Passion or money?

[Anirban657]

I am Anirban from India and I am confused if I should continue my ecommerce t-shirt print on demand business or quit it to follow my passion.

I had done Leo's life purpose course 5 years ago but I got so lost in other courses that I prioritized money over passion. My values are contribution, consciousness and helping others. My biggest strength is love of learning. And I have some idea that I should be in the relationship industry because I desire mastery of social skills. 

I started the t-shirt business in a hurry because I felt like I had to start earning money. But now I regret it. I really have emotional issues related to making decisions. 

The funniest part is I don't know exactly what I should be doing. Everyone in my life is telling me to continue my ecommerce business. But I don't want to do that. I want to master social skills and make money through contributing something of value to people's lives. 

My ecommerce business sold only 10 units in the last 3 months of $7/unit. And I am resenting my ecommerce business. I could kill my soul and just do that ecommerce thing. But I believe it's not the right thing. 

My ecommerce business is not serving people. The purpose of this e-commerce business was to make money. And after watching Leo's Money Psychology video I am convinced that I have some psychological work to do. 

What would you do if you were in my place? Should I quit the e-commerce business and find my passion or should I continue killing my soul? What would you do? 

 

[aurum]

@Anirban657

How badly do you need the money?

If it's going to make the difference between affording food or not, I'd probably stay in it at least until you're ready to transition to something better.

But if you feel like you can financially let it go, and that's what you want, go for it. You made $70 in 3 months, it's not like you're walking away from a million dollar company.

Regardless, I'd suggest clarifying your life purpose. This is great:

4 hours ago, Anirban657 said:

I have some idea that I should be in the relationship industry because I desire mastery of social skills. 

but it's not specific enough.

Start mastering your social skills and see if that is an industry you want to be in. You can even do that and your ecomm business at the same time if you really wanted.

[Yarco]

I agree with aurum that mastery of social skills is really broad.

Why do you limit mastery of social skills to relationships? There are so many other ways that social skills can interact with our lives. To me sales and marketing are social skills, for example.

I would get a piece of paper and write down your tshirt business, and social skills / relationships as 2 options. Then write down everything else you are interested in. Even hobbies you did for fun as a kid that you stopped doing. Then see how each one might overlap with each other... social skills in particular.

[Anirban657]

@aurum I want to master social skills like pick up but I have been learning a lot of theory related to sales skills. I have experience in none of them. 

I am going through the Life Purpose Course again and I am trying to figure out what I want. 

I am also thinking about going to Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in my city in India to seek advice. 

I am 21 years old in college and I don't have much neeed for money. My parents are supporting me. 

@Yarco I am doing the exercise that you mentioned. 

Apart from my t-shirt business and my desire for learning social skills I am interested in-

1. Public speaking through YouTube videos
2. Blogging 
3. Singing
4. Playing harmonium
5. PC gaming

I have a youtube channel and a blog where I write about spirituality which falls on deaf ears but I like YouTube and blogging very much. 

 

[aurum]

2 hours ago, Anirban657 said:

I am 21 years old in college and I don't have much neeed for money. My parents are supporting me. 

I'd say forget about the ecommerce business then.

2 hours ago, Anirban657 said:

I want to master social skills like pick up but I have been learning a lot of theory related to sales skills. I have experience in none of them. 

I'd also consider a part-time job in sales then since you're in college. You'll bring in money (more than your ecomm business is right now) and you'll learn social skills.

Also, start with pickup. Find guys who are into it and start going out. Do courses in that as well so you can understand the industry.

2 hours ago, Anirban657 said:

Public speaking through YouTube videos

This will also help your social skills. Doesn't matter if no one watches, you'll build skills just by talking into the camera.

2 hours ago, Anirban657 said:

I am going through the Life Purpose Course again and I am trying to figure out what I want. 

I am also thinking about going to Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in my city in India to seek advice. 

This also all sounds good to me. Do it all.

[Anirban657]

@aurum Wow! Thanks for the advice. Simply expressing my thoughts on this forum and speaking to people like you is so enlightening. 

[Leo Gura]

Use the money you make to invest in your passion until your passion becomes the source of your money.

[Nahm]

Focus is on ‘passion or money’, what you don’t want & what you do want, while what you actually want is passion and money. Make a dreamboard, put everything you want on it. Let go of thoughts about what you don’t want. 

[Spiral Wizard]

8 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Use the money you make to invest in your passion until your passion becomes the source of your money.

hit the nail on the head

[Ponder]

Passion every time my friend ?

[Anirban657]

16 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Use the money you make to invest in your passion until your passion becomes the source of your money.

@Leo Gura Ok Leo. I understand that I will use the income from my e-commerce t-shirt business and I will invest my money and time in mastering my passion. I will do both t-shirt and passion at the same time. When my passion starts generating enough income to support me, I will let the t-shirt business go or hire a manager. 

I did the Life Purpose course 4-5 years ago which let me to find my values and strengths and a vague passion and I am taking it again now to pin point what my passion could be. 

16 hours ago, datamonster said:

@Anirban657 Both! You can do two things until one really takes off. 

If that's your passion project, great! Now quit your T-shirt business and double down on your passion.

If that's your T-shirt business, sell it or hire a manager and then go into your passion project full-time.

@datamonster Very enlightening! 

15 hours ago, Nahm said:

Focus is on ‘passion or money’, what you don’t want & what you do want, while what you actually want is passion and money. Make a dreamboard, put everything you want on it. Let go of thoughts about what you don’t want. 

@Nahm I will do it. 

8 hours ago, Spiral Wizard said:

hit the nail on the head

@Spiral Wizard Yes! 

5 hours ago, Ponder said:

Passion every time my friend ?

@Ponder I understand! 

[Strangeloop]

I go with @datamonster and Leo. you shouldn't quit your e-commerce business if it's actually making you money. I heard a lot from business people who say "have multiple sources of income" this is very important. If one thing fails, then you have another. It would be a much safer bet to keep going with your t-shirts and actually search for a true passion you want to do while you still in the business you have now.

Sure it will take longer, but maybe you won't slack off and get lazy that much because this business can teach you some work ethic that will give you a boost in your passionate endevours.