Money, money, money. We chase it all around the world and work ourselves to the bone all in pursuit of the mighty dollar, and with good reason.
While money doesn’t buy happiness, it sure does help you attain a majority of the things that do make you happy.
But we digress, the demanding nature of today’s economy means that many of us simply can’t afford to live on a single source of income alone. Whether it’s writing, selling, designing, or even accounting, there are dozens of ways for one to earn some extra cash.
In recent times, social media and popular culture have taken to glorifying the culture of side hustling. Upon taking a closer look at this phenomenon, there’s nothing glitzy nor glamorous about having to take on multiple jobs just to get by.
Let’s face the facts, hardly anybody would take on an additional job because it’s fun or rewarding. With the cost of living on the rise and stagnating wages, side-hustles have, in fact, become a necessity for survival.
Having said all of that, having your own side-hustle can be an extremely rewarding experience that arms you with a variety of skills that will help you find your way in this world.
Take a look at some of the reasons why you should take up a side hustle.
1. The income
It goes without saying that side hustles are a great way to earn some extra cash. With just an internet connection and a laptop, just about anyone can declare themselves ready for business and start raking in money.
Industrious entrepreneurs have realized that their side hustles gave them the opportunity to earn more than what they originally got from their day jobs. Following this, many have chosen to turn their side gigs into a full-on business.
Besides, it is fair safer than gambling on the NBA expert picks, since you do not depend only on luck. The additional cash from your side hustle can then be put into a variety of investments to let your money work for you.
2. You can improve your people skills
Hustling and making your way through the gig-based economy is all about networking and people skills. Searching for clients, interacting with customers, and closing deals all require a certain degree of people skills.
While your first few interactions with customers and clients may be awkward initially, you’ll be able to continually hone your people skills to perfection with time.
From approaching and influencing people to manage client relationships, side hustles are a great opportunity to pick up skills that many lack.
3. You learn how to deal with rejection
Rejection forms a big part of the freelance or side-gig experience. In a market saturated with competition, it can be quite a while before you get things off the ground.
Expect to be regularly rejected by clients and have dozens of proposals be ignored time and time again. Alongside this, you’ll become accustomed to the art of the cold call or, in today’s terms, the cold e-mail.
It can be extremely frustrating at first, and you’ll often question your self-worth. But through all of this, you’ll start to develop a thicker skin and learn to take rejection in your stride.
From here, you’ll soon notice that you’ve become more confident and much more willing to take on challenges. These skills and traits can then be applied to both your personal and professional life.
4. You can master time management
Side gigs are often worked on after office hours, which makes effective time management a crucial part of being an entrepreneur. You’ll find yourself being placed under tremendous pressure to simultaneously meet deadlines whilst balancing your work requirements.
While all of this is extremely stressful, it can be turned into an opportunity to master the science of effective time management.
The road to becoming an entrepreneur is not an easy one, but with some discipline and plenty of tenacity, the rewards can be very much well-worth the struggle.
