Do what you love, and the money will follow. If you love what you do, you’ll never really work a day in your life. These adages keep bouncing around between the ears, as I recall the series of questions I was asked to answer yesterday for the new gig at the gym. Each question made me happier than the last, in that they offered me a measure of control I hadn’t previously had as a teacher.
“Do I require a minimum number of students? Do I have a maximum? What kind of room set-up will I need? Do I need the gym to acquire equipment for my class? What days and times work best for me to teach?”
The last question presented the greatest challenge, because I really wanted to answer: “Whenever you want me to.” That would not have been wise. Most notable was the question that wasn’t on the list. There was nothing at all about expectation of pay – and I was unbothered by the absence.
In the almost two months I’ve spent trying to get this kung fu class off the ground at their facility, the only thought I’ve ever given to compensation is: maybe they’ll give me the gym membership for free in exchange. Depending upon how successful the program is and how often I find myself teaching, free membership might turn out to be a drop in the bucket for what the class is worth to the gym. After all, the gym folks are phrasing this as “branching into a new market.” Common sense says not to sell myself short, and yet I find myself thinking…whatever.
It appears I’ve actually been underestimating how much I love teaching kung fu, if that’s possible. For I truly just want to do what I love and let the money follow. That’s a first for this career woman and mother of two, with one child a year away from college. It’s a great feeling!
Class, line up!
Middle-Aged Martial Arts Mom 