Susie Moore’s book What If It Does Work Out?: How a Side Hustle Can Change Your Life is a motivational and practical guide designed to help individuals start, grow, and thrive in side hustles. Moore’s insights focus on overcoming self-doubt, managing time, and creating a profitable venture that can bring joy, financial independence, and personal fulfillment. Whether you’re just starting or looking to expand, this book offers actionable advice on how to balance a side hustle with your regular job and how to turn it into a life-changing opportunity. Below are 10 lessons discussed in the book:
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1. The Power of a Side Hustle
Moore emphasizes that a side hustle is more than just extra income. It can provide you with freedom, purpose, and the ability to pursue passions outside of your day job. A side hustle gives you an opportunity to explore your interests, diversify your income streams, and potentially transition into full-time entrepreneurship.
- Key Takeaway: A side hustle can give you the freedom to explore your passions, create financial security, and potentially open doors to new career opportunities.
- Application: Start by identifying a hobby or skill you’re passionate about. Think about how you can monetize it, whether it’s through freelancing, teaching, consulting, or selling products.
Lesson: A side hustle is a way to enhance your life, allowing you to earn extra income while doing something you love.
2. Overcome the Fear of Failure
One of the core lessons Moore teaches is that fear, particularly the fear of failure, is often the biggest obstacle to starting a side hustle. People are afraid of being judged, failing, or wasting time. Moore encourages readers to embrace the possibility of success and to take action despite their fears.
- Key Takeaway: Fear is normal, but it shouldn’t stop you from pursuing something that could change your life for the better.
- Application: Challenge your fear by asking yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Compare that with the potential benefits of starting your side hustle. Focus on what you could gain rather than what you could lose.
Lesson: You have to push through fear to create something new. The more you act, the less powerful the fear becomes.
3. You Don’t Need to Quit Your Job Right Away
Moore encourages aspiring side hustlers to maintain their full-time jobs while building their side business. This provides stability and reduces financial stress, allowing you to grow your side hustle organically without the pressure of needing it to succeed immediately.
- Key Takeaway: You don’t need to quit your day job to start a side hustle. In fact, your full-time job can support your venture as it grows.
- Application: Allocate time outside your work hours for your side hustle. Use weekends, evenings, or lunch breaks to work on your passion project. As your side hustle grows, you can decide if and when to make it your full-time focus.
Lesson: Keep your full-time job as a safety net while your side hustle develops. It allows you to take risks without risking your financial stability.
4. Time Management is Key
Balancing a full-time job, a side hustle, and personal life can be challenging, but Moore stresses that time management is critical. It’s not about having more time; it’s about using the time you have effectively. Being deliberate with your time allows you to make progress without feeling overwhelmed.
- Key Takeaway: Successful side hustlers manage their time well by being intentional with how they spend their hours.
- Application: Schedule time blocks for working on your side hustle, even if it’s just 30 minutes a day. Use tools like calendars, task lists, or productivity apps to stay organized and focused.
Lesson: Consistency and disciplined time management will lead to progress, even if you’re working on your side hustle for just a few hours a week.
5. Start Before You’re Ready
Many people wait for the “perfect time” to start a side hustle, but Moore argues that there is never a perfect time. She encourages readers to start now, even if they don’t feel completely ready. Starting small is better than not starting at all.
- Key Takeaway: Perfectionism and waiting for the right moment will only delay your progress.
- Application: Launch your side hustle with what you have today. It doesn’t have to be perfect—you can refine and improve it as you go. The most important thing is to start.
Lesson: Don’t wait for all the stars to align. Take action now, and you can adjust and grow as you gain experience.
6. Build Confidence by Taking Action
Confidence doesn’t come before action; it comes as a result of taking action. Moore highlights that many people think they need to be confident before they start, but the truth is, confidence is built over time as you gain experience and overcome challenges.
- Key Takeaway: Confidence grows as you take steps toward your goals, even small ones.
- Application: Take one small action every day toward your side hustle. Each step forward builds momentum and increases your confidence in your ability to succeed.
Lesson: The more you do, the more confident you become. Don’t wait for confidence to come before starting.
7. Leverage Your Existing Skills
One of Moore’s practical pieces of advice is to leverage the skills and knowledge you already have when starting a side hustle. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel or acquire brand new skills to begin. Start by utilizing what you’re already good at.
- Key Takeaway: You already have marketable skills and talents that can be turned into a side hustle.
- Application: Assess your strengths and think about how you can offer those skills to others. For example, if you’re good at writing, you can freelance as a copywriter or start a blog. If you’re a fitness enthusiast, you can offer personal training or create fitness content.
Lesson: Use what you already know to create value for others and build your side hustle around your existing strengths.
8. Monetizing Your Passion
Moore advocates for building a side hustle that aligns with your passions. Doing something you enjoy will not only make the process more enjoyable but will also increase your chances of success because your enthusiasm will shine through in your work.
- Key Takeaway: Turning your passion into a side hustle can lead to both personal fulfillment and financial gain.
- Application: Think about hobbies or interests that you love and how they can be monetized. This could be anything from selling handmade crafts to offering consultancy services in a field you’re passionate about.
Lesson: When you’re passionate about your side hustle, it becomes easier to stay motivated and push through challenges.
9. Embrace the Hustle Mindset
Moore explains that having a “hustle mindset” is essential for success. This means being proactive, determined, and willing to put in the work to make your side hustle succeed. The hustle mindset is about resilience, adaptability, and continuous effort.
- Key Takeaway: Success in a side hustle comes from persistence and hard work.
- Application: Cultivate a mindset where you’re ready to embrace the grind. Be prepared to put in extra hours, face setbacks, and keep pushing forward. The hustle is what separates those who succeed from those who give up.
Lesson: Consistent effort and perseverance are critical to growing a successful side hustle.
10. Use Failure as a Learning Tool
Failure is inevitable in any venture, but Moore teaches readers to embrace failure as part of the journey. Instead of fearing failure, see it as an opportunity to learn and improve. Every mistake or setback can teach you something valuable that can help you grow your side hustle.
- Key Takeaway: Failure is not the end—it’s part of the process of learning and improving.
- Application: When something doesn’t work out, take time to reflect on what went wrong and how you can adjust moving forward. Keep experimenting and refining your approach.
Lesson: Don’t fear failure. Embrace it as a learning tool that helps you improve and grow.
Conclusion
In What If It Does Work Out?, Susie Moore offers a clear, motivational roadmap for anyone looking to start or grow a side hustle. The key lessons from the book are about overcoming fear, leveraging your strengths, managing your time, and staying persistent even when challenges arise (Amazon).
By applying these lessons:
- You can create a fulfilling and profitable side hustle that aligns with your passions.
- You can overcome the mental barriers that hold you back, such as fear of failure or perfectionism.
- You can gain financial independence and personal fulfillment while still maintaining your full-time job.
