Okay, it's not like I'm turning in my resignation letter today. In fact, I'm one of those lucky people who actually likes their job. Verging on loving it. But I can't help but recognize the strange allure of leaving the day job life behind to pursue hopes and dreams.
One of the biggest fuels for this dream is Etsy's series of Storque articles on "Quit your day job" success stories. I look at their happy little crafter faces, their personal anecdotes ("I've never been one for getting out of bed before 10"), and their beautifully handcrafted stuff, and I think, "That could be me."
But I'm a long way off from that. I have a *career*, for g'sake, and the prospect of replacing said career income is, well, difficult to imagine. When I do the calculations, I need something of the magnitude of 20,000 sales (accounting for supplies, postage, etsy fees, the caviar pictured above, and so forth).
So how does one transition from the "Big Dream" (note capitals) to the "big dream" of making a little extra, having someone out there adore your product, and buying a new pair of shoes from time to time?
Changing the thinking is the only thing I can come up with. Repeat after me:
- I am a creative crafter.
- It doesn't matter what hours of the day I do my crafting.
- My goal isn't how much or how often, but just to make.
And I'll continue to be inspired by some of my fellow etsy creators who focus on the business of business:
- Tin 'o Notes by ShopBub. A steal at $3.50!
- Handmade Wooden Pencil Holders by SugarShackShoppe. Like my vision for high school woodworking class, except beautifully executed.
- Business Card Holder by LM Creations. Sushi, anyone?
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