Personal branding with Bernard Kelvin CLIVE: Doing work that matters

“The lie of ‘at least you’re earning’ has stolen more dreams than failure ever did.” – Bernard Kelvin Clive

So, I remember some time back, I was speaking at a conference, and one of the participants asked a question that came up quite often.

They said, “What if I’m talented—maybe I’m a musician or an artist—and I love what I do, but it doesn’t seem to pay? What should I do?”

And that question, especially in this part of the world, hits home. Our systems haven’t been solidified. There are gaps. Things don’t always work the way they should. So, the gifted get challenged. It’s not always about the lack of passion—it’s the lack of structure and support.

Before I get into that, I recently chanced on Benjamin Shine’s work. He creates incredible art using fabrics. Yes—fabrics. You should check out his page on Instagram. It’s just amazing. I mean, how can someone do that with something as ordinary as fabric?

And there are so many others out there—gifted people doing things that blow your mind. You see someone flip a canvas upside down and paint in reverse. Another throws colors on a canvas randomly, and boom! A masterpiece shows up in seconds. The level of creativity and innovation these days is wild.

And it got me thinking—these things don’t just come from the head. They come from within. There’s a deep well—of passion, of gifting, of purpose. It’s not just a thought; it’s something alive inside. And I ask myself, how can we all work with that level of heart and creativity in our own spaces?

Now, I get it. It doesn’t come cheap. It’s not always easy. But I do believe everyone is gifted. The issue is, that many haven’t taken time to dig deep and discover the area they’ve been wired for. Yours may not look like the next person’s—it might not be as flashy—but it’s still something you can pour your heart into. And if you stay with it long enough, you’ll find a way to live from it—or at least let it bring you joy.

So, here’s the bigger question: Can we be that creative, that intentional, in our various fields?

And if that creative spark has been buried—maybe by a rigid educational system or life’s own battles—can we find it again?

I believe we can. I believe we must. In our lives and in our businesses, we can rethink and reignite the passion and gift we carry. It’s still there. It just needs a little stirring.

So today, I want to begin speaking to that.

How can a gifted person—a creative, passionate person—make a living doing what they love? How do we move from just doing work to doing work that matters?

Let me start from here:

Sometimes, yes—you’ll need to take up work just to survive. That’s fine. It happens. But don’t pitch your tent there forever. That shouldn’t be the end of the story. Along the way, start finding ways to monetize your gifts, or use what you have to create new opportunities.

Eventually, you’ll reach a point where what you do won’t feel like a job. It’ll feel like joy. It’ll flow. And it’ll pay too.

So, let’s get started.

1. More Than Just Getting Gigs

Yes, we all need to survive. And sure, there are jobs we can do to get by. But I believe we weren’t created merely to “get by.” We were made to live from a higher place—a place of intention, purpose, and identity. There’s a unique design in your life that can’t be reduced to a paycheck or title. Your soul knows it. Your spirit longs for it.

When you start doing work that disconnects you from who you truly are, something within you starts to die. You lose sight of your fire. You become mechanical. Functional. Numb. And before you know it, you’re operating only from the surface—while your true self is hidden behind the noise, the bills, and the survival-mode routines.

2. When You Lose You

It’s easy to disappear in plain sight. Life will offer you every reason to take the safe path. To sit quietly in corners. To hide behind systems and settle for shadows. You can swing from one task to the next, putting out content, clocking in hours, yet feel completely out of sync—because none of it connects with your essence.

And here’s the dangerous part: when you keep doing things that disconnect your body from your soul, eventually your soul stops showing up. You become present in the body, absent in purpose. And that is not right. That is not how you were designed to live.

3. The Lie of “At Least You’re Earning”

You’ll hear people say, “At least you’re making some money.” And while money matters, it’s not everything. Some jobs feel like a slow death. You get more cash in your hands but less fire in your heart. And the world might clap for you because you look successful—but only you know that you’re starving inside.

Eventually, that emptiness catches up with you. That’s when burnout shows up. That’s when restlessness creeps in. That’s when you look around and ask, “What am I even doing with my life?”

So no, it’s not simply about earning. It’s about evolving—becoming who you were born to be.

4. Work That Honors

I believe there’s a kind of work that pleases both God and man. It’s the kind of work where your gift becomes a sacrifice. Where you don’t just show up to earn—but to pour out your best. You bring your full self to the table. You’re not just performing tasks; you’re telling a story. You’re building a legacy.

When we work with our whole hearts, we reflect our Creator. That kind of work becomes worship. And even if it doesn’t pay much initially, it feeds your soul. You feel alive. You feel aligned. You feel grounded in something bigger than you.

5. The Choice We Must Make

So here’s the question we all have to face: Will I just survive, or will I show up as my whole self? Will I take the safe path, or will I take the sacred path?

There’s nothing wrong with taking jobs that pay the bills. But don’t let them bury your calling. Don’t let them silence your voice. Even while doing “get-by” work, keep building what you believe in. Write your story. Sharpen your gift. Create what only you can create.

Because when the door finally opens, it’ll be too late to start preparing. You have to be ready—heart, mind, and skillset aligned.

6. You Weren’t Made to Be Just Another Machine

‘Thank God it’s Friday!’ Is this your mantra? This world doesn’t need more people working for the weekend. It needs people who show up with fire, truth, and purpose—people who care, build, sacrifice, serve, and become the best they could ever be in their chosen fields.

You weren’t made to be just another cog in the machine. You were made to reflect something divine. Something honest. Something powerful. You carry within you a piece of eternity. Don’t waste it trying to fit into a template that was never meant for you.

Let me say this to you, and to myself: don’t lose yourself in the hustle. Don’t silence your soul for the sake of success. The goal isn’t to get hired—it’s to get aligned. It’s not just to do more—but to become more.

So yes, do what you must. But never forget who you are. And never stop becoming who you were born to be.

Remember, I’m your brand and publishing consultant.

The post Personal branding with Bernard Kelvin CLIVE: Doing work that matters appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

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