From Draining to Driving: Rethinking a Passion Project

What happens when your passion project starts draining you, financially, emotionally, and energetically?

Imagine the situation. You’ve been running your passion project for a long time, it’s something you care deeply about and it serves you and it serves a community you’re involved with.  You have always offered your passion project product for free or a low price, but behind the scenes, it comes with costs, coordination, and time.

It’s got to the point where you recognise something has to change so you have been seeking advice from people you trust. However, instead of clarity, you have been left with too many opinions and no clear path.

So how do you slow things down?

Maybe start by exploring the story behind your passion project.  

Why did you start it in the first place?  

How has it evolved?  

What does it mean to you now?

Then switch focus to unlock some fresh thinking.

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Imagine what a new version of your passion project might look like. One that still served its purpose, but which won’t leave you depleted.

From there, real insights are likely to flow:

• What you really want the event to do for you, your business, and your life.

• How you cover costs without compromising values

• Ways to reduce the time it demands

• How you show up differently.  Be more present and be more energised so it works for you, not against you

• And how, in this new shape, it could actually feed you rather than drain you.

This can create a powerful shift, going from something that now feels like an obligation to a newly revived passion project you are intentional about.

From “how do I keep this going?” to “how do I make this work for me?”

Key takeaways

• Too many perspectives can cloud your own voice.  Sometimes you need space to hear yourself

• Passion projects should energise, not exhaust

• A side hustle that supports your life, and/ or your business, needs to be sustainable, for your time and money

• You don’t have to choose between meaning and money.  You can design something that honours both

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• A small structural shift can create a big emotional release

If this resonates with you, take a moment to reflect on your passion projects.

Are they serving you or holding you back?

The next 10 years start now. How will you use them?

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Photo by takahiro taguchi on Unsplash