Are You Cut Out to Work for Yourself?
Is Entrepreneurship all it's cracked up to be?
I’m in an entrepreneurial group on Facebook that’s outside my usual interests these days, and I don't frequent these groups much anymore since I don’t consider myself in that stage of life right now. But I must have needed to see this one today, as it popped up in my feed.
A Shift in Perspective
One of the members shared her decision to take a part-time job after realising that the constant hustle was taking a toll on her mental health and nervous system. She is now enjoying a steady income and the chance to heal from the stress of constantly searching for clients and trying to make ends meet.
Challenging the Hustle Culture
The responses to her post were pleasantly surprising. Years ago, the unanimous advice in this group would have been to:
Work through your blocks
Raise your prices
Know your worth
Keep hustling
Connect to your why
While these ideas can be helpful, I find them a bit problematic. Life isn't just about hustling, especially depending on where you are in life.
The Evolution of Online Work
When I first started working online, I monetised by fluke. The landscape was different then—I had high organic traffic and made money from Google ads, digital products, affiliate marketing, in-person events and online courses without paying for advertising. However, as the online world became more saturated and the economy shifted, keeping up became harder. Audiences became more discerning, and the way we do business online evolved rapidly.
Finding What Works for You
Back then, I wasn’t chasing the latest trend or tool to grow my business. I was just having fun and making content that interested me. I also didn’t have the added complexity of worrying about providing for a family. I made money by sharing my interests, stories and creativity, like my raw vegan journey and recipe creation. But as we all do, I evolved, and so did my life.
Redefining Success
As I’ve discussed before, getting a job isn’t a failure. Our needs change with different life stages. I find it refreshing when I see entrepreneurs recognise the importance of taking breaks, paying bills, and not letting work define their existence.
The past few years, with all their uncertainties, have reminded many of us that life is unpredictable. It’s crucial to focus on what matters.
Following Your Own Path
Interestingly, back in my corporate days, I followed my intuition and took a big pay cut to leave a secure banking job for a ‘fun’ role as a flight attendant, which I thought would be a short-term role until I got back to my senses and went back to a ‘real’ job. Within a year, I was earning more than I did in the corporate world because I was in a role I loved and was naturally good at, which helped me progress quickly. This happened again with another career change a few years later. Taking a pay cut to do a role that would serve my needs better led to an even higher salary soon after.
The Power of a Joyful State
It’s amazing what you can achieve when you operate from a healed, calm, and joyful state. You can make anything you do purposeful, even if it doesn’t look like what you originally intended. Just follow the signs and take the cues.
Success on Your Terms
Ultimately, I think it's about finding what works best for you at each stage of your life. Whether you thrive on the hustle of entrepreneurship or find peace in a more stable role, there’s no right or wrong path—just the one that feels right for you. Trust your instincts, honour your needs, and remember that it's perfectly okay to pivot and redefine what success means to you.
This topic keeps popping up for me, so I’d love to know if it is for you, too. Also, please share it with anyone you think could benefit from this discussion, as it seems very topical in my online and offline chats.