How side projects can supercharge your life
My new book, Life Between Moments, is out now! And a brief note on how to leverage side projects.
I am very proud and eager to share that my new book is now available on Amazon!
After a year of writing everyday after work and on weekends, I couldn't be more excited to finally share Life Between Moments: New York Stories.
It would mean the world if you picked up a copy (or two! or ten!). Thank you for your support.
Today's newsletter will be a short note on the importance of side projects — how to start one and why it can level up your career.
Side projects have changed my life time and time again
It started with a little blog in 2018. That gave me the habits of a writer, even before I had a job as one.
After getting brought on at a small newspaper, I kept my blog going. I built a portfolio of writing which helped me get into graduate school for journalism, even though I didn't have any reporting experience.
Fast forward two years, and my little corner of internet writing has led to a bestselling book and now today's new release, as well as a job at a national media outlet.
But if I had to give my younger self advice, I would tell me to start a side project even earlier than when I did at 21.
Who knows where I could be if I had one, two, three more additional years of writing practice by now.
A side project supercharges personal development when done in parallel with a regular job because it hones confidence, strengthens skills, and builds a habit of diligence.
Plus, a side project instills an entrepreneurial spirit, and teaches you how to pitch your skills in a creative way.
If you're unsure what to do for a side project, consult your passions.
A blog was a natural choice for me because I've always loved writing.
But maybe you prefer to make a YouTube channel on baking, or practicing portrait photography on dogs, or making TikToks about fashion.
No matter the topic or skill, if you stuck with it for one year, you could build your authority on the matter and have others view you as an expert.
Doing one thing once a week for a year, without missing, can reveal what you are capable of, what you love and what you hate. Those lessons never leave you.
My new book, for example, is far stronger compared to my first book in 2020.
Today I have a better grasp on writing, book publishing, and even marketing and social media thanks to the two year stretch in between the books.
It's worth noting that bringing side projects to fruition over a period of years can hold serious implications for your professional life.
The skills you develop outside work could become your greatest asset in the office.
Maybe they are what eventually allow you to work for yourself.
Whatever it is you are passionate about, start chipping away today. A few pointed questions can get the ball rollin':
How can you break it down into small, daily tasks?
What would a successful side project look like?
How would those skills translate to your job?
Who do you know who is working on something you want to try?
My goal here is not to convince anyone to start a blog, but to shed some light on what is possible — and how that potential could help differentiate you from every other bright, ambitious person you know.
As noted, my new book is available now on Amazon. If you pick up a copy, let me know. I'm so excited to hear what you think.