I Started a Side Gig, Then Quit Because I “Fell Out of Love” with the Project. Has This Happened to You Before?

7 years ago · 3 minute read

AMA question #12:

“I’ve started and launched many side gigs before, but then threw in the towel mainly because “I fell out of love” with the project. I just didn’t care about the project anymore. Has that happened to you before? I assume it’s just best to take that as a learning experience and look at it as just another step of getting closer to what really matters to you.”

Here’s our answer.

Key points:

• Yes, it has happened to us before! Both with side gigs and businesses.
• First, this is not a bad thing. Think of it like you would a relationship. It starts off hot and heavy. You’re hopping into the sack every hour. Long-term it’s not like that. Businesses and side gigs are the same way.
• But, that’s okay. Ask yourself this: Do you love the money? Do you still want the money? Don’t abandon a side gig or idea too fast. It’s not easy to get one off the ground. Maybe you “love it in a different way”. The grass is not always greener.

AMA Video Transcript

Dana Robinson: Have started and launched many side gigs before but then threw in the towel mainly because, “I fell out of love with the project.” I just didn’t care about the project anymore, has that happened to you before? I assume it’s just best to take that as a learning experience and look at it as just another step of getting closer to what you really want to do, what really matters to you.

Nate Broughton: Interesting, interesting they’re going from practical to philophical, philophicigacal? That’s not right either.

Dana Robinson: Philosophical.

Nate Broughton: Philosophical here we go, just getting exhausted here. Yes, that has definitely happened to me and you before with almost everything I’ve started. I liken start businesses and side gigs to just relationships, it starts off hot and heavy and then it wears off after a while, you’re not hopping into the sack every hour with your long term relationships. And that’s okay, as you’ve learned. And I feel that way about businesses. I mean it’s easy to get excited about new business ideas early on. You’re thinking about all the fun ideas that you have, how it’s going to be a success no matter if it’s a small side gig or like a big, big business. So I can understand the time line where it’s exciting, exciting and not so much exciting.

Nate Broughton: But I do think it is a learning experience but what you’re saying here makes me think like you’re just going to give up on this thing or maybe even try to sell it. And that’s okay, but I would caution you against giving up too early. Or selling something that is actually profitable and working. We both, well all of us know, including our person asking this question that it’s hard to find something that works. So if your side gig is working for you, ask yourself, do you love the money? Like is it worth keeping it going? Because whatever your new sexy idea is you’re going to have to start from scratch and that’s a long road to hoe. So don’t give up too early.

Dana Robinson: Yeah, I mean look, the idea of chasing after something you’re going to love. This I want to do what I love, it’s a myth. You know I had a client many years ago that loved scuba and the guy started a scuba website. And pretty soon he wasn’t doing scuba, or scuba training or scuba tours he was doing like web development and marketing and the business and he hated it because he thought getting into an industry that he loved would be something that he could be passionate about. Business is pretty basic. You know, you’ve got to market, you’ve got to sell, you’ve got to wake up and do the same thing again. Most side gigs have a lot of repetitive motion involved that can be really boring. And you know, we could all fall out of love with our businesses at some point. So I caution our listener on this. Not to be trying to find what they love and so they’re not always falling out of love and be smart about what you’re doing.

Dana Robinson: On the other hand, you know, I think having a little ADD is okay, and starting something and spending a few weeks you know tinkering and being like, “This is the next greatest thing ever,” And then realizing it’s not, that’s great. That iterative process is going to help you move through opportunities and not waste too much time. But if you’re invested in a side gig, it’s working, it’s making revenue, now is the time where the rubber meets the road let’s like build that into something you really can make a side gig that makes you a lot of money.