Is Passive Income Really Passive? Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Most passive income streams aren't truly passive—at least, not at first. If you think you can slap together a course, throw up a few affiliate links, or publish a half-baked eBook and wake up rich, I’ve got bad news for you. That’s not how this game works. The idea of passive income has been sold to most of us as some magical loophole in capitalism—a way to escape the grind and start sipping cocktails on a beach while your bank account grows. Sounds nice, right? And yet, passive income takes work. It takes strategy. And most importantly, it takes knowing what NOT to do. I currently have TWO passive income streams and TWO active ones. One of my active income streams is a regular 9-5 job that pays for all my bills and lifestyle and my other income streams create expendable income to help me buy a house next year. So, if you’re sick of scams, unrealistic promises, confusion and straight-up lifestyle lies from strangers on the internet, read on. Let’s talk about the most common passive income pitfalls—and how to avoid them. ❌Pitfall #1: Thinking It’s Instant Money I hate to break it to you, but passive income is often a long game. Too many coaches, content creators, and entrepreneurs dive into this world expecting overnight results. They build a digital course, launch a membership, or slap some ads on a blog and then—nothing. 💡 The Fix: Give it 3–6 months (at least) to gain traction. The first phase is about, learning, building and understanding, and refining skills and knowledge. It takes time, systems, strategy and PATIENCE before things start running on autopilot. ❌Pitfall #2: Creating Before Testing Here’s a mistake I have made more than one time: spending months building something nobody wants. As a coach, you can decide to create a 12-module online course, pour your heart and soul into it, and then launch to crickets. Why? Because when you build something in isolation instead of testing demand, you don't get to know your audience and how to serve them.