Constancy is the most powerful force in the universe since compound interest.
If you want to set a second (and a third, and fourth…) source of income, you have no choice but to devote time to it.
The biggest issue with developing a project side by side with the usual 9 to 5 job is the time it takes.
Let’s face it, passive income with a medium-low investing profile does not exist or is so low that doesn’t mean a big change in a common personal economy.
So if you want to get a second (and a third, and fourth…) source of income, you have no choice but to devote time to it.
And feed it.
And with a main job, and with a family and the need to eat and rest (and even to have leisure time), the time to develop these secondary tasks is significantly minimized.
So we run the risk of losing the most powerful weapon we can have, even more than compound interest ;) … consistency!
Being consistent in a productive task is what makes the difference between getting results or getting frustrated.
Between achieving your goal or giving up halfway through the race.
And I know because I’ve been on both sides.
One of my side projects is selling stock photography on stock banks. I started in 2018, with the market already saturated with photographers. Nevertheless, I persevered and did not give up. And I achieved two things:
Selling photos every week even if there are some that I do not produce: There are occasions in which my other occupations do not allow me to take time out of the weekend to do a complete stock session. Because it’s not only about taking pictures. You have to choose the best ones, develop them (post-produce them), label them, and upload them to the image banks. Depending on the shoot, that can be about four hours per session for me.
Improve my workflow: Having to produce more than 2000 photographs for stock banks has forced me to refine my technique. From finding a niche to choosing the best lens for each situation, improving my equipment, improving my technical knowledge in photography and photo development… In general, I could say that I am a much better photographer today than when I started this routine 4 years ago.
It’s not all roses, far from it. Income, in general, is very low, and not very frequently you have a sale of few dollars. Most of the time it is only cents. But, being consistent for almost four years allows me to spend a few weeks without taking photos, and still generate income.
As with any such income stream (Medium is a good example of this) consistency will allow you to properly nurture your catalog, and an abundant catalog will lead to sales on autopilot.
So, yes, for me consistency is the most powerful weapon of mankind since compound interest.
