A few quick thoughts about side projects:
- Everybody’s situation is different, so there’s no right or wrong answer to this. There are many factors to be considered: how much one is aligned in terms of mission and purpose at the main job, income situation, whether or not they have children, etc. (for instance, I have my side projects – called children)
- Generally I’m not a big fan of side projects, not because side projects are bad, but because I believe life’s success comes from focus. Think about well-known successful people and how many of them achieved their success through side projects
- If you’re considering side projects, I would use energy and learning as main motivation/reason, not the money. Good side projects can fill you with renewed energy and help you learn new skills, which could actually benefit you for your main job
- On the contrary, if your side project drains so much energy that it starts to negatively affect your main job, you’re creating a lose-lose situation: you might become mediocre in both your main job and your side project
- As for money, I wouldn’t be too tempted by those clickbait-y headlines (“So-and-so made millions from a side project at age 25”). Are there those people? Probably yes. Is that everybody? No, they’re more like 0.1% exceptions. Personally, I don’t know anyone who made a significant fortune doing multiple side projects, but I know many people who built meaningful wealth by starting or joining an early-stage company at the right time (But then again, my sample size is small and specific, and I could be wrong)
- But if you’re at a big corporation and find yourself drifting through without a clear sense of purpose, side projects can be a great way to find your true passion. Companies shouldn’t (and can’t) control what you do in the evenings or on weekends. That time is yours. So you have every right to do a side project, just as you have every right to watch a Netflix show. But use common sense: anything that violates your employment agreement (eg taking on another full-time role or building a personal business using a company-issued device) is a direct breach and could get you in legal trouble.