Welcome to the first episode of 2026! If you’re stepping into the new year with big dreams, a stubborn heart, and a wallet that keeps reminding you of “reality”… yeah, same.
This episode is for every creator who finally had the courage to pursue what they love only to smack face-first into the part nobody talks about: the awkward, messy-but-determined middle where passion feels rich but your bank account does not.
And since we’re starting fresh this year, there’s a little announcement in the outro: JacQ of All Trades is officially shifting back to weekly episodes.
More stories, more creator talk, more unfiltered chaos wisdom — coming your way every week.
Full Transcript
Hey, welcome back to JacQ of All Trades! Happy New Year! It’s officially 2026 — we made it. Whoop whoop!
I don’t know about you, but I’m stepping into this year with the same energy I bring into a boss fight I’m totally under-leveled for: hopeful… can be chaotic… but committed. So if you’re kicking off the year wondering how to juggle passion, bills, and not losing your sanity, same. Today’s episode is exactly for that.
This episode 17 is for the ones who finally took the leap to do what they love… only to find out passion doesn’t exactly come with a paycheck. Yeah. We’re going there.
You know that feeling when you finally start doing what you’re meant to do? Like, really doing it – launching your YouTube channel, your Etsy shop, publishing your books on Amazon, whatever your thing is and it feels amazing at first.
You wake up excited, you feel alive, you’re creating stuff that actually matters to you. And then… reality walks in and goes, “Cute passion you got there. How’s that paying for bills?”
Welcome to the Creator’s Reality Check, my friend. This is the part that no one posts about on social media.
Here’s the thing…choosing passion takes guts. You gave up predictability for purpose. You said no to safety and yes to something that makes your heart beat faster. That’s not small. That’s brave.
But here’s the part those motivational quotes don’t tell you: passion doesn’t automatically pay the bills.
Not right away, anyway.
Sure, a lucky few blow up overnight — viral videos, big sponsors, instant sales. But for the rest of us? It’s the long game. It’s late nights, slow growth, and way too many cups of coffee.
And somewhere along the way, that excitement starts to mix with panic. Well, let’s face it — doing what you love doesn’t cancel rent day or mortgage day.
Then comes the guilt spiral.
You start feeling bad for not earning enough, not creating enough, not being “successful” enough.
You see others winning online — getting monetized, launching courses, landing brand deals — and you’re genuinely happy for them, but a tiny voice in your head whispers, “What am I doing wrong?”
Please know this: you’re not doing anything wrong.
You’re just in the messy middle — that brutal, beautiful stage between courage and stability.
Almost everyone who’s ever chased passion over security has been here too. They just don’t post about this part.
Eventually, you hit that fork in the road.
You start asking yourself: “Do I keep pushing through, or should I get a job to survive?”
And let me say this loud and clear; taking a job doesn’t make you a failure.
You’re not giving up on your dream; you’re funding it. You’re buying stability so your creativity doesn’t collapse under the weight of financial stress. I’ve seen so many creators burn out not because they lost passion, but because they couldn’t breathe under the pressure to make it work immediately.
Sometimes, balance is the thing that keeps the dream alive.
So, what can you actually do when passion doesn’t pay yet?
I’m gonna share a few lessons I’ve learned, mostly from experience…usually from mild crises I’ve encountered along the way.
First — buy time, not guilt.
If you need to freelance, take a part-time gig, or do client work, do it without shame. Seriously.
There’s no trophy for “most financially struggling artist.”
Taking a job doesn’t mean you’re less of a creator — it just means you’re giving yourself oxygen. You can’t keep the creative fire burning if you can’t breathe, right?
Next — simplify, ruthlessly.
When things get tough, the temptation is to panic and start spending on every “shortcut” that promises to fix it — new software, fancy tools, paid ads, that “six-figure creator” course.
But pause. Strip it back to what really matters.
You don’t need a new setup or the latest microphone to make good work. I started recording my voiceovers in my early gameplay videos using only my Apple EarPods that costs only 20 bucks.
So, you just need focus, persistence, and maybe one good cup of coffee hey?
All right. Simplifying your expenses and your goals actually frees up energy for what matters and that is creating.
Then — diversify and experiment.
Don’t build your whole creative life on one platform. Algorithms are unpredictable little beasts.
Try different ways to earn: digital products, affiliate links, commissions, teaching, collaborations — whatever fits your skills.
Think of it like an ecosystem. If one branch breaks, you’ve still got others keeping you alive.
And yes, some experiments will flop — that’s okay. Every flop gives you data on what to try next.
Fourth — redefine success for now at least.
Maybe success doesn’t look like full-time freedom yet.
Maybe right now, it’s simply about staying consistent, finishing one project, or connecting deeply with the few people who do follow your work.
This isn’t lowering your standards, it’s adjusting your timeline.
You’re still moving forward, just not at the speed the internet wants you to.
And finally — protect the joy.
If you start resenting what you once loved, it’s time to pause.
Take a break. Reconnect with your “why.” Create something just for fun again — no algorithms, no strategy, no pressure.
Because if you lose the joy, what’s the point? Passion is supposed to feed you, not drain you.
I’m going to repeat this again: You’re not behind. You’re just in the middle of building something real.
Real things take time. Passion takes time to mature into profit. Growth takes time to translate into income.
So if right now, you need to balance your dream with practicality, do it. That’s not quitting, that’s strategy.
At the end of the day…
It’s okay to love what you do and still wish it paid better.
It’s okay to take a job to stay afloat.
It’s okay to pause and pivot without giving up.
You chose courage — now choose sustainability.
The dream’s still alive. You’re just learning how to make it last.
That’s it for today’s episode of JacQ of All Trades.
If this one hit home for you — if you’re in that “messy middle” stage yourself — I hope you know you’re not alone. We’re all figuring it out, one hopeful step at a time.
Oh, before I go. Quick update. Starting this year, I’m bringing the podcast back to weekly episodes. Yup, no more bi-weekly waiting. I’ve finally wrangled my schedule into something that doesn’t make me cry, and that means more stories, more rants, more creator’s life, every single week. So if you’ve been enjoying hanging out here, buckle up as we’re levelling up this year.
Until next time — keep creating, keep breathing, and remember: passion doesn’t pay yet… but it will, if you keep showing up.
