There’s a silent crisis among creators today. Founders, writers, developers, solo builders — they’re showing up every day, doing the work, pushing out content, launching projects. But somewhere deep inside, they’re exhausted. Not because they lack motivation, but because their effort isn’t creating energy. It’s leaking it.
This is what happens when your feedback loop breaks. You create, you build, you post… but the return? Likes. Retweets. Praise. Maybe a DM. All of it flattering, none of it freeing.
As Naval once said:
“Play long-term games with long-term people — and build things that earn while you sleep.”
But most of us aren’t earning anything. We’re working like machines and getting paid in “potential.”
And here’s the inconvenient truth most won’t say out loud:
If your work isn’t making you money, it’s costing you more than time — it’s draining your drive.
The Passion Trap
You were told to follow your passion. So you did.
But passion, without income, slowly becomes performance.
You start creating not from joy, but from obligation.
You publish every day, hoping the algorithm gods will notice.
You build with the belief: “This will lead to something…”
But the world is full of talented, broke people who never learned to monetize.
As @AlexHormozi put it:
“You’re not tired. You’re just not getting paid enough to be excited.”
The Real Burnout
Burnout isn’t always about overworking.
Sometimes, it’s about working hard and seeing no return.
No leverage. No revenue. No runway.
You’re not just tired. You’re quietly grieving your own effort.
This is why so many brilliant people quit — not because they didn’t love the craft, but because they didn’t know how to make it self-sustaining.
As James Clear said:
“Habits are easier when they’re rewarding.”
And nothing rewards better than proof that your work matters — enough to pay for someone’s problem.
Make Your Work Pay
Here’s the mindset shift:
You don’t need millions.
You don’t need to go viral.
You need $100/day from something real.
That’s enough to validate your path.
Enough to reinvest.
Enough to keep your dream alive — and your energy intact.
“If you made $1 from your work online, you’re 1,000x ahead of most people.” – @thejustinwelsh
The point isn’t to chase Lambos and exit rounds.
It’s to turn your creativity into cashflow so you don’t have to sell your soul to survive.
Build, Yes. But Monetize.
You can keep building and hoping someone notices.
Or you can take your skills, your story, your vision — and build something people pay for.
A newsletter.
A course.
A community.
A tool.
An insight worth buying.
Because if you don’t monetize what you love, you’ll eventually start hating it.
You’ll resent the hours you gave to something that gave you nothing back.
“Staying broke kills more dreams than failure.”
Final Word
This isn’t some viral platitude. It’s a warning — and an invitation.
The game is simple now:
Monetize or burn out. Pick one.
Before the system, the algorithm, or your own exhaustion picks for you.
-Michael Ratnam
re-engineer-it 