F*** It: This Is for Me

Mental Models, Performance, Business & Entrepreneurship | newsletter.scottdclary.com

Aug 29, 2023

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F* It: This Is for Me**

Have you ever been scrolling through YouTube late at night, and an ad plays promising this one unknown hack that can make you money?

First of all, the guru’s are horribly cringe.

The latest schemes argue they’ve found an untapped niche in the market ripe for exploiting.

This is the most unappealing thing in the world.

It’s not that I don’t want to make money—quite the opposite. Like everyone else, I want a secure, stable income that can provide essentials (and maybe even some luxury) for me and my loved ones.

But that’s not the problem.

The idea of chasing some random business just because it might have strong profit margins isn’t enough for me. I would argue that most of the successful people in the world would agree.

I want to do something, I actually enjoy doing (while making money doing it).

I’m reminded of a conversation I had a few years ago with Leven Rambin, Hollywood actress from things like All My Children, Hunger Games, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Leven had some wise words for everyone who has outside noise, telling them to chase something other than what makes them happy:

“Fuck it. It’s fun. I don’t care. This is for me, it doesn’t matter if it works out.”

Damn right.

He was a skater boy

Ever heard of Mike Smith? No, not the NHL goaltender or Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys (my Canadiana is leaking again).

The skater. The kid from Nebraska who can’t even spell the word entrepreneur. The founder of The BAY, Skate for Change, and a pile of other organizations.

He has dedicated his life to supporting at-risk youth and built a motivational speaking empire without trying to exploit profit margins.

“I don’t really think of myself as the kind of entrepreneur that’s often portrayed in the media these days,” he told Forbes in 2017. “I don’t build companies to make money. I do them because I get really excited about some issue.”

His career started with a non-profit facility that gave kids a safe place to skateboard and hang out. He has never taken a salary from the park, and instead leveraged it into a speaking career and other businesses.

Smith is a perfect example of how passion can turn into profit, even if it’s not the perfect niche or a blue ocean category. He admits there was basically no research done beforehand:

“I didn’t want to sit and think of a business plan and spend time prepping. Instead, I just wanted to jump in. I would figure out a way to get it done.”

Mike Smith Live, his speaking company, grossed over $1 million in the 12 months before that Forbes article.

Follow the effort

Chase your passion sounds like good advice, right? You’ve probably even heard it before. But Smith explains that it’s not quite so simple. He finishes that interview by saying don’t do what you’re passionate about, do what you’re good at.

He’d fit right into the billionaire club because that’s essentially the same advice that Mark Cuban gives young entrepreneurs.

“Look at where you apply your time,” not necessarily your passion. Follow the effort; the thing you can do for hours on end without struggle. Cuban explained in a now-infamous blog post something that we all should already somewhat grasp: “When you become good at something, you will enjoy it more.”

That doesn’t mean finding the most lucrative industry. It means looking around at how you already spend your time—your hobbies, work responsibilities, relationships—and noting what you could spend the next ten years doing.

Work at it. Get really good at it, and you’ll fall in love.

Don’t wait too long

Something I hear from young professionals all the time is some form of “I’m just climbing the ladder here, but what I really plan on doing is _____.” There is this prevailing attitude that you have to achieve success in one field before allowing yourself to chase something else.

So you go to work every day at a job you can barely stand, and then lie awake thinking of that startup you have planned for ten years from now or the non-profit your community desperately needs.

Once I’m successful, then I can do what I want.

I’m here to tell you that’s foolish.

By waiting for success to come in a field or job you don't truly love, you're wasting precious time dedicated to pursuing the real diamond. Why trudge through a career you don't care about when you could live every day in excitement, passion, and purpose?

I’m not encouraging unrealistic dreams of quitting your job and hoping that success will miraculously knock on your door. I’m advocating for doing something about what you love today, not ten years from now. Polish your craft, start probing the market, and practice in parallel.

If you hang around waiting for the right moment, you’ll be waiting forever. As Steve Jobs once said, "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."

Facing your fear

I get it. You're probably thinking something like, "Easy for you to say!" But it's not, not really.

I face the same fears, doubts, and imposter syndrome you do. Believe me. It's terrifying to risk stability for a pursuit that might not generate the same income level—especially in the beginning. And you think I’m not intimidated when interviewing people like Seth Godin?

But isn't risk part of pursuing something you genuinely care about? Isn't there a certain thrill in the idea of doing something you love every single day?

The fact remains that there is no surefire formula for success, whether you're following passion or profit. But if you're truly dedicating your time and energy towards something you love, failure becomes not an end, but a stepping stone, a learning opportunity.

No one cares if you fail

One other thing? I’ve learned time and time again that the only person who cares about your failure is you. Don’t be so arrogant to think that your success is what other people are at the center of everyone else’s universe.

Ultimately, people will admire your courage and guts for taking a risk.

Start today, not tomorrow. Defend your dreams from those who don’t believe in them. Believe in your passion so strongly that you become magnetic and ignite it in others. Take the leap. Have the courage to step outside of what's safe, to break away from the ordinary, and to risk the mundane.

Remember, it’s not about chasing a get-rich-quick scheme or following the course others decide for you. It's about doing what feels natural, what brings joy, and yes, what might just make you some money along the way, too.

So, when someone asks why you're not following the tried-and-true path, why you're not taking the same route as everyone else, your answer should be simple.

"Fuck it. This is for me."

If you enjoyed this article, I’d love to hear from you.

Write me at scott@scottdclary.com or tweet at me @ScottDClary and I’ll do my best to get back to everyone!