What you want w/ what you have

This is a topic that has been on my mind almost daily for the last three months in one form or another.  What’s the question exactly?  If I had to sum it up, it would be this:

How do you shoot what you love and actualize your vision in an environment that encourages something else?

Some necessary back story. I live in far Western China as a photographer, photo business owner, and teacher.  A travel photographers dream, right?  Travel photography I like, but I don’t absolutely love it.  I don’t hate it by any means and in fact I really enjoy it.  See the difference there?  I walk down the street every day and pass highly interesting subjects from 6 different minority and ethnic groups.  Monks, Muslims, Chinese, Mongolians, and a few that 99.9% of the world wouldn’t recognize.  It’s a truly awesome place to live and run a business.  Photographically I’ve had to dig to find my gold.