Do what you love = money will follow?

How often do we come across the dictum “Do what you love and the money will follow.” For sure, many successful people can attest to this. But there are probably just as many who will say it’s just not true. How many struggling artists, writers, teachers, entrepreneurs, and professionals are out there pursuing their passions but not getting ahead?

I pose the question because I find myself conflicted with my present scenario:

Some things that I like to do = take so much time but don’t pay that much
Some things that I don’t like to do (even hate to do) = don’t take much time but pay well

I am glad I do get to do some things I love doing and get paid for well, but it’s those little, nasty things that I have to do or are asked to do but do not excite or engage me at all. In fact, they can be quite irritating. Yet, I do them because I do them well enough and I get paid well enough for them. I’m not yet at the point where I can just say no.

At the same time, I’m doing some interesting things that don’t pay as well. Should I still spend time on them when they don’t pay as much? Is this just the price I have to pay until such time that I earn enough on just what I love?

My conclusion is this: doing what you love doesn’t automatically mean the money will follow. The trick is to find things that you love that also pay handsomely. There’s another word for things that you love to do that don’t pay well. They’re called hobbies.