Are you choosing comfort or success?
There’s often a disconnect between what we say we want and what we’re willing to do to get it.
You might say you want a fully booked freelance business…but avoid pitching.
Say you want to earn more money…but never raise your rates.
Say you want more visibility…but don’t show up anywhere people can find you.
Say you want to take your business seriously…but work only when you feel like it.
Here’s the thing, if you say you want something but aren’t willing to work for it, it might be a sign you don’t actually want it. Or maybe your desire to stay comfortable—sleeping in, avoiding marketing, steering clear of failure—is stronger than your desire to go after what you say you want.
And that’s holding you back.
When I started freelancing, I was fully burned out. I’d been going to school and working full-time at the same time. I was exhausted. So I found a few recurring clients and then did nothing to market myself because I just needed space to recover.
Right now, I’m dealing with personal issues which are taking a lot of my energy and focus. Building my business is less important than maintaining what I can and getting through this awful time.
Mabye the industries you work in are in a downturn, and you’re stuck trying to figure out what’s next—like during the start of COVID-19, when I lost almost all of my clients overnight.
That’s okay, too.
But if you’re constantly frustrated that your business isn’t moving forward—or that you aren’t hitting your goals—and there’s no obvious outside reason for it, it might be time to get real with yourself.
Is this actually what you want?
Or do you just like the idea of it?
Are you willing to do the hard, uncomfortable things it takes to get there?
Or are you hoping it’ll happen without effort?
Freelance success doesn’t fall into your lap. It takes work, dedication, commitment, and sometimes discomfort. It takes showing up when you don’t feel like it, doing the thing even when it’s scary, and getting out of bed when you’d rather stay warm and cozy.
If you want to stay comfortable, that’s fine. But own it. Acknowledge that you’re choosing comfort over success. Recognize that you’re choosing to stay where you are.
If you’re reading this thinking, I’ve been too comfortable for too long, I need to push myself, know that you don’t have to overhaul your entire business overnight—you just need to start building momentum. Here are a few simple ways to do that:
Set one small goal and commit to it for one month.
You can work towards anything for a month and that will give you enough time to gather data, see what works, and decide if you want to keep going.
Change one habit.
If staying comfortable is keeping you stuck, there’s a good chance your habits are getting in your way. Start by shifting just one: get out of bed 30 minutes earlier, market yourself first thing in the morning (before your inner critic wakes up), or block off one afternoon a week to work on your business instead of in it.
Reflect and write.
Take 10-15 minutes to journal about what you want and what’s getting in your way. Stream-of-conscious journalling (where you write without censoring yourself or forcing your thoughts) can reveal insights you didn’t realize you had, and help you reconnect with what matters most.
Write a list of times you pushed through—and it paid off.
We’ve all had moments when we stepped outside our comfort zones and it led to something great. Remind yourself of those wins by writing a list of challenges you’ve faced and how you successfully overcame them. That list is proof you can do hard things and succeed.
Resources to help you:
Atomic Habits Adam Grant. This book had a significant impact on how I structure my day (and how I evaluate my habits). I got the audiobook and have listened to it a few times.
The 5 Second Rule Mel Robbins. This was recommended to me by my counsellor to help me overcome obstacles in my thinking, and it has helped a lot.
Want some help working through this?
If you're ready to push past your comfort zone but you're not sure where to start—or you know what you should do but keep avoiding it—I offer personalized one-on-one coaching for freelancers who are serious about moving forward. We’ll figure out what’s holding you back, what you actually want, and how to take the next right step—without burning out or bulldozing yourself.
Click here to learn more and book your spot.
You deserve a business that thrives,
Heidi