Heart Over Hustle.

Today’s Marketing Cookie is a common cautionary tale of how one’s passion can turn into burnout — especially for entrepreneurs.

A young woman had a passion for making cakes. She loved it! Her creations were not only beautifully decorated, but they also tasted heavenly. Friends and family couldn't get enough and were always raving about the cakes she made. "You should start a business!" they urged.

Taking their advice, she rented a little storefront downtown and launched her own cake business. It was an instant hit! Every day, her cakes sold out within hours. So, she got up earlier and earlier to make more cakes. Word spread about her cakes, and orders flooded in faster than she could keep up. Her cake shop was quickly becoming a relentless daily whirlwind of baking, decorating, cleaning and managing.

She hired some bakers to help in the kitchen, started ordering the ingredients in bulk, and handled the endless stream of back-office tasks. Eventually, she was so busy managing the business, that she didn’t bake cakes at all anymore.

The young woman who once loved making cakes found herself dreading the sight of flour and sugar and started to hate the word “cake”. The business had completely devoured her passion, leaving her longing for the simple pleasure of baking just for fun. Her joy was gone, so she closed her shop and never made cakes again.

In our pursuit of success, it's easy to lose sight of what truly brings us joy. The cake baker's story reminds us to pause and consider whether our goals align with our passions. As we chase our dreams, it's crucial to ask yourself: Will this move bring me closer to my passion, or further away from it? Remember, success isn't just about quantity or profit—it's about quality of life and the joy we derive from our endeavors. For her, it was true as today’s fortune says, "The pleasure of what we enjoy is lost by wanting more."