Choosing a career based on a hobby or avocation that you're already passionate about is a great way to increase job satisfaction and long-term personal fulfillment. Many people choose jobs that pay well or promise a safe route to self-sufficiency, but the truth is that you could be getting paid for doing what you love. Hobbies like playing piano, playing chess, or wine tasting can all be turned into lucrative and highly satisfying careers with the right business plan.
Teach Others
Transitioning your hobby into a successful career starts with identifying and capitalizing on something you already love. You probably already have the acumen and know-how in the particular field that you're interested in. If you're already passionate about chess or fiction writing, there's a good chance that you know enough about that field to start teaching complete novices and earning a steady income doing so. Crafting online courses that highlight your passions and teach others is a painless way to start turning your hobby into a fulfilling career.
Write an E-Book or Blog
Alternately, since you already have a working knowledge of the field and its nuances, you could try teaching others about your passion through an e-book. Publishing online has never been easier. If publishing a full-size book isn't your cup of tea, though, you could try promoting your passion through a blog to generate passive income. Pay-per-click advertising is the main way that your future blog could help you generate income and turn your hobby into a fulfilling career. Your blog could be comprised of how-to tutorials on some aspect of your hobby or your personal story and rise to the top.
Appraising and Restoration
There's often a more overtly business-oriented side to almost any passion. If your passion is antique cars or old books, then helping others appraise those items could translate to a career opportunity. The underlying concept stays the same: Turning your career into a hobby starts with capitalizing on the knowledge and industry experience that you already have through years of honing your craft. In a similar vein, you could use your passion and take a more service-oriented direction while still turning your hobby into a viable career. If you're passionate about guitar playing or computers, you could consider restoring antique guitars or repairing scrapped computers.
Shifting your hobby into a fulfilling career starts with finding the area that you're most passionate about and discovering a route to generating income. You can write how-to tutorials about some aspect of your hobby or create a blog to bring your passion to the public. Alternatively, you could get into appraising items related to your hobby or pursue a career in repair or restoration.
