I believe it’s foolish to spend money on a new idea until you’ve started seeing some results. This topic has come to my mind because I’ve decided to pursue the side gig of being a computer builder for Twitch streamers. This pivot took place after the tragic and turbulent departure from my last side gig – a small technology startup – and has become my new free time muse. In addition, I’m finding that organizing is helping me to work through the emotional pain of the sudden end of my last side gig which revealed itself as a toxic workplace. Since starting my first full-time position, I’ve found that I have an intense desire to pursue other goals on the side. Specifically, those goals that could provide new income streams. 

This desire to generate income comes from two sources. As a man in my twenties, I feel a strong desire to ‘build my castle’ which is to say that I want to lay the groundwork for my future family. It’s debatable that a man’s attractiveness (as a long-term partner and potential parent) comes from his ability to provide and protect. This doesn’t bother me (most of the time) because I’m at peace with the responsibilities that natural selection has given me and performing a gender role doesn’t ruffle my feathers. Besides that, I find that I have an intense drive to provide value to the world around me. I have found that minimalism has given me a lot of peace, clarity, and healthy pressure and I want to share what I’ve learned with others. 

When I first got the idea to become a professional organizer, the thought came to my mind that I must ensure that I am perfectly organized before I attempt to help anyone else. While I still believe this to be partly true, I’m realizing that in fact, it’s wiser to get myself 80% of the way there and then to reach out to help others. Personally, I still have the areas of digital organization and paper organization to work on but in fact, I am at a good place with those as well. Every other section of my home and life is in good order. As for my files and papers, I have a system by which to keep things organized but I have a backlog of unused files and pieces of mail that remain in the ‘inbox’ of each system. But in truth, everything that matters to me is organized. In addition, most of these systems are of a Sisyphusian nature which is a fancy way of saying that you can never stop the tide of incoming items regardless of what you do.