I’m on Clearwater beach right now getting ready to start my 5-day Retreat tomorrow. I don’t have my normal video set up with me, but I’m going to do my best to shoot something on my phone to say hi while I’m here.
In two weeks my show comes out on NBC.
In just three weeks my book comes out in North America.
All this means that my current schedule is pretty unrelenting.
As I write this my trainers are all sat around me on the top floor of the hotel, working on content before we go into action mode for the next 5 days.
Here’s the view from where I am:
It’s always strange the day before going on stage. I sit and think about all of the things I want to convey, and I go through my training manuals to make sure I’m on my game. One of the most important things to do before a speech is to emotionally connect with your material. If you don’t do that you can have the best material in the world but you won’t speak from the heart.
I work incredibly hard and I think about my work a lot. Often people tell me to take a break or to go on holiday. But what they don’t realise is that this IS my holiday. I’m doing what I love. There’s nothing else in the world I’d rather be doing. Maybe that’ll change one day. Maybe I’ll go in another direction altogether. But until it does, I’ll keep doing this all day everyday, because my life is focused on doing what I LOVE.
When I talk to people about their lives and whether they are doing what they love, I often hear this response: “Yeah but for you it’s easier because the successes you get validates the work you’re putting into it. It reinforce your efforts so it becomes easier to work hard.”
There is a lot of truth to this. The successes I’ve gotten HAVE reinforced my behaviour and provided much needed motivation at times.
But here is where this idea misses the point:
I was doing this LONG before there were any successes to report.
For those of you who have been following my work for years, you may remember this video:
I filmed this over 3 years ago when I was living in my apartment in London and none of this had happened. I have even older videos from 3 years before that (which were pretty terrible by today’s standards) when I was really only starting out in coaching. When I first started I was in survival mode. It really wasn’t easy. There was a ton of rejection. Lots of doors closing on me from people who said I was nobody, that I had no experience and wasn’t established enough.
But I did it anyway because, well, what else would I do?
See it’s true that on some projects in life you stop when you’re not getting any rewards.
But when it’s your love, your passion, you do it regardless of the ‘validation’, because you know you wouldn’t be doing anything else in the world.
If your love in life was business, then you wouldn’t stop creating businesses just because one project didn’t pay off. You would just change your approach. If you love business then you know you’ll be creating businesses till the day you die, because that’s what you love.
A painter who is a painter in her heart doesn’t stop painting because no one is buying her work. She paints because that’s who she is at her core – a creative soul who expresses it through her paintings. She doesn’t do it for the money.
I love the lifestyle I get from my public speaking. I love the fact that I get to travel. I love the amazing individuals I’ve been able to meet as a result, and the opportunities it affords me in life. But I was doing this before I had any of that, and I’ll still be doing this when the TV cameras go away. I’d do this if there was NO money in it and I had to sustain myself working in Mcdonalds. I’d be doing this if I had only one person to give a seminar to each week, because I F*****G LOVE learning about and helping people. It’s my obsession.
Everything else is a just a wonderful bonus (most of which I never even anticipated, let alone got motivated by).
Oh and do I need to point out the obvious parallel with your love life?
- Flirt because you LOVE flirting.
- Love because you LOVE loving.
- Be courageous because you LOVE being courageous.
Don’t do it for the rewards – those are all just wonderful bonuses.
I want to leave you with a video today from an up-and-coming artist who is also carving his space out in the world. His name is George Watsky and he’s another great story to follow. His new song is called Cardboard Castles. I have no reason to promote his work other than the fact that his song sums up so much of this blog post, and that I love to help someone succeed in doing what they love.
My favourite line of the song:
“I do things on a shoe string you couldn’t do with a cool mill”.
Because that’s what we do here on this blog. We work with what we have. You don’t have stone? Then build your castles out of cardboard.
I’ll finish with a question aimed at you…
What do you do in your life for no other reason than you LOVE it? If you have 30 seconds tell me by leaving a comment below. I can’t wait to learn about your passion in life.
Massive love to you AND your wonderful life.
Matthew
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Hi Matthew,
I just started reading on how to attract a man. I know I can get any men but it’s been hard to find the one. I LOVE your blogs and I look forward to ready more about you and your success. I LOVE running and I am good at it. Once, a guy that I was dating told me that I was too old (I am 31yrs) to improve my times, I showed him wrong,in less than half a year i broke my college personal times. I LOVE challenges but my hardest challenge is finding thi guy.. Good luck in What you LOVE.
What do you do in your life for no other reason than you LOVE it?
Dance. I love it. It always makes me smile. I dance with a partner (man-woman) and it is the most exhilarating feeling when we are syncronized. And when we aren’t it’s funny. We try and succeed together.
Amen to that
Hey, Matthew!
I have been feeling a little down lately and your blog made me feel a lot better. I kind of have trouble in love, but I’m not going to talk about it right now.
I love to dance, paint, sing, make photographs, write and learn foreign languages. I’m actually going to study English and German, because I think that doing what I like is the best thing I can do in my life. These days I’ve also been thinking about writing a story and posting it online to see what reactions I’ll get. My friends already told me that I’m really good at writing stories, so I hope I can maybe make somebodys day better with my stories someday just like you did it for me with this blog.
Have a nice day! ;)
hey, matthew
first i want to tell you that i really like reading what you write and learning from you. and about what i love to do is writing and i do write, i always write out of passion and love because it makes me feel good :D
I love to do wall climbing, mountain trekking, and ziplining. Adventure is something I will always love to do.
My passion is writing my novel, it’s a huge part of my life and it makes me so excited to think my words could make people happy. Just entered a big writing competition with a prize of a book deal, and I can’t wait to get my work out there. It could be my big chance but I know whatever happens I am determined to succeed :D
Kelly x
hej – what I love is to experience: new things, situations and people. I love to learn about everything – I’m curious by heart and from the core. Life is so full of surprises and I like to use the bad ones to make something good from it. I love to learn about how my self works and how the world works and also the people within it. If I would start to get specific it would be just the tip of a pin needle, but I want to give you an idea of what I mean i.e. love: I love to write, draw and sing – I like art, theatre and musik. I love to teach and to learn how to teach (this is what I do right now with third-graders) and I love science: medicine, psychologie, history, biology, physics,… they offer lots of knowledge. What I like, too, is to study and practice religions/beliefs – it’s such a big area which is often the basis of what a person starts from to life her/his life and therefore very important. And I like to say thanks – I’m thankful for you blog, Matt, because it is inspiring.
Hello Matt !
Your question just makes me want to…. CRY !!! Why ? Because you made me realize that I’m not passionate about ANYTHING !
I’ve been trying so hard to please everyone in my life (family, friends, teachers,…) that I never took time to ask myself what I really wanted to do. I was so afraid of what others would think of me. It’s ridiculous I know, but I couldn’t help it.
I have a good friend of mine who think I should do some traveling. She says it would do me some good. It’s true that I’ve always wanted to do that, but I never had the opportunity.
I can’t help but feeling a little depressed about that realization.
I still have to thank you. With your questions I always have to take some time to think about my life and it’s not something I easily do.
I hope you’ll keep on helping people like you do for many years because you’re really good at it.
Kind regards,
Didi
I just love my job too ! CLEANING !!!! If you have fire in your mind, body and soul you can be the best you can be and you just carry on attracting more and more of the stuff you love into your live. It works every single time!!!
Hi Matt. I am passionate about the work I do. Like you, I would do it regardless of the rewards. It may surprise some of you that my passion is working as a civil servant helping the unemployed getting back into work. I am privileged to be able to make a difference to people with a life changing event – similar to what you do. I love my job and never ashamed to admit it!
What beautiful loving responses to this fantastic post Matt!
I feel its a fountain of Love flowing around the world!
And thanks for the song!
For me, music and sound touch incredible levels!
I LOVE playing music which melts the heart!
I played at the Wedding of a friend and was so touched when guests cried with joy in response!
I touches so many feelings, subtle, expressive even transcendent!
So yes…on a shoe string, I have to live and breathe this with love!
You have a glorious week!
Dionysia
Hi Matthew.
I’ve wanted to share my feelings with you for a long time. More or less along this subject. I have been following you blog for a couple years now and I just want to thank you for the wonderful work you do. You are an inspiration to so many people.
When I started following your blog I have to admit I was looking for a form of a confidence boost. I mean everyone needs one from time to time but I had severely suffered from depression two years before. During that time I never got suicidal because I still loved myself, but I just felt inadequate on so many levels. I struggled to show others my true and wonderful self. But I knew I could do it. I had seen instances of greatness in me that I leaned upon. I was always the younger awkward sister and felt that I didn’t quite compare to beautiful sister with the new marriage. So I found myself looking in all the wrong places in hopes to gain experience and perspective. Until I found your work.
I have to say I was a bit sceptical at fist but as I took your advice to open myself up for new learning and start a fresh my world has changed.
Who I was then and who I am now is completely different, but necessarily in the ways that you’d expect. My expectations when I started listening to you was that I would get great dating tips and insights. That possibly I might feel more secure in talking to guys. And even though that has been a great outcome I seen changes in myself that have shocked even me, the one who saw the potential in myself in the first place.
I gained a confidence that I couldn’t describe. I was no longer afraid of rejection from not only men, but my peers. I started to walk a little taller and to sing a little louder in my car. I laughed a lot more at things that I saw as genuinely hilarious and embarrassing moments didn’t bother me as much. (Esp. because I know they’re bound to happen haha!) Stressful situations didn’t stress me out anymore and even though some may say it’s unhealthy stress often feels like a distance memory. Why is it that all these changes happened? It’s because I learned to love myself. Yes LOVE myself. I began to love my quirks, my aspirations, my passion, and my head-strong ways. I began to see myself as the beautiful person I am. I look in the mirror and think ‘yeah, she’s beautiful.’ Because as cliche as this might seem I had truly discovered that I’M WORTH IT. Something had changed… snapped. My love of life had a new energy to steam out from; my love of myself. Never before did I expect to have the result that I did. But the way that you talked about an individuals worth I guess rubbed off.
So my passion has become funnily enough in the past while has changed from wanting to inspire others to loving myself first so I can inspire others. I always knew who I was and thought I knew what I was capable of but until it started to manifest itself in my own life did I realize that I am an amazing person. I am funny, I am talented, I am quirky, and a kind sincere person. I love life, and my family. But most of all I love myself.
From that realization where I let everything go and didn’t worry about being perfect, or being the top student everything good, and I mean EVERYTHING good began to “rush-in”. My association with friends and family began to change. I started to notice people would always be around me and were drawn to who I was quirks and all. A ridiculous amount of guys started asking my on dates. To the point where I would actually have to reschedule with some because I already had a date that evening. I noticed people would get super animated and happy when I walk into a room. I began to be the confidant of so many friends who even at first acquaintance would share themselves and their deep desire with me. And what did I say to them? You are worth it! You are an amazing person! And I’m glad we are friends!
So when you ask what I’m passionate about (and I’m a VERY passionate person) I say to you that I love to inspire people. That had always been my ultimate goal. I had a love for life and experiences that drove me to want to place these teachings that I have learned in films to share with the world. I’m in school for film but I’m also a student of life and experience. But the conclusion I’ve come to is that if I want to truly help others I fist have to help myself. I have to love myself if I want to give them the best me. So that is what I’m doing. Loving myself because the people I’m with so that they can be fulfilled by being with me, and in turn discover their own potential. For we can truly do and be anything we want. We just have to believe. And whether love or comes around or not it doesn’t worry me anymore because my worth does not come from what anyone else thinks of me. It comes from within. And so if that love comes around I can truly say that I am being my best-self.
So Matthew I want to thank you. Little did I know that your words would have such an impact on me. And of course it didn’t happen overnight but it was a gradual progression of changing thoughts and ideas to ones that were actually correct. And it’s almost humorous for me to look back at where I started and where I am going. Without a true love and belief in myself I would have never had the guts to pursue my career in film, I would not be moving to the U.K. even though I’ve always wanted to, I would ALSO not be going on as many dates as I do (thought you’d appreciate that insight), and I would not be able to inspire others. I have had so many opportunities since then and I can say that I know exactly where you are coming from. There’s is nothing quite so fulfilling.
So thank you Matthew Hussey for having the courage, the passion, and the insight to stand up for people everywhere. For it was what you said that sparked this powerhouse into changing her whole existence into something worthwhile and amazing.
Hope you have a wonderful day because you deserve it! :)
Your sister in arms,
Alicia.
Alicia,
I’m speechless. What an amazing story. Thankyou so much for sharing it with me. I’m so excited you’re on the journey with me.
Thank you for taking the time to give me your kind words and talk with courage about the rough and the smooth parts of your story. So glad you’re here.
Matthew x
What a great post. Very humble too the way you posted the video from the old days! The post reminds me of more advice to follow along the lines of the saying ‘do what you love and the money will follow’. Oh, and my thing is trying to make good perfume. I went on a day course in a tiny little perfume shop in the Cotswolds, and ever since then I’ve been wreaking havoc playing with my potions!
Hola Matt!
I’m totally agree with you! I work in tourism! I’m so passionate about it since I was a little girl! I have to put some effort in learning other languages just to try to be better in order to help ppl! And I really do it from the heart This may sound crazy but I also think I would keep doing it even if I don’t get paid for it just because I love helping ppl and to see their faces when you help them that’s the best reward I can ever have! So I do understand what you mean!
Thanks for the song, good one!
Lots of love and courage from Spain
xoxoxo
I just LOVE singing! I wish there was a way to let people know about my passion and my talent! :D anyways nice work, I always read your emails!
Much Love,
Jessica
xx
i love to dance salsa. i didn’t start out too elegant, but i just HAD to do it, and keep doing it. it was just something in my bones that shouted out for joy each time i did that mambo…now i can walk up to the best-looking, most athletic guy on a dancefloor, ask him to dance and know he won’t leave dissappointed. i look at people’s faces as i come off the dance floor and i know they’re seeing a hot, joyful, glamorous expert. it’s magic!
Oh Matthew..
I just can’t even explain how happy I am that I ever found you on youtube last year..
You are literally the biggest discovery in my life so far… in an eye opening way,,
I have learned so so much from your videos, articles, book, online training page..
You are my biggest inspiration, and whenever I need to be motivated I just watch one of ur videos:))
I think you are such an awesome person, and I would truly like to meet you one day,..I don’t know if you even do private meet ups, especially now when things are really going great for you. If not I’ll find a way to meet you some day:) I think you would like me:) hehe..
But on this topic: my true passion is dancing, it is just something I love doing, I get lost in it. I believe people should do what they love, and I am definitely one of those people who will do what I love no matter what:)
Love you Matthew, good luck with your new show and enjoy the feeling of success..yeah just try to enjoy everything good that comes along with whatever you are experiencing now:) Seize the moments and appreciate every second of your life:) xxx
Hi Kerly,
I am totally with you. Found GTG last year and so glad i did. Same thing,when i need an inspiration, i look matthew up. I also love dancing,compared to my work,but never thought i can make a living with dance. I am from indonesia and i do balinese dance, dont know how to make a job from it.but i want to try because i will dance till i die.
Trying to be happy and learning from matthew,
Inggrid
I live in Brazil and I’m already in a relationship (for almost 8 years now), but I like to read your posts because it helps me understand the male mind a little bit more… As for my passion, my boyfriend and I have launched a digital magazine about music about three years ago just for the heck of it – I’m a journalist, he’s a designer, we both love to talk about music. We expanded it to a web portal last year. So far we didn’t see a dime out of it, but we got a lot of respect from labels and other people in the business. We got to interview a lot of people we admire. But it gets frustrating sometimes to see no one wanting to invest in our websites. I seriously thought it would’ve happened for us already…
Hiya Matt,
I fully felt your message. From *Heart 2 Heart* thankyou.
Be true to who you are. That truth, of who we are, is Attractive! *Love radiates Love*
I *Love* my Creative Passions
Warmth, Kindness,
& support in your
passionate goals
Tina x
what a great tune. thank you for the intro. I am also thankful for the reminder to focus on my passion in life and love and live for the sake of it. My desire will take me where I want to go. Have you ever read The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho? xoxo