Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Reader Survey! If You Do What You Love, Does Money Follow?

money_tree_woman_reading.jpg money-tree-reading-woman image by tdcpublishing

I’m really interested in this.  Has it ever happened for you that you did what you loved and the money followed?  I’m not talking piles of money—maybe just a modest living. 

woman_money.gif rich Jennifer image by zao75231

Or, do you need to work to eat, and do what you love in your free time?   Tell, tell!  This should be interesting.  ♥

25 comments:

Zuzana said...

To me it is - and has always been - about the simple pleasures. Sitting in the sun, watching the clouds, listening to the birds, looking at the wild life around. Feeling the scent of flowers and the coolness of rain on ones face. Walking in the forest or on a beach. Reading a book. Spending time with the ones I love.
It is my experience that the most happiest moments in my life have cost me no money at all. However tacky it might sound, the truth still remains - the best in life is indeed free.
xo

Imogen Lamport, AICI CIP said...

I do what I love and I'm earning a living from it. I think when you do something you love you put lots of time and energy into it, so will more likely make money if you stick to it and keep working at it.

Pyzahn said...

I have not yet found my "passion", but I did walk away from a job that made me miserable and I have NO regrets. Even when I see how low the $$ in my bank accounts is, I still thank my blessings that I'm marching to my own drummer.

Eleonora Baldwin said...

Yes! Yes! Yes!
Early in my professional life, when I started out as a graphic designer, I smiled as I made out invoice after invoice. After all I was getting payed to draw and layout magazines. Then when I began working in the film industry, I was actually earning lots of cash for hanging out with movie stars and frolicking in 5-star hotels all over the globe.
Lately, by following my heart, I'm making peanuts, but money follows as I write. I'm a very lucky gal...

Ciao my dearest friend,
Lola xx

Northmoon said...

This topic is something I've been thinking about a lot lately.

I used to love my job, but over the last couple of years this has changed. Some of the more enjoyable job duties were taken away, the work is more political, I now have 3 supervisors!, it's way more stressful and I think I'm just losing the drive I used to have.

Last summer I spent six weeks off after surgery, then this summer I was off six weeks on strike. This was the longest I'd been off work since university, and it was wonderful. Not that I accomplished much, but it showed me there is a world outside the office.

Now I'm wondering what would it be possible to do that I could love and earn a living at? and if so, what would that be? I don't need a lot of money, as you say, a modest income would do.


I'm afraid that I don't believe in the "Do what you love and the money will follow" And that is probably exactly why I have ended up where I am, workwise. It's a catch 22.

Now I am going back to work to pay off my debts. I will be thinking about what I might love to do and how I might get there in the future, if I have the courage.

I wish that there was one clear, deffinite right answer for me, "here you go, you are meant to do this". People who have a calling or a passion are very lucky.

La Belette Rouge said...

I keep doing what I love and the money has yet to follow. Maybe the money has followed and it didn't have my forward addressing and it was returned to sender.

I was moaning about the money not following me to a friend with oodles of money that follows her wherever she goes and she told me that the average business makes no money for 5 years. According to that theory I have 3 more years of not making money. If the money doesn't find me in 2012 I am going to be mad.;-)

Unknown said...

well, I like my job. and I make a decent living. I am thankful for my job also and the benefits that come with it. in that way I am blessed.

but I would love to not have to work for a living! I would love to just take daily adventure with my camera. I need to win the lottery.

studioJudith said...

I'm glad you added the note
"A modest living" ... for I would have to say that has been my experience for the past 20 years. I've been a self employed Interior Designer , choosing to do what I love.

It's been quite a roller coaster -
Frankly ... . . I'm glad my husband has a "regular" job, because a modest
living leaves nothing for future security!

JJJjjj

The Small Fabric Of My Life said...

After 12 years as a staff journalist I went freelance. I always dreaded the work drying up. But it never did. New opportunities came. Now I work as a writer in residence at a men's prison and a part-time press officer for Train 2000 - a women's enterprise agency and I love what I do.I have never had ambitions to earn a fortune but simply to earn a modest living from what I enjoy doing. That is a long way of saying "yes" to your question!

Renee said...

What an interesting question.

Half the time I don't even know what I would like to do.

But I think that if you love something, that money could follow it. But there would have to be balance.

You could love what you do but then you would have to market it at some point to sell it.

Have a wonderful day.

Renee xoxoo

ethelmaepotter! said...

This is a most thought-provoking question. The simple answer is no, but there is so much to consider.
I make a decent living standing all night on a concrete floor at the post office, sorting the mail to be delivered across this planet. Do I enjoy that? Well, NO! I mean, come on, would you? Yet, it is a living, and I must continue to make a living.
So what do I love? So many things in life - writing, reading, going to Disneyworld, spending time with children, watching endless reruns of I Love Lucy and Andy Griffith, eating, designing, party planning - yet, I make no money with any of those passions. My blog has made little more than $1 per month since its' inception last December. My party planning services are always available for free. And, much as I'd like to think I could make money eating or watching tv, there's just not much demand these days for that kind of expertise.
But my JOB allows me a bit of time and money to indulge in my passions. And, if made money on my passions, would they continue to be my passions, or would they press upon me with urgencies and deadlines, and cease to become my passions, and rather become dreaded chores?
Hmmm...very thought-provoking question. I think I shall turn the tv on, get something cold and creamy out of the fridge, and ponder on it some more.

The WalMart Vegan said...

I always find that when I'm doing what I love I can live on less and not feel deprived.

drollgirl said...

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. i am not sure about this. i have always loved art, so i have worked in the arts for years and years. when i strayed from it, i had jobs that paid about the same, but i was MISERABLE. so most jobs can be rather aggravating, even in the arts, but i find if i am not surrounded by what i like it is MUCH, MUCH WORSE!

Sparkling Red said...

No little girl wants to grow up to be an office manager... and yet this job brings together a lot of my interests. I do love my job, although the love developed in time, like an arranged marriage.

Cynthia L. H. said...

sallymandy,
I have spent years following my dreams...usually the money followed someone else. I also spent a lot of time doing what "had to be done..." and leaving the dreams until last. Now, I have put the dreams first. There is still so much "work" involved. I don't mind the hard work. I just really am ready for the pay-off.
;^)

Lianne said...

I love everyone's comments. This has been something I've been wrestling with for a long time so it's good to read what others have experienced. Maybe the question for me is not doing what I love (I too would love to get paid to read all day long), but loving what I do. I'm still trying to find that.

sallymandy said...

Hi everyone! Thank you so much, all you valued readers, for your ideas. Did I ever tell you how much I learn from you! Well, a lot.

I think Imogen's comment makes a lot of sense. I might put more energy and time into what I love, therefore increasing my chances of having it "pay." I've tried the tactic of sitting in my house, waiting for money to land on my doorstep, and the results were disappointing. :)

And by the way, my personal interest in this is about BLOGGING, which I love.

Love, SM.

Unknown said...

I say no. If you are lucky to be in a profession you love and it's making enough to live the way you want to live....then you are lucky.

Other wise there are compromises.

Tiffany said...

Great question. I can't say I love what I do 100%, but a few years ago I wrote myself a list of what I wanted - which included '1. Write more - doesn't matter what kind of writing', then further down the list 'Make more money'. My current freelance work - financial copywriting - landed in my lap a short time later. So I may not adore what I do, but it plays to my skills, gives me flexibility (so I'm there for my kids and can do other things) and pays very well. I never forget how lucky I am.

Profoundly Superficial said...

My great love has always been creative: art, short films and writing. To pay the bills I'm a freelance translator and editor. For a long time this worked perfectly, and I even managed earn a reasonable level of income from my creative work. However, over the last few years this balancing act has become far more difficult and there is less money for the arts. It means that most of my energy goes into earning money, and I have less time for my own work, which makes me sad.

Reading some of the comments above, I think the trick is if you can earn a living through an applied form of your creativity without making any compromise. I also make photographs for other people, which I love, and I realise now that I really need focus on this in a more wholehearted way.

Thank you for helping me see the light!

Saz said...

Nah not for me....I work to oil the wheels and for pin money for me...to indulge hair, feet, book and bag habit...

I do believe that money eases life and I KNOW that having no money stinks and can make life pretty awful and the mental health can fail one rapidly....

BUt I do believe that what you give out in terms of love, good thoughts, good deeds and positive thinking, does come back at ya, in al good ways...but not necessarily money...

Sorry l'm late reading and catching up, but have been working my arse off...now l'm on hols, at home, for 3 weeks, so l promise to try harder ad get round to all my mates faster...


love saz x FFF

Claus said...

I'm a bit late, but I want to "express" my thoughts :-)
I don't think that money necessarily follows when one does what one likes and has fun with it. Of course, in my opinion, it depends also where you live. There are countries of possibilities, and then there are countries where one has to study and work for a living, leaving that which makes you happy as a hobby for the spare time or when you retire, getting from it pure joy, a sense of inner peace and a smile to your face, even if not a buck to pay the bills.
My two cents ;-)

vicki archer said...

I have always believed we must do what we love and then the rest will follow....Happy weekend, xv.

Jennifer Campaniolo said...

Hi Sallymandy,

I've always wanted to work with books, so I've been in the publishing industry for the last 13 years. Some jobs paid very little (like my first job as an editorial assistant to a chemistry books editor!) And some jobs paid better than I deserved for the amount of work they required (ah, the good ol' dot com days!) Now I make less than in my previous jobs, but I really love my work, and I'm lucky to be married so I'm not solely dependent on my own salary to get by. It really depends on luck. timing, the market, Metropolitan city vs. everywhere else, etc. But I'd still take a job that I love over big money anyday.

Jennifer

Anonymous said...

Hello !.
You may , probably very interested to know how one can manage to receive high yields .
There is no need to invest much at first. You may start to get income with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you need
The firm represents an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

It is based in Panama with affiliates around the world.
Do you want to become really rich in short time?
That`s your choice That`s what you desire!

I`m happy and lucky, I began to get real money with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. It`s all about how to choose a correct partner utilizes your savings in a right way - that`s the AimTrust!.
I earn US$2,000 per day, and my first deposit was 1 grand only!
It`s easy to start , just click this link http://ygifuwelys.ibnsites.com/gapalo.html
and go! Let`s take our chance together to become rich