Part of a series that begins with the post Start Your Own Business?!

This is not remarkably new information, but it bears repeating (over and over and over)…

MONEY should not be the primary deciding point in starting a business.
PASSION should.

If you are truly passionate about money, maybe a money-focused business might work. But even Donald Trump doesn’t care as much money as he does about “The Deal.” (And inflating his ego).

If you are looking to start a business (or get involved with a business opportunity, or buy a franchise, or start selling a product, or whatever) it is essential that you care about the business for reasons other than “if this goes well, it will make me rich,” or even some variation on that.

“I won’t have to work anymore.”
“I’ll be able to automate it and retire!”
“I’ll have multiple streams of income!”

Those are all great things to achieve, and I wish everyone who is seeking them luck and blessings… but you probably won’t ever achieve them unless you are passionate about the work.

It’s hard to get passionate about retirement, or about sleeping in. I think it’s even hard to get passionate about money. Even Tim Ferriss, the champion of automated income, encourages his disciples to think bigger than money or leisure.

If you have found some magic formula for creating money with something you don’t care about, while not working very hard at it, let me know (or better yet, sell it… oh wait- that would be the way). But back in the land of reality and (moderately) ethical behavior, making a lot of money takes some kind of effort. Even making a little bit of money takes some amount of effort. And if you are going to spend your energy, why aren’t you spending it on something you are interested in, fascinated by, and passionate about?

And finally, two points which may actually be new ideas in this massive conversation:

• If you cannot find a way to turn one of your fascinations or passions into a business, you suffer from a lack of imagination. Imagination is essential to entrpeneurship, so maybe you aren’t cut out for starting your own business.
• If you are not passionate, or at least fascinated, by anything at all, you lack the drive and spirit required to be an entrepreneur.

• Strength Finder by Tom Rath; Discover Your Strengths by Buckinham and Clifton
  These two books will help you discover what you are good at, passionate about, and fascinated by. I’ve met more than a few people who have started successful businesses because of the advice of these books.
• Flow and Finding Flow, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
  These books, and all the work of Csikszentmihalyi will convince you that the highest and best use of your time is to engage in activities you are good at, fascinated by, and passionate about.
• 48 Days to the Work You Love, by Dan Miller
  This book is a wake-up call to all those who think they can toil away at work they only tolerate.