We need jobs so we can pay our bills and keep a roof over our heads—no one is gonna dispute that.
But when you factor in schooling (basically a factory for producing workers), we end up working for more than two-thirds of our lives.
Thus, we meet a dilemma: a question so BIG that we’re asked far too young.
“How do I choose a career path that won’t bring me 40 years of fucking misery?”
It’s probably the reason why 95% of people turn a blind eye when it comes to career selection.
The question is just too dam daunting.
I turn 31 in December.
I’ve spent decades wrestling with that very question. And I’m glad to say, the last few years have really helped me come around to the idea that an answer exists—because I’m living it right now.
The Sweet Spot: Where Meaning Meets Money
There are two things you need to get down if you want to avoid a career you hate waking up to.
- Personal meaning → “Will this keep me motivated?”
- Profit potential → “Will this make me money?”
Think of the first as if you were choosing a life’s project you’re genuinely passionate about, so you can stick with it—even when things aren’t going your way.
Think of the second as if you were assessing the grading criteria of that project, so you know what a passing score actually looks like—before you commit a lifetime of resources.
The first is about you: “Will I even care about the people I’ll be serving and the problem I’ll be solving?”
The second is about them: “Will people even demand the thing I’m about to invest my entire life towards?”
The goal (in my opinion) is to find that sweet spot between the money we make and the meaning behind the money-making.
Only then will our inner-mercenary (the human need to make a living) can find harmony with our inner-missionary (the human need for meaning/purpose).
You put yourself at great risk when you prioritize or neglect one over the other.
So let’s address these now.
Personal Meaning: Picking the Right Reason
This one’s best conveyed with a quick story.
When I left my corporate job, I went all-in as a freelance copywriter. I needed quick money because dammit—I had bills to pay.
So I served ‘anyone who’d pay me.’ Whatever niche it was—I did not discriminate.
Men’s retreats, Japanese sweets delivery services, NFTs, DIY terrariums, smart pens, tabletop games—you name it. I even sent work to a women’s etiquette program… a Woman’s. Etiquette. Program.
(Not knocking it btw, just showing how deep the rabbit hole goes when quick money becomes your sole motivation)
The elephant in the room?
- I had zero passion for the work.
- I didn’t care about these people.
- I had no experience with their products.
Every time I switched niches it was like resetting my character to level one. I’d have to re-learn the buttons, get used to the combos, and battle the same monsters.
Eventually, I stopped trying to serve any ol’ avatar and started serving the only avatar I genuinely have experience with—me.
That’s who I’m most qualified to serve, no? That’s who I have first-hand experience with, no?
When you confront and overcome your own problems, you attract people who are exactly like you.
Unhappy with your weight? Go and fix it and help people who are in your shoes when you first started.
Unhappy with your sex life? Go and fix it and help people who are in your shoes when you first started.
Unhappy with your business? You get the idea.
This mindset shift was a game changer.
No longer did I have to pretend to give a shit to make a few bucks—I was the product. And yes, you care a lot more about the people you help when they’re going through the same problems you did.
In a single sentence:
You find meaning by creating value for people who are two steps behind you.
The distance between where you are now and where you used to be is the impact you can make in someone else’s life.
As you solve more problems in your life, your ability to help others grows.
Your earning potential stops when you stop growing as a person.
And that is a personal choice.
Profit Potential: Picking the Right Market
This one’s self-explanatory—we’re here to make money.
Because let’s be real, it’s hard to ponder the meaning of life when you’re broke.
The market you enter is like the height of your ceiling—no matter how awesome your product or service is, you’re capped by the demand of your solution within that market.
To avoid playing a losing game, there are four questions to keep in mind when considering whether a market is a go or no-go.
Question one: Are they desperate?
People shouldn’t just want but desperately need your solution.
Think back to a time when you were truly desperate—when nothing in the world mattered but solving that one problem. That’s the level of motivation you need from your audience.
If you can articulate their pain better than they can, your solution will feel like the second coming of Christ.
In short: a prospect must be desperate enough for us to solve and charge for our solution.
Question two: Do they have money?
If the person you’re trading with doesn’t have the thing you want (e.g. money), then you aren’t going to get the thing you want!
Sounds super obvious, but sometimes it’s the most obvious we tend to overlook. There’s a reason charity and business are two separate categories.
In short: ensure the people you want to serve have the money to actually pay for what you’re offering.
Question three: Are they easy to find?
You could have the perfect product, in the perfect market—but if finding your ideal customer is like searching for a diamond in the rough, you’ll fall on deaf ears.
The good news is, with over 5 billion people online, it’s never been easier to find those “watering holes” where people love to drink and socialize.
Entrepreneurs will surf entrepreneur spaces.
Sports fanatics will surf sports spaces.
Creatives will surf creative spaces.
In short: if you can easily locate those “watering holes” where your customer’s love to meet, you’ve got a winner.
Question four: Is the market growing?
When I was in the oil and gas industry, I once saw a team of 50 get cut to 3 overnight.
They were replaced by robots…
The last thing you want to do is invest in a dying market. What you want to look at are the eternal markets:
- Health
- Wealth
- Relationships
These are the Holy Trinity when it comes to people and their eternal struggles.
Making money is painful.
Getting in shape is painful.
Building relationships is painful.
These markets have staying power because the problems in these areas are intrinsic to the human experience.
In short: pick a market with staying power.
To really drive these points home, a reverse example would be like selling to the Amish.
- They seem happy (question 1)
- They aren’t Rothschild wealthy (question 2)
- They aren’t surfing internet forums (question 3)
- They aren’t into converting outsiders (question 4)
All things considered
When thinking about profitability, focus on the eternal markets—health, wealth, and relationships. Serve people who truly need what you offer, have the resources to pay for it, and are easy to reach.
When it comes to personal meaning, make sure the work aligns with your values, goals, and life experience. Serve people you care about and focus on problems you understand or are actively trying to solve.
When you find that balance between meaning and money, work becomes more than a means to an end—it becomes the meaning itself.
If you want to take the next step by actually implementing these principles, I have a step-by-step roadmap with an accompanying worksheet for you to see tangible progress.
Check out the Solopreneur Starter — everything you need to get from zero to one is in there (don’t worry, it’s free).
Thanks for reading and have an awesome weekend 🙂
— Mat
