Passion Is Terrible Business Advice

0:00So, we talk about passions, right? And we hear the term follow your passion. And I actually took that very much to heart. And so, when I was right out of college, I was a management consultant. I did space, cyber, intelligence stuff um as a defense contractor right out. And I was very miserable during that period of time. And I was very obsessed with fitness cuz I'd always been into fitness, probably like 7 years into fitness at that point. I was like really into it. I was competing, things like that. And the people I worked with were like, "Dude, you got to do fitness, man.

0:29Like, it's literally all you talk about. You're obsessed with it." And I even got to the point where one of my coworkers was like, "I'll give you the money to start the gym if you if you just start one." And so, that was kind of my sign. And so, um I ended up obviously leaving and then fast forward, I I started a gym. And the gym ended up becoming successful. But what was interesting is that I started the gym because I loved fitness. But actually owning a gym had very little to do with fitness. I had to sell memberships. I had to fix broken equipment. I had to fix playlists. I had to pay payroll. I had taxes. I had admin. I had I had to make the workout.

1:03All of these things. And the majority of my day actually had nothing to do with what I was quote passionate about. And the majority of the customers that I had weren't actually interested in powerlifting and strength training. They were like women who just wanted to lose weight. Um but I was like, "Okay, well, that's the market. I'll just keep growing growing the business." And then I eventually, you know, had those and then I started Gym Launch. We licensed the model to 6,000 locations. We ended up selling to private equity. And today, I have a gym with no members.

1:29And I only say that because there's this idea of following your passion. And it's a very attractive thought. It's a great soundbite when someone asks you, you know, what what what piece of advice would you give to people? You'd be like, "Follow your passion." The thing is is it's not actually practically relevant relevant because one, your passions will likely change. The things that I loved when I was 20, I might not love now. >> Yeah. >> Uh number two, um even if they don't change, the percentage of your day will actually be doing your passion is typically very small if you want to make money doing your passion. You'll never work another day in your life. Sure.

2:05Right? Um and number three, money also tends to change your relationship with it. I had a different mentor who said, "Never try to turn your passion into a business because uh then you turn it into work." And so, different different wisdoms, but I'll say as somebody who um actually went full cycle on this and I don't know many people who have who actually said like, "I followed my passion. I did the full thing and I've ended back where I started which I now have a gym and I work out with the people that I like and that's it." And there's no memberships, there's no marketing. That's That's what it is and I love it.

2:38And so, I think that in some ways you can pervert your passion in a way by trying to monetize it. I'm not saying that you can't. That's Can't and shoulds, do what you want. >> I love that >> But >> [laughter] >> But but my experience has been that like if you want to do your passion, do the thing you're passionate about and then make money where the market would like to pay you for your goods and service.

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