You become what you do. Do what you love and you will become love
-Emmanuel
This goes without saying for many people, but can you make a living doing what you love? Consider that most people spend the majority of their time at work, and how they feel is a reflection of what they spend most of their time doing, it’s easy to see the people who love what they do when you meet them.
First, to do something well you have to like it. That idea is not exactly novel. We’ve got it down to four words: “Do what you love.” But it’s not enough just to tell people that. Doing what you love can be complicated
Second, you must believe you can make money doing what you enjoy, because you have to eat and live with what you are doing. In between what you love is a lot of other activities that make up life and you need to be realistic about them too.
Third, to keep doing what you love requires determination and persistence. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me writing this article is I love doing it. Just putting theses thoughts in words brings me pleasure. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.
Doing the work you love is about more than just making money; it is about being fulfilled by your work. If you are ready to turn your passion into a way of life, here are few questions to consider before you take the leap:
* Do you believe in yourself? You and you alone have to decide what you do with your life. Not everyone will believe in what you want to do. Trust your own inner guide when making your decision. The only way to succeed in life is to design your own destiny and believe you can achieve it.
* Are you prepared to take the risk? Not only does starting a business require an investment of time and money, it also entails turning your passion into your job, which may not be right for everyone. If you have a separation of what is work and what is play it is important to rethink what you believe.
* Have other entrepreneurs been successful in the same field? Researching similar companies and talking to others who have experience in the field is an important first step in determining your own likelihood of success.
* Is there a demand for your hobby? Be realistic about what you have to offer. Again, do your research. Check if there are similar businesses in your area, and try to gauge the demand for their product or service. You may also want to see if similar businesses have failed and why they did.
* Do you have the skills required to turn your passion from a hobby to a business? Perhaps you know how to restore old boats, but have no idea how to market your services or how to manage money. If you need to develop additional skills to get your business off the ground, consider taking classes at a college, on line or volunteering in the field.
Finally when you consider that most of us don’t know when we will leave this earth. Your time is limited; so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. Most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Your inner voice somehow already knows what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
Books by Christopher Emmanuel can be purchased at his Art Gallery in The Sunbreeze Hotel , Art of Touch, Pages Book Store, Black orchid Spa and Sol Spa.