Make Business About Passion, Not Just Money

Running a business is hard work. The concept of overnight success is nothing short of fantasy and anyone who’s invested time and energy turning goals into accomplishments knows this to be true. The shortest route to success in business (and in life) is the long route – the one with no shortcuts. And so – given the sober facts – it’s important to enter into business for the right reasons, and that starts with what we choose to do and why we choose to do it. While there are many reasons for entering into business such as freedom and independence, status, security and money – passion should always be the driving force. It’s important to be passionate about the business you enter into because passion – or lack thereof – will likely be a determining factor in the overall success or failure of any business we set out to pursue.

Building a business around your passion is a dream for many. For some, however, it can seem unrealistic and impractical, maybe even too good to be true. And so, the choice becomes whether to pursue an impractical passion that has little or no financial upside or to pursue the practical, money making idea and hope in time, and with enough success, we’ll be afforded additional opportunities to pursue our passions, either for profit or just sheer pleasure. This way of thinking is commonplace, but it underestimates the power that passion has to add strength to our resolve and energy to our actions in a way that can aid in our ultimate success.

Passion is fuel – fuel for motivation, fuel for resilience, fuel for boldness in action. It offsets the pain of adversity with the joy that comes from doing what we love. Where there’s passion, there’s a willingness to do more, go further, and suffer – if necessary – to meet our objectives. Passion provides insulation and padding from the disappointment of setbacks and perceived failures. This makes it easier to keep going, to stay committed even during the most difficult of times. Conversely, a lack of passion is the reason why so many people give up, quit or give into failure. For them, the positives – which they believe are born out of an uncertain and future victory – no longer outweigh the current and consistent negatives they face day-to-day.

When we build our business around our passion, we get to enjoy the journey as well as the destination. That ability to enjoy the journey helps to cement our commitment to the process and ensure a capacity to withstand the highs and lows that are part and parcel of any new business. Remember – a business without the potential for profit is no business, but a business without passion rarely feels worth the effort.