Do what you love and make enough money
Channel: George Kao
Date: 2016-12-21

In this video, I share an article from one of my business heroes -- Derek Sivers -- and I'll intersperse with my commentary.  The link to Derek's original article: https://sivers.org/balance which includes additional links.

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NOTES from George Kao:

The balance could be macro or micro... meaning:

1. You could do a "day job" and do your "art" in the evenings & weekends...

2. Or you could focus on a job for a few months, then take a few weeks off to focus on your art.

3. Or, you could have a job for a few years (or decades!) to build up savings, so you could take a few months or years off money-making in order to focus on your art. 

Allow yourself to be flexible in how you achieve this balance.

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You don't have to keep suffering in your day job.  

You have several options...

1. Make your job less miserable (even happy!) by getting job or workplace coaching / counseling.  Some companies pay for coaching, so ask your boss about it.  Or, many companies have an employee benefit called "Employee Assistance Program" (EAP) where employees are gifted 5-10 sessions a year with a counselor.  My wife, Kim Tsui -- http://KimTsui.com -- counsels employees from companies like Google and Apple, through their EAP program, to help them be less stressed & happier in their job.

2. You might have a family member, or a life partner, who is willing to give you some time off your job, to focus on your art.  Have courage and be willing to have that conversation.

3. Stretch out your savings by moving somewhere much cheaper, such as Mexico or Thailand, where you could have a better lifestyle while spending half the money compared to living in most 1st world countries. 
I have several clients who moved to Mexico and they love it.
Here's some research re: where to move to in Mexico -- 
https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeKaoCommunity/videos/10154338454924867/

4. About being smart in your savings -- remember that a thousand-dollars saved is like a thousand-dollars earned.  Do *not* spend money on programs that say you can make 6 figures or whatever… almost all of those programs, while they sound great, are in reality very hyped up and deceptive. Most of the students in business/marketing training programs don't even make back their tuition fee.  Spend very wisely when it comes to business/marketing & training and coaching.
If you have a budget for this, I can help you invest in your business wisely.  Even in 1 session, we can make a lot of progress. (I'm grateful that, unlike many coaches, I'm able to offer coaching with with no minimum required sessions.) I can help you either build up the skills you need to grow your business, or alternatively, help you build a team of affordable freelancers to do the mundane stuff.

Use smart strategies to build your art — authentically — until it can become your income.

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The final ingredient Derek mentions is self-control / time management. If you've been following my content, you know it's one of my favorite topics.  Read my free articles at http://georgekao.com/joyful-productivity or contact me for coaching to help you become a joyfully disciplined, self-empowered artist. http://georgekao.com