For years I have struggled between two priorities. First is the motivation to make money–to satisfy my needs and also gain power to satisfy my wants and desires. Money is currency necessary for exchange on Earth. It’s neither good nor evil, but simply represents what we value and hold dear.
Alternatively, ever since I became a Christian, and began to learn about potential, talents and gifts, I aspired to not just make money but to become all that God purposed me to be. I have attached a great value to the feeling that how I spend my every moment is aligned with what makes me unique.
And so, for years these two priorities have competed. I ignorantly aligned one as more “spiritual” or more Christian, with the possibility of spilling over into financial needs. While the other was mainly self-serving and a bit carnal, yet necessary with potential of also pleasing God.
Does this make sense?
I know it wasn’t a healthy way of thinking, but I don’t think I’m the only one.
Today, I want to share how I’m learning to grow and evolve with this thinking.
To me, both of these priorities, making money and exercising my gifts, could complement each other at times but also would compete. This, of course, leads to double-mindedness and confusion. It leads to living without integrity or conviction. I was trying to force a cohesive mix of what I saw as oil and water.
This past week I started reading a book called So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport. The books subtitle boasts: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love.
The book has been rocking my world and it’s helping my perspective change.
Here’s a summary of some of the main points:
1. When it comes to having a great career or work experience, starting with passion leads most people to frustration and disappointment. Why? Because other people won’t give you money because you’re passionate, rather you will get money because you are really good at something that they value.
2. A lot of people don’t know what their passions are. Passions often arise AFTER you have spent time cultivating a skill. Passions most often arise after rewarding experiences. But if you are unable to work consistently, you never build up a skill and allow a passion to grow.
3. If you want to have the control and freedom to do the work you love, you have to leverage years of experience doing things other people value. To determine if other people value what you do, see how they pay you. If they are not willing to pay you, then they really don’t value it.
Note: If you’re not getting paid much, don’t take this negatively, but allow it to open your mind. Please read on…
The way you are currently getting paid, shows you what you currently do that is of value to others. You are being valued for a specific skill or task. If you want to get paid more money, you thus have to increase you ability to bring this person, this company, this boss or client value.
If you want to get paid from your passion, you need to have cultivated the skills to a level that other people value. The more you increase you skills and provide people value that is unparalleled to other options, the more money you can make.
Yes, you do have competition. People choose how and where they spend their money. Yes, they may be your friends and family, but that can only last for so long. If you are not that good, or unique, if there are other options just a good and perhaps cheaper, you will not last.
So, how does this all relate to my original thought?
In my opening, I talked about my struggle between money focus and calling or gifting focus. When I now realize is that, there’s a third option, which may be a better choice.
These first two priorities are ME centered, and that may be the key to their weakness. How can I make money, or how can I feel energized or pleased with the work that I do? My focus is all about me. Though I sprinkle a little Christianese with the fact that God created me to do this, or even God wants me to prosper, I still fall short.
If I am truly being led by God or Biblical principles, my core motivations are not about me. My actions are either an act of loving God or loving other people. Either way, it’s not about me. When I am focused on loving another person, I am in effect offering them something they value. And if I give someone something they value, could I not receive payment in exchange?
The question then comes, HOW can I best love others, how can I add value to someone else in a unique and beneficial way?
The answer brings all of these priorities or motivations together.
The best way to love someone or bring them value is to solve a problem or satisfy a need that you were created to satisfy. When you look at your gifting, not in light of others, but only in light of just you and God, you miss the whole point. You may assume it’s a gift or talent, but if you never present it to other people, you really don’t know.
You miss the provision that is inherent in your gifts.
I personally find that confusion and double-mindedness leave when I become others-focused and realize people exchange money for what they value. If you look at what’s already in your hand and give yourself to growing where you are, you find a totally new kind of joy, truly blessing others.
How do you begin to profit from your passions or gifts?
First, you really need to be sure that what you think you’re gifted in is really a gift. I find that, in spite of spending years cultivating a talent or gift, you naturally have an advantage in that area. You naturally can advance and develop in it faster than the average person.
So again, you need to stop looking inward, but look outward. Are people willing to pay you? If they are not, what you are doing is not really valuable. It’s not that helpful. It’s not solving their problems or meeting their need in a special way. You need to go back to the drawing board.
What if you know for certain your value is somewhere separate from your job?
Here’s an idea.
Begin to create small projects, small products, little opportunities, that allow people to exchange money for your “thing.” You have to test the waters. Test your friends, family, and audience CONTINUALLY. Receive feedback, fix, tweak, and put something else out there. Offer a trial, a once month or once a week event. Find out if people will give you money. Learn from it and keep at it.
I think friends and family will support initially, but only people who truly value what you do or have will keep giving you money. They will pay you not because they like you or believe in you, but because you are doing something they really find valuable.
How am I doing this?
Next month, I’m going to release my first book. It’ll be short and sweet and filled with all kinds of powerful insight–IMHO.
Whether I sell 1,000, 100, or 10, I will learn from the experience. With the book launch, I will organize some events, devotional material, or study guides along with it. Nothing too complicated, but it will be of value to people who understand my story and align with how I think. I have learned some things that have completely changed my outlook about life and keep me encouraged and hopeful despite circumstances. Is there a value or market in this?
Only time will tell. Or better, money will tell. 🙂
And if I don’t get booked with speaking engagements for 24 months, if I’m not invited to conferences and churches across the world… what happens next?
I’ll do it again. I’ll learn from it. Get better at it, and put out another book, supplementary products this time next year. I will test the waters by allowing people to exchange money for something of equal or larger value.
And in my day job or business work, I’m being brutally honest about why they pay me and what they want. If I can leverage my writing or speaking in a way that brings people value, I’ll do it. But if they don’t value it, and rather want me to design websites, generate leads, or organize marketing plans only, I’ll do that. I’ll give them what they want and it’s all good.
God has called us to represent Him by loving others. I see loving as not just an empathetic or compassionate touch, but serving others in the way that matters to them.
Create a Great Day
@ArvellCraig