Comments on: Should You Try to Make Money?

By: Richard Shelmerdine

Richard Shelmerdine — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:25:54 +0000

I am following a path similar to you Scott. I’m writing a spirituality blog at my site and want to make a full time income off it soon to free time.

By: Valeria | TimelessLessons

Valeria | TimelessLessons — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:20:36 +0000

Wonderful post! As someone who turned what was basically a hobby into a full-time gig, I can speak of the wonderful sense of fulfillment and growth that I had every step of the way.

To me, a key to “success” (whatever that means to you, which is why it’s in quotes) is to stay open and flexible and consider the whole thing a wonderful learning experience.

By: Josefine

Josefine — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:04:46 +0000

On of my secret hobbies is collecting stamps, but I wouldn’t go that far to quit a job for it. On the other side, I am really looking forward to finish my PhD next year, so I can do full-time what I love to do, getting more involved in internet marketing and being full-time on the project I have started.

As you have said, not every hobby is appropriate to be a replacement for a 9-5 activity. But who knows … if you are passionate and self-confident enough, you might even turn a stamp collection hobby into a nice income stream that can replace your job.

If you don’t try you will never know.

By: Kali

Kali — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:30:15 +0000

My opionion is of Elton John’s “Burn Down the Mission.”

By: Jun Loayza

Jun Loayza — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:05:17 +0000

I am all for turning your hobby into something you can make money with. What could be better? After reading your comments about how making money could kill the joy, I can understand how some people might want to keep their joy-life and work-life separated from each other. Overall, I feel that the happiest life is one where work and play are one in the same. People usually dislike their life because they hate their job. What could be worse than to wake up every morning, work at a place you dislike, then go home and rest, only to wake up the next morning to start all over. It's terrible! So, if you can make money doing what you love (which in this case means your hobby), I say go for it! Now actually making the money is the hard part! - Jun Loayza

By: Graem

Graem — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:33:30 +0000

I think everyone wrestles with this question in their youth.

Then there comes a time when “choosing money” is not such a difficult or agonizing decision. It’s just a way to prioritize and support a preferred lifestyle.

While the “starving artist” (or entrepreneur) approach may be poetic or exciting while you’re in or just fresh out of school, being broke quickly gets old when you start incurring real life expenses… I mean, basic things like rent and car insurance.

My personal opinion is, focus on learning how to make money at something you can be good at, and you’ll fast learn to enjoy it. Trying to do it the other way around rarely works out with the same results.

By: BeyazTavsan

BeyazTavsan — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:53:17 +0000

Good point with day & night jobs. I especially liked the meal example. However, I really think that quitting the day job is not as simple as it seems when you’re married and have kids. I think this is the most important dilemma that the ‘awakened’ corporate workers have. Although there are a lot of big words and bullshit, there isn’t any concrete way to ‘quit the day job’. Yes there are recommendations, but nothing concrete. I’m very happy for you that you have started with the job=hobby way when you are meaningfully young.

By: Juliet

Juliet — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:24:59 +0000

Thanks for the interesting debate.

I believe in doing what you love and loving what you do. “Work” (if one must call it that) should be something you enjoy. In a way, its a money-making hobby versus a non-money-making hobby that you can still do for fun on the side.

Juliet

By: Koichi

Koichi — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:55:25 +0000

This is a great article, and really lays things out nice and cleanly. I’ve finally figured out a way to turn my (online) passion into a job, which came from my blog about learning Japanese. I spent a year and a half building up my blog, and then I was able to turn it into a thing where I taught one on one lessons via webcam on eduFire (though it has since turned into me doing other things for eduFire as well, to fill up a good 40 hrs a week). Thanks to the net, I’ve been able to do exactly what I want, even though it’s a really small niche.

I bet we’ll see more people doing this kind of thing as the economy swings downward. No money really brings the creativity out in people!

By: J.D. Meier

J.D. Meier — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:20:53 +0000

Hey Scott -

I think it’s important to find the most efficient and effective way to fund your life-style and needs. It needs to be consistent with your “why” and “hows” and you need to live your values on the job. You don’t need to make money from your passions, but you do need to be passionate about what you do.

If you’re in a scenario where you hate your job, then follow your passion or decide to find the passion in what you do. I’ve seen a lot of turnarounds happen simply from that one decision.

The worst mistake I’ve seen is when people try to make their hobby their income and then kill their passion and fail at supporting their basic life style or needs.

A good pattern I’ve seen is when people figure out what they really want and find a healthy work life balance, where they find the job in their day job and carve enough time for their hobbies.

The exception is when you have a hobby and real talent and you haven’t reached your potential.