Guess how many people in the U.S. left the workforce in April 2021? Four million people! That's a record number — and that's not including people that got laid off or fired, went on unemployment, and immediately began looking for another job amid the coronavirus pandemic. We're talking about people that had an "a-ha" moment, quit their passionless job, and decided to chase their dreams instead as a network marketing professional.

What does this tell us? It tells us that 2020 really shook people up — and for many of us, that meant a huge wake-up call to chase their dreams. It meant digging deep and figuring out what we really want out of our career, and even our life. It meant no longer being conditioned by a "normal" 9-5 office job. It meant opening our minds to all the possibilities out there, because we were forced to open our minds just to stay sane. It meant saying: "Enough is enough."

That's exactly what those 4 million people did in April 2021. They said: "Enough is enough. I don't have to go the typical way. I don't have to work for someone else's business in a role I hate. I can make my own way. Even during a global pandemic."

Busting Up the Status Quo

Do you want to know something crazy? Side hustles account for over $4 trillion of the U.S. economy. That's incredible! Those are tiny supplemental streams of income that turn into side hustles that turn into businesses, and these direct sales make up a huge chunk of the American economy.

So, what's the point? People don't want to keep the status quo. They want to bust it up! They want freedom and autonomy, and the chance to become the CEO of their own life. They want to work with focus and passion. Most people would rather work 16 hours a day at a job they love, than work 8 hours a day at a job they can't stand.

Thinking Ahead

Of course, someone might say: "That sounds great, but isn't it risky to leave the security of a corporate job? What about insurance and benefits and retirement plan?" That's always been the "fear factor" of leaving a (seemingly) stable job. And that's why it's important to map out your worst-case scenario for chasing your passion as a network marketer.

What is your worst-case scenario, personally? Is it starting up a business of your own only to see it fail within a few months? Is it sinking a lot of money into a passion project without earning a lot of money in return? Is it being forced to move back in with your parents? Whatever it is for you, identify it, analyze it, and weigh that worst-case scenario against the opportunity cost of not going for it. What happens next if you DON’T make a change? Odds are, you'll want to chase your passion even more after thinking it through.

Better to Go for It Than Always Wonder

Think about Elon Musk for a moment. He helped found PayPal, sold it, quickly became a multi-millionaire, invested in SpaceX and Tesla, and for a time had to borrow money to pay his rent. But that's what the entrepreneur spirit is all about: you're always looking to move forward, to create, to innovate, and to chase your passion. Imagine missing out on all that, just because of fear and hesitation.

The point is, if you have something on your heart, whether it's a passion project, a side hustle, an idea for a new direct selling business — whatever the case may be — then by all means go for it. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering what could have been. Put in the work, put in the "sweat equity," and you'll enjoy greater freedom than you've ever had before. And remember: the only way to fail is to quit.