There are many people who email us at Secret Entourage saying that they are not sure if they should follow their passion or follow the money. The simple answer is that both are great. There is no reason why you shouldn’t follow your passion if you know what it is, and you know how to act on it. At the same time, you should not let go of a great business opportunity if you are confident that you can make money in it.
Many of the teachers in our Secret Academy would argue one or the other; but all would agree that the difference isn’t to think about which to go after, but to act on either one and see if the path is one you enjoy taking.
Focusing on money is great, because it helps create leverage for future endeavors. However, make sure that your ‘great’ money making opportunity actually is legitimate from your own research and understanding, rather than what you believe others are making based on biased assumptions or bullshit data.
Focusing on passion, on the other hand, feels more rewarding and can lead to much better long term stability. It can also take much longer to capitalize on though, meaning you will have to be able to support yourself at some point or another.
Here are three basic questions you can ask yourself that can help you determine which to start with:
What do you want to be doing 5 years from now?
Regardless if you chose passion or money, it takes time to actually get to a place where either is doing what it is supposed to. If you are one of those people who think that creating passive income quickly and easily before focusing on your passion is the key, then think again. Both aspects of the equation take time. With passion, you should focus on a 10-year plan, but with business you still need 5 years to create a profitable and sustainable business. Make sure whichever path you choose, you understand that it will be your full time job for the next 5 or 10 years. Make sure you are ready to make that commitment.
What is your number one priority in life?
If your goal is to be rich or well-off (even if you want to pursue your passion), then make sure to be honest with yourself and not confuse freedom of income with fulfillment. Both are important and can come to those who work their asses off, but one usually comes before the other. That one is typically the idea of having control over your finances: 9/10 people confuse freedom of wealth with fulfillment, because they have never had freedom to begin with. Be honest, and if wealth or financial freedom is your #1 priority, then focus on just that. By being honest, your focus can then become a healthier operational business rather than pretending to be focused on how to change the world.
How will you know you’ve succeeded?
How will you measure your growth? Will you evaluate in accordance to the money made or will you have actual measures of growth like how close you are getting to fulfilling your goal? The reality is that most get into business because of their passion, but they quickly realize that money was indeed the real reason why they got into business. If you plan to get in business to follow your passion, then the first 5 years are not focused on monetization; but instead on growing the idea, the venture, and the reach before worrying about the money. Very few people keep working on something for 5 years without getting paid, and therein lies the difference between those who work for money or for passion which leads us back to the second point about being honest with yourself.
At the end of the day both approaches are good to take, and there isn’t a right or wrong answer. It’s the idea, the execution, and more importantly, you in between. It isn’t about choosing money or passion, but about choosing to do the work once you made up your mind that being in business for yourself is truly what you want.
At the end of the day, it comes down to understanding yourself and if you are indeed ready to get started. Make sure to read Third Circle Theory, and know where you stand on the roadmap to the top.
