There Are Reasons Why It Is Okay to Make Your Passion Your Job
"Making your passion your job is a naive idea."
Have you ever been told that, or perhaps told yourself that at some point?
Good evening, I am Haruka Izumi.
"Only a handful of special people can make a living doing what they love."
"Work is something you just have to endure."
—Aren't those words imprinted somewhere inside you?
Since I was a child, my mother used to tell me,
"You can't make a living doing what you love.
If a florist truly loved flowers,
they wouldn't want to give away
what they love to others, would they?
Because you cannot be objective
about the things you love,
you cannot run a business with them."
I was raised being told this.
Since my family ran a business,
I suppose that is why she said such things.
Thinking about it now, that would mean my parents
were selling things they didn't even like.
Well, it was the early Showa era, and
I suppose it was a world where the idea of
making your passion your job was unthinkable.
In fact, when I said I wanted to make my passion my job
during my job hunting days,
I was told, "There is no way you can earn money
with such a naive way of thinking."
But I thought to myself.
I would like you, who are reading this,
to please stop and think for a moment.
Where is the evidence that says, "You must not make your passion your job"?
It is that thing I often say: "Who decided that?"
Today, I want to share some things you should know to let go of the guilt and hesitation regarding making your passion your job.
"Passion" is the ultimate differentiator
There are many counselors in the world who hold the same qualifications.
Coaches with the same skills are posting on social media today as well.
Among them, why is "that person" chosen?
One answer is,because their "passion" shines through.
When people talk about what they love, their words change.
Their intensity changes.
Their expressions change.
What is conveyed through their writing changes.
Isn't that right?
During the World Cup, people who had no interest in soccer
became casual fans,
and cheered for the Japanese team with all their might.
That is because they were influenced by the enthusiasm of people who loved it.
The words of someone who says, "I'm doing this because it's my job," and the words of someone who says, "I'm doing this because I truly love it," are different the moment you read them.
Not through logic, but through feeling.
Both readers and clients certainly perceive that difference.
What you "love" is uniquely yours and cannot be replicated by technique alone.
This becomes your differentiation.
No matter how many people gain the same qualifications, no one can imitate your "love".
Because you have "love," you can keep going
What is the biggest obstacle to continuing your work?
Is it a lack of skills? Is it a lack of time?
When looking at people who have been active for a long time, in many cases, the biggest obstacle is
the act of "continuing."
Even if you start posting, you won't get a reaction right away.
Even if you put a session up for sale, you won't get many sign-ups at first.
Whether or not you can continue steadily despite that is what determines your results.
It is extremely difficult to continue work you don't "love" during periods when there is no response.
But if you have "love," the story changes.
You want to write even if no one is watching.
You want to share even if there is no reaction. That emotion
gradually accumulates and becomes the results you see in six months or a year.
"Love" is fuel that lasts longer than talent.
Most people who have achieved results did so not because they had special talent, but because they were able to continue by holding onto what they "love"—that is the case in almost every instance.
"Love" becomes a gift to others
There is one more important perspective.
"Making what you love your work" is not just for your own sake.
What you truly love and work on with passionbecomes a source of "peace of mind" for those who receive it.
For example, have you ever felt that a meal made by someone who absolutely loves cooking tastes different from one made out of a sense of duty, even if the recipe is the same?
Counseling and coaching are the same.
When a client feels, "This person really loves this work," they feel at ease. They think, I'm glad I talked to this person.
They think, I want to come back again.
Making what you love your work is not just for your own enjoyment; it is a gift to everyone you interact with.
The true nature of the guilt associated with making your passion your job
Even so, many people still cannot shake the feeling of guilt that asks, "Is it really okay to earn money from what I love?"
What is the true nature of that guilt?
In many cases, it is the feeling that "earning money from what I love feels like I am taking the easy way out, and I feel sorry for that."
Value only exists if you suffer.
You only deserve a reward if you endure hardship.
Isn't that way of thinking rooted somewhere deep inside you?
But, think about it.
What your customers are looking for is not whether you suffered or not.
They want their problems solved and their futures changed.
If someone's life is enriched by a service you provided while enjoying yourself, isn't that more than enough value?
It is not a sin to enjoy something because you love it.
The fact that you can deepen your expertise precisely because you love it is the source of your value.
The first thing to do when you make your passion your job
When you decide to make your passion your job, the first thing you should do is not "skill up" or "increase your social media followers."
It is to put your "passion" into words.
What do you love, and why do you love it?
From what kind of experience was that "passion" born?
Whose future do you want to change, and in what way, through your "passion"?
By facing these questions, the core of your business will come into view.
And when that core is put into words, your messaging will change. Your profile will change. What you convey to your customers will change.
Putting your "passion" into words is an essential task that should be done before creating a customer acquisition strategy.
Summary
There are three reasons why it is okay to make your passion your job.
What you 'love' is the ultimate differentiator—A level of passion no one can imitate makes you the one who gets chosen.
You can keep going because you 'love' it—Fuel that lasts longer than talent creates long-term results.
What you 'love' becomes a gift to others—Passion transforms into peace of mind and trust for the recipient.
Making what you love your job is not an indulgence.
It is the most sincere choice you can make to be useful to someone else in a way that only you can.
I truly hope that you will take pride in making what you 'love' your work.
Where there is an abundance of 'love,' authentic work is born.
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Haruka Izumi, Maiden Romance Attraction Strategy Consultant
I support coaches and counselors in their zero-to-one business startup attraction efforts.