As anyone who’s met me for more than 5 minutes probably knows, I’m a huge believer in doing what you love. That’s the main message of this blog after all. And there are lots of quotes and sayings about doing what you love that get shared online – but not all of them are true. And today I wanted to dispel a few of the more common myths I’ve seen.
“Do what you love and the money will follow”
As any struggling artist proves, this is clearly false. There are plenty of people who are doing what they love, but never make money. But here’s why I believe you should do what you love anyway: because the money isn’t going to follow either way. Whether or not you’re doing what you love, money isn’t going to just magically appear. It’s going to take time and effort, you’re going to have to put yourself out there, and go get it. But if you’re going to put in the effort anyway, you’re better off spending the effort doing something you love and are passionate about, don’t you think?
This brings me to the second myth that I see everywhere online:
“Do what you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”
Doing what you love still takes work. In fact, it probably would require you to work even harder. It’s going to mean so much more to you, so it’s going to be scarier. You’ll have to put so much more of your heart into it. And don’t listen to anyone who says it doesn’t feel like work. It’s so much more emotionally draining. When you’re just counting the hours in a job you hate, it’s easier to disconnect. It’s easier to leave at 5, and leave all the work in the office, and not worry about it. But if you’re doing something you love, you can’t disconnect from it. It’s going to be on your mind all the time. You’ll be constantly thinking of ways to do it better. It’s a struggle. And it’s tough. But it’s much more meaningful.
“If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to build theirs”
There seems to be this train of thought these days that says everyone needs to build their own business and work for themselves. But here’s the thing: not everyone dreams of being an entrepreneur. And not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. It’s okay if your dream is to work in a company, doing something that you find meaning and joy in.
So, what is true about doing what you love? I love this quote by Brian Tracy:
“If you do what you love and commit to being the best in your field, you will find success”
Doing what you love is great. And it can bring you lots of fulfillment and meaning. But alone, it’s not enough. You still need the second part of the equation. You need to put in the work, and commit to being the best. If you do that, though, whatever field you’re in, you can succeed.
“Do what you love” isn’t the end point. It’s the starting point of the journey. You still have to walk down the road – and it’s a tough one. But it’s so much more meaningful.
For more insights on the challenges and fears that come with doing what you love – and how to overcome them – check out PassionBlueprint. I talk to amazing people who have done just that, so you can learn to do the same.
