If you plan to tinker with your dream a little bit today, maybe spend an hour or two writing, recording, or whatever you do, please stop.

First, if that’s your mentality and modus operandi, and you’re responsible for supporting yourself and/or a child, find yourself a job. If you already have one, focus on keeping it.

Second, please gather your things and head to the creative section marked “Hobbyists” because you are wasting time and you’re in the way.

Too many people embark on the creative path thinking they’re going to make a living doing things they love at the pace they feel like doing them. And they expect to succeed that way.

It’s not going to happen. You’re going to work or you’re going to fail. And there’s no exception for anybody.

Now, if you’re one us who is here to work, and you expect profitable results from that work, please realize that you’re going to spend a lot more time than you imagined doing things other than creating whatever you create.

Depending on the type of creative operation you have, the tasks related to your hustle, ranging from finding work to admin, may be a part-time to full-time job.

People running six- and seven-figure operations while lounging poolside or sipping cocktails on the beach is not realistic. The idea that people become renowned authors, photographers or social media stars while leisurely jet-setting between dream destinations and working on a whim is a facade.

That’s not life. That’s a sales pitch.

Passive income is one of the most titillating phrases you wave in front of entrepreneurs. And it’s real.

With a passive revenue stream, you can earn money when you’re not working. But that doesn’t mean that you can stop working.

Successful people are successful because they understand that.

The people with the most financial resources usually indulge in leisure the least. They’re often the hardest and most dedicated workers. Unlike a lot of people trying to make it, those who have succeeded know you can’t build or maintain an empire treating it like a hobby.

I was listening to a master class this week. The guy offers a program that’s supposed to position you as a six-figure freelancer in 12 weeks.

Why 12 weeks? Well, that’s because it’s designed for people who have other things to do and may only have 45 minutes or so to commit. With more time, you can do it faster, he explained.

Bullshit.

How is he convincing people that they can reach his level of six-figure success in 45 minutes a day when his master class ran over two-and-a-half hours? Not to mention that he says running his operation requires a 12-person team.

But I’ll bet you anything there are people buying into the pitch because that’s what they want to hear.

Anyone who tries to convince you that they’re succeeding easily is lying to make themselves appear extraordinarily gifted, to sabotage your results or to sell you something.

Anyone who believes they’re casually going to rise to the top is naive, pretentious, and in the way. Save your time. Save your money. And please, step aside.

People who aren’t dedicated are market clutter.

Think of the market as a hiring manager. Think of these dreamers as unqualified, unrealistic applicants that show up for interviews, wasting time, energy and space. Then, think of the qualified applicants, hopefully like yourself, who have to work and claw your way through that crowd to claim your place.

This is not to discourage anyone from doing anything they’re aiming to do. On the contrary, this is to encourage each and every person who wants to succeed to approach their goals realistically, which means be prepared to work, because there’s no such thing as casual success.