Recognizing When to Move On

It's important to acknowledge that not every endeavor will lead to success. After immersing myself in countless success stories, I was determined to achieve consistent passive income from my digital planner business, which I operated for about five years. While the journey was challenging, it also had its enjoyable moments.

As time passed, I realized that the so-called passive income was a myth. I found myself transitioning from a standard 9 to 5 job to an exhausting 24/7 workload. The tasks kept piling up:

• Marketing
• Scriptwriting
• Content creation
• Caption writing
• Video production
• Photo and video editing

This relentless cycle ultimately led to burnout. I began to experience a creative block, making it increasingly difficult to design planners. With no clear direction, my motivation dwindled. I was churning out digital planners merely to keep pace with the relentless demands of social media. My posts became hastily cobbled together in Canva without any real thought.

Eventually, I recognized five clear signs that indicated I needed to step back and reassess my situation.

1. Chronic Burnout

The most evident sign is persistent burnout. As Arianna Huffington puts it, "Give up the delusion that burnout is the inevitable cost of success." If you find yourself frequently exhausted and constantly searching for reasons to avoid work, you may be experiencing burnout. In my case, it became a chronic issue. Even the thought of working on my planners gave me headaches. Mini-breaks did little to revive my energy. If this resonates with you, it's a sign that you may no longer enjoy your work.

2. Endless Preparation

Initially, preparation is essential; you need to understand your audience and what you’re offering. However, if you find yourself stuck in an endless loop of preparation—constantly learning or getting ready—this can often be a guise for procrastination. It's crucial to take action. If you find that you can't seem to begin and preparation has become your comfort zone, it might be time to reconsider your commitment.

3. Financial Viability

I came across a video by Aja Dang, where she candidly discussed her struggling planner business. With unsold stock piling up, she faced the hard truth of selling them at a discount just to cover shipping costs. Similarly, I had to close my Shopify store and reevaluate the subscription services I relied on. As prices for essential tools like Shopify and Adobe rose, I found myself losing money instead of gaining. Like Aja, I had to realign my goals and ultimately decided it was time to quit.

4. Stagnation and Lack of Growth

The digital planner market became increasingly saturated around 2018-2019. This made it difficult for new businesses to thrive, and despite my efforts, I found myself stagnant year after year. While I made some sales, they weren't enough to reflect the growth I had hoped for. If you notice that your business has plateaued without any signs of advancement, it may be time to explore new opportunities.

5. Diminished Passion and Interest

A significant reason for my stagnation was the loss of interest in my work. Reflecting on my journey, I realized I had been in denial about my waning passion. Although I had a background in UX design and enjoyed the creative aspect of designing planners, I had to confront the reality: If I didn't feel passionate about what I was doing, my growth would be limited. Ask yourself if you still have genuine interest in your work. If the answer is unclear, it may indicate a lack of passion that could be hindering your progress.