Test Drive Your Career Change 💼

Often, when people discover that the ways they’ve been working and living are misaligned, they have this sense of urgency to move away from everything ASAP.

It’s a risky approach. One that can put a lot of pressure on your career change journey. It’s hard to get creative (a career transition journey is a creative process of reimagining and reinventing yourself and your life) when we aren’t sure we’ll be able to pay the bills.

This is especially true if the main driver for your career change is to pursue a passion/purpose. And even more so if you’re thinking about self-employment.

Your career transition journey will likely be more generative if you give yourself permission to explore your interests and see what works while the stakes are relatively low. A more extended time horizon allows you to be more thoughtful and deliberate. You can start taking longer-term steps that will position you better down the road.

So how do you take real action towards more fulfilling work while keeping the stakes relatively low? One approach is what author, business coach and speaker Pamela Slim calls the “side hustle”. A side hustle is essentially a side project separate from your day job that you undertake in a freelance capacity in your spare time.

You may be concerned that this seems like a significant commitment and you're short on time. However, the reality is that if you direct your side project towards a topic you're passionate about or interested in, it’s more likely to feel exciting and fun rather than another task on your to-do list. You'd be surprised how much you manage to fit in when you feel really engaged by it.

A side project is a clever way to test and try out new career ideas and their money-making potential. Plus, it comes with the bonus of potentially earning some extra cash.

Think about this period as a structured trial and error to crystallise your next career chapter. Especially if you aim to eventually shift into full-time self-employment / start your own business, a side hustle can be an opportunity to solve some of the unanswered questions that are part of the beginning of any entrepreneurial journey --

Who will want what I have to offer? What of all that I have to offer is there truly an audience for, and what do people actually want to pay for? Which need/problem am I solving? What language do I need to use when I talk about it so that my audience understands and relates? What can I build a sustainable business around?

It's about putting things out there to an audience and learning from what happens.

With this approach, you’ve got nothing to lose. You can take action without risking your current job and salary stability, get real feedback on what works and what doesn’t, and test whether you really love what you imagine you will – all while unlocking some side income.

But, once it’s feasible, and note that feasible doesn't equal guaranteed, don’t let fear hold you back from jumping right in.

Leverage your runway. You can reinvent yourself to anything when you’re not worried your electricity will be shut off. And remember, you’re not wasting time, you’re laying the groundwork.

Love,

Naama