. If you love snowboarding, then you don't have to make your living snowboarding to be happy. On the other hand working in the snowboarding industry won't necessarily make you happy either!

You need to think about what you love about snowboarding. The key question is "Why?" Keep asking why until you run out of answers. What is it that you love about snowboarding? If it's the excitement, the speed, and the freedom then the chances are you won't be happy sitting in front of a computer trying to sell snowboarding merchandise. If, however, you love the image, the fashion, the ethos, then maybe snowboarding merchandise is for you. Perhaps you could be writing about the joy of the ride, or taking photos or videos of stunts, or possibly even testing new boarding technologies.

There are so many ways to earn money with your passions, but it is essential to understand exactly what drives your excitement and not just settle for any job in the industry. Discover exactly what you want to do and find out how to make money doing it. You may have to be creative!

Too many people do not believe they can live the life they want. They don't believe they can be rich and do something they love. They think that's too good to be true. So they compromise.

Don't compromise. Don't settle for a castle in swampland, forever looking to move. Be brave, find a solid foundation, not a passing fad, but something you are truly passionate about. Then everyday will be an adventure, and you'll never have to work a day in your life.

Or, choose a live you don't really want.