How to Follow Your Dream – Plus Make a Living
If you're serious about making a difference, the "starving artist" myth may be exactly that - a myth.
I had an interesting discussion recently with a friend who feels his One Big Thing is to be a writer. The problem is that he’s not making much (if any) money at it, but he wants to dedicate himself to the pursuit full-time. Granted, he’s working hard at it, but his wife is getting understandably frustrated because she’s carrying the load of a full-time job and raising the kids while he pursues his dream of being a professional writer. How about you? Have you been in a similar situation? In my book One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do, I outline a much deeper strategy for making the transition to getting paid for your dream job, but in the meantime, let me give you a couple of options to start:
1) Adjust your life to match the current status of your dream. In other words, live at a financial level that allows you a full-time pursuit of your dream job. That probably means some serious cutbacks. I have a friend who is a professional actor. That’s a tough career, but he’s adjusted his life so he can pursue the dream full time right now. That means he’s not married (yet), lives in a tiny apartment, has a beat-up car, uses an old cell phone, and generally keeps his expenses very low. He lives a modest life, but guess what? He’s a professional actor. He doesn’t have to work at Starbucks, goes to auditions nearly every day, and has focused his life on his career. He’s a great guy and very happy, but he’s made the sacrifices necessary to pursue his dream without being a burden on anyone else.
2) Adjust your dream to match the current status of your life. In other words, work around your current job, marriage, or other commitments, even if it means pursuing your dream part-time. I wrote my first two books while working a full-time job and raising a family. I came into the office two hours early every day so I could write without being disturbed. That way, I could work all day and then focus the evenings on my family. But without fail, I committed to getting up early and writing. Today, I’ve continued that schedule. My writing and speaking career takes a backseat to my job – running our media production and consulting company, Cooke Media Group. So I still write in the morning, and even on Saturday when most people are sleeping in, you’ll usually find me in my office on the computer.
I think the key is desire. How much do you really want it? Enough to cut back your expenses to a level where you can pursue your real gifts, or change your schedule so you can pursue it in spite of your current responsibilities?
Either way is tough, but the great news is you don’t have to be a burden on anyone else. Hopefully your spouse, family members, or friends will encourage you, but you don’t have to become a burden to them. You really can do this on your own.
Now, go make it happen.
Phil Cooke, PhD. has been called “one of the most innovative communicators of our generation.” As a media producer, writer, speaker, and consultant, his client list includes major film studios and TV networks as well as major Christian organizations like Voice of the Martyrs, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, and others. He’s also coached and consulted with many of the most influential churches and nonprofit organizations in the world, helping them use media to tell their story. You can hear his podcast here.
