Work the Job You Have to Build the Life You Want
Let’s be real, your 9–5 probably isn’t the dream. Maybe it pays the bills. Maybe it comes with free coffee and a boss who’s… tolerable. But deep down, there’s this quiet little rebellion brewing inside you. A voice that says, “ I want more.” Not just more money (although yes, please), but more freedom. More purpose. More control.
This blog is for anyone who’s ever stared at a Zoom meeting and thought, “ Is this really it? ”
Spoiler: It’s not.
You don’t need to rage-quit your job, sell everything, and become a digital nomad overnight. You need a smarter, saner, side-door exit strategy. The goal? Use the job you have to build the life you actually want.
“Your job is not your dream. It’s your investor.” — Alex Hormozi
Step One: Reframe the 9–5
First, let’s stop treating your day job like the villain in your story. It’s not the enemy. It’s your first investor. The steady paycheck? That’s capital. The skills you’re learning? That’s training. The structure? That’s discipline.
The truth is, the job you currently have is probably funding your rent, your ramen, and your weekend serotonin boosts. It’s also the very thing that can bankroll your dream, if you let it.
Step Two: Identify What “The Life You Want” Even Means
Building the life you want sounds amazing. But what does that actually look like? Don’t say “financial freedom” and leave it at that, we’re getting specific.
Ask yourself:
- What do I want my ideal day to look like?
- How much money would I need to make that real?
- What kind of work makes me lose track of time?
- What am I doing when I feel most alive?
Maybe it’s running your own gig, freelancing, creating content, launching a product, or just not having to ask permission to go to the dentist.
Write it down. Make it real. Otherwise, you’re just hustling in circles with no destination.
Step Three: Start Small, But Start Now
Waiting for the “perfect time” is just a fancy way of saying “never.”
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to start:
- One product listed on Etsy.
- One coaching client on weekends.
- One YouTube video uploaded from your phone.
- One blog post, one reel, one idea turned into something tangible.
It’s not about blowing up overnight. It’s about showing up every night, consistently.
Pro tip:
Use your evenings and weekends like golden hours. Not for doom-scrolling or Netflix-numbing, but for building your 5–9. The hours after work? That’s where the dream gets legs.
Step Four: Invest, Don’t Splurge
We get it. Payday hits, and suddenly you’re a rich king for 36 hours. But if you’re serious about getting out of the grind, it’s time to treat your money like fuel, not fireworks.
Start small:
- Set aside 10–20% of your salary into a “Freedom Fund”
- Use that money for tools, courses, or side hustle supplies
- Prioritize assets, not aesthetics (sorry, overpriced matcha and gadget obsession)
Your side hustle doesn’t need the fanciest camera or the trendiest workspace. It needs your focus and a little funding.
Step Five: Learn Like Your Future Depends on It (Because It Does)
You don’t need another degree. You need skills.
And in the side hustle world, skills beat credentials every time. Start stacking your toolkit with things like:
-Copywriting
-Social media marketing
-Video editing
-Graphic design
-Sales & pitching
-Basic business strategy
The internet is your university now. YouTube, Substack, newsletters, Twitter threads, podcasts, there’s a goldmine of knowledge out there. Eat it up.
And don’t just learn, apply. Learn by doing. Start messy. Tweak as you go. Cringe later. Win sooner.
Step Six: Guard Your Time Like It’s Your Side Hustle’s Bodyguard
Your 5–9 needs protection. That means boundaries.
If you’re giving all your best energy to your day job, and your side hustle gets the scraps, you’re gonna burn out and bounce back to binge-watching.
Create sacred hours:
- Block 1–2 hours a night for hustle work
- Say “no” to things that drain you
- Turn off notifications (yes, even WhatsApp groups and that one clingy app called Instagram)
It’s not selfish, it’s survival. Your dreams need time. And time doesn’t fall into your lap. You make it.
Step Seven: Let Go of “Overnight Success” Fantasies
Building a side hustle that replaces your 9–5 income won’t happen in 3 weeks. Or even 3 months. And that’s okay.
This journey isn’t about viral posts or sudden fame. It’s about consistent, boring, unsexy progress:
- Your first client might pay you less than a dinner out.
- Your first sale might be to your best friend.
- Your first video might get 12 views (and 8 of them are you rewatching it).
Don’t stop. This is the part everyone goes through, quiet growth behind the scenes.
The hustle compounds. One project leads to another. One client refers two more. One small win leads to momentum.
Step Eight: Know When to Leap
At some point, you’ll hit a tipping point.
Your side hustle is making enough money to almost cover your lifestyle. You’ve got 6–12 months of savings. You feel confident in your skills and have a steady trickle of opportunities.
That’s your cue.
Not a leap of blind faith. A calculated jump. You’re not running from your job, you’re stepping into something bigger. On your terms.
It’s not reckless. It’s earned.
Step Nine: Build, Don’t Burn
You don’t need to burn bridges with your boss or dramatically resign with a “Dear Job, I’m too fabulous for this.” Keep it clean. Keep it classy.
That job helped you get here. Respect.
And who knows? You might need freelance clients. You might need a recommendation. You might just want to keep it chill because you’re not 17 and this isn’t a teen drama.
Leave well. Leave proud.
“I didn’t have a plan B. I was going to make my side hustle work because I was obsessed with the vision.” — Marie Forleo
Final Thought: You’re Not “Stuck”, You’re Strategizing
If you’re still in your 9–5, that’s okay. You’re not behind. You’re just in Phase One.
Most people coast for decades, complaining about their job while doing nothing about it. You? You’re planning your exit with precision.
You’re learning. You’re building. You’re playing the long game.
And that’s how freedom is won, not by flipping a table, but by flipping your mindset.
So yeah, work the job you have… but never stop building the life you want.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Nope. A 9–5 just happens to be the most common launchpad. The idea is: use whatever consistent income you have, part-time job, freelancing, family support, as fuel to build your next chapter. Stability isn’t the enemy; stagnation is.
You make time like a boss. Even 1–2 focused hours a night adds up. Cut distractions, schedule "dream time" in your calendar, and treat your 5–9 like it’s your future employer, because one day, it might be.
Totally normal. Start by asking what you don’t want and work backwards. Then explore. Read, take mini-courses, volunteer, and dabble in hobbies. Clarity comes from action, not overthinking.
When your side hustle earns at least 60–80% of your monthly income consistently for a few months, and you’ve saved up 6–12 months of expenses, that’s usually a good signal. Also factor in emotional readiness, confidence, resilience, and a clear roadmap matter more than hype.
You might. And that’s fine. Failure isn’t fatal, it’s feedback. Most successful people didn’t nail it on the first try. But they learned, iterated, and came back swinging. Worst case? You return to the 9–5 world with way more skills, confidence, and grit than before.
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Millionaire Mind Intensive is about unlocking your financial freedom and strengthening your relationship with money.
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