<$Tuesday, February 12, 2008$>
Making money from hobbies: a little self-promotion, a lot of self-doubt
| I don't have nearly the time I'd like to be able to put into turning my knitting into some kind of job or career. This often bums me out quite a bit, because knitting is about the only thing I have as much passion for as I do for writing. That hasn't kept me from setting up an Etsy shop, though, but mine could be much, much better. I keep hoping that adding more items and improving the shop is something I'll have time for after we move and I get two extra hours back each day from not having to commute. Of course, that's what I always tell myself. I have skills--writing, web design, knitting, gift basket making, and more--that could be profitable for me. But it never happens, because I can't sell myself. More importantly, I can't sell myself to ME. For every one thing I can do that could be making me some extra money, I can always think of a dozen or more reasons why I can't, or shouldn't, even try it. I'm the queen of talking myself out of succeeding. If I don't buy myself, if I think I'm a fraud and don't believe I'm really qualified--regardless of how qualified I actually am--why should anybody else want to buy what I'm selling? I wish I could be more like my sister. She's talented. She takes gorgeous pictures. She runs her own portrait studio and wedding photography business. She also has tons more confidence than I do. I'm going to work on building my confidence in my talents. Hobbies can be a great way to make extra money, and I know I have things--marketable things--that I both enjoy and am good at. All I have to do is figure out how to make myself truly believe that. Labels: extra income, personal, self-promotion |
Jean
We all feel like frauds at some point in our lives. Perhaps you are being too hard on yourself. It seems like you have made a considerable effort to make a profit on things that you are good at.