What’s love got to do with it?
February 14, 2008 by ShannonCherry
Filed under Business
Do what you love and the money will come, right? Well, not exactly.
I love eating chocolate. I love sleeping in. (Well, that’s a new love of mine since I haven’t had the luxury to do so since the twins were born two years ago!)
But neither will pay the bills.
And even though I love doing PR and publicity work, there’s a lot to be said about the other stuff I need to do to run a business.
So setting up a business to do what you love may be the wrong approach.
I say, do what you’re good at.
After all, I love to draw, but I am not that good at it to become a professional illustrator. I love PR – and I’m good at it, so it makes easier to make a living at it.
What do you think? Is love a key element in success?
Share the love by leaving a comment – or just sending me some chocolate!
nice writing.
I’ve heard (and I agree with) that you need to choose a business where a few factors intersect:
1) something you’re good at
2) something where you can make enough money (enough being a personal decision)
3) something that you’re passionate about (love) doing
Unfortunately, we can be good at things that we don’t love doing (or no longer love doing)
The drudgery of many everyday tasks in a business can threaten to kill the love you have for doing the work that got you interested in the first place.
It’s important to set up a business in a systematic way that makes it relatively easy to pass off many tasks to others, particularly the task that you don’t enjoy doing.
Michael Gerber (The E-Myth) has written extensively about organizing your business to maximize profit and minimize stress.
Also, I like the Freedom Business System (http://www.FreedomBusinessSystem.com) from Marketer James Brausch that helps you set up your business in ways that make it easier to outsource/delegate the work that is important, but not what you like to do.
There definitely should be some love involved.
You don’t necessarily need to love the tasks that you perform, but there must be aspects of the business that you love.
For example, I don’t enjoy spray-painting shirts much, but I LOVE seeing people wear my shirts.
I know accountants who don’t love reviewing tax returns, but who LOVE learning about changes in the Internal Revenue Code.
Shannon, good question:
Is love a key element in success?
Yes, if one’s not good enough or does not have enough time to make their own business on something they love. One can always become part of an established business, like advisor, participating in the brainstorming sessions, becoming an affiliate…
By the way, any particular chocolate you like? Dark, any brands, recipes? I like all Ferrero Rochers and Baci di Perugina from Italy.