Pros & Cons of Going SL Fulltime

I'm not in a position to comment on going into SL full time, but I am somewhat knowlegable about retirement since I attempted to retire early about 7 years ago.


I HATED IT!!!


If you are doing stuff you really like, you may well find as I did, that stopping so you can watch the flowers grow (or whatever it is that flowers do) is quite boring. You can feel your brain slowly dripping out your ears and down your neck. My only question is what kinds of work do I want to do until I drop dead (in RL).

OTOH, having said all that, I strongly second Hiro's comment, get your finances straight. Just live 20% below your means and save the difference, you won't notice it till you wake up one day and realize you're financially independent.

I am one of those people supporting themselves, by running businesses in second life and I saw some comments about burnout from doing this, so just wanted to comment on something I do in game, because I also love second life just for fun. What I have done is set myself a RL work model in game. What I mean by this is I work on stuff for my businesses from approximately 8am untill 4pm. Once I am past 4 all I might do is answer customer IM's and support, that way I still have time to have fun, keep it fresh, explore, and possibly get new ideas for products, or just go and have fun dancing, surfing, snow boarding all that stuff. I will repeat what others have said, sure its a risk, but doing something you love is priceless, nuff said.

True, but this gentleman already does that - on a limited basis. He's looking to dedicate more time.

How many hours per week do you SL in addition to your regular job? How does that compare with the poster's current hours? Clearly he wants to step up his business - which is already successful, like yours - and do even more. Right?

I've been doing that with SL Exchange for two years now, but to be honest that lifestyle is not for everyone and I don't think it really suits anyone long term. The stress that is caused by using up your real productive time at your day job every day and then going home and trying to be productive with something completely different right up until bed time each night can be competely unreasonable at times.

About a month ago I (finally!) began to slowly transition away from my own day job, which I plan to continue over the next 6 months or so. Even though I only have one more day per week than I did before, the difference it has made to what I am able to do to further my SL and personal business interests (not to mention spending time with friends and family) is so much more than I expected. It's almost indescribable.

I tend toward conservative actions where personal well-being is involved. I say that if you can begin to transition as a way of "testing the waters", then go for it. Or, if the amount of time you have for SL directly translates into a higher income, then the sooner you make the leap, the better off you will probably be in the future.

Way to go, Apo!

Point taken.

This is why I wanted to point out in my post that I have a job that allows freedom for me to do some SL task. I guess I am just lucky in that way.

Between both I spend about 65 hours a week working between both jobs, roughly 10 of those hours over lap and I am doing SL tasks while at regular job. Some weeks I may have a project I am very into in SL and I work 80+ hours.

Plus coach little league

Plus participate in school functions

Plus pay a little attention to my wife.

I will admit I am an odd creature who gets about 4-5 hours a night sleep. I was like this long before SL came along. My dad used to tell me if I'm not making money I am just wasting time away, so I was kind of brain washed with a work-o-holic mentality.

I don't know what is the rate of most salaries in US so i cant judge, but being in Europe i think 2000$ is a very small salary to rely on. I run a succesful business in SL and i do love all the extra cash.
But...
If you are a talented graphical designer or programmer there is so much more money to make in rl (and often also from your home office) then in SL. If you are ambitious about retiring soon running a business in rl (thats what i do) is the ultimate way to make lots of money in short time. The harder you work the more reward you get.

Second Life is a virtual world, your business is pixels, it makes you rl cash but the actual value is 0, because its not in your hands what happens with it.

Again, if you are ambitious and talented choose for rl, keep SL as your happy hobby that makes some nice cash.

Not sure what to say to the first poster, save for the fact that (I suppose?) I'm in a remarkably similiar situation.

The difference for me is: I have a first world small corporation; it's not going away and I can't really 'quit' it because, well, it's mine.



So my passionate hobby is starting to take on some financial dimensions that I *never* imagined it would.

As long as people want 'more' of what I do, I'll expand and not cash out. When people tire of it (or it just gets more than I can handle) I'll stop growing. If money starts piling up like crazy... I might cash some out.

Meantime, I'm not going to worry about it, and just keep SL enjoyable.


The good life - isn't that the goal anyway? $L not really required for it.

as albert einstein said - do not be a person of success, be a person of value.

If you think you can create more value in your 1st job, then I'd reconsider. If you think you can create more value in the metaverse... well, there ya go!

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Have you considered going part time in your RL job and putting those hours taken off into you SL business?
That way you could maybe have a bit of a safety net / trial period to see how it pans out whilst still keeping your finger in the pie in you RL workplace?

I really appreciate all the suggestions. I've talked it through with my SO and we have decided my time is best spent working on a RL business that I may have the opportunity to sell down the road. I will keep SL as a part time (as I can) revenue stream. And hopefully one day we will both be able to cash out in RL and both do things we enjoy, like SL, fulltime.

Thanks and good luck to all of you in your ventures.

Having read along (and having worked for myself my whole life), I have to say, I agree with this guy's post.

Seems to me you've largely got the best of bothworlds right now. (And the headaches, but you seem able to handle those.)

coco

P.S. Beau's and Mr. P's comments also resonate with me.

P.S. Woops - looks like a decision was made before I posted.

I guess you missed that whole bubble bursting when the dot coms all poofed.

I was in a company that was kicking ASS and had just acquired over 50 million from the VCs.

They threw us a huge December holiday party to celebrate this latest windfall and then yanked the rug out from under us a few weeks later in early January. No notice, no nothing. Some people even were still on vacation, and came back to no company, no job.

We were all escorted out of the building under the watchful eyes of the local police department. People were crying. Many folks with families that had moved across state were just standing around stunned.

This company had been doing well for just about two years, and had been getting regular VC money in the 20-50 million ranges at least 2-3 times a year. They were innovative and cutting edge in their field. And press was great and all that - and there were nation-wide offices.

Sales reps were left without getting their due commissions, other employees including myself, did not get their last paychecks, much less any sort of severance packages.

Class action suits were filed.

I know this thread is pretty much over and done with, and the OP has already made their decision to keep SL as part-time income - but I could not read what you posted without making some kind of reply - if not for the OP - but any of those lurkers out there considering making the same kind of "jump" as you call it.

Yes there is not a lot of job security - at least in the US - and any company you work for has for the most part that "At Will" clause boilerplated. They can toss you anytime, and you have the freedom to leave anytime. That's America.

But multiply my personal story by the thousands if not millions - its already been well documented that VC support doth not a secure venture make. Not one bit. Also understand that it depends on what field of work you go into - the level of job security you have.

SL is very far down on any thinking person's list. Sure I'm close to several people who are living off of SL and doing it fulltime. For some it was a last resort, ie like the other poster who mentioned doing SL 24/7 during bouts of unemployment.

But as for someone right now thinking of making that move - I suggest a wait and see sort of thing. The corporate business model alone gives me pause.

Anyhow I said my piece, and now I can sleep.

Just one other note. In general, a self-employed person needs to bring in about double what a normal full-time job pays as straight salary, in order to cover both benefits (health insurance, etc) and retirement investments. So if you were comfortable as a single person on an income of $40K USD per year, and had a job with a decent benefits and retirement package, you'd need to be able to earn at least $80K USD per year as a self-employed person, to maintain the same standard of living and benefits and investments towards retirement. A part of that is the simple fact that an individual or a small business has to pay more to get the same level of benefits that a large corporation can offer to its employees. The other part is that most people don't think about retirement benefits, until they need to use them.

Is there anyway you could take a leave of absence or have some accrued vacation? Try it out full time for a month. If it’s not what you thought it was then you still have employment.

Working at something that you love to do as a hobby is much different than doing it for a living, day in and day out. You might be forced to pursue other money making ventures that you don't particularly fancy, just to make ends meet. That’s a luxury you don’t have when money isn’t coming in. Second Life is pretty much a 7 day a week job, don’t let the money fool you unless you love what you are doing. I tried my hand in the land market and I was making great money. I was good at it too, but it became a job and I loathe every moment of it. I wish you all the luck and clairvoyance in your decision.

A self-employed person also has to pay in twice the amount for social security.

coco