Live like a Dilettante-The Game Plan

Life’s too rich to live in a niche. That’s the tag line I came up with for this site years ago (yes, I dreamt about this site for years before actually going all in–because I believed the lies that you need to focus on just one thing).

Life’s also too short not to start living it right now. Too often we get caught up in thinking, someday, when I have more time I will __(insert your interest here)__.

But there are conundrums in this world:

• when you have the time you may not have the money
• when you have the money, you may not have the time
• when you have the time and money you may not have your health

Any number of things can be an obstacle like kids in school or aging parents. Just like if we all waited for the perfect time to have kids, the world would be an empty place, if we wait for the perfect time to live the life we dream of, it will never happen.

We need to make it happen. And that can take a bit of a game plan.

The core action plan towards living a more multi-passionate life is

• Create more balance by freeing up work and filling it with play
• Keep your body and mind fit so you can enjoy life
• Learn & experience the richness of life

The one thing you need to be aware of is this is not a quick journey. It’s a process. It may take years, but as the cliche goes, the best time to start was yesterday. The next best time is today.

1. Create more balance in your life

There’s another cliche that you should work to live, not live to work. I agree. But life is expensive, and too often the balance skews towards too much work and not enough living. Life is something we fit in on the side.

Sometimes we even take on side hustles just to be able to make ends meet. I’d like to hope that anyone reading this is not in this position, because it makes starting to change your life a bit trickier. My general advice to those in this position is to:

• Evaluate the main reason why you can’t make ends meet. Does your job pay minimum wage? Are you unable to work enough hours? Is your location too expensive?
• Once you have your answer, then brainstorm ways to change that. Would taking a trade school program give you the skills to make more? Would moving further away from town lower your cost of living? Are their expenses you could cut or reduce in the short term?

I know that seems like trite advice because I have been there myself. Just stop buying that daily Starbucks and save hundreds they say. Right. I already don’t do that. Anyways, I understand these things are easier said than done but the reality is it is hard to reduce work until your basics are covered.

Once you are in a place where your regular work pays your bills, then we can look at changing the balance by adding in a side hustle. In the short term, this means more work.

Yet, remember that phrase “live to work” that we are trying to avoid? Well, living to work isn’t so bad when you love what you do. So try to choose a side hustle that would be fun for you. I love blogging, writing, creating, so that is where I put my focus. I actually get a little cranky when I don’t have enough time to pursue my side hustles.

Here are a few tips for choosing a side hustle:

• If you need an income sooner, offer a service as a freelancer. Browse sites like Fiverr or Upwork to see what other people are paying for and if that is a skill you could do. If you do offer a service, could you eventually hire someone to do it for you for less than you charge?
• Many people look to an online business as their side hustle, but don’t ignore opportunities to provide local in-person services like notary public, lawn mowing, power washing, dog walking, or any other chore that people may not want to do themselves.
• The ultimate goal though is to create an income where you can eventually remove yourself from the equation either in whole or in part. Selling something online, especially one that you do not have to fulfill yourself (or is an instant download) is a great option for this, especially if it is evergreen. Just be prepared that building an online passive income stream will take time.

Re-invest first. Once you have some cash flow, use your side hustle income to do any or all of the following:

1. grow or scale your side hustle faster (examples: re-invest in paid ads or hire a VA)
2. pay off debt, especially debts with a high interest rate
3. grow your savings, ideally in low to moderate risk investments that will accelerate your savings (I like to invest a small monthly amount in a micro-investing app like Stash, or real estate micro-investing like Fundrise–of course do your due diligence before investing to ensure that these are the right choice for you)

Ultimately, to gain freedom we need to reduce our cost of living (getting debt-free is the best way to bring the budget down to only the necessary expenses) and create a buffer of savings for emergencies. Emergencies could be needing a new roof, loss of employment, the side hustle takes a downturn, the dog gets sick, etc.

Okay, once we have reduced expenses and have a little financial cushion, the next step is to start reducing the amount you work. This could mean working less hours in your day job, or it could mean outsourcing some of your side hustle.

If you live in a country where medical insurance is a concern (I’m looking at you, USA) then consider working the minimum needed to keep benefits. Often this is 4 days a week, but in some jobs it may be less.

Continue to grow your side hustle revenue (which should require less of you over time) and savings until you can afford to drop another day of work.

Alternate plan:

You can also consider remote work. While this plan doesn’t create the same kind of freedom that the above does, it often gets you to a flexible schedule and maybe even a location independent schedule sooner.

Sites like FlexJobs focus on remote job postings, but most of the major job boards have filters for remote work these days.

If your goal is not necessarily more time, but more flexible time (like taking a couple hours to go watch a kid’s soccer game and working your hours around that) or the ability to work from an Air BnB by the beach for a few weeks then this option will get you there more quickly.

2. Keep your body & Mind Fit

Six of the 10 letters in “side hustle” spell H-U-S-T-L-E. Hustle a little and our body adapts. Hustle a lot over an extended period of time and we burn out.

Stress is a silent killer as it affects our physical and mental health in many ways.

You must keep your stress down, your body active and fit, and well nourished. Self care is essential for side hustling. I ignored this for way too long. Now I see it as an investment in my game plan.

Every time I choose to exercise rather than sit at my computer, I am making an investment in my future health. There is no point knocking yourself out with building your ideal life only to get sick or die before you can enjoy it.

3. Learn & Experience

This one is harder to write about because what we want to do with our extra time once we achieve it varies from person to person, and also depending on the stage of life we are in.

The important thing, is make time for the living part as you work on step 1 and 2. I know what you’re thinking, where on earth do I find the time for that?

First, prioritize your health. Make sure that base is covered.

Second, when you choose a side hustle that aligns with your interests, then some of what you learn and do will also qualify as fun.

Third, set aside at least a few hours once a week to pursue something just for pleasure. This is part of self care. You will also find that you will approach your side work with more focus and productivity. A tired brain and body tends to procrastinate.

Creating the life balance you want takes some time, but rather than wait and hope for that “someday,” start making a plan to make someday a reality. Be realistic about your goals and the time it will take to get there. The time to start is today.