Lee McIntyre went from overworked high school teacher to full time marketer in just 56 days. He is the founder of Aim Higher Marketing where he shows others how to use honest marketing to build profitable Internet businesses in record time.
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Do What You Love Not What You Hate
By Lee McIntyre | March 22, 2008
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Right now it’s 11:19 on a Saturday morning, and I’m having a blast. What am I doing that’s so fantastic? Well, I’m working that’s what!
Now I know that you’ll think the fact that I enjoy working so much to be a bit crazy, so let me explain.
I genuinely love what I do for a living, and every morning I wake up with a spring in my step. I seriously can’t wait to get to my desk and get cracking on the day ahead. I just love it!
And here’s why…
Helping people and sharing what I know is my real passion in life. This is what gives me an incredible buzz each day, and what motivates me to push hard.
That’s not the only thing I enjoy of course.
I also love continual learning and discovery, and I have a real passion for education. Do you think I have all the answers? No way!
Each day I expand my knowledgbase, and learn a drop more. Cripes, the day I stop learning will be the day I get bored and look for something else to do with my time.
And if I’m talking about what I really enjoy about my work, I’d have to give a nod and a wink to the freedom that my business gives me every day.
Want to know why I’m working double hard today? Because I’m planning to enjoy my weekend on Sunday, Monday, and maybe Tuesday that’s why.
You see, unlike most others businesses out there, when you run your own online enterprise YOU get to decide when to work.
One of the most enjoyable things about this freedom is when some friends are on holiday for a few days and suggest doing something fun. What do I do? Yep, I just rearrange my schedule and head out the door.
If you spend any time around marketing forums, people will always talk about money as being a chief motivator.
That’s never worked for me. When I completed my Law degree people thought I was crazy for turning down a very well paid position in Northamption at a big national form.
My friends just couldn’t understand how I could turn down such a high paying job, and why it didn’t seem to bother me.
Do you want to know why? Because money doesn’t motivate me, and it never has and it never will either.
Money is just what you need to achieve freedom from life, and so it’s a means to an end, and not an end in itself.
After finishing my Law degree I spent 2 1/2 years training to be a management accountant, while studying for the CIMA qualification. It was the most boring few years of my life, and I clearly wasn’t suited to this type of work.
In this time I had 3 different jobs, and each time I move to a new business I received a hefty payrise (even though I hated it I was pretty good at it).
And guess what? The new payrise kicked in and I felt happy again. For about two months.
Three months later and I was bored again. Bored of never ending long hours. Bored of tedius spreadsheet work that didn’t really matter. Bored of watching the clock again day after day.
In my first accountancy job I handed my notice in 3 times in 9 months. Every time I did so they offered me a big pay rise to stay! Did it make me happy? Well it did for about 2 months, and then I was miserable again.
Money doesn’t buy you happiness. Freedom does.
When designing your Internet Business don’t become too concerned with how much money you can earn each and every month. Instead focus on doing what you love and not what you hate.
Focus on creating a lifestyle that you enjoy, a job that you love, and a sense of freedom that won’t ever escape you.
I know plenty of full time Internet Marketers and the happy ones aren’t the ones who make the most money. The happy ones are those who make enough money to live a life they enjoy, and who do what they love and not what they hate.
Is that too deep for this blog? Maybe, but it took me a long time to understand this point and I really wanted to share.
So are you doing what you love or what you hate? Leave your thoughts in the comments below….
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March 22nd, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Hi Lee,
I think you’ve highlighted a very important point here. I know how addictive internet marketing is. But if you’re not careful I imagine it can take over your life and just become a well-paid job that involves working all hours.
Which leads back to building in systems into your business so it can run largely by itself.
That’s the real skill I guess.
Cheers…Graham
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Hi Lee - enjoying reading your blog. I think seeing money as simply freedom to work in the way you wish to is far more healthy than money for money’s sake. Of course I wouldn’t turn down the odd million (
) but as long as I can eventually just simply be paid for what I love doing that is the ultimate freedom for me.
March 22nd, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Lee et al.,
I agree with everything you said especially regarding freedom but I saw a post on another forum recently that recommended combining your hobby (passion) with your business so you can enjoy your work & make more money… here was my response…
“…Please don’t take this personally but in my opinion more time & money has been lost by people who follow your advice than any strategy that I can think of.
I operate my businesses from a totally different perspective. I rarely make a decision to enter a market based on my interest in the subject matter.
In fact, I stay away from businesses that are my hobbies because I tend to get wrapped up in activies that divert me from my objectives which is to make money.
I follow the classic strategy of finding a “starving market” and then giving them exactly what they want. It has served me well and I rarely feel the sting of wasted time or money.
My advice to all new marketers is to keep your interests & hobbies (passions)seperate from your business (decisions) and take the money you earn and enjoy it however you like…”
March 22nd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Hi Graham - you’re right about IM being addictive. I know from personal experience just how easy it is to get into work related cycles.
One thing I’ve learned though is that if I force myself to take a break then I become much more productive. I just wish I’d take my own advice sometime!
Hi Leah - thanks for reading
Obviously I’d enjoy a million too, but only because it would allow me to do more of the things that I enjoy.
I don’t know many people who actually enjoy just watching their money. It’s what it allows you to do that brings the real pleasure.
My eye is currently very firmly on a large around the world trip, hence my current focus on automated business systems.
(sunny beaches here I come!!)
Hi Jim - nice post!
One advantage with choosing ‘affinity’ markets is that at first you’ll be able to create more output in a shorter space of time.
However, you make an excellent point. Using the proceeds from your business to enjoy the rest of your time is an excellent way to go about things.
I never advise people to choose markets just based on their passions, although it can certainly be a decision making factor.
But I do advise people to concentrate on the tasks that they enjoy.
In my view it’s better to be working on tasks you love in a profitable market that might not be a hobby, than working on tasks you hate in a niche you love.
Does that make sense? Thanks for a great post!
Lee McIntyre
March 22nd, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Lee.
I couldn’t agree with you more. I am 61 years old and tired of my career in sales. I have been attempting to create an online income without success…so far. I will not give up until I succeed!
Tom
March 23rd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Lee I love what I do almost as much as I love doing what I blog about.
I have a few hobby blogs that I am a bit fanatical about and love creating posts for. I also love to network with other like minded people.
I am not a sales person but when I love something I can’t stop talking about it and have brought in many people as far as my hobbies go.
It’s not like work, well not like the jobs I had in the real world.
My wife and friends laugh at me because I get up before 5am every single day and without an alarm clock of any kind.
I get pretty excited about what I do and sometimes just find it hard to stay asleep. Of course if I plan to go out in the evening I pretty much have to take a nap or I’m done for at about 9pm.
My office faces our backyard where I get to see all the seasons and watch our new flowers and veggies grow. Well they will once all this snow is gone.
I keep my MMO blog just to share what I learn but that’s not my passion. My passion and what gets me up in the morning are my hobby blogs.
I have to have a notepad with me everywhere I go because I constantly think of things I want to blog about and if I don’t write them down their gone in seconds.
So one more time:
I love to blog about my hobbies and only take time off to enjoy my hobbies. Life is great.
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