How do you do what you love when it goes against everything you have been taught by this collectivist society? Do you get told that your dreams will land you in the gutter? That your passions are a surefire way to crash and burn? Well, what if that wasn’t true at all? What if you could earn a living from doing exactly what you love? (Spoiler Alert: You can!)
Here is the truth of 2018: you don’t have to be trapped by society’s prefabricated boxes anymore. The digital era has opened up a trove of new opportunities in industries and markets that didn’t even exist 10-20 years ago. New products and services are popping up every day. There is a rising demand for unexpected skills and passions. There is definitely a place in this new world for you.
The Box is burning right now and it’s a pretty good time to get out of it.
The reality is that the old world is falling away, and quickly. Industries, products, and companies that reigned supreme years ago are moving overseas, being replaced by AI & machines, or going out of business.
A good example is Blackberry. Back when smartphones were hitting the market, Blackberry didn’t go with the new trend. Blackberry wanted to stay with their old model, but the market was demanding the ability to customize their own experience. They never adapted and Blackberry faded from the store shelves.
More recently, Toys R Us has been left in the dust. By not adapting to the shifts in the toy-selling market, they fell behind.
Sounds a little depressing, doesn’t it? But it just means opportunity for you.
The way is opening for new markets, and you can find–or create–your place in them right now.
You don’t have to open a physical store: eBay and Amazon provide platforms to sell products.
Many of the wealthiest people got their start renting real estate. That’s never been easier or more lucrative with Airbnb.
Education on any skill you want to learn is at your fingertips online–and often free.
You want to travel and do your work on the go? There is the digital nomad lifestyle that didn’t even exist a few years ago.
You don’t have to be a famous artist or designer to make a living doing artistic things you love these days.
The point is, whatever it is you want to do, are good at, and feel passionate about, does have a place in today’s world. What difference would it make on your day-to-day life, right now, if you were doing what you loved?
Live Small While Building Large
When you make the shift from ‘live large’ to ‘build large’ you will realize that the goal set, and the playing field, completely shifts. We are brainwashed our whole lives into believing that we should want to buy, buy, buy. But at the end of the day getting stuck in a cycle of ‘earn then spend’ will keep you exactly where you are.
Breaking out of this mentality might be challenging as you will be confronted with all kinds of temptations for the things you want now. But when compared to your real dreams most of these things can wait.
The famous Marshmallow Test, conducted over 40 years ago, found that the ability to accept delayed gratification predicted lifelong success.
In this experiment, more than 90 young children were offered the option of having one marshmallow now or two marshmallows later.
The study then followed the children for 40 years. Researchers found that the kids who waited and got two marshmallows ended up doing better in their adult lives. Those who took the instant gratification struggled as adults.
Know What You Want
You first have to decide what kind of life you want. What are your end and mid-game goals here? Knowing is the first step to achieving it. You can’t just leave your fate out to the wind and then get mad when you don’t get what you wanted.
So get specific! At the end of the day, the life you create for yourself is entirely your choice. What would it mean to you to pursue your dream job? Would it be worth letting go of the things that you might not need, like your cable subscription, if it meant being freer in other areas of your life?
Benefits of Doing What You Love
Doing what you love can benefit your health, personal satisfaction, professional achievement, and improve your quality of life. Here are a few other benefits that might be important to you:
Your Passions Can Make You Money
The thing about passions is that most of them are able to make you money these days. You like art, get into the industry. You like writing, there are careers for that. You like building things with your hands, there’s a market for that.
Don’t shy away from the things that you are passionate about, drive your curiosity, or bring you a lot of satisfaction. All of these make money, and the better you get at what you do the more money they will make you!
You Learn Better
When you are working for your passions it is easier to learn and grasp even complicated concepts. You’re just wired for it. And when you follow your natural wirings of talents and passions you have a better chance at getting good at it faster and then succeeding at it professionally. A lot more than if you were trying to force down concepts or skills that feel foreign or out of place to you. You might just not be wired for some things, and that is okay.
You Are More Productive
When your work is in line with your passions you are almost automatically more engaged and personally involved with your work, and your results. You are less distractible and it is easier to keep focused. The more passionate you are about what you are doing, the more productive you become, and the more you enjoy it in the process.
It Is Easier to Be Positive
Passion is a positive emotion that often goes hand in hand with other emotions such as excitement, fulfillment, and joy. When you are engaging in the work that you love, you are more likely to feel positive even in the face of challenges. When you do something you hate that energy will eventually wear you down until you yourself are acclimated to the toxic culture.
Positivity Brings Down Stress
There has been a lot of recent scientific research conducted on the benefits of positivity. One of which is in the area of stress. When you have a positive outlook, your thoughts, patterns, and how you deal with stress are all impacted. It is easier to see possibilities, solutions to problems, as well as navigate personal relationships than if your outlook is negative.
Your Passions Are Your Strengths
When people do what they love it’s not just some random thing that they just ‘want’. It is something that they are naturally skilled at. In reality, our interests strongly correlate with our strengths. Embracing this reality is what makes Masters. Follow where your instincts are naturally flowing, though it might take some trial and error to find the exact thing that clicks with you.
You’ll Be More Fulfilled
There is a rise in people who rank fulfillment as one of their top priorities. This is a sign of a rising standard of living.
To a lot of people, fulfillment means that the work they do, and all that they have invested, is worth it. Especially when the economy is changing underfoot and security isn’t the only main factor anymore. It will still take considerable effort to do, or get into, the kind of work you want to be doing, but it’s worth it if it brings you fulfillment.
What would give you a feeling of deep satisfaction at the end of the day? Knowing your work mattered? Seeing the benefits and rewards for your efforts? There are a number of different motivations for people, like helping others or knowing that their talents are both recognized and being put to good use. What would bring you the most fulfillment when it comes to doing something you love?
The Greatest Took the Leap
This is definitely a journey that will come with its challenges, but it will also be one of the greatest journeys of your life. After all, the highest achievers are always individuals who followed their passions.
One of the greatest examples of this is Leonardo da Vinci, who loved drawing. It was his intense passion and observation that eventually led him to engineering. And now, where would our whole world be without him? What would have happened if Leonardo da Vinci put his pencil down and joined one of the trades of his era instead? What if he veered away from his craft because of others’ discouragements?
The same goes for you. Where might the world be if you ventured out there and did what you felt driven to do? And how might the world stay tragically the same if you don’t? The new world is here, where do you want to be in it?
If you are ready to get started on your own journey to personal freedom, it might be time that you download our free guide, Your Two Year Plan to Free Yourself.
You will be amazed at what you can accomplish in just two years when you have the proper tools and mindset.
