Are you looking for an exciting career that also pays well? Too many people spend their lives in jobs that aren’t rewarding financially or emotionally—and I’m guessing if you’re reading this article, this applies to you in some way.
Maybe you entered into your career for the money only to discover that you’re not making as much as you thought you would. Maybe your job has become about as interesting as staring at a beige wall. Or perhaps your employer expects you to practically live at the office and you’re sick of not having a life outside of a gray cubicle. Meanwhile, your dream of being a writer, business owner, helping those less fortunate or whatever it may be has fallen by the wayside. Your life has become filled with regret and you’re no longer living life on your terms.
It’s unfortunate but I think this happens way too often. I see way too many people who hate their jobs or don’t earn enough for decent living. This is a shame considering work takes up so much of our lives.
On the flip side is that there are lots of people out there who get paid well while having the career of their dreams. How did they do it and how can you do the same? I wrote this article to help guide you to do just that.
The Master Of Your Passion
I’m sure you’ve seen some people out there who beam with excitement whenever they talk about their careers and many of them are making a lot of money while doing it. The difference between those people and you is that those handful of people found their passion and became so obsessed with it, they became the master of their craft—an expert in their field. Eventually, their obsession paid off and they started earning top dollar.
If you want to join those group of people who love their job and get paid generously to do it, you must first start with finding your passion. The problem with doing any other type of work (besides being bored) is that you’re more likely to produce mediocre work. It’s simply too hard to produce high quality work when your heart’s not in it. On the other hand, if you love it, you will want to do it well.
Think about the handful of people in the world who are filthy rich—like Mark Zuckerburg, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Oprah Winfrey to name a few. What all of these individuals have in common is that they are extremely passionate about what they do. They are also all lifelong learners who have and always will work hard to understand the field they’re working in. They do this because they love it.
If you don’t know what this passion could be, I highly recommend reading through a book like What Color is Your Parachute or a similar title. Also ask yourself what you would do if you had a year off with no commitments or responsibilities or what hobbies you can’t wait to do.
I call this the big, neon arrows. Everyone has a hobby or two they absolutely love to do. All arrows point to this passion. You spend time and money on it and look forward to doing it every time. This is your passion and this is the field you should work in.
The Shortest Way to Wealth and Fulfillment
Once you have figured that out, the next step—a huge step—is to become an expert in that field as quickly as possible. Here is the fastest way to do that:
1) Research what the minimum requirements are to do the job you want.
2) Find the cheapest and fastest way to get those minimum requirements. I strongly suggest NOT going to college unless you want to be something like a lawyer or surgeon. Many other jobs can be tackled with just some training, a few courses and, most importantly, a certification (from a reputable institution, of course). Getting a college degree takes too long and is often very expensive.
3) Once you have some work experience and are certified, start your own blog, podcast, YouTube channel or write some ebooks on the topic. This will help you become an expert in your field.
4) Consider niching down to a more narrow job title in the field you want to work in. For example, if you want to work in social media, consider the specific types of businesses you would like to work with such as museums or restaurants.
5) Have a LinkedIn Profile and update your profile. Be sure to call yourself by your new job title on this site and all other social media you use. Once you have some more experience under your belt, start calling yourself “expert,” “consultant,” “specialist” or some other adjective that amplifies your skill set. For example, if you want to be that person who works in social media for museums, your profile could say “social media expert specializing in museums and galleries.”
6) The last step is to add your own personal style. You must have the guts to put your own personal touch or angle on the work that you do. You’ll always have naysayers and people who don’t get you. That’s okay. To stand out, you have to be amazing at what you do but also unique.
Take, for example, world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. He became a master of his passion for blown glass and created his own distinct style. He turned his artistry and skill into a business and he is now worth millions. Using our own example of the “social media expert who specializes in museums,” your angle could be that you always focus on the visitor’s perspective in anything that you post.
If you don’t know yet what your personal style in your new line of work will be, just keep working at becoming an expert. You’ll eventually figure it out.
This happened to me with this blog. When I first started, my articles were a little mechanical and dry because I wasn’t sure of the approach I wanted to take. But eventually I felt more comfortable and started infusing my personality into the site. I feel like if I hadn’t infused my own style into these articles, you wouldn’t be here reading this one.
The Money Is Right In Front of You
Don’t ever feel like you can’t make money at your passion. If nothing else, you can start your own website on your passion (like I did) and sell products related to that passion.
I know a lady who loves plants. She started a website covering the care and growing of plants. She also sells soil, pots and an ebook on plant health on the website. She started the website three years ago and now earns a six-figure income from the site.
There are many ways to make money from one particular passion and it’s usually most profitable to go with combinations of products, services or both. For example, if you’re a dog lover, you could do any combination of the following:
- have a dog walking service
- run a kennel
- sell collars and leashes
- sell dog toys
- sell dog food
- sell dog grooming products
- offer dog training classes
If you sell products online, you could have a website with tons of articles on dogs, from training to grooming to healthcare. This will help you gain the trust and respect of your customers. If they trust and respect you, they’re more likely to buy. They’re also more likely to come back for more in the future.
You can also cross-promote products or services (or both). Let’s say you’re that person who loves dogs. You could open a dog grooming salon but also offer boarding. But you don’t stop there: You sell leashes, food, toys, etc at your pet palace. Most owners won’t mind shelling out a little extra money for a quality treat or toy when they come to pick up Fido. This is called cross-selling and it’s a win-win for both you and your customer.
Are you Meant to Be an Entrepreneur?
If you’re tired of being stuck in a field you don’t like and ready to launch your passion business, check out my article How to Launch Your Dream Business.
Having your own business where you’re helping people and genuinely connecting with others will give you the most fulfillment and money in the long run. The article Have Heart and Your Business Will Grow can help guide you through this process.
Can you still make good money in a field you love by working for someone else? Absolutely! You may earn less in the long run but not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. Starting a business takes a lot of work. (But if you’re passionate about it, it won’t feel so much like a job!) The main thing is that you enjoy what your do for a living so much that you want to be really good at it. If you don’t want to be an entrepreneur, then finding the right role with the right company is something to strive for.
If you don’t know yet what your personal style in your new line of work will be, just keep working at becoming an expert. You’ll eventually figure it out. Just keep moving forward and always have the guts to follow your heart and be true to yourself. Then, I promise, the happiness (and money) will follow:)
