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The Case For Being A Weekend Warrior

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Working on your passion, side-hustle, hobby, etc has its limitations.

My passion is blogging and I’m a weekend warrior.

A weekend warrior is someone who has a normal job and then works on their passion over the weekend.

In this article, I’m going to change that meaning slightly and say that a weekend warrior is someone that has a normal job and works on their passion outside work hours. I thought about the advantages of being a weekend warrior.

Sometimes the restrictions you have are your greatest advantage.

For a lot us, we just want to get home from work to pursue our passion.

We tell ourselves the lie that if we could only find a way to do it full-time we’d be set.


Trialing a passion full-time

I tried it with my blogging. I did it full-time. I thought it was the answer to all my dreams.

You know what happened?

I sat at home and didn’t write. I watched movies, read books and told myself“You got all the time in the world pal to blog, so take it easy.”

I always had another thing to do before I could write.

Some days it was meditation, the gym and then helping my girlfriend with something because I love her very much. All that full-time blogging didn’t look so great.

The output was less.


Acting out of desperation kills the art

The reason most of us work a 9–5 is obvious: money.

When you are forced to monetize your passion the desperation to make a living often kills all your creativity, drive and passion.

You end up taking shortcuts because you have to make money from your passion. I found that working 4 days a week at a normal job I liked and doing three days of blogging as a weekend warrior was the right balance for me.

The balance for you will be different. The equation is made up of making money, passion, art and time.

Passion needs room to breathe and suffocating it with desperation will not work.I’ve tried many times.


A day job compounds your after-hours activity

The very fact I have to go to work is what helps my passion for blogging.

You might be thinking “How the heck can an office job possibly help me work on my one and only passion?”

I thought that way too. What I realized is that on the days I go to my 9–5, I come home with a sense of hunger.

I have all this energy built up inside of me that is just waiting to get out of me. It’s this energy that has helped me write many viral blog posts.

At work, I experience lots of things which I then blog about when I get home. My day job taught me leadership and I could never write about that topic if it wasn’t for my 9–5.

Life is very boring when all you have is never-ending space in front of you that you can piss up against the wall and take for granted.


If you do it full-time and you’re burning out, what’s the point

Speak to any musician who has played to thousands of people as their day job and they’ll tell you that doing their art full-time burns them out.

Even when you do what you love full-time, you will get bored and there’s a chance you will burn outIf all you do is burn out and end up hating your passion, what’s the point?

Weekend warriors get to take breaks from their passion and embrace a forced distraction called a career.

This career becomes an acceptable excuse for being distracted which then helps reduce the chance of burnout.


You can’t see your passion the same

When I started blogging, it changed me.

I can no longer read something without thinking about writing my own point of view. I find it hard to read because my busy mind starts thinking about what I can write myself.

Ask travel writers what it’s like to go on a holiday.

They’ll tell you that when they go on holiday, they are stuck in their critiquing mode and can’t actually be present and aware of the holiday they are supposed to be having.

You end up spending so much time living your passion that you can’t enjoy it or think with a clear head about how to create the work you’re so passionate about.


Removing the blocks is the key

Weekend warriors have the obstacles they encounter temporarily removed because of their day job.

By being away from your passion, you can think about the obstacles you encounter with an objective mind. The solutions to the obstacles you’ll encounter in your passion often stem from stuff you see at work.

I found this to be the case when I was trying to write better and heard a story at work from a customer about how they approach the creative side of their business. They described their flower shop Instagram page to me and how it’s supposed to make the person viewing their page feel a certain way.

I realized that this was the same thing I was trying to do with my blogging.

This customer, by the way, was someone that was swearing at me and wanting a refund.

I thought this situation would be the last place in the world that I would find the solution to an obstacle I was encountering with my blogging.

Don’t disregard how valuable unrelated work experiences are to pursuing your passion.


It’s scratching an itch

The weekend warrior like me has something that the full-time hobbyist doesn’t have; we’re scratching an itch and choosing to follow our curiosity.

The outcome we weekend warriors are looking for is not defined, has no boundaries, can take as long as it needs to and is not a primary source of income.

Curiosity is our north star.


Summary

Your passion is supposed to be fun. Don’t ruin it by trying to do it full-time unless you’ve tried it and found a way forward that works.

I’m yet to find a way to do my passion of blogging full-time and there’s something special about the way I currently do it that I don’t want to mess with.

It’s like when people ask Tim Ferriss why he won’t revise his book The 4-Hour Workweek because he doesn’t want to kill the magic it created for millions of people. Messing with your passion when it’s working can be dangerous.

There’s nothing wrong with being a weekend warrior and there are plenty of advantages to it.

For some, being a weekend warrior is a way of life that makes their passion work in relation to the rest of their life.

I’m proud to be a weekend warrior.

Try it.

<<<>>>

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net

Aussie Blogger with 500M+ views — Writer for CNBC & Business Insider. Inspiring the world through Personal Development and Entrepreneurship You can connect with Tim through his website www.timdenning.com

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The journey towards transformation is not about perfection but about progress

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What habits can truly transform your life? That’s what you’re here to uncover. In our no-nonsense guide, we’ll introduce you to 15 habits to change your life, each with the power to improve your day-to-day existence.  (more…)

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How to Choose the Best Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers

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how to choose the best affiliate programs for your blog

Picking the right affiliate programs for your blog is really important. It can make a big difference in how much money you can make and how much your readers get out of your blog. With so many choices out there, deciding which ones to go with can be tricky. 

This guide is here to make it easier for you. It will give you clear steps and helpful tips to choose affiliate programs that fit well with what your blog is about, what your readers like, and what you stand for. 

For more articles on this theme, please head over to this blog https://blog.partners1xbet.com/.

Understanding Affiliate Marketing

Before you start picking affiliate programs, it’s important to really understand what affiliate marketing is and how it works. 

Basically, affiliate marketing is when you promote a product or service on your blog, and then you get paid a little bit every time someone buys something or does something because you recommended it. 

It’s great for both the person selling the product and the blogger, because the seller gets more sales with low risk, and the blogger can make money from their blog.

How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

1. Assess Your Niche and Audience

The key to doing well in affiliate marketing starts with really knowing what your blog is about and who reads it. Consider the following:

  • Your blog’s content: What topics do you cover? Ensure the products or services you promote are relevant.
  • Your audience’s interests and needs: What solutions are they seeking? Choose affiliate programs that offer products or services that solve their problems or enhance their lives.

2. Research Potential Affiliate Programs

Once you know what your blog is about and what your readers want, start looking for affiliate programs. Choose ones that are well-known for good products, great customer service, and helpful support for affiliates. Resources to find these programs include:

  • Affiliate networks like ShareASale, Commission Junction, and ClickBank.
  • Direct searches for “[Your Niche] affiliate programs” in search engines.
  • Recommendations from other bloggers in your niche.

3. Evaluate the Commission Structure

The commission structure is a critical factor to consider. Look for programs that offer competitive rates that make your efforts worthwhile. Consider:

  • The percentage of commission per sale.
  • Whether the program offers a flat rate per action (e.g., per sign-up).
  • The cookie duration, which affects how long after a click you can earn commissions on sales.

4. Consider the Program’s Reputation and Sureness

Join affiliate programs with a solid reputation for quality and sureness. This not only ensures that you’re promoting good products but also that you’ll be paid on time. You can:

  • Read reviews from other affiliates.
  • Check the program’s history and background.
  • Look for any complaints or issues reported online.

5. Analyze the Support and Resources Offered

A good affiliate program gives you things like ads to use, training on their products, and helpful managers. Having access to these resources can really help you do a better job at promoting their products.

6. Understand the Terms and Conditions

Before signing up, thoroughly review the program’s terms and conditions. Pay close attention to:

  • Payment thresholds and methods.
  • Any restrictions on how you can promote their products.
  • The program’s policy on affiliate marketing on social media platforms.

7. Test the Product or Service

If possible, test the product or service before promoting it. This firsthand experience allows you to offer genuine charge and build trust with your audience.

8. Look for Recurring Commission Opportunities

Some affiliate programs pay you again and again for subscriptions or services that charge fees regularly. These can provide a more stable income compared to one-time sales commissions.

Implementing Your Choice

After choosing the best affiliate programs, the next step is to smoothly include your affiliate marketing in your content plan. This includes:

  • Creating valuable content that naturally incorporates affiliate links.
  • Disclosing your affiliate affairs transparently to maintain trust with your audience.
  • Tracking your results to understand what works best for your audience and adjusting your strategy accordingly.

Picking the best affiliate programs for your blog involves careful planning, research, and making sure they match what your audience likes and needs. 

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers. 

The real key to doing well with affiliate marketing isn’t just about the products you talk about, but also how much your audience trusts and values your advice. 

With enough time, patience, and hard work, your blog can grow into a successful space that earns a good amount of affiliate money and helps your readers choose the right products.

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