Everybody says at one point or another that you should do what you love. If money were no issue (which it shouldn’t be), people would just do what they wanted all the time. But is there not a way to combine the two and make your passion your main income stream? I tend to believe that there is.

There are multiple ways to create a viable income through what you love to do. And if you go down the rabbit hole of trying to monetize your passion and come out of it dissatisfied, then it might not have been what you really wanted in the first place. You’ll never truly know until you try.

Here are 4 ways to generate income from your muse.

1. Get good at it (or great)

Keep in mind that you don’t need to be an expert — you just need to be more knowledgeable than 80% of the niche market you’re targeting. If you want to be a physical trainer, you probably want to try out multiple methods of lifting (you should also ensure that you look the part by being in great shape). If it’s a specific field, read 4 to 5 books on the subject, then try your best to regurgitate the knowledge you retained in your own light. Once you reach this level, your knowledge will become a valuable commodity.

2. Teach others your passion

Webinars, online courses, in-person coaching — anything that you love can be taught to other people who have the same passion. You can charge a premium if it is something truly niche and you get to be surrounded by a community of people who share your interests.

3. Write an e-book/tutorial

If you don’t want teaching to take up too much of your time, consolidate what you know into writing a quality book that can teach others or show others the passion you have. This option has the added benefit of being passive in creating income.

4. If what you love is creating a product, sell that product

This one is a no-brainer. If you make paintings, sell those paintings. If you make music or write or build custom chairs and tables, create like crazy and spread them out into the world (for a fee of course).

While these are all simple ideas to get you started, keep in mind that if what you want is to truly follow your passion, then you will do it in spite of the money. The income will be an added bonus, a reward for taking your passion to a whole other level. Your muse should be there no matter if money is being made from it or not.

A quick side note that’s actually really important is this: make sure to discover your niche market first before you go off selling to the world. You need to address the people you are targeting, figure out a problem they have in their life, and find some way to solve that problem. For example, if you know of multiple 40-year-old men who no longer enjoy their careers and want out of the rat race, make something that could alleviate that pain, such as an e-book or online coaching for how to do just that. As for art, such as music and wooden furniture, there isn’t necessarily a problem you are solving, but maybe there is an absence in somebody’s home, a void that can be filled by your creation. Just make sure that the target audience for your gift is well defined so that it doesn’t get lost in the land of generic products.

Keep trying to pursue your dreams! Best of luck!

Featured photo credit: Bench Accounting via unsplash.com