Money Doesn't Always Follow Your Passion

Focus on your fashion, and the money will follow. That's a common piece of advice given to anyway searching for a new career or moneymaking opportunity. As a general rule, it may be true. But, as with any rule concerning human nature, there are many exceptions. You cannot always count on your passion becoming something from which you can earn a living.

Let's examine a few examples.

The Eclectic Mind

If you have an eclectic mind, you have a variety of passions. In the summer time, you may be passionate about gardening. You spend your spare moments tending to your plants, growing your own herbs and vegetables and reading botanical books and magazines. When autumn comes and the leaves begin to fall, your interest in gardening wanes and your attention focuses on another passion.

In a more extreme cases, your passions may be less seasonal and more frequently swapped out. You may be passionate about woodworking for a few weeks, then move on to restoring an antique, then onto the next thing, only to return to woodworking many months later.

Since your focus changes so often, it can be difficult to generate a reliable income if you pursue your passions.

The Hobbyist Mind

If you have a hobbyist mind, you are passionate about your hobby. But, the moment you start trying to make money with it, it turns into work and is no longer enjoyable. Something done for relaxation can easily turn into something dreadfully boring and unenjoyable if the stresses of trying to earn an income are tied into it. The reason some people have hobbies is, in part, to take their minds off the stresses of work. Turning it into an occupation, while it may seem like a good idea in theory, can quickly ruin the experience.

The Apathetic Mind

If you have an apathetic mind, you don't have any strong passions, at least not anything that could be a potential income earner. You may be content with whatever you're told to do for eight hours at the office, but on your own time you just want to sit back and relax. Your passion may be nothing more than sitting at home enjoying a cold drink on the deck or going out for dinner at a fine restaurant.

The Narcissist Mind