Summary

The text reflects on the misunderstood nature of side hustles, emphasizing that they should be about personal fulfillment and reaching a state of 'enough' rather than rapid wealth or growth.

Abstract

The article discusses the misconceptions surrounding side hustles, particularly the idea that they lead to quick riches. The author, a part-time creator for 2.5 years, shares insights into the realistic pace of earning through online writing, highlighting the importance of managing expectations. The author expresses contentment with their current level of income, creative freedom, and lack of pressure, contrasting it with the common pursuit of fame, fortune, or a full-time creative career. The narrative advocates for the appreciation of 'enough' and the joy of creating for oneself without the need for external validation or the pressure of rapid expansion. The article suggests that a side hustle should enhance one's life rather than consume it, and it encourages sustainable creation without the burnout associated with chasing excessive growth.

Opinions

A side hustle in writing is not a get-rich-quick scheme but a slow and gradual process of income generation.
The journey to becoming a successful creator is often romanticized and misrepresented in brief success stories, leading to unrealistic expectations.
The author values contentment and creative autonomy over chasing wealth or fame and finds fulfillment in their current situation.
The pursuit of 'more' in terms of money, fame, or audience is seen as unappealing and potentially detrimental to one's quality of life.
The concept of 'enough' is celebrated as a satisfactory state where one is content with their current level of success and well-being.
The author warns against the dangers of overworking and the potential negative impact on personal life when the side hustle becomes all-consuming.
Advocating for a balanced approach, the author encourages creators to strive for improvement without succumbing to the pressure of immediate success.

A Side Hustle Is Tragically Misunderstood By Most People On The Internet

Here’s what nobody tells you

I’ve been a small time creator for 2.5 years. In that time I’ve seen many creators rise to the top, some to stay, some fell straight back down and some disappeared off the face off the Earth.

I remember this one writer who flew straight to the top only to give up a few months later. Suppose it happens.

In my short but insightful stint as a part-time creator and self-confessed side hustler, I have some thoughts.

You don’t want to get rich quick, not really

If you want to get rich quick, don’t invest in writing online.

It’s the slowest way I’ve ever made money. Lots of people dream about making money on the internet. They read one post from one writer that has spent a lifetime honing her craft and think it’s easy.

A 240-character Tweet about how she went from rock-bottom to a deal with Penguin and the light bulb moment hits. Those people think it’s a total doddle to learn to write. So they start.

The thing is, a 240-character Tweet will never express the blood, sweat and tears that goes into writing for a lifetime. And because it could never, that person reading that Tweet in their bedroom starts their creator journey with all the wrong expectations.

Finding your level

This is the perfect level for me.

Good money, low pressure, no hassle, I can write about what I want, I’m happy. I’m really happy. If my writing career stayed like this for the rest of my life I seriously would be chuffed as chips.

I don’t want to write for other people, I don’t want clients, I don’t care for fame and fortune. I quite like my tiny crumb of the internet, tapping away about whatever I feel like because I want to.

There is a lot to be said for that.

Where you are right now

This idea to grow to make more, to impress more people, to reach more brains and to ultimately receive more is, well, unappealing. I’m not interested. I know it sounds weird, us creators are meant to want to create full-time and live as digital nomads.

Nope, not me and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

I don’t have a 5-year plan where I take over the world. I don’t want to sign a book deal, I’m not interested in writing for anyone else. I just like pumping out content quietly from my little house in the country.

It’s nice.

I sip coffee, I let the world go by, I smile. At 7:14am this is the happiest I am in a day. As the world wakes up, my coffee is kicking in and the writing is just about starting to make sense.

Organic growth

More is just more. Enough is the ultimate aim.

I heard a story once of two chaps talking about money. They were at a party and with martinis in hand (I might be making this bit up) they were chatting about wealth.

The one guy was a multi-millionaire hotshot. He made more money in his sleep than most people make all year. He was bragging to his author friend. His author friend was incredibly successful in his own right and had made enough money to last a lifetime.

It was a conversation about more and more. The hotshot was laughing saying that he’d made more than his author friend this week than he did all year. The author friend replied with something wonderful: “but I have something you’ll never have. Enough.”

I think about that a lot. Enough is a funny concept. It escapes most of us. Most of us are on the constant hunt for more because more is better. Yet that’s often not the case. Sometimes more is worse.

A side hustle is about getting to enough

There is something quite magical about having enough.

A side hustle isn’t about working a zillion hours, not seeing your kids, eating ramen and forgetting to sleep. It’s not about vanity metrics, showing off or buying fancy cars.

A side hustle is about doing something for yourself, at your own pace because it makes you feel good. That’s it. I cringe when I see people advocating to work from 6pm to 1am to get your dream life.

I hate to say it but the way that turns out the vast majority of the time is your family forget who you are and you lose part of yourself in the process.

I’m all for striving to be better, to earn more, to live the best life you can. But you don’t have to do that by tomorrow. The slow road, the one where you stop every few hours to enjoy the few, get a bite to eat and talk about what to have for dinner is the one to take.

For more tips on sustainable creation, join hundreds that subscribe to Part-time Creators Club free here. I’ll send you one tip on a Saturday up your creator game.