Life is meant to be spent working on things you believe in and are passionate about. That’s how you can be sure you’re doing your best at any moment, you know it’s worth it, are purpose-driven, help others and make a difference at the same time.

And although I’ve discussed why you should focus on just 1-3 skills in life and master them instead of jumping into new ones every few weeks or months, I’m also a believer in new projects.

We have only 24 hours in a day and it’s better to dedicate them to our main goals in life, the things that truly matter to us and what’s giving results.

But it’s equally important to always have a side project to work on, a new hobby to practice, a new field of expertise to explore, etc.

It doesn’t really matter if you fail, because you gain much more than you think.

Why Have a Side Project on Top of Everything You Already Do?

Here are the main reasons why a new project is always a great idea:

1. You get out of your comfort zone.

Working on something new means leaving behind what you already feel comfortable with, and challenging yourself.

It’s a great way to grow and improve yourself too.

And even if it doesn’t succeed, you’ll expand your horizons, will engage and optimize your creative mind, gain knowledge and experience and have something new to talk about.

Also read: Tips to Turn Your Side Job into Financial Freedom

2. You’re passionate.

If you start working on a new personal project, it means that you care about it, or are at least interested in it.
So dedicating time to it will bring joy to your days and will give you a sense of purpose.

3. You may make money.

If it’s a business on the side, it can take off sooner than you expect. It can even replace your current income and let you quit your job.

Here are some side jobs that make good money.

4. You build your personal brand.

Every new skill you develop, new project you try or content or product you create, becomes an addition to your portfolio. It makes you more interesting, useful and experienced.

5. You get to meet new like-minded people.

Getting familiar with the ins and outs of something you haven’t tried yet also means connecting with people in the industry – both experts and enthusiasts.

You can make new friends this way, partner up with someone, or join communities for support and inspiration.

I think these 5 reasons are more than enough to convince you that it’s absolutely worth investing time, energy and focus in something you’ve been thinking about for a long time but never actually started.

What Side Project Am I Working On?

Almost 300 articles on Let’s Reach Success later, and after having guest posts and some sponsored posts, together with the books I’ve published and offer in the bookstore and the freelance writing business I have, I now started working on a podcast.

I can’t say I’ve been putting it off. I’ve been listening to podcasts for a long time, but it was just a few weeks ago that I realized that there was nothing stopping me from giving it a try.

I’m a writer, and I always will be. But I’ve tried different things in the digital world that were out of my expertise, and they went well.

In the worst case, I built new skills and learned new stuff. That’s always helpful.

Podcasting is just another way of presenting content online. And the only thing you need is a strong desire and having something to say.
I believe I have both.

Now, I did my research and know what I’ll need. It made me realize that I can handle the tech aspect of this side project.

And because I’m all about taking action – no matter how small – I ordered a simple USB mic today. I’ve got Audacity installed (the free open source for audio recording and editing), and am ready to get out there with a few episodes and upload my podcast to iTunes in a couple of months.

All that is something I’m leaving for my free time, but that doesn’t mean I’m not ready to dedicate time to it almost daily.

I’m starting small. I’m ready to fail and am absolutely alright with the fact that this whole project may not be a success.

So even if things don’t work out, even if I sound awful when recorded and have no listeners weeks or months after the show is on, I still won’t regret it and will then decide whether it’s worth to continue working on it or there’s better use of my time.

It will be harder for me than blogging and will take more time. But I’m alright with that. I won’t let it distract me from my main online projects and how I’m currently making money.

It will be a side hustle and I’m not starting it for the sake of money.

I’m doing it for a few reasons:

• to get out of my digital comfort zone – I feel comfortable writing, so it’s time to add some discomfort;
• I’ll reach new audiences – I may get new fans, or simply inspire a person or a few who wouldn’t have found me if it wasn’t for my podcast;
• I become a host – that’s a new thing to add to my Twitter bio and portfolio. It immediately lets people see me in a different light. Some may take me more seriously because of my podcast;
• it will be a good addition to the blog – The Let’s Reach Success Podcast sounds great. And offering a new type of content on the blog would be another way to boost traffic and gain new visitors;
• I’m still doing what I love – it’s just another opportunity for me to do something connected to my passions – personal development and doing stuff online;
• I’ll become more tech-savvy – I believe that in a few weeks I’ll know more about the equipment needed for podcasting, will get to work with a new software and online platforms and feel more comfortable producing and editing audio content;
• I’ll be offering value – it will be for free so I’m still creating content and getting it out there for people to learn new things and stay motivated. I’m thus building information products and contributing to the world in general.

No matter what happens, I’ll be having fun and doing something I care about. And I believe stuff like that matters and usually ends well.

I may even get interested in the technology part soon, get better and learn more, and at least share my knowledge by writing how-to posts about podcasting.

What I want you to know is that if you’re in doubt about starting a new project, you should definitely do it.

And don’t listen to others as they have nothing to do with this. It’s your path to walk, and only you know what feels right and what’s worth focusing on.

So if you decide to start working on something on the side soon, here are some tips on how to do it:

1. Do your research.

Read about it first. At least a little so that you get the idea. As there may be something connected to the project which you won’t enjoy.
It’s better to know it now than to realize it when you’ve already invested weeks of your time.

2. Start small.

That’s super important. Just like it is with building a new habit, so it is with new projects and goals.

This way you won’t feel overwhelmed and won’t have to adapt to a big change.

3. Take the first action today.

Just like I invested a small amount of money in a microphone, so can you do something small today. It’s important as it helps you start the whole journey. Also, action breeds action and tomorrow you’ll take a second step like that.

Otherwise, your project will be left behind, together will all the other ideas you never acted upon.

Don’t let that happen.

Moreover, don’t put it off for a long time. Today is the best day to start. If not, there’s a chance that soon this will become just another item on your list you’ll want to postpone for later.

4. Commit to it.

If you’re going to spend just a little time every now and then, it’s probably not worth it.

In my case, for example, I’ll need to be consistent with producing episodes, even if it’s twice a month. That means putting it before other things sometimes so that I can stick to my goal.

So what do you think? Do you have a side project like that? And how does starting a podcast sound to you?