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There are many myths and misconceptions when it comes to side hustles. I often get asked about them, so I wanted to share some of the most common ones with you. Keep in mind that these are just myths – there is no one-size-fits-all answer regarding side hustles.
1. Side hustles need to become full-time hustles.
I used to be a firm believer in this, but I don’t anymore as I’ve traveled on my side-hustling journey. There is a lot of pressure to take your side hustle full-time. And judgy eyes when you don’t. But there are those of us who love our day jobs (and frankly appreciate having benefits) and are happy to keep our side thing a side thing.
If you’ve been wanting to start a side hustle or have one and don’t want to take it full-time, that’s OK! You don’t have to. You get to define what success looks like.
2. Monetizing your passion is the way to go.
Figuring out what you are passionate about may give you insight into the type of business you can start. I would be careful here, though, because sometimes, by mixing business with pleasure, so to speak, we might not enjoy our passions anymore. For example, one of my passions is reading. But to make money reading and writing book reviews would take the fun out of it for me.
This is not to say that you can’t start a business based on your passion. However, I don’t want you to feel that you have to. You’re allowed to have hobbies. You’re allowed to do things you love to do without monetizing them.
3. Everyone should have a side hustle.
No way. Not everyone needs to start a business. Side hustles and entrepreneurship, for that matter, are glorified and romanticized. But it is not easy. And if you are starting a side hustle, you will have to say no to certain things to juggle your day job and your day-to-day commitments.
4. You need insane amounts of hustle to be successful.
I am NOT a fan of hustle culture or #teamnosleep vibes. However, it is 100% possible to have a side hustle you love that fits within your life while still getting your required amount of sleep.
Start with a few hours a week and see how that goes. With side hustles, it’s not the big blocks of time. Instead, the consistent 15 to 30-minute chunks of time make you successful.
5. A side hustle is not a real business.
I call ALL the BS on this one. A business is a business. Period. Just because it’s something you do part-time doesn’t make it any less of a business. It is as real and as big as you make it. You get to define what entrepreneurship means for you.
There is not just one way to side hustle. Each person’s situation is different, so part of the process is figuring out what works best for you.
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