How to Turn Your Passion into a Paycheck

Turning your passion into a paycheck is one of the biggest blessings in life. When you’re doing what you love, you won’t feel like you’re working! You feel passionate, inspired, joyful, positive, charged up, energized, enthusiastic, happy, grateful, and blessed.

I started out as a blogger, six years ago. Blogging is my passion and I did it two years for free, motivated by my love for writing and sharing the advice that can help people. Then after two years, my blog went “viral” and I started getting paid freelance writing opportunities, offers to do workshops and speaking gigs. Offers to do a workshop on a beautiful island in Croatia, free gifts, books and more.

That’s when I realized I turned my passion into a paycheck.

For almost three years I was earning my income by writing, but then I realized that my passion was for helping people with advice and helping them to improve the quality of their life. I decided to follow my passion again, and start everything from scratch. I knew that in India (where I was based) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (where I’m from), I would not have many chances to succeed as a life coach, and charge the prices I wanted to charge for my services, as most of the people do not even know what a life coach is (“Life… what?!) and the average living standard was not very high. I decided to focus on building an online coaching practice and working with international clients via Skype.

That meant that I had to start writing and posting on social media in English (which is not my native language), and work hard to succeed and become well known. I had no experience in writing in English, few English speaking friends. I didn’t have much money to pay for advertisements, branding or a website.

After completing my life coaching course, I was hustling hard and sitting in front of my laptop all day every day. I was working with a mentor, I started writing in English and set up a simple blog by myself in WordPress. I worked with pro bono clients for six months, to get experience, and I was writing words of inspiration and posting inspiring quotes on my social media channels.

It wasn’t easy, but it was so worth it, once I started seeing my articles published (in English!) in The Huffington Post and other publications. I even became a columnist for COSMOPOLITAN magazine that same year. My following on social media was increasing, and I was getting heartwarming feedback from people who were reading my articles and advice.

Some people who knew me laughed when they found out about my prices, saying that I should reduce them as there will be “nobody” who will pay me that much money, there were plenty of coaches ready out there, and I was starting out. I had wonderful results with my pro bono clients, years of my own personal growth journey, and vast knowledge I’ve acquired over the years from Indian gurus, books, personal growth workshops and an advanced yoga retreat. I knew my value as a coach and how much I could help, so I decided not to reduce my prices. It took six months till I got my first paid client! That was the moment when all my efforts paid off and when I started earning (again) by doing the work I am passionate about.

Looking forward I know now that dreams do come true, even the wildest ones and that it is POSSIBLE to turn our passion into a paycheck. It might not be easy, but it is doable and possible, if we work hard, have patience, believe in ourselves, and have the courage to go after our dreams. I hope that my story will inspire you to turn your own passion into a paycheck. If I can do it, and I’m from a small, poor country in South Eastern Europe, with English not being my native language, you can do it too! All it takes is passion and purpose.

If you have a passion that you want to turn into a paycheck, here are steps that have helped me over the years to do that:

1. Show what you know and can do

If you have a passion that you want to turn into a paycheck, you need to start talking about it, sharing it as much as you can, to as many people as possible. People won’t know that you have a passion, skills, and talents until they see, hear or find out about it. Post and write about it on your social media channels, talk about it, share your work with people, help someone you know.

2. Use the power of social media

Start posting pictures of what you’re passionate about on your social media accounts. If you want to sell food items, organize parties and serve it there, and make sure that everyone knows that you prepared it all and it is your dream to do it for a living. Organise a party for your friends and family members, neighbors, community events… if you want to become a party planner. If you want to become a coach, start sharing positive quotes, lines of inspiration and advice on your social media channels, start helping people who are facing some challenges in your community. If you want to become a writer or a full-time blogger, start blogging. If you want to work in fashion, start sharing your outfits on your Instagram profile, and helping other people with choosing and buying theirs.

Whatever your passion is, make sure that you spread the word about it, show what you know, and declare to everyone you know that you would like to do it for a living. That way, if anyone who knows you need someone to organize a party for them, cater food, write posts for their blog, design something, buy a beautiful painting for their home, hire an assistant, they will remember you and reach out!

3. Surround yourself with people who will understand and support you

Surround yourself with people who will support you, not those who roll their eyes when you share your big dreams with them and discourage you.

4. Start blogging, vlogging, or writing about it

By sharing what you know with other people on your blog or blogs, you will get the benefits as a result. You will have a platform which will be about your passion, and it will bring you joy. You can serve other people and help them, build a name and reputation for yourself. By growing your blog you will get noticed by influencers in the niche or your dream employer, and that would be a ticket to your dream job! If you decide to sell any products or service, later on, there will be a group of people who knows and trusts you and will support you or buy from you.

5. Get trained or certified

If you are serious about turning your passion into a paycheck, get the training or certificate that will help you to build the credibility.

6. Offer to volunteer for the experience

Don’t be afraid to work for free for a period of time, that will be your road to success in the long run. Working for free you will get the experience and confidence to charge for your products or services later on.

7. Be of service and give value

I like to call it the “karma of success” give value, give value, give value… and then ask for the business. Be of service, work for free, help people, offer free samples, share your advice or expertise, give a talk, coach or train someone for free. This will help you to get your name out there and the referrals you’ll need for a successful business. Once people know about you and how good you are they will be more than happy to pay you and recommend you to someone else. There is no better advertisement than word of mouth networking!

8. Know your worth (and don’t settle for less)

Once people start asking: “How much do you charge?” it is important that you know your worth and don’t settle for less. You want to be realistic about what you offer, how much value you can give, and what unique core competence you have. Base your price on the basis of that. Have in mind that the prices you start charging, in the beginning, will “haunt” you in the future.

9. Law of attraction: Work on your mindset

To start earning money by doing what you love, (and we’re talking about a decent paycheck here) you need to work on your mindset too!

If you have a limiting belief that you’re not worthy enough to charge premium prices, you will not be able to turn your passion into a paycheck, no matter how great, talented, ambitious and hardworking you are! If you feel that you’re struggling in this area, consider working with a life or business coach can help you to overcome these limiting beliefs.

10. Ask for help

Starting on your own in a new field or niche can be hard. Working with a business or life coach can help you to start living your dreams much faster. You will get the clarity about what is it that you want to achieve, and realistic, achievable action steps on how to do it. A coach will give you personalized and tailored advice, and support to help bust limiting beliefs that are holding you back from living the life of your dreams.

If you’re doing a job where you’re waiting for the weekend to come or the vacation, you’re likely, not doing the right job.

You can, instead, decide to build the life and job you don’t need a vacation from!