Kevin Godec
Where there’s a will, there’s a way, right? If you doubt that, you haven’t heard the story of Kevin Godec, whose uncle, John Godec, is a friend of mine.
Kevin has a degree in physics, so you’d think he’d have it made, maybe working in an applied science lab or figuring out the complexities of some electronics problem. None of that appealed to him, however. Kevin, you see, is a highly competitive gamer, constantly on the lookout for video gaming challenges that take his skills to ever higher levels. The game that really hooked him is Death of the Ancients and its successor, Death of the Ancients 2. (It’s known as Dota 2 to the initiated.)
But how do you turn a passion like this into a living? Kevin has done it by becoming a caster. (Think broadcaster or sportscaster.) He’s known as Purge, and he provides commentary on live, Internet-based contests, helping people understand the strategies that players are using. He also offers instructional videos on his website, and when he has time, he provides private coaching on how to play Dota2. His Facebook page has nearly 27,000 followers, and he has nearly 30,000 followers on Twitter. His YouTube channel has nearly 200,000 subscribers. He explains here that it took a while to start making money, but he now makes money through a YouTube partnership. (How, I’m not sure, but with bases of support like this from such a passionate audience, the potential for monetizing is impressive.)
You’ve always heard that if you pursue your passions, the money will follow. You might, however, choose to ignore the other reality: It takes a lot of work and persistence to make your passions pay off. Kevin has posted about 950 videos on his YouTube channel. Even though he describes himself as lazy, I believe he’s spent countless hours making his dream happen.
Do you know about other examples of people who’ve been successful in endeavors that wouldn’t have been possible a decade ago? Let me know.
