One of the best acknowledgements that I receive from people around me is that I’m happy! It’s a great compliment because this is something that I work at, it’s not by accident. I mean, who really wants to go around mad at the world? Well…we all probably know one person…but that’s another story for another day. What I have learned is that happiness is a conscious choice! And often, I find that those who are choosing happiness are doing something in their life that they are passionate about.

I posted a meme this past week that said, “Passion is to Purpose as Caffeine is to Coffee”.

Caffeine is a stimulant that increases blood flow and mental alertness. When added to coffee it gives you that “pick me up” that gets a lot of us through the first hours of the work day.  How many of you wake up and can’t function without your morning coffee? Coffee, when used as an enema also had medicinal properties. True story. 

Passion is defined as a powerful, compelling emotion or feeling; strong fondness or enthusiasm for anything. It’s that powerful feeling like caffeine that gives you the desire or “pick me up” to seek your purpose or commit to a loved one, etc. And when you accomplish something that you are passionate about, it gives you an immediate sense of satisfaction or gratification, like that first amazing sip of coffee.

I believe that God presents each of us with Gifts or Talents that are to be used to help or serve others. If you think about your circle of friends, each of you has something unique that you do extremely well! It may be something that comes naturally and is very easy for you while others may struggle.  But at the same time your friends excel in things where you fall short.

If you find yourself always chasing money vs. money coming to you; you may not be living in

your Purpose.  I’m going to use Auntie Oprah to explain what I mean. Oprah has used her gifts and created an empire that shapes how people think, how people spend money, books people read, and TV and movies that people watch.  Everyone wants to do business with Oprah or get on her show or just be in the same room with her! It’s true that if Oprah endorses your product, be prepared for your business to increase by leaps and bounds.

The same thing happens to people who are living and working in their purpose with intention and diligence. People will see you thriving and want to be associated with you. It’s that Midas Touch effect.  So how do we get to Oprah status?

Step 1: Focus on the things you love, things that you are passionate about, and that fill you with energy. A good measure is if you’d do it for free, there’s a good chance that it’s something purposeful.

Step 2: Now that you’ve thought about this. It’s time to put pen to paper. Take those things and write them down. Yes, all of them. All the things that you are good at, that bring you joy, and fuel your soul.

Step 3: After you have that list, now it’s time to score and research: You are going to give each item a score from 1- 5 (1 being lowest, 3 being the highest)

·       Is there an audience for the product or service?

·       If yes, how big and is it enough for you to successful enter that market?

·       If no, mark it off your list…IMMEDIATELY

·       How passionate are you about it?

Step 4: Add up your scores, and the things with the highest scores are the ones you should

pursue monetizing.

Step 5: Spend some time writing or typing out those ideas, researching the industry, your

potential customers, pricing strategies, vendors you would use, etc.  

Google is your friend! The internet is full of free information that will be helpful.  Also, don’t be afraid to use your resources. You may know someone who knows someone in that field that can give you real life data about the industry. Don’t be pushy but never be afraid to ask.

If you are passionate about many things all at once, you may find this exercise to be challenging for you. If you find you are still stuck after following these steps, hire a Business Coach or Mentor to help you work through these steps and to figure out how to package, price, and market your product effectively.

Until next time,

Renay Butler Inc.