I protest! Inc's "Why 'Be Passionate' Is Awful Advice"

Okay, to be fair (and why not?) here's the link to Scott Gerber's article on Inc.com, "Why 'Be Passionate' Is Awful Advice."

http://www.inc.com/millennial-entrepreneurs/why-be-passionate-is-awful-advice.html

My first response is Argh!

Yes, he's listed some great questions. So please read the article. Pay special attention to questions 1, 4, and 8. They are critical to your success.

Ugh, because of course you need YOUR PASSIONATE PURPOSE behind any business startup AND you need to create multiple, meaningful streams of income^™. 

It's your passionate purpose that will get you out of bed in the morning when the going gets tough. Your passion purpose that will get you happily sharing what you do and creating products, programs, and services about what you know and love.

And most importantly, it's your passionate purpose that will really bring a smile to your face when you're rolling in the dough. I teach it and it's called growing MEANINGFUL STREAMS OF INCOME^™ (http://www.meaningfulstreamsofincome.com/)

Question #10 - Should be, "Do you love what you'll be doing? And are you ready to share it every day?"

This business journey is not about creating another job for yourself, it's about crafting a dream life...that brings a smile to your face and a bounce to your step! It's the blending of money and meaning that buys happiness ;)

Remember: your perfect business WILL "fuel your soul...and your bank account."

Blessings + possibilities,
Maiya Rose

 

Comments

[Shahrzad Arasteh]

Hi Maiya,

Thank you for your post! I agree that for many of us (especially those who love your work and the way you teach because of your message and attention to passion and meaning) being passionate about what we do matters. There are lots of people who love creating businesses for the sake of doing so, or because of the specific focus on the business side of it. There are others of us who are doing it the other way around: the business is created because it is a vehicle that allows us to do what we're passionate about, and allows us to create (sometimes eventually :-) the life that works for our specific values, priorities, interests, and situation.

In college, I remember hearing this advice about being an entrepreneur: "You are not an entrepreneur unless you are creating a business based primarily on what will generate income (whatever that would happen to be), not based on something you want to do/are interested in." They suggested you should not be attached to whatever the business is selling, and be willing to change it at any time to go with the thing that sells at that point. Now, I know creating income is very important, but that statement did not make any sense to me. It sounded like a terrible way to live (not to care about/work based on interest or passion).

There is a business model and philosophy for everyone! Yours is the one that resonates with me and many others in helping and healing professions...because we do want to create a business and a life that will "fuel our soul...and our bank account." :-)