This is part of a 30-day series called the 30 Steps Program to Financial Independence.
When I reached a point where I couldn’t bear my job anymore, I began to seriously think about my next move. I wanted a career that I felt passionate about and that would also allow me the freedom to travel and live the lifestyle I desired.
So, I made a list of my passions which included traveling, teaching, cooking, and other activities. Then, I created a list of jobs related to these passions, such as travel writer, cook, chef, foreign language teacher, and tutor. I evaluated the pros and cons of each option.
I quickly ruled out becoming a cook because it involves long hours of standing for typically low pay. This also eliminated most cooking-related jobs. I decided to try tutoring as a side job, and a friend offered to buy my travel articles for his website. Within a few weeks, I had two or three students and was writing five small articles a day. The income wasn’t significant, but I was truly happy with my work.
I mentioned yesterday that I was happy working at McDonald’s for a year because it was the perfect job for a student at that time. Your dream job may change as you age, start a family, or for other personal reasons. Whatever stage you’re at, there’s a way to pursue it. You can go back to medical school at 40 on a scholarship or bartend for the next 10 years if you love it. Start it as a side hustle and bartend at night. As demand for your services grows, you’ll eventually make enough money to leave your day job. This applies to any profession.
There’s no risk or “what ifs.” A friend of mine worked at a bank and, when she got pregnant, used her time off to bake amazing cakes for friends and family. She posted pictures on Facebook, and soon, people started asking her to bake more. Now, she has many customers and bakes at night since she’s back at work. She loves it so much that I bet she’ll soon leave her banking job to bake full-time.
Two decades ago, this might have been frowned upon—leaving a well-paying job to start a manual trade would have seemed crazy. But today, we’re all about following our passions. And guess what? In a few years, I’m sure my friend will earn more from her cake business than from her day job.