🏹 Leveling Up in the Side Quest Economy
Nearly 70% of Gen Z and millennials now run side hustles—and not just for the money. They’re chasing meaning, freedom, and momentum on their own terms. Why? Because the main quest—“Get Job, Do Job, Repeat”—is kinda broken. Boss fights include endless job boards, shrinking org charts, and LinkedIn ghosts.
Not every step forward looks like a job title. Sometimes it looks like learning a new tool, making something tiny, or chasing a quiet idea just to see where it goes. That’s what we call a side quest. And in 2025, side quests are where real momentum builds. They’re often the best place to start something meaningful.
🎯 What Counts as a Side Quest?
Side quests are small, experimental projects that can lead to new skills, cash flow, confidence, credibility, and unexpected opportunities without the pressure of a Big Boss battle. Anything you’ve been meaning to start but haven’t “justified” yet:
That landing page you half-designed? Side quest.
The online class you keep bookmarking? Side quest.
The idea in your Notes app titled “???”? Definitely.
Small moves with real energy. No pressure. No gatekeepers. Just momentum. They’re the things you actually want to do.
💡 Hidden Benefits of Side Quests:
Expands your skills for future roles or gigs.
Adds proof of creativity and initiative to your portfolio.
Builds momentum toward the bigger missions you care about.
Funemployed takeaway: Side quests are low stakes, high reward, and 10x more fun than waiting for HR to call.
🛠️ Side Quest Starter Pack
You don’t need a five-year plan—just some time and a little curiosity. That little idea in the back of your mind? It might be the key to your next level. Here’s how to start:
Pick something that excites you.
Build the first 10%. Write a rough draft. Try a tutorial.
Share the journey. Post something, even if it’s a little messy.
Even one tiny side quest can spark momentum, unlock skills, and remind you why you started exploring in the first place.
🚀 Side Quests That Change the Game
The beauty of the Side Quest Economy? You never know which small experiment becomes your main story. Side quests aren’t a detour: they’re your custom-built level-up, creative reset, playground for what’s possible.
A one-week project can become a six-figure business.
A volunteer gig can turn into your next dream job.
A silly trend can spark a viral moment.
This isn’t wasted time. It’s you, rebuilding your story—one small project at a time.
🎢 Culture Corner
📺 Watch: 7 Best Side Hustles to Start in 2025 — From digital writing to video editing, here’s how long they take, what they pay, and how fast you can hit $100. Quick-start vibes for your next money move.
📚 Read: Gen Z’s Great Escape — Nearly half of Gen Z plans to ditch the 9-to-5 and be financially independent by 32. Entrepreneurship and investing are the new job security.
🎧 Listen: Reset Your Side Hustle Goals — A mid-year mindset shift for ambitious women juggling a 9-to-5 and a dream. Zero shame, just strategy.
📈 Stat: LendingTree 2025 Side Hustle Survey — 61% of hustlers say their life would be unaffordable without it. Most earn $400–$1.2K/month, and nearly 2 in 5 Americans now have one.
💬 Try This
What’s one thing you’ve been meaning to start “when you have time”?
Give it a name.
Start it this week.
Call it your first side quest.
Hit reply and tell us what it is — we might feature it next week.
Your next big win might not come from the main quest. Collect side quests like coins and see what levels up. Until next week.
Keep Questing,
— The Funemployed Crew ✌️
🤫 Coming Up Next Week
We investigate the resume gap and how to flip the script.