How Not to Give Up on Your Passion Projects
What do you do when your passion projects make you want to pull out your hair or when giving back becomes a headache? Here’s one CEO’s solution.
Well folks, today I am incredibly frustrated.
(Identifying details below have been altered for confidentiality, but the emotions behind this article are mine and 100% real.)
I’m helping an organization try to move into the modern era: I’m working late and on the weekends for them, pulling out all the stops, and going above and beyond because it’s a cause I believe in. I know in my heart that without help, they are doomed to fizzle out and cease existing… soon. In my company, we pride ourselves on delighting our clients, so we’re known for going above and beyond, but usually it’s for much better pay. Our normal fees usually provide enough of an incentive that the businesses we work with have decided they need to make changes and know we’re the best ones to help them; in short, they work with us instead of against us. This one however, is my passion project; I believe in what they’re here to do, and in my heart, I want to help them survive. (It’s one of the ways I give back.)
This company has a very specific way they have gone about their business for decades, but as you know, the world has changed a lot in the last 20 years. I accepted this challenge because I believe in what they do and think it would be a shame to see them close their doors, but the phrase “uphill battle” doesn’t even begin to cover it.
This article was originally published on Inc.com in December 2014.
Author, activist, international speaker, multi-preneur, mentor, wife, and mom, Ariana Ayu is a Transformational Mystic and a Catalyst for Conscious Change.
She is the creator and lead educator for the CannyNurse™ Certificate Program, a 50-hour CEU program for nurses from LPNs through doctoral degrees, and the first comprehensive cannabis nurse training program designed for working nurses. An ordained priestess, holistic healer, and lifelong student of ancient/ modern wisdom, Ariana’s nursing background includes pediatrics, labor & delivery, nurse education, and Holistic Health/ Integrative Nurse Coaching.
She earned her MSc in Advancing Nursing Practice from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland (UK), and her Cannabis Nursing Certification from Pacific College of Health and Science.
She is passionate about racial justice, social equity, environmental preservation and conservation, and empowered health, wellness, and joy for all. Her practice is governed by the ethical principles of integrity, nonjudgment, empowerment, and respect for her clients’ autonomy.