I Converted My Side Hustle Into a Main Hustle — And It Was the Best Decision I Ever Made
If you believe you deserve better, nothing can stop you.
Hi,
It’s me Darshak.
I was skeptical about writing this letter. Reason? It’s a leaf from my life’s book. This story is about how I converted my side hustle into a main hustle.
I wanted to share this story to inspire you, to motivate you - If you believe you deserve better, nothing can stop you.
Here we go.
I Converted My Side Hustle Into a Main Hustle — And It Was the Best Decision I Ever Made
Sitting on the porch, I contemplated my life. In a way, it’s been one of those typical suburban lives: less noise, fewer friends, and peaceful life. You know — white picket fence and all that jazz.
But there was just something missing for me — a sense of meaning or belonging — and I couldn’t put my finger on what it was until I got into writing as a hobby instead of just a passive income.
I was feeling quite down because my previous job had not turned out to be the right fit. Every day, I dragged myself to work like a dog dragging its master for a morning walk.
I thought it would be a great idea to take some time off, so I bought myself a large Starbucks coffee for the morning and headed to the library. On my way, I stopped by “Chapters Indigo,” which sold all sorts of books, music, decor, wellness stuff, stationery supplies, and magazines.
At first glance, everything looked very tidy(just like my life), but then another customer bumped into me, knocking over their shopping basket as if on cue. This caused them to go careening down one aisle after another, clattering loudly until they finally came crashing back up against me, which knocked over my coffee cup all over my shirt!
All of this gave me clarity of life — how someone else’s mistake can ruin your life!
I got to take control of my life. By now, I was determined to do something on my own.
Blogging…blogging…blogging was all over my head. I didn’t know the whats and hows. But I knew the whys. Major problem solved!
The first time I ever wrote anything was in fourth grade when my teacher gave the class an assignment to write about our summer vacation. Back then, I had no idea what writing meant or how it worked, but all that changed by sixth grade when I stumbled across a book called “The Alchemist.” I read. I learned. I wrote. But, I never showed anyone what I wrote.
The Failed Assignment
Coming back to my original story, I finally reached the library drenched in coffee stains and a crystal clear mindset. Scanning the entire space, I hogged the corner seat with a gorgeous view of snowy mountains from the ten-foot glass window. (Yes, I live in the mountains!)
I pulled out my old crappy laptop with sticky keys and typed— “How to start blogging?”
134576357 results popped in, and I was overwhelmed!
I got sucked into the fantasy land of success, and without giving a second thought, I bought a domain on Bluehost and set up a website. It just took me an hour and a half from thinking to plunging into action.
Then gradually, I published blogs after blogs. Zero reads. Days passed. Months vanished. No change. The number of views merely increased to double digits. I was hopeful as I enjoyed the process more than the results.
My life began to glow. My days and nights seemed meaningful as I was living with a purpose. I began to cheat on my 9–5 job. My focus shifted to my side hustle. 24/7, I was thinking about my side hustle and how I could improve.
A year had already passed, and it was time for the domain renewal. I had earned only a few cents from Google Adsense. But I neglected my failures. I renewed the subscription and burned a hole in my pocket.
The New Doors Of Opportunity
God was gracious. Soon, the Medium thing happened. It was a rough start, though.
I started with writing poems and published my old poems only to earn a few dollars. But I was happy as I made more than a cent, unlike my previous attempt. I didn’t recover my investment yet.
My bank balance dried, as my readers left me soon.
I was optimistic that this platform would help me reach where I wanted to. I don’t have to worry about keywords, SEO, META descriptions, ads, etc. I silently quit my job (without singing about it on social media)and started freelancing in Mechanical design as a side hustle. This decision gave me the freedom to focus on my writing and convert it into a main hustle.
I felt a strong wind beneath my wings, and I was pumped up with zeal and excitement.
I read my readers — what they want, like, and what I can do. I realized:
The value you put into your content must be equal to or greater than the time-value of readers.
That’s the only way to monetize content on the internet. No one gives a damn about what you think and how you live. If you have nothing to add or inspire, you’re just a dead tree.
Taking cues from my potential readers, I streamlined my ideas and channeled my energy. Things began to change. Within two months, I recovered from my losses and made profits.
The Eureka Moment
One morning, I woke up to my Twitter DM that said:
Hey Darshak,
This is XXX from California. I’ve read your work on the internet, and I’m deeply impressed by the insightful inputs you put into your work. Are you a ghostwriter?
I am willing to pay you $1.50 per word for a 5000 word article. If it interests you give me a call on XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Till now, I had no clue what ghostwriting is and how it works. I googled it. But a gazillion thoughts crowded my mind — is it a scam? Am I being played?
The only way to find out was to pick up the phone and dial that number. After an hour of hesitancy, I finally called. The talk lasted for about 30 minutes, where we finalized my pay and the requirements. After thirty minutes, a Paypal notification popped up on my phone, “Your account has been credited with $7,500.”
Everything was happening at lightning speed. My emotions were paralyzed. After two weeks, I submitted my first writing assignment and was an official “ghostwriter.”
Things only went uphill after my first gig. Then one after the other — I got many offers.
The Leap of Faith
Had I not been dissatisfied with my Engineering job, I wouldn’t have started blogging. Had I not taken the first step to do what I wanted, I would still be stuck in a meaningless life.
Sometimes, we feel we’re not ready for our goals. But, the truth is we will never be. It’s the leap of faith that decides whether we’ll succeed or not.
There was plenty of noises in my life that prompted me not to choose this career path. I was so discombobulated by poor health, mental illness, failed relationship, societal pressure, etc., that I surrendered to Almighty.
There’s never a situation when everything goes wrong. If you believe, there’s at least one thing going right that can change your entire life forever.
If you have the slightest belief in yourself and the Almighty and act accordingly, you’ll see miracles. I might not be as successful as I wanted to, but I have progressed. I comfortably make four figures a month compared to one digit from last year.
I don’t care if my contemporaries earn millions, live in a lavish beachside bungalow, or drive a luxurious Porche — everyone’s life is different. Maybe success for them is money. But, for me, it’s money+contentment+purposeful living.
Every day, I wake up with a smile on my face, heart filled with gratitude and contentment, and soul pumped with a “go for it” attitude. In addition, I earn money on my terms.
I decide how my days will look. I wanted this feeling. I craved this life and will hold onto it forever. I am ready to sacrifice anything for this life of freedom and peace. I am not scared of tomorrow because I know my life is in my control, unlike the 9–5 job.
Parting Thoughts
If you’re reading this and thinking that your life is not what you want it to be, I just have two questions for you:
What’s stopping you from getting what you deserve?
Are the excuses in your head holding more weight than the happiness of achieving a goal?
You have to believe in yourself. You need to stop ignoring what you want and take the leap of faith that you can get what you deserve, whether it be a promotion, raise, a better relationship, or anything else.
The reason I shared my story is if you know deep down inside your heart that this action or change will complete your life, no limits can prevent you from getting everything on your wish list.
Do what you love and see how your life changes forever.
I hope you enjoyed reading my story as much I did writing it. If you did, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family.
Before you go, I will leave you with a powerful quote from Thomas Jefferson
“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
Thanks for reading.
Stay happy, blessed, and safe!
See you next Wednesday!
With love,
Darshak
P.S ~ If you missed my last letter, you can find it here.
P.P.S - If you wish to read more about my life journey, consider being a Medium member
. That’s how I became financially, emotionally, and spiritually independent.
You are an inspiration. It is never easy to live on your own terms when society teaches you otherwise. I am glad you found your calling and are living the life that you wanted to. :)
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