3 Reasons to Start a Side Hustle Today (Other Than Extra Cash)

It's not always realistic to quit your job to start your own business.

Bills need to be paid, groceries need to be bought, and even if you've got some decent savings, you'd be surprised how fast they run out.

If you've been dreaming of escaping the 9 to 5 grind and working for yourself instead, a side hustle is a great way to get started without sacrificing the income you depend on.

Affiliate marketing, dropshipping, and other options for online businesses can be run in your spare time.

They don't need a full time commitment at first. Eventually, you may be able to scale to the point where you actually can quit your day job.

But income isn't the only thing you get out of a side hustle.

Sure, the extra money is great, whether it's a liveable income or just a bit of extra money.

You also gain valuable experience.

And the great thing is, even if your first attempt at a side hustle doesn't work out, you still benefit from it.

You'll have developed new skills, knowledge, and insights that stay with you for a lifetime.

Here's why a side hustle is a great idea, even if it doesn't pan out in the end.

It Opens You Up To New Experiences:

In the last couple of months: I attended a Fabletics launch party and interviewed Kate Hudson, had lunch with Ashton Kutcher’s investment guy, and was a guest on an influencer podcast.

Taking on a side hustle is like taking on a new extracurricular activity in high school; It exposes you to a new group of people you, otherwise, wouldn’t have met.

It Develops New Skills That Can Help You At Your Job:

Dorie Clark, author of the forthcoming Entrepreneurial You, tell us that,

“A side gig helps you develop new skills on your own time — which can pay major dividends for your day job. I interviewed Lenny Achan, a nurse who developed several apps and, as a consequence, was offered a job running social media at the hospital where he worked. He eventually became its head of communications.”

So once you develop new skills, you don’t need to leave your day job:

You can actually use your skills to add more value and take a new position within your company.

You Can Figure Out What You Want To Be When You Grow Up:

I’m 39 and still don’t know what I want to do. I’ve got a great job that pays the bills, but doesn’t satisfy me creatively.

So how can you find a career that satisfies you both intellectually and financially?

By trying new things on the side.