I have often heard the advice “do what you love and the money will follow”. I’ll bet you have heard it too.
That’s true and not true at the same time.
For example, if what you really love is watching reruns of Friends, and that is all you do, it’s going to be hard for you to get ahead financially.
So, effective today, I’m making up a new phrase to replace the old phrase.
Ready?
I’m going from “do what you love and the money will follow” to …
“Blog about what you love and the money will follow”
You see, I’m 100% convinced, based on many years of experience, that anyone can make a living with the topic that moves them most.
I believe this because I’ve lived it, and seen it happen hundreds of times.
From watching television to helping cure low thyroid disorder, I’ve seen people follow their hearts and find their living.
When I say these things to people they often ask how it’s done. They are, understandably, skeptical. After all, it sounds little too good to be true, right?
Fair question, especially considering that there is more than enough information about what we “should” do but precious little about how to do what needs doing.
So let me share today a five step formula, a blueprint really, for following your passion, and finding your life (and living) when you do.
Step 1 – Create a blog about your passion
Yes I know, everyone says you need a blog. Just like everyone says you need a mailing list of your own. We all get tired of hearing it.
Funny thing is, both of these cliches are right.
You really do need a list of your own. I have lots of helpful information about list building here.
And yes, you really do need a blog of your own.
Why?
Because you need a home base.
- You need a place to point to when someone says “what do you do?”
- You need a place to connect with others who are passionate about what you are passionate about.
- A place to create a sense of community.
And, commercially, a place to build a list so you can sell things.
Here is something I believe with all my heart …
There is no separation between art and business when both are done well.
There is no conflict between serving readers and visitors to your site and asking them to buy something from you when you truly believe in what you promote.
There is no ethical disconnect between loving and serving your readers and hoping they will buy the products you recommend because they know and trust you.
Following your passion is good business. It’s good for your soul. It’s good for your pocketbook.
It’s just good all the way around.
Now for step 2 …
Step 2 – Create the best content you can
I can hear some of you saying “but I can’t write!”. Not to worry. Being able to “write well” is not necessary.
Let me ask you this —
- Can you talk?
- Can you relate stories that happened to you or to those you know?
- Can you share with a friend why you loved a movie?
- Can you teach anyone to do anything, including tying a shoe?
If you answered yes to any of these questions you have the seeds of being a great producer of content.
You just need to practice the skills.
Here are a few tips to help you along the way.
- Write like you speak. Forget the rules and just put it on paper like you would say it to your best friend.
- Speak your content if you don’t want to write. Then have it transcribed into articles.
- Tell stories every time you can. People love stories.
- Share your heart, experience and wisdom. Just be you.
I believe with all my heart that everyone reading this has value to add to the lives of others.
We just need a framework for getting all that good stuff out of your head and into the world so others can learn from your experience.
Step 3 – Curate the best thinking of others in your area of passion
There has never been a time in history when it was easier to make money online than today. I know that statement might raise a few eyebrows.
I know too that many of you have struggled to make it online.
But I still believe this …
There has never been a time in history when it was easier to make money online than today.
Why do I believe that?
Because today anyone, and I mean anyone, can start a blog, curate and create helpful content and start making money from nothing more than that.
It’s true – content marketing is powerful, easy to do (when you know how) and it works. It works regardless of who you are, where you are or what subject has captured your passion.
And curation – the process of gathering the best content available and displaying it on your blog – is the best way to experience the power of content marketing.
Curation is a simple concept: just like the curator of a museum, you find and display the best content possible in your field of interest.
Think about this; the curator a museum showing an exhibit of Egyptian mummies does not go out and dig up the mummies. He or she does not clean up the mummies, carbon date them, ship them across the world and then display them.
No, the curator simply displays the work others have done, taking great care to credit those who did the original work of digging, cleaning, shipping, etc. If you want to learn more about Air Duct Cleaning Dallas, visit pureairways.com for more information.
Now let’s take that idea to your blog.
Let’s say your blog is about organic gardening. And let’s say you have been gardening organically for 10 years.
With a blog you can share all the tips and tricks you know about organic gardening, and that’s a good thing.
But with curation you can add to your knowledge the best thinking from other organic gardeners across the world!
Think of it – with nothing more than WordPress, a few basic curation tools and a some time you can create the mother of all organic gardening super-sites.
Best of all, because your love is organic gardening, doing this work will not seem like work. It will seem like play. But it will pay like work!
Now that IS a beautiful thing!
Step 4 – Seek to serve readers
When you create a blog it’s not about you. Some people think their blog should be a monument to their achievements. Or a culmination of their life’s wisdom.
Not so much.
Your blog needs to be about your reader.
Sure, you will profit by building a list, selling ads, selling products and more.
In that way the blog is FOR you.
But the blog itself is not ABOUT you.
Your blog is about your reader.
This article, for example, is not about me. I’m having fun writing it. And it will be fun to interact with those who choose to leave a comment. (Hint hint)
But this article is not about me, it’s about you.
- It’s about helping you move from hype to hope.
- It’s about helping you see a clear way forward that will work.
- It’s about helping you take the next step in your journey, no matter where you are now.
Step 5 – Give and it will be given to you
Last, but not least, I leave you with this short piece of advice.
Give your readers your very best.
I speak with people all the time who are afraid of giving their best ideas away free because people will be satisfied and then not buy things from them.
That’s not really how it works.
Yes, there is some information we sell and not give away. Take the Directory of Ezines for example. Gathering, researching and listing the data in the DOE costs me literally hundreds of thousands of dollars. Am I going to give that away free?
Nope.
But what I will do, what I do do (don’t make fun) is this – I will share openly how to succeed with ezine advertising on my blog. How to find ezines. How to write solo ads. How to take the steps necessary to profit from this marketing method.
Why would I do that?
Because I know that there is a foundational principle in the world — If I give it will be given back to me.
I happen to believe that God gives back to me for my good deeds, including sharing openly.
You might believe something different and that’s okay. It’s just what I believe.
Here’s the bottom line …
Work takes up a huge amount of our available time.
Why not make work fun by tapping into what really moves you?
When you do your passion will become your living. You will have fun almost all the time, you will help others and you will help yourself as well!
And that is a beautiful thing indeed!
