Another Take On Finding Passion

“Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility,
like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark.”
– Henri Frédéric Amiel,  Swiss writer.

In Issue #132

Another Take On Finding Passion
by Monica Day

It seems that I’m not the only one trying to tune in to my inner passion. Last week’s essay struck a chord with quite a few readers. Which I love. It makes me feel less alone on the journey.

One of the letters I received was one my own mother could have easily written a dozen or so years ago. And now, as a parent who is watching my own daughter bounce from piano to cello to chess to fencing and back again, I can relate. Not only do we yearn for focus and direction for ourselves, we can hardly bear to watch people we love flounder and continue to come up empty in their own search for a career – or a passion – that consumes then and makes them feel happy and satisfied.

Is copywriting always the answer? Definitely not. But more and more, I’m becoming convinced that both the skills and the practice of copywriting – and the field of direct response marketing – has far more to teach us than mere writing skills. I’m convinced that everything you need to know about life and people and motivation and core emotions and earning a living and speaking your truth and exercising your creativity can at least be unlocked by its pursuit.

Here’s the letter and my answer…feel free to send your two cents to: admin@copyprotege.com.

Dear Monica,

Thank you for the lovely newsletter. Very inspiring.

I’m hoping that you can help me. My son has been struggling to find his inner passion. And, I’m somewhat ashamed to admit, that his father and I have been a bit disappointed at seeing him rifle through a variety of jobs and taking a myriad of disjointed classes, always to come up … should I say "empty".

We kept looking inward … afraid that we had failed him somewhere along the way, and have been at a loss at finding ways to help him overcome his inability to either find direction in his education or to find a career where he will be happy. That said, after reading your newsletter this afternoon, perhaps he’s not quite as lost as we thought. Perhaps he just hasn’t stumbled across that "ah ha" moment where he realizes what destiny has planned for him.

That said, his latest area of interest is redirecting his studies to a communications major with hopes of writing for a magazine. Of course getting his degree in communications will help, but my gut tells me that he can begin honing his skills now.  I’ve been reading your newsletter for some time and I know that you highly recommend several of AWAIs courses (as well as Accelerated Training Services program mentioned below), and I’m wondering given my son’s situation, if there is a specific AWAI (or other) course that you would recommend to help him put his toe in the water in this career path? Do you have any words of wisdom you can share?

Any thoughts you care to share would be most welcome and appreciated. Congratulations on finding your inner passion. – K.G.  

Monica’s Response: Of course, I’m biased. But I think in your son’s case, my bias is well-founded. That was also my major before I switched to English Literature/Creative Writing. And I really feel that colleges and universities are missing out by turning their nose up on our industry and not teaching direct response advertising techniques.

After all, it’s a trillion-dollar industry! We must be doing something right!

I have found that my copywriting practice has improved my skills in so many areas. I can’t imagine it would steer your son wrong in any way. As long as you don’t get attached to an outcome – in other words, give it as a gift and let him decide how to use it – then I think it’s a wise move. The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting is the best place to start – then let his passion or interest guide him from there.

Resource Referral: An Early Gift For New Grads and Entrepreneurs

So many of our readers are pursuing copywriting for themselves, but the letter I shared with you today made me realize that copywriting can also be a powerful gift that can change a person’s life. If you know someone who has just started their own business, or someone who is graduating from college this year, why not gift them with a basic understanding of the power of copywriting and a primer on the direct response industry?

It’s funny to think that after shelling out thousands of dollars to get a diploma, or sinking tens of thousands into a new business venture, it could be your humble gift of The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting for less than $40 a month or less than $500 in one shot could be the thing that changes their life and gives them the best chance of succeeding in just about any area they pursue.

Quick Copy Tip: Inspire Your Designer

When you turn your copy into your client and you think it’s done – the truth is, it’s only half done. Next, it goes to the designer. And she will have to start at the beginning – read your copy, figure out the best way to arrange it on the page, the color scheme, the look and feel that works best for the product.

But you’ve already spent weeks with it by then. You probably can see the final product in your mind. But are you putting those ideas on the page before you turn it in? Or just hoping that it will miraculously come together the way you imagine it in your mind’s eye?

Every designer I’ve ever worked with has been grateful to get as many liner notes as I’m able to provide to guide them towards the finished piece. Now, I’m no designer, and I don’t pretend to be. But I do know the copy and the customer intimately by the time I’m done. When I can share and inspire the designer, I’ve taken yet one more step towards getting a control-beating piece out there. It’s worth the extra few minutes – and even learning some of the basics of design – in order to give your copy that extra edge.

(And stay tuned, next week I’ll show you a magical way to actually do the design yourself, even if you know absolutely nothing about it today…you’ll be blown away. I know I am.)