On Side Hustles

Side Hustles are for Suckers

Your time in this life is precious. To the greatest extent possible, you should enjoy what you do with your time. I know some people that enjoy the thrill of the side hustle, who love the chase and the undeniable validation that comes with a revenue stream they own. If you’re such a person, then congratulations, you have a productive hobby. If you’re like most of the rest of us, though, a side hustle is just another way of trading time for money. And in the market of labor, you should (generally) be looking to get the highest value for your time.

Your primary income (that is, your job) should be more than enough to sustain you. It should pay your bills, supply your hobbies and habits, help the kids with college, and set you up for a comfortable retirement. If that’s not the case, a side hustle is not the answer - a better job is.

Delivering meals on Saturdays may seem like an easy way to make some extra money but, I assure you, after wear & tear on the car and your own lost Saturday nights, the tradeoff is absolutely not worth it. A much better use of your time is training up to move into a better-paying job. When you deliver meals, you learn nothing. But when you learn a new skill (or improve upon an existing one), you become more valuable. And valuable people get the valuable jobs. Focus on you, focus on something in demand, and the rest will follow.