Life is much easier, and a lot more joyful when you’re spending it doing the things you love. The majority of us spend most of our waking lives at work, which means creating a happy life means finding the ideal job. What better way to make sure you love every Monday, than to turn a hobby you enjoy into something you do for a living?
Turning your creative hobby, whether it’s art, baking, or making things, into a career, is an excellent way to transform your life. You can accomplish incredible things in today’s landscape, particularly as the internet makes it easier for anyone to start a business in no time. You will learn tips for saving money, making money, and launching a startup all in one swoop. Of course, before you leap into turning your creative hobby into a career, there are a few things you need to know.
Passion is Not Enough
Being passionate about something is a great place to start when you’re turning that thing into a career. However, it’s not enough on its own. You also need to be determined and committed to making your new business work – even when times are tough. The reality is that running your own company isn’t easy, and there will be a lot of times when you struggle with high feelings of stress and uncertainty.
When this happens, you need to be prepared. Passion will give you a good foundation to work with, but you’ll also need to ask yourself how likely it is you’re going to stay motivated and focused when things get tough. If you don’t have additional support and drive to get you through the difficult periods, you might not be in the best position to start turning your hobby into a career right now.
The Right Portfolio is Crucial
One of the most valuable things you’ll have when you’re working on your creative career, is a portfolio. This is something that virtually every artist and designer has today. Make sure you know how to create your own, and what you should be populating it with. For instance, if you don’t have a lot of experience, you should at least be able to show off your qualifications.
If you don’t have any specialist certifications right now, it might be a good idea to look into going back to school and earning a degree. Getting a degree will make you stand out from other competitive creatives in your environment. It’s also much less expensive than you might think with the help of solutions like the Going Merry college scholarships platform, which helps you to find scholarships you can apply for.
It Will Not Be a Hobby Anymore
Finally, keep in mind that turning your hobby into a career usually means you won’t be doing it as a hobby anymore. Most people who paint for a living don’t also paint in their free time to relax. While you might be able to still enjoy a lot of the hobby outside of your work time, it can be difficult to separate the office from your place of relaxation if your hobby is now your career. Ask yourself if you’re comfortable with the idea of losing your hobby, if it means you’re still getting a job you enjoy.