Be a Better Side-Hustler in the Next 10 Months By Increasing Your Velocity and Inspiration
The year is coming to an end. It is time we take what we have learned and multiply with greater success for our future.
I write 10 months because 12 months is way too long for a side-hustler and a content creator.
One year in the digital world is equivalent to one dog year. Measured against the human biological timeline, it means our cute little Shiba turns 7 while our toddler turns 1.
Content creators operate with velocity. To become a better version of ourselves, we need velocity and inspiration. Without inspiration, our content becomes maple tree leaves. It goes brown, dries up, and falls to the ground.
Year-end is the perfect time to count the beans and reflect. Yes, we may have a flat or terrible year as content creators working hard behind our laptops. We may have a brilliant year too. That is behind us.
It is time to solidify our foundation, embark on continuous improvement, and get ready to conquer the world with our content within the next 10 months.
Start with Our Dreams — What Puts a Smile on Our Face?
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
I am happy to be a content creator. No one tells me what to do. I get to do what I want to do. If I achieve good results from the work that I do? I will be over the moon!
Of course, results come from consistent work. Consistent work comes from commitment. Where does our commitment come from?
In brief, from our dreams.
I scribbled my content creator roadmap into my journal this morning. There is nothing spectacular or grandiose. It is a mind dump of what I want to do.
It goes like this:
- Start and build my YouTube channel.
- Kick my own ass to finally start my book project.
- Seek out new platforms for content contribution (long-form writing).
These are not random thought bubbles that whizzed past my head this morning. I have been thinking of them for the longest time. As many content creators can attest, we want to build a digital empire we can call ours.
Author’s Note: If you need inspiration to put a smile on your face, look inwards. When you start paying attention to your mind and scribble down all thoughts that pop into existence, you will get a long list of ideas to work on. Trust me on this one.From Dreams to Details — Add in the How, and the Who
“No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.”
Give ourselves a solid reason to show up daily. The how and the who trumps the why for this purpose. Because when we know what we have to do and who we have to meet, we default to an auto-pilot mode.
That means we execute and continue to do so when we are tired with our side-hustles. Because clarity inspires relentless action.
This is what I do for the How and the Who:
- Arrange to speak to my livestream co-founder on building a YouTube channel. Kevin runs a digital media agency in Kansas City. He is the right person to help me get the first step correct.
- Made appointments to speak to him before he ghosts me during Christmas and New Year.
- Research how other content creators build their YouTube channels. Study their patterns, consistency, and themes.
- Find other editors to help me with my book. I have my ideas formulated and the chapters I want to write. As a copywriter and editor, I understand how I can be blinded by my own writing. I need a peer to support me.
- Extend my writing to 1 more platform. Given that I hold a 9–6, and I am busy with my side-hustles from 6–9, I will not have the capacity to contribute to many platforms. 1 more will do. Maybe Quora? It is time to log into Quora and study it again.
Author’s Note: Inspiration comes from reflection and details. The more detailed we are in our thinking, the better we can be in our execution. Keep that in mind.As for the Not-So-Good Stuff…
I write. I write a lot because I handle copywriting projects. I write because it frees my mind from random thoughts. I write because I enjoy it.
Many people tell me this. If I enjoy what I do, I will keep doing regardless of the outcome. I concur.
That said, I would like to take my writing to the next level. Shreya Badonia and I spoke about this topic recently, as we are both working to become better content contributors.
After all, we do want to earn more from our side-hustles, am I right? Overcoming disappointment and focusing on continuous improvement is the alignment I need to focus my mind on the right perspective.
Author’s Call: If you have any suggestions on writing improvement, please share them with me via the comments below. Thank you!Juggling the 9–6 and 6–9
I am a side-hustler holding a day job. That means I operate from 9–9. While I enjoy working and figuring things out, a lack of time is my direct concern.
Take, for instance, today. I typically finish my writing on Saturday morning and then disappear into my books. Ray Dalio’s new book, The Changing World Order, has arrived at my doorstep, and I cannot wait to flip the pages!
1 unexpected client call changed all of that. My writing got pushed to the afternoon, and reading got delayed.
As I work to become the best side-hustler I can be in the next 10 months, I need to reinvent myself in energy management. I need insights into best personal performance day after day. Unfortunately, scribbling and reflecting will not close this deal.
I need to remind myself to be open and creative.
Author’s Note: Yes, we can have our cake and eat it. We need self-experiment to make this happen. Be open to new ways of working, and you might be pleasantly delighted to achieve greater heights within the same 12-hour daily timeframe.Summary
Inspiration is everywhere. Let’s start with ourselves.
We are our best source of inspiration. Deep down, we know what we want to do, need to do, and have a strong desire to do it well.
From that angle, identifying our focus for the next 10 months, detailing the how and the who, reviewing what we have previously done is immensely powerful to become our best selves in the future.
We can pull our future closer to us. Have a simple roadmap, and work hard. Life is a lot easier for the busy content creator when we know what to do.
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure. Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.
