Starting a High-Paying Gig Doesn’t Need A Burning Passion, But Something You Simply Enjoy Doing

By Moon Harper

Apr 30, 2024 06:29 AM EDT

Happy Women Collaborating — (Photo : Unsplash/Surface)

In today's fast-paced gig economy, the rise of side hustles is evident as people seek extra income. Side gigs offer numerous benefits like additional money, pursuing personal passions, gaining new skills, and flexibility. A recent Bankrate study found that 39% of surveyed employees in 2023 reported having a side job, highlighting the growing significance of this trend.

If you are considering starting one, there are numerous avenues to explore, such as making specialty deliveries, selling secondhand clothing online, or coding. According to Kathy Kristof, CEO and founder of Sidehusl.com, who has personally tried and reviewed over 500 side hustles, almost any endeavor has the potential for success. Still, it should be something you are genuinely passionate about if you want to maximize profits.

You Actually Develop Unique Skills When You Are Passionate

Kristof has encountered various successful side hustles and shared a recent chat with a mechanic who earns over $100,000 annually by answering mechanical questions on JustAnswer but checks in daily to ensure his users' cars are fixed because he genuinely cares.

According to Kristof, passion plays a crucial role in such success stories. She believes that being passionate about something helps individuals develop unique skills. Because you want to do it, you invest time and effort and excel at it, and when you get hired, people will see you are great at it.

To discover your passion, Kristof advises considering what you enjoy doing in your free time, whether it is singing, playing the guitar, sewing, reading, or gardening, exploring your hobbies that may lead to viable side hustle opportunities. If you are unsure what fits your interests and skills, Sidehusl.com and Make It offer side hustle quizzes to help you identify these potentials.

It Does Not Need to be Like A Burning Passion

If you are concerned about discovering your passion, explore activities you genuinely enjoy.

Daniella Flores, who manages the side hustle site I Like to Dabble, initially started freelancing as a web developer. She was not super passionate about this work; she just had always been good at it and enjoyed working with it.

You do not want to dread doing a side hustle. It is an additional activity on top of everything else. You want it to be something you enjoy so that when you are putting in those extra hours on weekends or during lunch breaks, it is still a pleasant experience. According to Flores, that enjoyment factor helps and does not need to be a burning passion.

Keep in mind that building a successful side business requires diligence, careful planning, and perseverance. However, the rewards can be substantial, ranging from financial success and personal growth to improved work-life balance and satisfaction. With the right mindset, approach, and strategies, your side hustle could even become a full-time entrepreneurial venture or a reliable source of income.