Do what they love.

“Do what you love and the money will follow.”
How do you interpret that statement?
Many have been led to believe that if you do what you love, a lot of money will follow.
And there is a ring of truth to it.
It goes something like this.
If you love it, you’ll be open-eyed and curious about it.
You’ll study it, learn about it, and spend more time doing it.
And all of that passion and attention (love) will give you an edge over your competitors.
I’m not so sure.
Yes, passion is extremely important in business, as well as in other aspects of life.
And certainly, those who truly care and are genuinely excited about their profession will have an edge over their competitors.
But success in the marketplace has little to do with what you want or what you love.
It’s about being other-focused.
Or to put it another way, “Do what they love and the money will follow.”
Love your customers, like parents sending their children off to their first day of school.
Your inconvenience, like rushing around to get your child’s lunch ready while making breakfast and reviewing spelling homework, will provide your customers with convenience.
Your fear and pain, like working two or more jobs to pay a second mortgage that will inevitably be used to finance your child’s education, will provide your customers with a sense of comfort.
Delaying your gratification will provide customers with theirs.
Your risk will be your customers’ reward.
The marketplace isn’t a complex environment with complex solutions.
It’s simple.
Not easy mind you, but simple nonetheless.
Help people feel better than others do, and do it at a profit.
The challenge is to continuously change and innovate, and achieve this simple concept over time.
So again, if it’s money you’re after, you must do what they love and the money will follow.
And if you’re truly blessed, you’ll also love getting up in the morning and doing it.