On Hustling
Or, how to get distracted from the main thing
Recently, I had a conversation about side gigs.
Side gigs, as everyone knows, are the things we do to earn a little extra money.
They’re work we don’t necessarily mind doing—and sometimes even enjoy.
Driving for Uber or Lyft and chatting with strangers.
Selling crafts at the local farmers market and meeting new faces.
Or renting out your home on Airbnb and watching the positive reviews roll in.
But a side gig isn’t the same as a second job.
A second job is something we have to do.
To pay for insurance.
To cover a sick child’s healthcare.
To survive when the first paycheck isn’t enough.
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Trying It Out
Side gigs are best defined by an attitude of curiosity: “I’m just trying it out.”
Or “Let’s see what sticks.”
The problem with the side hustle is that it often stays just that—a side hustle.
And who’s to blame?
Ourselves.
To be clear—I’m a fan of the side hustle.
A little grit and drive can do us all some good.
But what I see most often is hesitation.
Many people tell me they’re waiting for the right conditions before making a real transition.
They need a few more clients.
A few more dollars.
A little more time—or motivation.
The writer Shane Parrish put it plainly in his Farnam Street newsletter:
“If you wait until you’re motivated, you’ve already lost.
Surgeons don’t always feel like doing surgery. Teachers don’t always feel like teaching. Parents don’t always feel like cooking. Firemen don’t always feel like rushing into a burning building. If you let motivation dictate your actions, inertia conspires to keep you in place.
Action creates progress.
Progress creates momentum.
Momentum creates motivation.”
The truth is, there will never be a perfect number of clients, the right amount of money, or the ideal time.
The only right time is today.
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What the Side Gig Reveals
I believe side gigs can offer an honest window into our inner lives.
Seen clearly, they reveal what we value most—and what brings us alive.
Maybe the best part of driving isn’t the money, but the conversations and people you meet.
Maybe the farmers market isn’t about selling, but about creating—about the joy of making something with your hands.
Or perhaps hosting on Airbnb says something deeper about your gift for hospitality, and how rare that gift has become in our fast-paced world.
For just a moment, the side gig strips away pretense and shows us who we are.
What inspires us.
What moves us to act.
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The Main Thing
Marcus Aurelius, writing in Meditations, reminded himself:
“You could be good today. But you choose tomorrow.”
Many of us can’t simply turn our side hustle into the main thing.
And perhaps you’re among the fortunate few who are content with your current work and life.
If so, good.
Truly.
But if you have a side gig that stirs something in you, ask the deeper question:
Why?
Why this and not that?
Why now and not later?
Maybe those conversations in the car are pointing you toward counseling or coaching.
Maybe your time at the market is a small rehearsal for running your own bakery or design studio.
Maybe hosting strangers reminds you how much the world needs welcome.
As Shane Parrish also wrote:
“Good positioning is planned. What looks like luck is often someone positioned to take advantage of changing circumstances.”
So—look around.
What are the circumstances of your life right now?
And how might you start positioning yourself to take full advantage of this great, unpredictable, and wonderful life you’ve been given?
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Closing Reflection
Sometimes the main thing isn’t what we hustle for—it’s what the hustle reveals.
And if we pay attention, that small act of doing—of trying, building, testing—can remind us who we already are.