Originally Posted by
rollin
I tried making a living out of diving (2 years in Sabah and live aboards) and photography, ended up disillusioned and poor.
Working as a dive instructor only makes sense if you have really low expectations for salary and/or do it for a short time and/or do it part-time. But I hope you were single when you did this, and atleast got some non-monetary compensation out of it... nudge nudge wink wink.
A friend owns dive centers, he dives a lot less than me.
A friend owns a bike shop on the beach, he ride a lot less than me.
I "like" what I do. I don't know which is better.
It is a tough one. I was a management consultant and now I own a dive center - but I still dont know the answer to that. Making money doing something related to your hobbies/interests is nice, but there is something to be said for keeping them separate.
In the last 1 year, I have not taken a single photo outside of when I have been leading a workshop or a tour. And every year, I am diving less and less as well. I just got a new underwater housing - let's see if that re-ignites one or the other.
The non-romantic fact is that any job that makes money requires effort and *work* - and if the hobby/interest becomes work, it is natural to start losing the passion that got you hooked in the first place.
V.