How did you find it?...

[CVentures1B12]

Hello fellow Fastlaners!

I have been snooping around and have found a ton of great tips, advice, etc. on doing what you love.

My question is this: How did YOU find what you loved? How did you KNOW that it was what you loved to do?

I don't think that I will have a problem monetizing it...I just have yet to figure it out! Sure, I really enjoy real estate. I enjoy the process, the search, the negotiation, the wealth of time that it can create...but when I think about it, I am just not sure that it is anything that I truly LOVE. I am not sure that has come along just yet or maybe it has, but my work ethic and rational mind has kicked in and kicked it to the curb. I have grown up working my entire life and really never done anything but go to school and work. I enjoy working and REALLY enjoy working for myself, but is it something that I truly LOVE? I am just not sure...and that, like relationships, should NOT be the case.

Just wanting some people to weigh in on the first half of the old adage, "Do what you love and the money will follow." I am not worried about the money part...I am just worried about doing what I love.

Have any of you felt this before you really got into what you are doing now? How did you figure out what it was that you loved? A partial identity crisis here...Help!

-Josh

 

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[SteveO]

I am in a very different camp than most people on this topic.

There are not a lot of jobs that people just love. Even in you really enjoy it at first, there will come a time when it is a grind. Especially if you are going to make a fastlane business out of it.

You could love horses and working with horses. There are plenty of jobs that would allow you to work with these magnificent animals. But if you are making a profitable business out of it, you are probably not going to be spending most of your time interacting with the animals.

I had a passion to work with apartments. Not that I loved them, but the idea of creating a strong business with cashflow was my desire.

Turns out that it is very hard work. The business does not prosper when I ignore it so the grind is there.

Discipline is the name of the game in my opinion.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Did you read this article?

“Do What You Love And the Money Will Follow!” It’s BS!*|*theFastlaneToMillions.com

If your "WHY" is strong enough, you will find the motivation.

For me, I really enjoy achievement and accomplishment. When someone says "Your site has changed my life!" or "Your post about [x] really made a difference!" ... That makes the grind work easier even though on some days, I really rather be doing nothing.

 

[NoMoneyDown]

That makes the grind work easier even though on some days, I really rather be doing nothing.

LOL. But you know if it ever came to "doing nothing", people like you would get bored really fast.

 

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[CactusWren]

I am on the same boat right now. I am going over the Wishcraft book and over Russ' goal setting thread. I think that could help u 2.

Here are the threads:

http://www.thefastlanetomillions.com/general-business-discussion/16042-fastlane-mastermind.html

http://www.thefastlanetomillions.com/your-goals-your-fastlane-plan/544-how-develop-your-plan.html

I actually wish I did not love so many things! It's all about SteveO one trick pony and I really need to choose my trick!

thread:

http://www.thefastlanetomillions.com/your-goals-your-fastlane-plan/523-one-trick-pony.html


Good luck!

 

[CVentures1B12]

So, in essence, what you are saying is to flip the adage?

"Do what makes money and what you love will follow."

That needs a bit of tweaking, but you guys know what I mean. Through multi-family real estate, I aim to create wealth and the ability to run a cashflowing business that will create time on my part. It is fun, I enjoy it, etc. But is is something that I would do if I were to die tomorrow? No.

I definitely have a great "Why" list. Many that are similar to yours, MJ. What I am starting to gather is that I am definitely on the right track. I am seeing a need and filling it. Let me ask you (anyone else who wants to answer) something; was the business you created a passion of yours? Or was it the end result you were focused on? Was it both?

How do you find a need that is not being serviced if you are not interested in servicing that industry?

-Josh

 

[Sid23]

Steve and I have corresponded on this topic many times, and I've posted this same question before. I'd like to share what I've learned, knowing that my experience may not be the same as others.

I now truly believe you must decide between doing what you love and running a fastlane business. NO MATTER what fastlane business you run, you are using basically the same skills. Managing people, negotiating, reviewing financials, perfecting your "system", etc. Unless that combination of activities is your passion, you will not be doing what you love if you run a fastlane business.

Steve's example of horses is dead-on. You may run a biz involving these horses, but as the owner, you are not interacting and playing with the horses, you arer busy running the business.

My boss is struggling with this issue right now. He loves designing apartments, picking out furniture, cabinets, paint colors, etc. But he is now the CEO of our real estate company and his role is to run the company and manage the system. He is having a hard time keeping his hands out of the day-to-day details which annoys the project managers, but also hurts the company because he is not focused on the right thing.

My dad also dealt with this. He is a trial lawyer and he loves being in court. That is his passion. At one point, he started his own firm and made some money overseeing other lawyers. He had financial and time freedom, but was unhappy because he was running the business and not arguing cases in court. He actually made the decision to go back to work for a firm as a litigator and gave up financial freedom and time freedom so he could spend each day in court.

So in my opinion and from what I've seen, you do have to choose. Most ppl aren't passionate about the day to day activities involved with running a business.

It comes down to which one you want more.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

was the business you created a passion of yours?

No.

Or was it the end result you were focused on?

Yes, I enjoyed the end result. I enjoyed seeing people benefit from something I created. I enjoyed helping people be successful in their business (I had stacks of testimonials). I enjoyed learning new technologies. I enjoyed growing personally. I enjoyed making all the decisions and being in control. I enjoyed every aspect of business ownership, but I wasn't passionate about the industry itself. I was passionate about business and creating value. I enjoyed the process of violating customer expectations. I enjoyed owning a company that was "different".

Did I have a passion for my industry? Not really ....

 

[Bobo]

For us it isn't the work we love but neither of us needs to love it.

Our love is knowing that a $25K surgery is a nuisance, not a cause for bankruptcy
Our love is sitting on a beach together
Our real love is freedom to use our time however we see fit.

Scrubbing toilets would be fine if I got a million an hour for it.... even at an all you can eat Chili place.

 

[CVentures1B12]

Do what makes money and what you love will follow. I love it. I am starting to see now guys...you all are awesome.

Now to derail my own thread. Can we expand on creating value? I just feel like an integral part of my equation is missing. I now understand that it has nothing to do with whether or not I am enjoying the effort. It has to do with creating value that a customer would realize. Takes some studying...who are my customers? Who are my colleagues? How can I, in a business that literally spans the ages (real estate), create more value than the other guy? How can I make that business just a wee bit different which will draw people to my abilities and an investor?

You guys can chime in or not. Mostly thinking out loud here. Would love to keep it coming for "how did you find it?" topic too.

-Josh

 

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