Hey, it's Ivan again. After my last article on skepticism, I've been getting more messages from friends asking the same question: "Okay, I believe you. Where do I start?" I decided to put my answer into an article so I don't have to repeat myself.
First and Foremost
Don't take my word for it. This isn't false modesty—I genuinely believe that any advice from the internet, including mine, should be checked against the original source. So, the first step is always the same: open the platform's terms and conditions and read them yourself, in full, not from someone's summary.
The Checklist I Usually Share
Don't rush. If you feel like "I have to do it right now or it'll be too late," that's a sign to slow down, not speed up. I covered this in my article about get-rich-quick red flags.
Start with what you already do well. For me, that was video editing. For someone else, it might be filming, writing, or a sense of humor—any skill you already have.
Don't invest money upfront. If you're asked to pay for something "to get in," that has nothing to do with me or my experience.
Keep a separate note for ideas from day one. I didn't do this in my first month, and I regret it—I wrote about this in my "What I Would Change" article.
Figure out your wallet security in advance, not after a close call like I had.
Tell your loved ones sooner than I did. Putting off that conversation turned out to be harder than the conversation itself.
What I Advise Against
Don't drop out of school or change your schedule for this. No project of this kind is worth failing your exams.
Don't compare yourself to others' results in the first few weeks. I wrote about the difference between my friend D. and me, and it's real.
Don't wait for the "perfect moment to start." It will never come. I waited for it myself and just wasted time.
What If It Doesn't Work Out?
I'm always honest: I don't know. It worked out for me the way it did. For others, it turns out differently or not at all. There are no guarantees, and I won't pretend I can predict the outcome for anyone else.
So, Why Did I Write This?
Because the same questions keep coming up, and it's easier to write a detailed post once than to explain everything from scratch every time. If you have friends asking you similar questions, perhaps this article can serve as a cheat sheet for your conversation.
A Question for You
If someone asked you "where to start" in your field—be it your studies, a hobby, or a side hustle—what would be the first piece of advice you'd give? What would make it onto your personal checklist?