Forget the “AHA! Moment”
I’ve always been a huge list-maker. Whenever my hyperactive, OCD stricken mind begins to turn and nobody around me wants to discuss whatever “breakthrough” I may be having, I go ahead and write it all down. I have lists for businesses to start, people to contact, dinner recipes to try, fundamental flaws in the universe, and more.
Anyway, the other day I was thinking about how lots of people seem to pick a career path. Then I realized… they often do no such thing. They wait around for the answer to come to them. The “AHA! Moment”.
Proponents of the AHA! moment might say things such as “Don’t worry, it takes time to figure this out” or “Just try some things”. In other words, just get any old job and expect to one-day wake up with a life altering realization. Suffer until you realize your destiny!
This is all a justification for complacency. Relying on the AHA! moment relieves you of the burden to figure things out for yourself.
So here’s an idea you can actually go do. If you are getting tired of waiting for the AHA! moment, go ahead and make the following list. It is a practical way to get the wheels in your mind turning. I certainly enjoyed it.
List 5-10 things you really like to learn about, or like to do, or enjoy in general. Simple as that. Focus on stuff that is unique and fun to you, even if you are unsure if it could make you money.
My list from the other day was the following:
- Reading and writing
- Entertaining people
- The natural world
- Various forms of social justice
- Green energy
- Coffee
- Motivating others
- Fitness
- Language learning
- Entrepreneurship
Nothing out of this world, but it helped me to visualize all in one place what my interests are. Now here’s what you will do:
Over the next couple weeks and months, dig into each item on your list and figure out potential ways to monetize it. Also, think about how several items might intersect.
Figuring out how to make money doing something you love isn’t easy, but you will certainly get a hell of a lot closer to that point if you take the time to make an effort, as opposed to waiting around like the rest of the world.
BOOM Roasted!