Thank you both. regarding chacha1′s suggestion, to keep one’s eyes & hearts open to possibilities is one we could all keep in mind; and to Helen’s point that not all of us might have a passion that is something we can/should base our monitary lives around.

I like Jonathan Fields but I doubt this book would interest me, so I appreciate the good review.

I’m a bit over this constant push for ditching your day job and becoming an entrepreneur. I have NO business skills and an aversion to paperwork. Running my own business would be hell on earth for me!

For the last 3 years, I’ve been blogging about my passions: simplicity, minimalism, and Taoism, and my stock trading system based on these values.

I made some money through Adsense and affiliate marketing, and was thinking of repeating this in other niches.

Then, I wrote a book based on my stock system and realized how much more fulfilling it is to make money based on my passions, rather than passive “niche sites”.

Those are a dime a dozen, but now I have a chance to contribute something unique to the world.

I’m just not sure how to proceed. This book sounds like it would help me.

Recommendations: local community centers often have a roster of low-cost classes in a crazy range of subjects … everything from calligraphy to karate to computer skills to cooking. You just never know what might turn you on.

My angle is to develop a dance fitness focus, so I also obtained a personal trainer certification from a top-tier organization. In addition, I’ll be launching a blog, since I have noticed few dance instructors are using the Web effectively.

JD, this book may be behind the curve for me, but I appreciate your review because it makes me feel good about what I’ve accomplished in preparing to start my new career. Thanks!

Most of these books/articles seem to assume you KNOW what your passion is, or that your passion is monitariable. What if your passion is just to take photos of weird root configurations? (sure, you could sell those prints, but what if that part doesn’t interest you?) What if your passion is to become a good husband?

What if, as far as you can tell, you have no passion at all? Sometimes it feels like we’re trying to get from day to day so hard, that to imagine something greater for ourselves doesn’t seem possible. That there is nothing in life that seems likely to lift ourselves up, or that if it did, would have any monitary contribution.

What resources are there to determine what our passion is? These sorts of books seem to be step 2, while there is so little written about step 1. maybe it’s just assumed everyone can figure out step 1; i know I can’t.

I believe that there are many ways to turn your passion into profits. However, not everybody will prefer to do that, many will not be willing to pay for the price and not all passions can be turned into a business. There are just things not related to money.

Next time I would definitely put passion first. The advantage is even if you only get moderate success, it’s success doing something you love – something you might even pay to do.

no luck so far. I realized that certain things like artwork/ paintings must appeal to the right place where people look for and no place else. Im gonna keep on doing it till i find the right people at the right place.

I need some $ to push my work into Galleries, that will take some time.

If there’s any ideas/ artist outhere who love sharing some insight, I’ll be delighted to know. thanks

Along the same lines, I am finding myself very surprised at how much I am enjoying the challenges of working with online communities (and now blogging as well). I have been a technical writer for 16 years and was stagnating until I was hired to take on this project. I feel happy about going to work for the first time in many years, and it makes me wonder what else I can do along these same lines to grow a new career out of the roots of the old one. It sounds like this book might help.

I have not read the book, so I don’t know how much the guy relies on things like social media ( which I find useless for a lot of things) versus the many other ways to use the web and technology to increase business.

I’m not ready right now, but I’m trying to lay the groundwork, practice and save for the equipment that I’ll need, and maybe I’ll pick up this book too.

Thanks JD.

Really, though, I think of it more as a “library book first”. I do think it’s a good book, but I think a person should browse it before buying. For the right person, yes, absolutely, buy the book and keep it as a reference. But be sure you’re the right person.

WHAT IF YOU HAVE 50? no problem, you will have at least 25 YEARS to continue in life doing what you like the most! so don’t panic.

Thanks JD I’ll check the book and thanks for the review.

Certainly in times like these, with all the economy meltdown, anyone can use some inspiration and motivation to work on their lives / dreams / passions. You never know where you may find yourself tomorrow so to be able to have some passion that help build your personal brand and help you get some side-income is a great way of having a bit of security.

And it may turn to be so good, that it may end up being your new job…