No Such Thing as Side Projects

A lot of people have been asking me lately how I can do so many side projects. The truth of the matter is that I don’t do side projects. Side projects are ideas that people want to try and tinker with on the weekends. I feel that I have my work and that’s it.

This year alone I’ve written 3 books (Execute, Jenius and Design Evolution), started four podcasts (Happy Monday, Execute, Treehouse Chat, and The Industry Radio Show), started one job (Editor at Treehouse), started two applications, started a new magazine (Execute Mag) and started one company (Execute Ventures). If you know me or know of any of these projects, you’ll know that none of them are side projects. They’re serious projects each with their own goals and execution of those goals. They’re businesses and passion projects all at the same time. I simply don’t work any other way.

That being said, new opportunities for projects and businesses come across my desk every day, so I thought it might be helpful to share a few of the factors that I use to test whether or not I’ll take on a new project.

Here are a few of the factors I look for in new projects:

• Does it make money or is it viable?

• Is it possible or feasible?

• Does it help or delight people?

• Is it different?

• Does it have a unique hook?

• Is it simple to prototype?

• Does it make me uncomfortable and push me to learn something new?

• Does it fit into my life’s goals?

These are just a few factors, but I think you get the point. I try to make sure that everything that I do has a point or a purpose. I know this doesn’t work for everyone, but it’s how I’m wired. I just don’t want people to think lightly of their work by calling it a “side project”. Start and test things to be real projects with your whole heart and purpose, and it will make a lot more impact than other people’s “side projects”.