Do What You Love, Without Being Dumb

I have been reading a bit by Yaro Starak lately. I like his laid back style and advice for entrepreneurs and internet marketing. I am a marketing junkie to begin with, so I eat up everything I can about the topic.

I recently read Yaro’s business timeline on his site entrepreneurs-journey.com and I appreciate that he took the time to tell his story, and share the steps that he went through to get where he is today.

It is refreshing for people to lay their story out there for everyone to hear. I am inspired by those that spell out the steps and details a bit – rather than a simple ” I used to be a normal guy and now I am uber successful.”

That is why Sean and I are such fans of Heavy Hitters Magazine, you can get under the skin of these “normal” successful people. And these aren’t “I got lucky” tales, but more “I worked my ass off and had a little luck too” tales. And those are the ones I like. Those are the ones that get me excited.

What I most enjoyed about Yaro’s timeline tale was that each step in his business evolution was so organic. He went with what he felt, did what he wanted to do – what he enjoyed and if his business ideas failed then he moved on with something new.

You can hear people say “do what you love” over and over, but how many of us actually do what we love?

Sean has said a few times here that I do what I love, and I will tell you, it is 100% true – and for this I feel lucky, but I know that it was hard work and not luck that got me where I am.

And for all those that are so against the do what you love mantra (like here, here and here), obviously there are a lot of things I love, like nachos and good beer, but these things are not going to make me a living. You need to be smart about turning a love (or at least a strong like) into a way to make a living. I think it is possible for all of us to strive for – and not have to starve or sell your soul to do.

CNN had an article about how many people affected by the faltering economy are turning to doing “what they love” after their regular gig ended. I like to think this may have been the push that people needed to get out of their comfort zone and take the plunge into following their heart with their career. At least try it, right?? What do you have to loose?

Jim Penson, 55, of Arlington, Texas, went solo after working in the information technology field for mid-size to large companies for decades. The jobs had once provided a comfortable salary for his family, he says.

But by 2004, Penson was feeling the pinch from the dot-com bubble burst. He had been laid off several times. He diligently sent out over 800 job resumes but only found rejection.

“I was Joe-middle-class-go-to-work-in-a-cubicle-for-20-years,” he says. “When all that was stripped away, what was left was my music.”

That’s when Penson, an avid Bluegrass musician, decided to form PensonStringWerks.com, a company that offers banjo and mandolin lessons. Today, he teaches more than 20 students. Going solo is a rockier road with a pay cut, but he says he is getting by doing what he loves.

In a bad economy, savvy entrepreneurs can capitalize on low overhead costs, cheaper commercial leases and advertising rates. They can also pick from a larger, more qualified pool of laid-off workers, says David Seaman, an author who writes about personal branding.

And you don’t need your day job to end, to start on your path to doing what you really want to do; what you love. Work at it a few evenings a week, or on the weekend.

And if you don’t know what you want to do:
1. Make a list of things that you love
2. Research what is out there in that area
3. Be creative – find that missing piece in the market.
And remember, it may be your least likely idea that will end up being the one.

I will do everything in my power to keep my ball rolling where is is going, especially with Riley here. I am not afraid to try new business ideas, and I have already had quite a few fail, and some not do really well, but I keep rolling on and keep doing what I love to do.

I hope that one day I can be like Yaro or those in Heavy Hitters and have other’s read MY story and be inspired by my tale.