As a dad who has spent over 20,000 hours building and ranking websites and running SEO and SEM campaigns, I want to share my journey of finding passion and how you can find yours, too. This isn't about waking up one day with a clear vision of what you love. Instead, it's about creating passion through persistence and dedication.
How I Found My Passion
Passion can be created. It's built by starting something you initially suck at and sticking with it. I had no idea what I was doing when I started building websites. I didn't wake up one morning obsessing about websites, pixels, leads, Google Ads, and Facebook Ads. My journey began with fear—fear of being stuck in a cubicle, missing out on time with my kids, and not living the life I wanted.
I used to wake up at 4 AM, go to the gym, work in a cubicle making cold calls, and come home dead tired. I had barely any energy to engage with my family. This fear of a monotonous life pushed me to start a side hustle. I had no coding skills, but I absorbed everything I could. Over time, I improved, and eventually, I enjoyed it. It wasn't an immediate love affair with digital marketing. It grew gradually as I got better and saw the fruits of my labour.
Building Passion Through Persistence
You might wonder how to choose what that side hustle should be. Passion can be created when you start doing something you're not good at. You put in 1,000, 5,000, or even 20,000 hours and get better. As you improve, you start to like it. When people ask how I found my passion, I tell them I started with something I needed to improve and persisted.
This process involves a lot of sacrifices. You might miss social activities, but the payoff is worth it. For example, I continue to buy SEO courses and learn new things even though I consider myself competent in SEO. There's always something new to learn, whether it's a different SEO or project management type. I've embraced the mentality of being a lifelong student, always seeking to improve and innovate.
Overcoming Fear
Starting something new often comes from a place of fear. I feared a life where I was always exhausted, with no energy for my family. This fear drove me to build something better. I didn't want to make sure to take advantage of my kids' lives and spend my weekends too tired to engage in activities. This fear can be a powerful motivator. It pushed me to create a side hustle that could change my life. Looking ahead, I realized that continuing on the same path meant sacrificing precious time with my family, which was unacceptable.
Creating a Supportive Environment
One key element in building passion is fostering a positive environment. For me, this meant creating a workspace where creativity could flourish. Having clear, attainable goals helped me maintain focus and drive. This approach kept me motivated and made the work more enjoyable. Surrounding myself with a supportive community of like-minded individuals also played a crucial role. Sharing my journey with others who understood the challenges and triumphs of digital marketing made the process more engaging and less isolating.
Embracing the Journey
To sum up, passion isn't something you find; it's something you build. It starts with fear, grows with persistence, and thrives on continuous learning and community support. It was about breaking out of a monotonous life and creating something I loved. If you want to start something, do it because you fear the life you don't want.
Every day can be as fulfilling as a Saturday or Sunday when you love your work. I'm still on this journey, constantly learning and working hard, but it's a life I chose and love. Start something new, stick with it, and watch your passion grow. I now can spend time with my kids, whether playing in the yard or enjoying a day at the beach. My work doesn't pay the bills; it enriches my life and brings me closer to my family.