The (My) Guide to Finding What You Love To Do (And Getting Paid For It)

Chris Guillibeau
Chris Guillebeau

Are You Content With Your Work

If you read this blog, chances are you’re not the norm.

You’re probably not a 9-5’er, and what I mean by that is that you may be working a 9-5 but you don’t feel you really fit within that box anymore. It doesn’t totally feel right to you.

I’m guessing you’re looking for a way to fully express yourself, do what you love and surpass your current income and lifestyle.

Passions, profits, purpose and congruency. It’s an interesting mix that is able to be done but the route to getting it done isn’t always smooth sailing.

Or rarely is it perceived as smooth sailing.

I’ve experienced how this can be confusing first hand.

I’m going to as best I can, share with you what has worked for me and what have been some of my realities that hopefully give you some insight as to your own journey of doing what you love.

I’m going to cover:

  • Passion– Finding what gets you excited as hell to get up every morning and get started on your day
  • Profits– How to get paid what you feel your worth while you find your purpose
  • Purpose– Discovering your heroic mission in life
  • Congruency– Making sure your thoughts, actions and words are all in alignment with who you see yourself as, your core values you hold, the purpose you’re on and the value that you add. This is what I consider the most important aspect of it all.

I’m going to cover them in this order because this is how I’ve discovered doing what I love so far and created money doing it.

But first, what are you currently doing and why?

What You Are Currently Doing

For the past 10 years I’ve worked from home with one home based business.

I don’t answer to a boss, I don’t report for duty somewhere and I don’t have a set schedule unless I’m the one who sets it.

Considering the vast majority of people who attempt a home based business rarely make enough to even make a car payment, I’d say I haven’t done too bad.

When I first started my home based business 10 years ago it represented the light from the dark worldof manufactured home sales where I worked 50 and 60 hour weeks.

The home business was my escape hatch from all the stress, crazy business relationships and in-congruency I felt in the mobile home business even though I was self employed.

My home business represented freedom. It didn’t represent my passion or my purpose. However it has contributed significantly to me discovering my purpose.

I was desperate for my freedom 10 years ago, even if the ship that picked me up from the choppy seas wasn’t as appealing on the eyes as I hoped.

So you may ask, “Tony…why on earth have you done it for 10 years?

Commitment, discovery, growth, profits, relationships, stability, unconsciousness.

Shit, I could give you a number of reasons why.

None of it matters at this point though.

There’s no forward progress when you’re in your story. “In Story” means you’re not present in order to take action today. You’re too busy telling yourself why something happened yesterday that created your circumstances today.

It’s happened as it’s happened and it couldn’t have happened any other way.

I’ve begun waking up from the human dream over the past year or two by asking questions, exploring new things, screwing them up and discovering what feels right and what doesn’t.

Before that though I was asking questions that only went as deep as my conscious self could ask. I’ve had to go below the surface and be around others who were more conscious than I was about their passions.

I found that I was still sleep walking even though I was under the illusion I was watching all the sleeping 9-5’ers.

I was in judgment and in story.

There was a whole new level of consciousness I had yet to discover and today I’m walking into its light, free of story.

So I may ask what are you currently doing and why, but ask that you not judge where you’re at currently.

I ask that you not dog the fact you’ve been working a 9-5 or a running a business you can’t stand, or doing a home business that you think you have failed at.

Your past has totally served you by preparing you for the next evolution of consciousness and physical application of your lessons.

You cannot solve a problem at the same level of consciousness that you discovered it.“-Albert Einstein

My point here is don’t just choose something to do just because of the money you think you’ll make but also don’t discount jumping on board with something because it’s not exactly what you want to do yet.

It may just be preparing you for the next step. (You also don’t have to do it for 10 years like I did though. 😉 )

Discovering What You Want To Do: Passion

I get the question a lot, “Tony just tell me how to make money doing what I love.

There is running a business and there is doing what you love because you’re passionate about it.

I’ve had lots of people tell me these two things can’t be congruent with one another but the fact is they can and they are.

Definition of Passion: Having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling

Let’s talk about doing what you can be passionate about:

  • What hobbies do you currently have that you get lost in the moment doing?
  • What hobbies do you want to do but haven’t because you think you’ll be judged?
  • What are you passionate about that you are good at and could teach?
  • What could you talk about all day long without getting tired of it?
  • What is something you’ve wanted to explore but felt silly about doing? (Explore it!)
  • What topics of interest are you passionate about?
  • What issues or topics make you heated, pissed off, excited, bring you joy, and why do you feel strongly about them?

I want to talk about the last point.

Up until now you could say that everything I’ve covered is about just feel good woo woo. Like being artistic such as writing, music, blogging or art.

I’d say don’t get in that box.

Someone who is passionate about a particular topic such as apartheid, HIV, homelessness, the senseless slaughter of baby seals or dolphins can be an subject matter that drives you and you could love what you do in the way of supporting your viewpoint, movement or cause.

Can you make money doing it too?

Of course.

Attach your product to a strong enough cause and watch out.

Think outside the box but be in the moment.

I can’t stress how important this is.

As a musician myself, I can tell you the only reason I’ve ever performed is because I loved the act of creation first and contribution second. I can’t tell you the hours upon hours that went into mastering my technique, creating the music and practicing modes and theory. Then there was rehearsing with others as a band too.

Every moment alone or in front of an audience was a performance of a lifetime to me as it should be with you when you’re doing what you love.

I found myself lost in the moment because it just felt right.

That’s called doing what you love.

The word performance may imply a specific meaning to someone else but it represents an overall experience to me instead. That experience didn’t start only when I stepped out on a stage or pushed publish on this post. It started when I was practicing, writing, rehearsing, creating etc…etc…

In my experience you only truly gain by giving.

Even if that’s giving your passion your full attention in the moment as you practice it, support it or by giving your audience everything you have in the moment.

That is the performance of a lifetime. This happens whether you’re alone, in the room with one person or in front of a crowd of 10 to 15,000 people.

I’ve done all 3 and I can tell you I was doing it regardless of profits.

Because of this, I choose to believe what I have experienced in the past, has supported what I find myself more passionate about doing in the present.

Taking the time to inspect and acknowledge your gifts, passions and talents is important. They can all come in many different forms and that form may only become discovered through taking actions that lead to another and that lead to another.

The act of standing still and just looking for the answer rarely gets you to the point of discovery.

Transitioning Into What You Want To Do: Profits

That’s all great woo woo stuff Tony but I have to pay the bills and I can’t pay the bills with something that feels right.

How can I make money if I’m not even totally sure what business model I’m going to choose?

And I totally agree.

That’s why I’m going to share with you how to profit…until it all comes together.

I may get some shit about this being the 2nd step but I know first hand what it’s like trying to figure out what you want to do while making no money doing it.

It sucks.

Imagine if I had stayed in my manufactured home sales job for the past 10 years because I wasn’t totally sure of what I wanted to do?

I’ll just say that could have been like living in suckville.

I’m almost sure I would have had a stroke. *I later learned a good friend of mine who started the same home business I did, and quit, later had a massive heart attack on the job in the very office I worked in.

A close friend of mine just went to a luncheon with billionaire Mark Cuban this past week and told me an awesome story about this transitioning concept.

Someone asked Mark if he had to start all over again as a young adult what career would he choose.

Marks answer, (I’m paraphrasing based on the conversation):

I wouldn’t choose one. I would get a job as a server somewhere and try a bunch of different things until I found what really resonated with me. I’d live lean and I wouldn’t buy a new car or house and crap like that. That’s the trap, you buy all that stuff and then end up changing jobs or getting fired and you end up working jobs you hate because you’re in debt. When you’re young and just coming out of college you don’t know what the hell you want to do for the rest of your life.“-Mark Cuban

I thought that was the most real answer ever and it’s pretty much what I’ve done.

While I’ve been working my home based business I’ve also been moving forward:

I’ve done all of this by not being totally sure where I wanted to focus my efforts, but damnit I’ve just been moving forward, I’m still making money and I’m finding I love doing it!

Imagine hitting the Start Over Button right now with the Mark Cuban philosophy?

I understand if you’re already later in life and find yourself with all the attachments such as cars, homes and debt. That’s fine. It is what it is, but start the road to discovery now. Today.

I started spare time with my home business 10 years ago and made the transition slowly over a year until I was making $1000 a week.

I put 8 hours a week into my business even though I was working 50 ad 60 hours at my full time job.

I would lie, cheat and steal:

  • Lie in bed and dream about my freedom I was working on
  • Cheat as much time as I possibly could to get to it
  • And steal as many good ideas as I could to make it happen

I suggest you start to do the same once you’ve identified some of your passions.

Move on them and then sort them out!

Making Money Doing What You Love: Purpose

I have to say I love what I’m doing right now and it’s not exactly how I saw myself arriving.

I wake up challenged everyday.

Change doesn’t happen without challenge and discovery.

Because I’ve got the profits part out of the way, at least right now and I’m not stressed out about it, I can focus on building a profitable model around what I  love and laser in on the market that loves it and wants it.

Like a musician you plan, you practice and if you choose, you contribute your experience to those who are eager to hear it.

How do you find those people eager to hear it, is the question.

In business you research, plan, create and execute. It’s methodical, it’s purposeful and it feels good because it just fits within the context of contributing your gift to your audience in whatever form of value that is. (consulting, online or online products & services etc)

If your gift is selling the audience a solution or if it’s selling them something that entertains them, (or both) either way you must research, plan, do and review.

I see business as an art. Just as if I want to fully express my gifts via music, then I’ll learn music theory and I’ll practice modes and scales. Add a healthy dose of self expression and creativity & wholla! Sweet music can be found.

In business if I want to fully serve my customers by meeting their needs, I’ll create a solution for their problem in order to be financially rewarded for it. In that case I’ll learn marketing and what’s required to do it effectively so that it’s a win win for both parties involved.

I’ll discover if there is a hungry market for what I am passionate about. In the case of online (and offline) marketing it’s never been easier to target and attract that audience than by doing keyword research.

Keyword research tells you exactly the phrases and words people are typing into Google for.

Discover what people are looking for and make sure what you offer matches up to what the market is looking for.

  • Can you help the market with their problem?
  • Is anyone looking for what you offer?
  • Do you need to tweak your offer to make it attractive?

This actually can work in reverse for you too.

You may  find what you’re passionate about by doing keyword research around what problems people are having and for what solutions they are seeking.

Through keyword research you could find you have the solution and can create an information product around that solution.

It may jazz the hell out of you.

There are people who make million dollar a year incomes just because they are passionate about this whole finding a niche process, not necessarily the individual niches themselves. They love the challenge of finding people who have problems and creating the solutions.

If you already have something you’re good at, you must find where people are hanging out online and have the problem for which you can provide the solution.

After that you must attract those prospects and present your offer in such a way that it’s attractive to that audience.

The latter part is marketing.

There is a way to do this where you’re not pushy, you’re totally seen as a helpful and you’re congruent with your actions.

That’s another blog post. (Or maybe a product 😉 )

Doing It And Not Compromising: Congruency

No matter what anyone says, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. ([9:57])

There is someone out there that will buy what it is you do if it provides them enough value.

When it comes to profits and a business, it’s just a matter of if there are enough people out there so that it supports you making a living or creating a lifestyle.

That’s where keyword research can be extremely helpful. Is there a hungry crowd?

I got hung up for the longest time that I didn’t provide enough value to charge high enough prices to sustain my lifestyle, based on my knowledge.

Today I know that’s total bullshit.

I’m able to do it offline and online.

The value I provide is completely congruent with how I feel about myself, see myself and project myself onto the world.

  1. How I feel about myself- What beliefs do you carry around your gifts, talents or knowledge.
  2. See myself- Do you have a healthy self image that supports you taking risks and challenging yourself to seek out what your good at?
  3. Project myself onto the world- How do you show up in the world and share your gifts?

Once you’re doing what juices you in way that gets you up early (passion) you’re successfully generating revenue, (profits) and you feel you’re on task with your heroic mission (purpose) you begin to feel a congruency around your thoughts, deeds and words.

It feels good!

One big reason I believe I’ve seen so many people quit what they start?  Because the vehicle they started with wasn’t congruent with who they really saw themselves as. It wasn’t congruent with their core values.

For example: If you don’t like people I can assure you, something like network marketing isn’t the business vehicle for you. No matter how much money you see could be the result. It’s a people business where you intimately work with people.

If you don’t like people you were set up to quit before you ever started. You will find or make up a reason. I’ve seen this over and over again.

You would need to work on your in-congruency first.

Normally you’d hear someone say, “they were doomed for failure before they ever started.

People are only doomed to failure if they aren’t conscious of why it occurred to begin with.

There is no such thing as failure, only testing.“-Dan Kennedy

Every opportunity why something doesn’t work, only puts you closer to how it can, if you choose.

This may mean you need to change your offer or you may need to change your business approach all together.

This isn’t failure, no more than when a system breaks down in your business.

You shouldn’t take it personally. It was just a break down in the system.

As long as you’re operating congruently within your values and your conscious of the steps: passion, profits & purpose it’s hard to get it wrong without eventually getting it right.

Next Steps:

1. Take out a piece of paper and begin to brainstorm and discover hidden passions:

  • What hobbies do you currently have that you get lost in the moment doing?
  • What hobbies do you want to do but haven’t because you think you’ll be judged?
  • What are you passionate about that you are good at and could teach?
  • What could you talk about all day long without getting tired of it?
  • What is something you’ve wanted to explore but felt silly about doing? (Explore it!)
  • What interests are you passionate about?
  • What issues or topics make you heated, pissed off, excited, bring you joy, and why do you feel strongly about them?

2. Research: how you can begin to profit from those passions:

  • Check out this Introduction to Keyword Research
  • I use Market Samurai (Affiliate Link) for my Keyword Research
  • Are you an expert around the subject or are you at least a few steps ahead of others who are just now looking into the subject?
  • Can you offer consulting on the subject?
  • Could you create an information product around the subject? (Audio, PDF, Video formats)
  • Are there affiliate products you could begin to sell of other peoples?

3. Share this post via Twitter with the Retweet button below, the Facebook “Like Button” below or simply email it to someone who you believe is on a quest to discover how to make money doing what they love.

  • This is only an introduction to the process
  • It’s only what’s worked for me so far
  • Share with me in the comments if this was helpful for you or what else you’d like to know

Now rock on and make right now amazing!

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