Cre8tor Club: They want you stuck in your day job.

Breaking out of the system is hard, by design. Should you do it anyway?

Almost all of the independent creators that I meet work their crafts as side-hustles. During the day, they are teachers or accountants or plumbers or lawyers or whatever.

It’s not hard to see why; the day job provides comfort and security, while the side-hustle scratches a creative itch and/or brings in a little extra cash.

But as a side-hustle grows, it tends to conflict with a 9-5 (or more commonly nowadays, a 9-9). Time is limited and those who find some success face a common dilemma—should they quit to pursue their passion? Or play it safe?

That choice is possibly the most frequent topic of discussion among the folks in Cre8tor Club, and the answer is highly personal. It’s dependent on a million variables and two million unknowns.

Most of us take the path of least resistance and keep the day job. Some pursue a middle ground, finding a new 9-5 in a field closer to what they enjoy—content creation in a corporate context, for example. Few go for it entirely, and even fewer succeed.

I can’t tell you what’s right for you, if you’re in this situation. But I do know it’s worth thinking about your options and choosing your path purposefully. It’s also worth understanding what you’re up against and, if you do choose to take the leap, preparing for it the best that you can.

First, recognize that The Man wants you to stay with your employer, and he has stacked the deck accordingly.

No, not Chase Utley. He would probably encourage you to follow your dreams. We’re talking about the other The Man.