Creating Part-Time & Working Full-Time

Read time: 6 minutes 

In today's issue, I'm going to give you the roadmap to becoming a creator online without quitting your 9-5 job. I understand many people don't have the luxury of going 'all in' on their passions. Heck, some may not even want that anyway.

I spent the first 5 years of my creator life building on the internet in my spare time with a day job. I enjoyed it. There was zero pressure. And this blend could be something you strive for - instead of constantly feeling like you need to 'quit the rat race'... which I believe is just code for distraction from your creativity.

You don't need that unnecessary pressure.

Building on the internet is about playing the long game.

If you decide to cut the safety rope on your J-O-B to go all-in on your passions and dreams, I can almost guarantee the pressure of making money will cloud your creativity in the beginning - this is what happened to me.

Sure, once you start to gain some traction, grow your audience, and get more deals/gigs, things start to shift.

But if you're currently doing other things to create an income, but you'd also love to do more of what truly fulfils you, there's a better way - and you can do it alongside your full-time job in 1 hour a day or less.

It's called 'flow state creation' - let me explain.

I listened to an audiobook recently called Flow by Mihaly Csikezentmihalyi.

I'm glad I'm not speaking this out because I've got no clue how you'd even pronounce his last name!  

Anyhow, Mihaly wrote about what he discovered being surrounded by WW2 tragedies, and how people found it difficult to manage a post-war world. In his book, he shares how people were finding happiness - and he noticed that creative people often entered a state of untouchability. 

a.k.a flow state.

So how do you get into flow state? 

Well here's what works for me:

• Hot coffee

• Softly lit light

• Stand up desk

• Early mornings

• Clear list of 3 items to-do

• Sometimes, headphones with no sound

I spend up to 2-4 hours in 'creation mode' each day. That's focused 'flow state' work where I'm either writing or creating content. It didn't start there, I started in smaller chunks of 30 minutes - or whenever I had time on weekends or in the evenings.

This is what people get wrong.

They think you need to work 8 hours a day on your passion, or in your flow state to move the needle.

Reality check: if you've got a 9-5 job, that means skipping dinner, going without sleep, not telling your kids nighttime stories, and staying up till stupid o-clock in the early hours. Let's be real. That's just not happening. Unless you're some tunnel-visioned, possessed warrior with no soul and little to live for.

Which most of us mere mortals are not.

The realistic alternative: Focus on the long-game. 1 hour a day (or less) compounded overtime is how you become an online creator part-time and be happy about doing it.

Sure, later down the road you may change your mind and want to go full-time creator. But if you're just getting started, play the long-game and think of creating online as an investment in your future.

Self Investment

The stuff you learn by creating on the internet will put you in good stead for the rest of your life. Don’t believe me?

Here’s what I’ve seen when it comes to creating online:

• Some land their dream jobs through creation

• Others get access to people they never would have dreamed of

• People making a solid side income and a smaller few making millions from their small corner of the internet.

Creating will teach you discipline, and if you're lucky enough, it'll change your life.

Here's some of my biggest takeaways as a creator for the last 5 years:

• Nobody cares about your story, they only care about how it can help them.

• Content creation is like building a business: show up & sell.

• Consistency is what matters most.

• Attention is the new currency.

• Fail faster to become better.

Everyday you 'show up' and get into flow state to work in your creative corner, you ingrain these lessons - until they become the fabric of who you are.

And that's it.

I hope you find issues like this helpful.

Have a wonderful day.

~ Alex 

How Are 3 Ways I Can Help You When You Are Ready

1. Free2Paid: I put together this video series which includes 7 steps to getting paid brand deals as an online creator. Watch it here (it's free)

2. GoPro Video Magic: A complete course containing literally everything I know about action cameras, including setup, shooting, editing, and sharing on social media. Enrol here for £29.99

3. Part-Time Creator Hub? I'm thinking of putting something together as a 'hub' for people who'd love to do more of what they enjoy - and get paid for doing it - as a part-time creator. I shot a short video here to explain how it could work.