If you’re reading this, then there is a reasonably good chance you’re thinking about making money with your own business. No problem, except – do you really want to?

Working for yourself is hard, with longer hours, more responsibility, needing a greater (and wider) knowledge of business, and so forth. Yet despite the extra work, many enjoy it and wouldn’t go back to a nine to five, choosing to remain at their ‘six to ten’ (6am to 10pm, that is). The key? Passion.

If you’re thinking about changing jobs, the one you’re moving to must, well, MOVE you. There are several reasons to pick a business revolving around work you enjoy. Everyone with a hobby knows how easy it is to learn more about that interest, as opposed to other, more general information. It takes a lot of inside knowledge to get to the top of your industry, or at least get noticed – the easier it is to pick up that know-how, the better.

Doing what you love gives you another advantage over other possible jobs. Many self-help and ‘how-to’ guides encourage you to visualize your ultimate destination – extra money, new house, a better lifestyle. While that’s fine, few focus on the trip to get there – enjoying yourself along the way. Considering how few people enjoy their jobs these days, why not spend some time to find out what suits you, before you launch that new career?

As a final thought, enjoying your work acts as a buffer when the going gets tough. Every business has slow days, and it’s unfortunate that the self-employed have the most self-doubts when this point arrives. Doing what you enjoy helps you get through – things may get bad, but ‘AT LEAST I’M DOING WHAT I LOVE!’

So sit down with family and friends, and list what interests you. Focus on your strengths, and narrow down the profitable from the not-so-profitable. And then someday soon, while your friends are talking about what they want to do ‘some day’, you can just sit back and smile!