063: Get Paid to Pursue Your Passion in 48 Hours or Less [Podcast]

When you see other people chasing a dream, it’s natural to think they had it easy from the start. You imagine they were born with a camera, football, or typewriter in their crib. But reality tells us a different story.

Every day, you get in your car and drive to work, school, or a coffee shop without thinking about it. But do you remember the first time you got behind the wheel? The anxiety, the sweaty palms, the whiplash?

Just like no one sits in the driver’s seat for the first time and instantly maneuvers like Dale Earnhardt, no one begins pursuing a passion and becomes a legend out the gate. It takes practice.

This week on The Portfolio Life, Andy and I talk about how easy it is to forget the stress of starting and an experiment I did to launch a new idea in 48 hours. Listen in as we discuss practical steps to take a dream and go pro using the resources you didn’t realize you had.

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You can do more than you think is possible

The human condition encourages us to pursue safety. To find security in what we know already works and avoid anything that might embarrass us. Steven Pressfield calls this “Resistance.”

The excitement of an idea is quickly faced with excuses about why it won’t work. We become paralyzed by doubt, afraid to try new things. Resistance stops us from starting.

After hearing my story about quitting my job, writing four books, and becoming an entrepreneur most people say, “It’s great for you, but I could never do that.” The truth is while starting is stressful, it’s not as hard as we make it out to be.

To prove this, a friend challenged me to take an idea and launch it within 48 hours. There were only three rules:

My existing email list and social accounts were off limits.
Someone had to purchase something from me.
The budget was meager ($20).

Keeping to these three rules, I accomplished the goal (while helping my wife potty-train our son). Some readers even joined in and launched their own 48-hour projects. And we all learned the same lesson: Starting, even starting over, is scary. But you can do it.

You think you don’t have the resources, but you’d be amazed at what you can accomplish in a short amount of time.

Show highlights

In this episode, we discuss:

Common excuses people use for waiting
Why pursuing a passion is like potty training a toddler
The step-by-step process I used to launch an experiment
Tips on roasting coffee at home
How to start a new project from scratch
What to do if you have a small budget
Examples of regular people who launched something new in 48 hours and got paid
How chasing a dream affects your friends
The slowest way to add people to your email list that still works

Quotes and Takeaways

Starting is scarier in your head than in reality.
You learn by doing.
Upset the comfortable.
You can stretch yourself without quitting your job or risking bankruptcy.
You can do more than you think. You just need to get started.
You have more resources available to you than you realize.

Resources

Are you in? What are you going to launch or create in the next 48 hours? Share in the comments