When do you know you’re ready to turn your passion project into a career?

A passion project can provide the opportunity to pursue a second career in addition to your day job. But how do you know when it’s time to turn it into a fully-fledged career?

Andrew completed a Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing and Publishing) with Curtin University, online through Open Universities Australia.

‘Do what you love’ is age-old advice. For many of us, putting this advice into practice when navigating your working life doesn’t seem as simple as it sounds. But don’t be deterred — it’s never too late to steer yourself in a direction that works for you, especially if you already have a side hustle or passion project.

Before you take your passion from side project to a full-time gig,  you’ll need to get your ducks in a row and lastly, have the courage to go ahead with the plan. Further study, through Open Universities Australia (OUA) for instance, could well make your path to career freedom much clearer. Here how two past students knew it was time to stop moonlighting and take their passion project to the next level.

PRIORITISE YOUR PASSION

Before that sign presents itself, you’ve got to make a decision to put your passion higher up the pecking order in your busy life. If it truly is a passion, making your passion a priority in your life is surely worth it.

It’s mid-year and a new financial year — a good time to give your career a bit of a check-up and the perfect time to evaluate what you really want. Make your passion project a priority outside your current job, if you possibly can.

Andrew, for example, worked as a sports massage therapist in Abu Dhabi but found himself blogging about the city’s lack of quality coffee in his spare time. Once it dawned on him there was a demand for his writing, he decided to ramp it up and take his preferred skill to the next level. “Not to be clichéd, but you’ve just got to go at it,” he says. “I don’t mean throwing it all in — you’ve got to be real about a transitional period. But make a start to push towards your passion without putting the pressure on it to pay the bills.”

Likewise, Jayn recognised a life-changing business opportunity in her side project of designing and wearing her own pregnancy clothing. By prioritising this passion, she eventually amplified it into her own successful maternity-wear label with attitude, Mutha Maternity. “Try as hard as you can to side hustle while in current employment or maternity leave,” she says. “It’s a great low-risk way to test your ideas and ability to work autonomously.”

Both Andrew and Jayn found their success by recognising the sign that the time was right to pursue their career goals, and went for it by studying online through OUA.

THE SIGN IT’S TIME

Good and constructive feedback from family, friends and acquaintances can be of huge value. While thinking objectively about criticism can be just as useful, holding on to particular supportive words can validate your passion and fuel the inspiration you need to help you crystalise a plan for career fulfillment.

The thousands of views of his blog and positive feedback was encouraging for Andrew, but it was references in local media that really made him start to believe. “I thought, if Middle Eastern publications are interested enough to reference my shoddy little blog, I might be on to something here,” he says. “All of a sudden, I was a ‘writer’, although at the time, I felt I hadn’t yet earned the title. I made it my mission to do more to legitimise that claim.”

Jayn, meanwhile, took the comments she received about her pregnancy clothing to heart, in a positive way, too. “A few people came up to me to say, ‘wow, that looks really great’,” she says. “But it was feedback from industry people and customers that gave me a great source of validation for my business and the sense I could really fill a gap in the market.”

COMMIT TO CHANGE

Once you’ve prioritised your passion and have felt that crucial moment of validation, you should be in the perfect mindset to commit to a career change. We’re not saying it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 — a personalised plan is obviously required. Further education is a great foundation for that plan and, with a bit of juggling, a university qualification can be achieved amid a demanding schedule if you’re serious about change.

Studying online through OUA, Andrew was able to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing and Publishing) from Curtin University almost three years ago. Since then, he has enjoyed continuous writing and editing work and has two published techno-thriller novels to his name, including the award-winning Erasure.

“You’ve got to give it some time, but there is a personal freedom in doing what you truly believe is your thing,” says Andrew. “It’s that freedom that now finds me, as often as not, clacking away in a café.”

Also facilitated through OUA, Jayn’s Bachelor of Business from Swinburne University of Technology has been crucial to her career journey, too. Specifically, it’s given her the tools and confidence to make strategic decisions for her brand. She now splits her time between Melbourne and Bali, marketing Mutha Maternity and working with tailors to create her next range. “The completion of my degree was a stepping stone to beginning my own business and this has transformed my life in so many ways,” says Jayn. “I now set my own hours, follow my own creative direction and work with an incredible bunch of like-minded digital nomads.”

There’s always more to learn

Find the confidence to pursue your passion by studying online with a leading uni. For 25 years, Open Universities Australia has helped students move towards their dream careers, without putting their lives on hold. Explore all your options at open.edu.au or call a friendly student advisor on 13 OPEN.

Originally published as When do you know you’re ready to turn your passion project into a career?