No matter what path you’ve followed to get where you are in life, there is so much that a side hustle can offer.
In this article we’ll explore some of the primary reasons why you should consider implementing a side hustle into your life, even if you love your J O B.
You’re one of these:
You’ll find yourself on one of these two paths if you decide to embark on a side hustle.
Path 1: You start your side hustle as a way to monetize something that you are interested in.
Path 2: You start your side hustle with the goal of making enough money to eventually transition out of the job you currently hold.
I think most people automatically default to thinking that anyone who is motivated to start a side hustle falls into Path 2. Which is too bad.
If you think Path 2 is the only reason to start a side hustle, and you’re happy with your conventional job, you’re going to miss out on some incredible opportunity.
That’s why I’m writing this article.
For all of us Path 1ers out there.
We love our job, but we also love hustling.
Five reasons to start a side hustle
These reasons are spun from the mindset of someone who loves their job, but has never been told that it’s still ok, or even advisable, to start a side hustle.
Reason 1: Money
This is the primary motivator for people in Path 2. They rely on the income from their job, but have followed a tradional career path that has planted them in a position that does not provide fulfillment.
But they’re hooked on the money. So they need to grow a side hustle to take the place of that money.
Even if you’re not in that camp, meaning, you like your job, and you make plenty of money, you probably can’t deny that a little bit more would be nice.
If you’re already well off with money, side hustling is a good way to raise money for a pet project. Something fun.
Not needing the money takes a lot of the stress out of the equation and can keep the endeavor fun.
Reason 2: Knowledge
If you’ve never done a side hustle, you probably don’t know exactly where to start, which is the proof in the pudding that there is a lot to learn in starting a side hustle.
Among the many things to learn about, here are a few:
- You’ll grow knowledge about the business, service, product you’re offering that you didn’t know prior to making a business out of it.
- You’ll inevitably learn how a business is run, which will probably be a lot different than what they taught you for your MBA.
- You’ll learn about marketing, and how hard it actually is to get people to part with their hard earned dollars.
There are a host of other things too; website design, social media, network marketing and so much more that will be specific to whatever hustle you focus on.
The bottom line is that you will have to learn, and learning opens doors.
Reason 3: Networking
This one was the biggest surprise and blessing for me as I started my side hustle.
Mine is a knife sharpening service and I have met so many local people and become much more involved in the community as a part of it.
This also applies to virtual networks too. Depending on how you shape your hustle, you will almost certainly have to interact with people which will invariably grow your personal network.
Reason 4: Security
Again, even if you have no intention of ever leaving your job, there could come a day when your job leaves you.
If you have an established side hustle, shifts in other parts of your life will result in less dramatic impacts to your overall well-being. It could buy a little time to find a new full-time position. Or it could be a sign to ramp up your side hustle to make it your main source of income.
Regardless of what you decide, the point is, when hardship strikes, you have options.
Reason 5: Opening future doors
You just never know what this could turn into, but as you hustle you’ll learn to keep your head on a swivel and maybe you’ll connect with a certain person who will dramatically change the course of your life.
The more you do, the more you interact, the more people you meet and engage with, the higher your odds are of finding mutually beneficial relationships and opportunities.
Working hard to pursue the unknown is an exciting way to progress through life.
Just skimming the surface
Hopefully now you understand that starting a side hustle is way more than just added income. Even if you don’t ‘need’ the income, extra money is always good, but the value of the money will likely pale in comparison to the social equity built through growing relationships or the potential opportunities that will present themselves.
I hope you strongly consider starting a side hustle, and if you do, please reach out and let me know what you’re up to. Comment below, find me on the socials, or shoot me an email through the contact form on this site.
Best of luck in your journey,
Matt
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