Freedom isn't the goal

Hey there,

Does all the chatter about achieving “freedom” in business feel off to you?

While some seek an escape from the grind, you’re out here loving the work you do.

It’s not freedom you’re after — it’s choice. But then why does making money, the very thing that enables choice, sometimes feel so… wrong?

Let’s clear the air today about building profitable businesses while expanding your impact and propelling your mission.

Speaking of missions…

All these online business gurus talk about achieving freedom in your work.

Influencers preach about escaping the 9-to-5 grind.

Maybe that’s the goal for side hustlers looking to break free from thankless jobs and terrible bosses. Fair enough — I wanted out of that rat race too.

But for those of us fueled by a deeper mission, ‘freedom’ isn’t the endgame.

While listening to a podcast during a morning workout this week, I had an aha moment: I don’t want to escape my work. Neither do my clients.

My business isn’t just a job — it’s my passion and pastime. Why would I pursue freedom from something I love?

Instead, what I crave is choice — the clarity and confidence to decide who I work with, the challenges I tackle, and the results I create.

Running on empty

All of this hit home during a chat last week with a professional friend. They told me that my recent focus on helping businesses boost profits turned them off.

They didn’t ask me questions. They simply looked over my content and decided our values no longer aligned.

“I’m not financially motivated, Jay. My goals are to create impact, not make more money,” they preached.

My bullshit meter was screaming. So I asked:

“Is your business a non-profit?” No.
“Do you work for free?” No.
“Do you have donors or charitable funding?” No.

I dug deeper:

“Is your business healthy and growing?” Not really.
“Can you keep this up without burning out?” Ugh, probably not.

I pressed on:

“Wouldn’t making profits provide you the choice to take risks, pursue higher-impact projects, and invest in people and systems that advance your mission?”

Not money or impact, money AND impact

The truth is, many of us have a confused, toxic relationship with money that warps our thinking.

Can you blame us? From a young age, we’re instructed:

• Money is the root of all evil

• Money doesn’t grow on trees

• More money, more problems

• You can’t take it with you

In my first business, I spent 13 years claiming impact mattered more than income.

What did that get me? Thousands of fans but few paying customers.

Countless people messaged me to share how inspiring my work was.

People showed up to calls with me and said things like, “Jay, I’ve been following your work for years. It changed my career.”

Of course I’m humbled AF from comments like that. Truly.

But since I saw money as “bad” and failed to ask for it, I struggled financially… to the point that I grew to resent my fans, clients, peers, and industry at large.

Eventually, I burned out and checked out.

How much impact did I have then? Zero.

Because you can’t pour from an empty cup.

See, there’s a false dichotomy that you need to pick between making an impact or making money. You’re Sister Teresa or Leona Helmsley… The Dalai Lama or Gordon Gekko.

But impact and income aren’t enemies; they’re allies. The better your business does financially, the more sustained and meaningful your impact is.

Influencers sell the dream of freedom — freedom from work, obligations, and the grind. And that appeals when you’re stuck in a soul-crushing job.

But if you’re here, reading along, you’re an entrepreneur on a mission.

True freedom for you then, isn’t escaping work. It’s the choice to commit to the work that matters. To reach the right people and grow your business so you can say ‘yes’ to opportunities that align with your mission and ‘no’ to those that don’t.

That takes not just passion, but profits.

Money, like any other resource, is just a tool. The more resources you have, the farther and faster your mission spreads.

Your mission, your choice

So, what am I trying to tell you here?

Don’t buy into the fake news that you have to choose between money and impact. As a mission-driven entrepreneur, profits aren’t just nice to have — they’re essential.

They give you the choice to pursue your highest-level work. Which, shocker, results in bigger profits. Positive snowballs!

So, are you here for the purpose, profits, or both?

Hit reply and tell me.

Link ladder

🪜 The podcast I mentioned that sparked my aha moment? (listen to it here)

🪜 Have your top challenge or question answered (submit here)

🪜 Need a laugh? (watch these 2)

See ya next Sunday! 🤘🏼

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