It Ain’t About the Money

This article was originally published on the Makers of Sport Podcast newsletter which can be found here. It has been modified some for a public and broader audience’s comprehension.

Why do you do what you do? Seriously, ask yourself. Is it because you need to pay bills? Maybe pay off some bloated student loan you acquired for some degree from an unknown university you aren’t using? Is it to put food on the table for your family? Maybe you have kids and need to support them with your work.

If you work solely for the purpose of getting paid, congratulations, you have a job. And that is wonderful. You are contributing to society by paying taxes and using your talents to build upon someone else’s dream (the company owner/s). There is nothing wrong with that.

But you…I know *you. You take the time to read books, articles newsletters or listen to podcasts to better yourself and continue learning on your own. You care more than Regular Joe* that goes to work 9–5 to make a buck and contribute to some other entrepreneur’s dream. You’re passionate.

A successful business friend of mine once told me that your passion is the thing you would not cheat on when no one else is looking. You might mail it in for someone else; halfway doing things to pass time until 5 PM so you can get away from the day job to do what you really want to do. For many of us, that thing you work on at night or on the weekends is the thing you really care about. It is where you put your heart and soul. Some are fortunate to do that thing full-time, even.

I once worked with a person who cared passionately about working out and exercising. This person would suffer through their entire day so they could get to the gym and push themselves to their max, never cheating on a rep. They were eager to run out the door at 4:59 PM to do what they cared deeply about. They were not passionate about what they did at work, they just liked it. Their true passion was working out, it was the thing they wouldn’t cheat on. And that is fine. My advice to that person was to find a way to mix the thing they were passionate about (in this case working out), with something they were talented at (design). Perhaps starting a business or side project geared at the intersection of the two.

Many of us work on side projects or make fake brands in order to better our skillsets or build upon our portfolios. This type of work is what we’re truly passionate about. It is the work we are not getting paid for, but doing because we love it — to master our craft.

…your passion is the thing you would not cheat on when no one else is looking.

I can’t tell you how many people ask me how much money Makers of Sport podcast makes, or question why I would spend my time putting hours into this podcast brand when it brings in literally $0.00 in revenue. In all honesty, I haven’t tried to make money off of the show. I haven’t tried to sell anything. Otherwise, I’d hit listeners with sponsors 3 times an episode. Each time I hear that same dreaded question, I shrug it off because I know that I cannot truly explain why I do this to the person who’s first thought is if the podcast makes money. Or perhaps I could, but they wouldn’t be able to comprehend it. They are not an artist. They are in the monetary mindset: monetize everything, sell your soul. That is not why I do my podcast (or any side project for that matter).

I create Makers of Sport Podcast and this newsletter because I am passionate about it. I do it because I thoroughly enjoy meeting and engaging with listeners in conversations. I enjoy connecting others and in some cases helping listeners get jobs. I do it because I care about design, creativity and entrepreneurship in the sports industry and want to do my part to make a dent in this niché, to be remembered, to push each and every aspiring sports designer or creative entrepreneur to get better and have more professional opportunities within their craft. Even if that means creating their own.

When you do something you care about and are truly passionate about, money is not an issue. Does the struggling musician hanging around Music Row in Nashville worry about money? Sure. But do they give up their guitar? Nope. They find something to pay the bills and keep working at their true love.

Patience is a virtue

To be transparent, one day I plan to monetize Makers of Sport. It is an LLC after all and this podcast & newsletter cost money to produce (equipment; software; pro-level accounts on Soundcloud, Mailchimp and other software; bandwidth; audio editing services; etc.). Covering those costs would be great to be honest.

But when that time comes, I will do so in a way that continues to provide value to listeners or readers and makes them *want* to contribute their hard-earned dollars because they believe in the value the podcast provides and want it to exist. I can guarantee the way I do that won’t be to waste time selling listener ears to some mattress company or domain seller. (FWIW, I have nothing against sponsorship or advertising, I just feel it muddies my own brand’s ability to be objective and want to provide the most value possible for free). And I dang sure won’t be doing it just to make a dollar for the sake of making a dollar.

I am patient with my passion project. I’m not going to rush making money for this thing I love. I want it to be right. That is worth more to me than making an extra couple hundred (thousand if you’re lucky) bucks a month on sponsorship.

Your “why” should include you

I have two sons and a wife that I love very much. I’d do anything for them. But one day those boys will grow up and move away, maybe going to college, maybe not going to college, but either way they’ll be finding something they care about passionately and work hard at to get better (at least that’s what I’m teaching them).

My wife has her own passions too outside of me and the kids. And it’s sure as heck not my podcast or graphic design.

I tell you this because my family are great reasons for why I do what I do, but, I don’t do this podcast or design through Mtn. & Co. solely for them. They aren’t the lone reason for my “why”. If my passions didn’t work out, I’d get a job and put food on the table. Feeding them is not why I do what I do and jobs are readily available, many of us just tend to have too much pride to work certain jobs.

I do my podcast for me. Because I love it. And because I love it, I work hard at it which causes others to love it and receive value from it. For those reasons, I am patient enough to continue putting out quality content for my listeners and supporters. This is the true core of my “why”. That love.

Do you exist in this life solely to buy food, pay bills or consume things? What is the core of your why? I recommend taking some time to reflect on why you do what you do. What are you passionate about? What are you doing to feed that passion? What would you not cheat on when no one else is watching? Would you contribute to growing that passion without pay? These are all questions we must ask ourselves in order to discover something we care deeply about as creative human beings.

Makers of Sport is a podcast exploring and curating conversation at the intersection of sports, design, creativity and entrepreneurship. The podcast heavily focuses on design in sports, specifically its impact on affecting and unifying culture. To subscribe to Makers of Sport, visit iTunes or Soundcloud.