Hi Friend,
I’m a big believer that mindset is crucial in freelance success. Not because I believe in any sort of universal force driving us to success (though if you do believe that, good on you).
It’s also not because I believe that positivity is the key (because relentless positivity can actually be harmful).
Freelancing can be hard. There are good times, there are tough times, there are impossible times. There are amazing clients, terrible clients, and everything in between. There are periods where you can’t wait to sit at your desk to hammer out another thought-provoking piece, and moments when you’d rather stay in bed with your head under your blankets, hoping you wake up in the next century (somehow, magically, wealthy).
Mindset is important because our mindset shapes our habits. If we believe something is possible, we’re more likely to work a bit harder to achieve it. If we believe something is impossible (or as unlikely as becoming an athletic superstar), we’re less likely to push ourselves. We’re more likely to give up at the first hint of a challenge.
Assumptions shape our efforts
Your assumptions about freelancing, about whether there are clients out there, how much money you can make, whether you can be successful, will shape the effort you put in. If you don’t think there are a lot of clients out there, then when a week goes by and you don’t have a new client, you’re more likely to throw your hands up in despair.
If you don’t believe LinkedIn can be used to find clients, then you might post once or twice, get no engagement and take that as evidence you were right all along, there’s no engagement on LinkedIn. (I would strongly argue the opposite, but that’s a post for a different day.)
If you don’t believe freelancers can earn a lot of money, you’re more likely to keep your rates unnecessarily low, putting you in more financial jeopardy and ensuring you have to keep working harder to find more clients (which is doubly hard if you also don’t believe there are a lot of good clients out there).
Often, these assumptions shape our habits without us realizing they’re doing so. We have these thoughts, but we don’t question where they come from. We just accept them as true, look for evidence they’re accurate, and the moment we obtain that evidence, we give up.
To be a successful freelancer—and, perhaps more importantly, to be a happy freelancer—it’s important to examine our negative assumptions and see where we can shift our mindset.
What you can do to challenge your assumptions
First, write a list of all the assumptions you have about freelancing. Do you assume you'll be successful (or unsuccessful)? Assume clients will just naturally find you? Assume you aren’t smart enough to freelance? Assume there aren't good clients out there? Assume you'll have to give your work away for free? Assume you’re terrible at networking?
What are the things you tell yourself about freelancing? What are the things you tell yourself about your abilities?
If this is difficult for you to do in one session, keep a pen and paper by your desk as you work for a few days. Every time you make a general assumption about freelancing or your abilities—good, bad, or neutral—write it down. Let’s say you go to post on LinkedIn and then you think, “Why bother? All the good clients on LinkedIn are already taken.” Write that down.
Second, explore those assumptions. Where do they come from? What evidence do you have they’re true? Did you hear something negative from someone once about how terrible freelancing is and adopt it as your own mindset? Is your assumption based on your own experiences or intimate knowledge of the industry?
In most cases, we have very little proof our assumption is correct. It’s often based either on someone else’s opinion or on one or two very limited experiences. If you have no evidence the assumption is accurate (or if you know it’s based on limited experiences) see if you can shift your mindset at this point towards the positive, or at least work to prevent it from shaping your habits.
Third, set out to prove the negative assumptions wrong. You can do this by taking action directly (push yourself to post and engage on LinkedIn regularly for at least three months to see what happens, or send out letters of intent to clients you really want to work with). Talk to other freelancers about their experiences. Get their perspective on the industry, clients, and how to be successful.
It's okay to have negative thoughts--many people do when they start freelancing. Those beliefs come from a very real place. When they limit our actions, they become self-fulfilling prophecies, which are devastating when you're running a business.
Keep the following in mind
There are fantastic clients looking for freelancers. It’s up to you to ensure they can find you (that means networking, posting, sending emails, having a website and creating your own opportunities).
There are clients willing to pay high rates for writing and editing. You'll need to build up some experience and show them your value.
It is possible to make a very good living as a freelancer. You have to be willing to work hard, push yourself outside your comfort zone, and take your business seriously.
There’s no magic formula for success. Genius isn’t required to run your own business. It takes hard work, dedication, some skill, and willingness to learn from your mistakes.
We all make mistakes. I have a long list of mistakes I’ve made, and I will continue to make mistakes, because running a business isn’t an exact science. We are constantly making decisions based on our perceptions, understandings, and priorities at any given moment. Making a mistake isn’t evidence your business is doomed or you’re a terrible business person.
You don't need to be the very best writer or editor to be successful. Most of us aren't. You need to be good at what you do, live up to your promises, and work hard.
Yes, there are terrible clients. There are people who take advantage. Chances are you’ll run into at least a few in your career. They aren’t evidence there are no good clients out there. Don’t let them derail you.
One thing that might help is to write a sticky note kept on your computer monitor with positive beliefs. These can be things like "There are good clients out there, I have to work to find them" or something else motivating. It can help you get through the tough times.
Here’s to your ongoing freelance success,
Heidi
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