One day you are on a high note with pouring projects that you couldn’t keep up replying, let alone rejecting. On another day, you are faced with nobody wants your service, your existing clients think the work you have submitted is crap, you just had an argument with one of your biggest clients because of misalignment of expectations.
Or maybe you are starting out as a freelancer. With your savings dwindling day by day, you are anxious to get your first gig but nobody is hiring. Wait… is it nobody is hiring at all or just no one is hiring you?
Welcome to the world of freelancing – where you are the boss of yourself and your clients are the paymasters of you. In other words, if you need the money, they own you. Something that you shouldn’t allow it to happen but it’s a post for another time.
It can be lonely and frustrating in the freelancing world. I know, I have been there. There isn’t much support for freelancers or not that I know of. I’ve come up with some tips that will help you battle the negativity in freelancing and hopefully these will help you tide through this tough period.
Look Forward
Instead of dwelling in the moment, look forward to your next milestone or your next goal. You can only achieve success if you look far and forward and stop pondering the mistakes you made or wallowing in the current blues.
Focus On The Goodness
You have good clients and you have some rotten ones. Don’t think about the bad review you just had, think about all the good ones that you receive. There’s a reason why you are still in business, aren’t you?
Reach Out
Being a freelancer is lonely. You work alone. You face your troubles alone. Your working-class friends don’t understand the struggles you go through because they either think you are stupid/brave/crazy/lucky to give up your day job and work as a freelancer full time. Reach out to similar freelancers to share and you might even share clientele if both of you have different skill sets.
Upgrade Yourself
If you are right in the quiet period where there’s no business for you, use the time to rejuvenate and upgrade yourself. Having multiple skill set makes you sellable, unique and attractive to clients. Clients will rather manage one freelancer that does everything for him than to manage 10 freelancers. Of course, you’ll have to make sure your fees cover the multiple roles you are taking.
Evaluate Yourself Constantly
Periodically, ask yourself if this is something you want. Are you happy working as a freelancer? Some people are happier working in a structured environment and some prefer to work in a team. It’s okay to have preferences one over another. Being aware of your working style makes it easier for you to find similar projects that suits you.
Get Out
It’s easy to coop yourself at home, completing task after task, project after project. Freelancing is not about that. It’s about the freedom to do whatever you wish however and whenever you want to. Meaning that as long as you have an internet connection and your laptop, you are good to work. Libraries, cafes, universities – there are many awesome venues that you can work in. For more awesome venues, you can refer to my previous post.
Break out from your gloom, think positive and work towards achieving success for your freelancing future. It ain’t a challenge if it ain’t hard.
Are you a freelancer? Do you have any personal tips to share with us how to drive those gloom away? Please share the love in the comments below.
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