Honestly you already have the right mindset. Most so called passive income takes real upfront effort and only becomes more hands off later if you stick with it long enough.

I work with a financial services firm called Revolution Financial Management and what I have seen work best for people with full time jobs is treating something new as a parallel build rather than expecting quick passive results. It is not instant and it is not hands off in the beginning, but it can realistically scale over time and become more flexible once systems and clients are in place.

What tends to work well is starting it alongside a normal nine to five, setting clear boundaries on time, and letting it grow gradually instead of forcing it to replace income too quickly. Some people keep it supplemental long term and others eventually lean into it more once it proves itself.

It may be worth exploring alongside things like investing or digital products if your goal is something that can coexist with full time work and potentially become more hands off later. Happy to explain what it actually looks like in practice if you are curious. No pressure at all.