3 Reasons Why Freelancing (On the Side) Did Not Make Sense to Supplement My 9–5 Income
The thought of freelancing was sexier than having a 9–5 job until I actually tried it
I loved the thought of making money on the side (in addition to my 9–5 job).
Creating another source of income in the form of a product or service is hard. But if I can pull it off, it would be proof that I’m capable of doing something beyond what I went to school for. This goal got me to dabble with different money-making ideas.
However, after more than 5 years of trying, I’m still in the phase of figuring it out.
One of my biggest takeaways from trying and failing is learning that I’m not into freelancing.
Below are the reasons why…
Reason #1 — I hated the idea of chasing clients
The idea makes me feel desperate. One of the reasons why I’m appreciative of my 9–5 job is that I do not need to chase clients — and be treated like crap (as a toxic boss would).
Reason #2 — I don’t have the time
Creating a product or service that people want to buy does not happen overnight. This requires research and a lot of thinking. In addition to that, you need to try stuff out to fully understand what you’re doing. But because I have a 9–5 and I value my family’s time, creating a “side hustle” becomes a low priority.
Reason #3 — I’m not skilled enough to create trust
It’s super easy to offer service to others. What’s super difficult is getting others to buy into your idea. I’m not talking about tricking them to want to buy from you. I’m talking about building the trust that you can do an exceptional job at what you do.
That…takes time.
You not only need to be a master of your craft, but you also need to consistently show up for a looooong period of time.
Conclusion
Now, I could’ve prevented all these mistakes from the beginning.
But the lure of making money on the side was too strong that I went on ahead without planning it carefully.
Do I regret doing what I did?
No…because I’ve learned a lot from these failures.
