Turning Your Passion into Your Profession

“Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” While this is an ever pin-able saying, in real life, it can be a lot harder than it seems to determine your dream job — even harder to actually land it once you decide what it should be. So today we’d thought we’d share this article from the Glitter Guide. They’re walking us through what it looks like to turn our passions into professions. Interested? 

Do you fantasize about turning your passion into a full-time profession? Katelyn Wood has been there — and she’s (successfully) come out on the other side. Today, the founder of Love. Luck. Kisses & Cake shares her advice for making your dreams a reality.

I used to daydream about having my own creative business, and last year I finally found the courage to take the leap and follow my heart. If you have a similar dream, my best advice is to stop doubting yourself and go for it. Life is short, and you’ll never regret pursuing something that fills your soul with happiness. 

In case you need a little kick-start, my suggestions are below!

1. Pick your passion wisely.

This probably sounds obvious, but you have to be really serious about your passion in order to make it your full-time profession. You must be willing to pursue it 24/7. You’ll probably have to make some sacrifices. Each day brings its own challenges, and it’s not always easy. You put your heart on the line when you follow your passion, so it can be hard not to take things personally. I guarantee that there will be days when you feel broken down. But then there will be days when you feel unstoppable and on top of the world — and those are the times that make everything worth it in the end.

2. Believe in yourself.

You have to be your own No. 1 fan and cheerleader. Trust your gut and listen to your instincts. When I started Love. Luck. Kisses & Cake, a lot of people told me they didn’t think my hobby could be turned into a business. Sometimes you just have to shut out what other people think and focus on what you believe in. Chances are, if you love and feel strongly about your craft, others will, too. It’s all about finding your niche.

Sometimes you just have to shut out what other people think and focus on what you believe in.

3. Do your homework.

Cultivate a hunger for knowledge! Before jumping in, I researched, read, asked questions and talked to lots of different individuals. It’s important to understand your industry and your market so that you can make educated decisions every step of the way.

4. Have a plan (but don’t stress over every detail).

My desire to have a foolproof plan ended up being one of my biggest hurdles; in retrospect, I regret not starting my business sooner. I actually came up with a lot of my ideas several years ago, but I became guilty of using excuses. I told myself I didn’t have enough money, time or resources to get started. The truth is, you will never have a perfect plan — you just need an idea and the drive to begin working toward it!

What’s Katelyn’s fifth (and perhaps most important) tip? Hop over here to the Glitter Guide to find out!

Image via Richard Douglas