Live the Life You Were Born to Do

You want more out of life.

Right?

Whether it’s a more fulfilling job, more passion in your life, or more money to live life to the fullest…

You’re craving more.

That’s why you’re here, after all — to grab more of what life has to offer and make it real in your own life.
Usually, my audience are the ones with a whole lotta gold on the inside. They are people who aren’t okay with just being average.

They are people who know that life is short and every day is a gift and it’s meant to be lived as an adventure — because, otherwise, what’s the point?

But here’s the thing, most people don’t tell you about the wanting, the visualizing, the dreaming: it’s hard.

Especially when the picture in your head doesn’t match the reality in front of you…

When you know that you are meant for so much more than what you are doing right now…

Well…it feels like crap, honestly.

It feels as if you are spending your days working for someone who doesn’t value you.

It feels like you are going through the motions but not really enjoying every moment.

It feels like waking up in the morning with a first thought of “ugh… how many times I can I get away with ‘snooze’”?”

I mean, seriously. When you believe that life is a precious gift, but you start the day with “ugh”?! You know how messed up that is! But you can’t seem to find a way out.

And it’s one thing for some people who are content with the status quo, who are fine if all their life is home to work, fast food take-outs and extra-strong cups of coffee in between.

But for the people who know that a better life is within their reach — who have the smarts and skills and potential to actually get there — waking up in a life that’s just okay… can be really hard and painful.

But that pain is there for a reason. Discomfort is what leads us to change. It’s the catalyst, the spark, for something new to come into your life.

A Side Hustle is a business that you build on the side of your day job. It’s an additional revenue stream (that can replace your full-time job, if you want) and a way to tap into your passions.

In my #1 international bestseller What If It Does Work Out?: How a Side Hustle Can Change Your Life, I interviewed my friend and serial entrepreneur, James Altucher, about challenging conventional wisdom and taking risks. Here is an excerpt.

Susie:What facts do you tell people who still believe in the old world order (safe corporate job, 401(k), single paycheck)?

James:I don’t like to tell people they are wrong. Nobody listens when you tell them that.

We want to believe (I want to believe) that I am right all the time.

So I don’t tell people when I think they are wrong. I just point out the times I realized I was wrong.

1. 401(k)s

I thought it was good to save away every month in a 401(k). Little did I realize the amount of fees and wrong decisions 401(k) managers constantly make. Nor did I realize that even when the company matches, I would have been far better off investing in myself, or simply having my own cash in the bank rather than waiting until I am near 60.

2. Owning a home

I get it. Many people want “roots.” Many people think rent is throwing money out. But you never really own your home. Try missing a mortgage payment, or a property tax payment, and see how quickly the land from underneath you is taken away. And I learned the hard way that the amount of equity I build is no match for maintenance, renovation, and the thousand other little nicks and expenses that owning a house entails.

Sure, some of the time (and there are a million anecdotes), homeownership works. But as an investment, it has all the worst qualities. You would never invest in a company/stock, for instance, where:

• You use 400% leverage.
• It can go down as much as 50% while you hold it.
• It is totally liquid. (You can’t sell it during the times you most NEED to sell it.)
• It requires constant payments to hold onto the investment.

I could go on.

3. Jobs are “safe.”

Many people go to college thinking that even if they can’t do their highest passions in life, they at least can have a “Plan B” that includes a safe job.

Unfortunately, incomes have been going straight down while inflation is going up.

The average salary for people ages 18-35 has gone from $36,000 in 1992 to $33,000 now, and it’s only getting lower.

How do you start living the life that you were born to do? For starters, you could begin by starting a side hustle that you will be passionate about.

Here are the essentials that you need to start a successful Side Hustle….

Pinpoint a passion. Most people have a few, but just choose one that fits these criteria: You are really good at it, people need it, and you can be paid for it. It can be anything from teaching calligraphy to planning parties to freelancing as a logo creator. Don’t over-think it! Your business will change over time, so just begin.

Use your network. It’s bigger than you think. Don’t be afraid to let your contacts know that you’re open for business by posting your work on social media and starting an email list. Most people will support you. After some time my corporate clients became some of my biggest supporters and even coaching clients (most had, or wanted to begin, their own hustles)!

Schedule weekly hustle hours. Like a work appointment or meeting, this is non-negotiable.

Collaborate with other hustlers and entrepreneurs at every opportunity. The bigger your community the more “luck” you will have.

Once you have a little traction, hire an affordable virtual assistant who can help you with the time consuming but non-revenue generating work – I recommend Fiverr.com and Brickwork India.

Starting a side hustle is the 21st century way to start a business.

Now, if the idea of starting a business makes you start to sweat, it’s probably because of one of these two reasons:

You’re way too busy. You work a demanding job, maybe you have kids, and you have hobbies and a social life that you don’t want to give up. You’re a doer. You’re constantly in motion. You definitely don’t have time to start a business.

Or…

You’re smart with money. Financial security is very important to you because the world runs on dollars and cents. Starting your own business would be amazing…but you won’t risk your financial future without solid proof that it can make you real money.

Just like you, I’m an idealist but I’m also a realist. A business takes time and resources to grow. We can’t just dream it into existence.

But…

That’s why Side Hustling is your entry pass to the life you want. It’s not just about making money and doing work that you love, it’s also about being whip smart with your time and intentionally using it (maybe for the first time) to serve YOU.

Building a Side Hustle doesn’t have to take tons of time. (I built mine to six figures while working my crazy Sales Director job at a Fortune 500 company.)

It doesn’t have to cost loads of money. (I didn’t invest a dime into my coaching business until it paid for itself.)

All you need is a smart, strategic plan of action. You need to know that you’re taking the RIGHT steps that will move you forward in a big way.

There is a Chinese proverb that says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.” If you want a side hustle, start today. There is no reason to wait. Conditions are never perfect — the timing is never “right.” If you yearn for a hustle, start now and buckle up. Because what transpires just might astonish you.

Susie Moore is a British-born former Fortune 500 Sales Director, advisor to startups in New York City and Silicon Valley and #1 bestselling author of What If It Does Work Out? Sign up for her free Side Hustle workshop here.