Lean Out Loud #19: The Professional Side Hustle—Your Career's Secret Weapon

Welcome back to Lean Out Loud Issue #19 is here!

I've got some cool news that really belongs to all of us: I've been named a LinkedIn Top Voice in four categories. LinkedIn and our fantastic community have recognized me as a Top Voice in four categories, Top Social Media Voice, Top Product Innovation Voice, Top Content Marketing Voice, and Top Trade Show Voice.

As much as it's a milestone, it's really an 'us' moment. I couldn't have done it without this community your support and involvement are what make this journey truly special. A big, heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you. Your involvement is the cornerstone of this extraordinary journey, and for that, I'm profoundly grateful.

Today, I'm eager to peel back the curtain and delve into something that's not just a job or a career for me, but a relentless passion that has consumed the better part of the last 15 years.

This topic is so near and dear to my heart that I felt it absolutely had to be the focus of today's newsletter. So, whether you're a long-time reader or you're joining us for the first time, buckle up because we're about to deep-dive into a subject that's been my driving force, my North Star.

?? The Professional Side Hustle

Whether you're an executive at a Fortune 500 company, a mid-level manager or just starting out, this issue might just shift your career paradigm. It's all about the side hustle—but not the usual kind.

Forget moonlighting as a barista or spending your weekends freelancing.

We're talking about professional side hustles—endeavors that align with your career and can skyrocket your expertise, your network, and yes, your net worth.

Think of it as a real-world MBA that pays you.

Let's not just dip our toes in, let's jump into the deep end.

If you've been contemplating whether a professional side hustle is for you, consider this your push off the proverbial fence.

★ The New Age Career Insurance: Don't Buy Into the Illusion of Job Security

The phrase "job security" should be in the museum of outdated concepts, right between princess phones and floppy disks. In an era where job roles evolve faster than iPhone models, relying solely on a full-time job for financial stability is a game of Russian roulette.

Your professional side hustle isn't just a safety net; it's your golden parachute.

Should your main gig evaporate—due to market downturns, internal restructures, or just plain bad luck—your side hustle can be quickly scaled to become your main source of income. It's more than insurance; it's your career's contingency plan with benefits.

★ The Monopoly Effect: Become the Oracle of Your Field

In monopoly, the player who owns Boardwalk and Park Place usually wins.

Similarly, in the professional arena, the person who has diversified skills and multiple income streams sets the pace.

When you leverage a professional side hustle, you monopolize a unique blend of skills that make you irreplaceable. You become the oracle of your field, the go-to expert whose name pops up in industry discussions.

You aren't just playing the game; you're defining it.

★ Why Should You Care?

1. Portfolio Diversification: You wouldn't put all your investments in one stock, would you? Then why would you stake your entire financial future on a single job? Side hustles are the hedge funds of the professional world.
2. Skill Augmentation: Side projects demand a myriad of roles. You're the marketer, the customer service rep, the data analyst, and more. This polymath approach to work can only make you more valuable in your day job.
3. Innovation Boost: Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? A side hustle can act as a sandbox for ideas and strategies you can then introduce to your main gig. It's like stealing from Peter to pay Paul, except both are you, and both win.
4. Career Resilience: Did the last two years teach us nothing? Job security is almost an oxymoron today. Side hustles can be a financial cushion or even an escape hatch to pivot careers.

★ The Contrarian Angle: Good for Employers Too

Now, here's where the discussion takes a turn. Many might argue that side hustles can dilute your focus and compromise your loyalty. They're wrong.

1. Employee Retention: Studies show that people with a side hustle often report higher job satisfaction. Weird, right? But it makes sense; they're not relying on their 9-to-5 for existential fulfillment.
2. Talent Development: A side hustle can expedite the learning curve for new skills, which an employee can bring back to their main job. What employer wouldn't want a team of constantly up skilling, multi-talented individuals?

★ The 1% Mindset: Settling is for Quicksand

Now, brace yourself because we're diving into the crux of the matter. The mainstream narrative portrays side hustles as mere cash cows or safety nets—stop-gap measures for the financially or creatively bereft.

That's not just small-time thinking; it's a tragic underestimation of what's possible.

Here's a radical idea: Consider your side hustle as a prototype for your own future Fortune 500 empire. Or envision it as a fledgling thought leadership platform that will one day not just follow but dictate industry trends.

Side hustles aren't just freelance gigs or moonlighting opportunities; they're incubators for grand visions.

Why aim for the foothills when you could conquer Everest?

Dream with audacity, but let's get practical too. Start modestly, perhaps embarrassingly small—yet start. You don't need an army; sometimes a well-aimed sling can bring down a giant.

So, rip up that rulebook that says side hustles have to be cute little ventures.

Instead, invest in your hustle like you're sowing the seeds of the next industry titan. Water it, nurture it, and be patient. Those seeds have within them the potential to grow into towering trees, under whose shade generations may find refuge.

In essence, don't merely hustle—fuel your grind with a vision so electrifying that it doesn't keep you up from stress, but from an irresistible anticipation of what you can actually manifest.

That's the 1% mindset. Anything less is just settling, and you weren't made for that.

★ Your Homework: Don't Just Dream, Begin—Today, Not 'Someday'

1. Identify the Gap: This isn't about filling holes; it's about creating opportunities. Ask yourself, what's conspicuously missing in your industry? Where can you be the missing puzzle piece that not only completes but also transforms the bigger picture?
2. The Two-Week Intensive: The beauty of this is its brevity. Commit wholeheartedly to your side hustle idea for a scant two weeks. If the passion fizzles out or the idea sputters, give yourself the license to pivot without shame or completely abandon ship. Either way, you'll emerge wiser.
3. Time Audit: Break out that journal, physical or digital. Log every hour of your day for one week straight. Spot the time-vampires—those low-value tasks sucking the life out of your productivity—and stake them. Reclaim that time for your side hustle.

In the grand scheme of your career, these are baby steps, but even giants started as infants. Your ambitions are not just dreams; they're premonitions of what you can achieve.

So, go ahead. Take these insights, roll them up like a treasure map, and set forth on your adventure.

The destination is as extraordinary as you make it.

Until we meet again in this shared journey of leaning out to revolutionize our professional lives, keep stretching those boundaries, elevating those goals, and shattering those ceilings.

Remember, you're not just another professional; you're a force waiting to erupt.

P.S. Feel free to forward this email to someone who's stuck in the 'one job for life' mentality.

You might just set them free.

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