Hi Abby!
It’s totally normal for you to be primarily a Side Hustler who wants to “borrow” a few qualities from other profiles. There’s naturally a bit of overlap across these profiles, so I’m not surprised that you’re attracted to certain aspects of the other 3 — flexibility, connection, and enjoyment outside of work are definitely some of those qualities that overlap with Side Hustlers.
It sounds like you’re feeling a bit frustrated and self-critical of your natural curiosity and “shiny object syndrome” tendencies, which is something I hear really often from Side Hustlers. There seems to be this belief that you can’t excel or be successful in the working world unless you choose one expertise and go after it 100%, and I want to say right now, that’s SO NOT TRUE. Choosing one path or being a “subject matter expert” is not the only way to build a successful career — not by a long shot. In fact, there’s real value in being a Jack-of-all-trades who can step in and help with all kinds of things. You don’t have to change who you are or try to fit into a more traditional-employee mold to have a fulfilling career. Your natural curiosity, energy, excitement, and craving to be challenged are extremely valuable qualities, and they will serve you well in the right environment.
I’m thinking that for you, it’s going to be super important that you pursue one of two paths:
— A single career with built-in novelty & learning: It sounds like the job you have now is pretty specialized, so you’re focused on mainly one expertise (copywriting). That might be interesting to you for a little while, but eventually you’re likely to get bored if you’re doing a lot of the same kind of work day-in and day-out. There are plenty of full-time job options, though, that have built-in training programs, or give lots of focus to their employee’s personal development (conferences, seminars, classes, etc.), or that have you working on different kinds of problems with different kinds of people on any given day. Those kinds of places are far more likely to keep you engaged for much longer because the novelty never really wears off. OR you create this for yourself by starting a business that incorporates several of your various interests. I have several Side Hustler friends who have done this with a lot of success!
— Multiple jobs cobbled together as one career: This option is not conventional, I know, and it can create some fear or uncertainty. But a LOT of Side Hustlers really love the idea of piecing together a career from a few different sources. Maybe you have a part-time job, do some freelance work, and have a side business all at once. Or multiple part-time jobs where you get to explore your various interests without committing to just one indefinitely. I know this isn’t as “normal” as having a singular full-time job, but I’ve seen many Side Hustlers do this extremely successfully. In fact, you have the potential of making even more income this way because you’re not limited to a singular salary determined by one company. I honestly think this could suit you very well!
I KNOW it’s possible for you to feel excited and engaged in your work. You might not have found quite the right fit for you yet, but that absolutely doesn’t mean it’s not possible for you. It just might mean looking a bit outside the box and giving yourself permission to pursue something that other people might not “get.”
Hope that helps! Let me know what you think.