Are you doing what you love? Are you passionate about your vocation?
I have a confession. My passion is writing. While I enjoy helping others set up blogs, writing for a living is all I really want to do. I want to write from home, on my own schedule, and be paid for it. I want to be able to support myself writing books and articles, with occasional speaking engagements to promote the books.
OK. I’ve said it. How do I make the dream a reality?
Via Micro Persuasion, I found a link to MyYawp.com, a site that helps people turn passion into profits. At first I thought it was a company offering consulting services, but as far as I can tell, it’s only a resource site. On My Yawp you’ll find success stories and a six-step plan to turn your passion into profit. I think it’s definitely worth a visit or two.
A yawp is a sharp cry or yelp, and the first place I’ve ever saw the word was Walt Whitman’s poem Song of Myself:
I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their
parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.Creeds and schools in abeyance,
Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,
I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
Nature without check with original energy.
…The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me, he complains of my gab
and my loitering.I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable,
I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.
It’s almost criminal to quote so brief an excerpt because it doesn’t do the poem justice, so I encourage you to read the entire piece at your leisure. To learn more about yawping, see YAWPING—A PRIMER.
Following our passion and making money while doing it sounds easy, doesn’t it? I’ll keep you updated on my progress. ![]()
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April 6th, 2006 at 5:45 pm
In my 9th grade English class many years ago, we discussed this poem. One young lady said it was a poem about being stuck on oneself, but I did not see it that way. I saw it as celebrating the life that God gives us.
And, April is National Poetry Month.
Great post–a good inspiration for the rest of us too.
April 7th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
Thanks for commenting, Helen. And thanks for the tip about National Poetry Month. I didn’t know that.
April 11th, 2006 at 6:10 pm
Loved this site about yawping! I am going to work on my yawp so that I can find my voice and be relevant.
Thanks
August 21st, 2006 at 6:37 am
Do the hidden value in your Passion. Create a Product or service! Sell it for Profit and make money doing doing what you love!
Regard
December 12th, 2006 at 9:31 pm
NO matter what you ever do, NEVER lose that passion. It’s quite genuine!
-kevin
December 13th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
If your passion is writing and helping others to set up blogs, mine is reading others’ blogs . So hope you continue to what you want in order that I will get more quality blogs like yours to read.
Don Lapre is a Superstar
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