Everyone’s talking about “learn a skill” like it’s some magic fix. I’ve tried, and nothing has stuck. What am I doing wrong?
Over the past while I’ve actually tried: copywriting, logo design, tutoring, SEO, social media management. Not just thought about them, actually tried them. I even reached out to businesses directly for each one, emailed a genuinely large number of people, and maybe 1% ever replied, and even then it was usually just “we don’t need this right now” before the conversation closed. And every single one, I quit before it went anywhere.
I don’t think it’s because these skills don’t work, plenty of people clearly make money from all of them. I think something in how I’m approaching this is off, and I want to actually understand what before I pick up something new and repeat the same pattern for the sixth time.
So instead of just asking “what skill should I learn,” I want to ask something more specific:
For people who actually stuck with a skill long enough to see results, how long did it take before you saw any real payoff? I have a feeling I’ve been quitting before the “boring middle part” even ends.
Did you struggle with switching between different skills before one finally clicked, or did you commit hard to one thing from the start?
Is a 1% reply rate on cold outreach actually normal, or is that a sign my pitch, targeting, or approach itself needs fixing before I even think about the skill?
If you were in my position right now, tried five different things with nothing to show for it, what would you actually do differently, a new skill, or the same list with more patience?
I’m not opposed to learning something new, but I’d rather fix whatever’s actually broken in my approach than just add a sixth failed attempt to the list…
I used to be a financial advisor. I cold called 1,000 numbers. I got 1 to a meeting (0.1%), never became a client. Idk how many doors I knocked on, I got 2 meetings, neither of them clients. Every client I got was someone I already knew. Just kinda what going off on your own is like.
Was there any skill you actually enjoyed doing? Is there a way to get a job somewhere to build experience as like a trainee before going off on your own?? I’m kind of in a similar situation, except I’m eyeing up bookkeeping. I’m good at math, it’s potentially fully remote, no degree required, no regulatory board/exams to pass/ low regulation. The downside is that it can be hard to break into because of the low barriers to entry and anybody can just call themselves a bookkeeper so it’s a little oversaturated. .
I’m going to self study, learn bookkeeping software, then start applying for jobs like “junior bookkeeper”, “accounts payable clerk”, “assistant bookkeeper” etc just to try and get my foot in the door and see where it goes.
My wife started at a company as relief receptionist. They realized she was a smarty-pants and put her in as Accounts Receivable Clerk as soon as one opened. Now she’s managing the A-R team of 8, makes decent bank and they pay a great bonus and fund training every year – e.g her two-year designation recently. Her boss is a nepo hire with actual talent, so it’s glass ceiling, and she’s okay with that.
People who are driven enough to self-employ will often thrive in a good spot where the barrier can appear low but excellence stands out. I think A-P and A-R clerks are examples of this.
Additionally, working for The Man means you don’t have to find the work, get the insurance, do the complex taxes and worry about the market as much. Also she gets a fantastic yearly bonus.
She makes more than my day job, if we remember it’s unionized and we remove standby and call-outs. It’s not yacht money, but we’re okay.