There’s the old adage of ‘do what you love and the money will follow’. Of course that’s not always true. If your passion is to run an animal sanctuary or homeless shelter, it’s likely you won’t become a millionaire.
But you’re probably be a lot happier than an burned-out trader in the city who is making a lot of money, but would rather help out at a soup kitchen. You may love to sing or paint. But if you have no talent and your work sucks, nobody is going to pay you!
But if you’re stuck in a job you hate (or have a talent going to waste), you could free up time to earn decent income, doing what you love. Also read how to set up a tiny business (which includes info on how to set up a simple business account).
Identifying Profitable Hobbies
First of all, decide if your hobby is something that could make an income, or whether it’s best kept as a hobby.
If you like cooking or gardening, learn how to keep pets safe around food and plants.
Is there demand for what you offer? And other people earning money from doing the same. Also look at what you’re good at. Baking, crafting, photography?
Just Making is a guidebook for compassionate creatives, the ideal handbook for writers and artists, by an author not afraid to ask hard questions on justice and art.
As the daughter of immigrants, she knows that some people feel being creative is selfish, but in fact it’s a good pursuit for a better world. Women across the globe have created beauty and order, amid chaos, war and deprivation. These 10 practices help the creatives to keep making.
Don’t Waste 80,000 Hours of Your Life!
80,000 Hours is a guide based on over 10 years of research alongside academics at Oxford, on finding a job that you like, and does good. Working until retirement age (full-time) means 40 hours a week for 50 weeks a year for 40 years. That’s 80,000 hours, so choose to do something you love, to leave a legacy.
Make the right choices, and not only have a more rewarding and interesting life, but help to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. Rather than work long hours to contribute to problems we already face ((climate change, animal abuse, war, unhappiness, stress, consumerism).
Most career advice focuses on how to write CV and to ‘follow your passion’. This is not always possible (your passion may be teaching elderly people to navigate the subway, but it won’t make you a living).
Likewise, if you passion is building big online stores to put indie shops out of business, your passion then negatively affects the lives of others. Those people then become unemployed, and are unable to serve their community (say running an independent bookshop).
The bookAuthor Benjamin Todd is co-founder and president of 80,000 Hours, an indie non-profit founded in Oxford which offers online and in-person advice.
Matching Helpers with the Funders!
In his book Bullshit Jobs, David Graber wrote how society is set up to create jobs that ‘don’t exist’, like telemarketers. Yet there are talented people who would love to say write for a living but can’t afford it, as what they write about is not something that would earn money.
So there are sites that let people pay to read the work of those who can help or spark debt. The money then goes to fund people who write well, rather than to jobs that should not really exist!
The two main players are Patreon and Substack (artists and musicians can also earn income, through memberships from fans). There are no ads or social media. Readers or listeners just join a community to support you. A great way to earn income.
A Book of Helpful Tips for Digital Nomads
Around 35 million people today make their living online. And being a ‘digital nomad’ lets you set up shop in the countryside or even on an island. How to Be a Digital Nomad is a great little read by an American who took a one-way ticket a few years back and now earns a living doing just that.
The book includes interviews with remote workers who collectively have been making a living remotely for 50 years. Ideal for anyone who wishes to try out an online business or create an entirely new lifestyle.
If you wish to donate a portion of income to favourite causes, read our post on how to give anonymously to charity.
