Maybe it's that I'm not confident enough, but "First, find a skill of yours you can monetize..." sounds an awful lot like "First, find oil in your backyard...".

I like what the author wrote about the subsequent advice -- pick a niche, go with established competitoin, etc -- but it still feels like it's meant for someone who has found the thing they do which is Special, and I don't yet feel that yet about myself.

If you have a job and get paid for it then you already have a skill that you are monetising, just as active income.

Exactly. People who've always been employees often forget that they're actually being paid for doing something very special that brings value to the company. And that this value has a cost, which is why they're been paid in the first place. Not because your boss likes you, or that you've got a great resume.

I would recommend everyone to spend some time freelancing, even on the side. It completely changes your relation to your work and your client/boss. In a very positive way ( less thinking about affect, more about skills and value).

gknoy thanks for commenting! i bet you have a talent that you can turn into a business. it's not always the most obvious thing and sometimes it takes some searching. shoot me an email at [email protected] if you want to chat about it!