You’re reading this because you’re interested in starting a side hustle, but you’ve been putting it off. Maybe you haven’t found the right idea, or maybe you feel like it’s too hard to start something on your own. You’re not alone! I get emails every single day from people who are struggling with all of these same problems and more. The good news is that all of these issues can be fixed by just treating your side hustle like a business—and there are tons of resources out there that can help.
You don’t do the work.
You don’t do the work.
This is the biggest mistake I see people make with their side hustles and it’s also one of the easiest to fix. The problem is, if you’re not doing the work, then how do you know if it’s working? Even when something seems like it should be working (like selling products), if we aren’t tracking our progress in some way or taking action based on our results, then it’s all just wishful thinking.
I’m not saying that there aren’t times when something isn’t working out as planned–that happens too! But if we aren’t tracking our progress over time and looking for patterns in what does and doesn’t work for us (and others), then how will we ever know?
You don’t take action.
Action is the heart of a side hustle. It’s what makes your idea come to life, and it’s what keeps you moving forward when things get hard.
To take action, you need to have a plan in place for each step you’re going to take toward achieving your goal. This includes having clear goals with concrete steps on how they will be achieved–and then actually taking those steps!
Taking action can be scary because it requires us to put ourselves out there and face our fears head-on, but there are many benefits that come from taking the leap:
You don’t have a plan.
You don’t have a plan.
It’s pretty simple: if you want to succeed in your side hustle, you need a plan. You need to know what your end goal is and how much money it will take to get there, as well as when those milestones are. Without this information, it’s hard for anyone–yourself included–to keep track of what needs doing next or how much progress has been made toward reaching those goals (or even knowing which ones were actually reached).
You compare yourself to others.
If you’re like most people, you probably like to compare yourself to others. It’s easy to get caught up in what other people are doing and how they’re doing it–especially if they seem happier than you or more successful than you. But this kind of thinking is destructive because it makes us feel bad about ourselves when we should be focusing on our own lives and goals instead.
I know what it’s like: I was guilty of this too! When I first started my side hustle as an author, I would look at the stats on Amazon and see that my book wasn’t selling as many copies as some other authors’ books were selling–even though some of those authors had been writing for decades longer than me! It made me feel bad about myself until I realized that there was nothing wrong with either their success or mine; we were just following different paths toward getting there (and also maybe having different genres).
You’re too busy trying to be perfect.
You’re too busy trying to be perfect.
This is the biggest killer of side hustles, and it’s why so many people give up before they even start. They think they need a good idea, or an amazing product, or an incredible pitching technique. But the reality is that most entrepreneurs start with something simple–and then they grow from there.
In fact, many successful businesses started with just one person selling their services on the side while working another job full-time (or more than one). If you’re willing to take action and put yourself out there even when you’re afraid of failure or looking silly in front of others…you’ll have no choice but to learn how much fun entrepreneurship can be!
You don’t treat your side hustle like a business.
You’re not treating your side hustle like a business.
If your side hustle is going to be successful, it needs to be treated like a business. If you want to get serious about making money from the thing that interests you most, then start treating it like one. Consider these steps:
- Start with a plan. What do you want out of this? Are there specific goals in mind–like earning more money or gaining more experience? Write them down! Then break those goals down into smaller ones and figure out how much time they will take (e.g., “I want $1k per month by December 1st”). This will help keep things focused on what matters most so that when times get hard or boring (and they will), there’s still something motivating at stake beyond just doing well for funsies.* Create a budget based on those goals.* Make sure that all of your tools are up-to-date and working properly before starting any important projects.* Find mentors who have done similar things before; ask them questions about their experiences so far.* Learn from other people’s mistakes as much as possible
You don’t take care of your mind and body.
You need to take care of your mind and body. You’ll be much more productive if you do, so it’s important that you do what works for you to stay healthy.
Here are some examples:
- Drink lots of water! This is one of the best things anyone can do for themselves, especially when they’re working from home or traveling in an airplane without access to fresh fruit and vegetables. I like drinking half a bottle before going into meetings with clients because it gives me energy but doesn’t make me feel jittery like coffee does sometimes (and keeps me from eating junk food).
- Take breaks during long days at the computer by walking around outside or taking a quick nap on the couch with Netflix playing in the background — whatever helps get those blood vessels flowing again!
You avoid taking care of your finances.
- Don’t spend money you don’t have.
- Don’t get into debt.
- Ask for help when you need it, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from people who aren’t your friends or family members–especially if they’re experienced in the field (like a financial advisor).
- If your finances are stressing you out, take some time off from working on them until they feel less overwhelming again!
You forget about yourself and your needs.
You’re hustling hard, but are you also taking care of yourself?
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and forget about your own needs. But if you’re not making time for yourself and your loved ones, it can make everything worse. You’ll feel stressed out and overwhelmed–and that makes it harder to focus on being productive in other areas of your life!
Make sure that every week includes some time dedicated just for YOU: go out with friends or family, take a long walk alone with no headphones on (or even better yet–if there’s any way possible–take them off), meditate or practice yoga…whatever helps ground you again after a busy week of work and side hustling madness!
Your side hustle is a business, so treat it like one!
Your side hustle is a business, so treat it like one! This means that you need to have a plan and strategy, as well as a budget. You also need to know how much time you can spend on it each week, and then measure your progress.
Here are some questions for you:
- What’s your goal? Are you trying to make more money or just get something off your plate? Do either of these things require more than just an hour or two of work per week? If so, think about what else needs doing in order for those bigger goals (or even smaller ones) to be reached. Ask yourself whether there’s anything else in life that could use some attention or reorganization before diving headfirst into this new venture.
- How much do I have left over after paying my bills at the end of each month–and how much do I want/need from my side hustle before setting up costs such as advertising or hiring help (if applicable)? This should give us an idea of where our bottom line really lies when deciding where our priorities lie during this process–and if we’re willing/able financially speaking.”
Conclusion
So there you have it! The top 10 ways to kill your side hustle and how to fix them. If you’re feeling stuck, try one of these solutions and see if it helps get your momentum back. If not, keep experimenting until something does work for you!
