Hey!
It’s way too easy to get caught up in the operations and production side of freelancing.
Getting the work done is mostly all we’re responsible for as employees, so when we make the shift to working for ourselves, it’s perfectly natural to dump all our focus there…doubling down on the belief that if we just “do stuff better”, our businesses will be healthier and we’ll be doing a good job.
But the work is just one part of the puzzle.
Our most important goal in being the best employers we’ve ever had, is creating a great work experience for ourselves.
That starts with stability…something that gets harder to provide when the world gets more uncertain.
But that’s where our advantage as freelancers is the greatest. With some simple mindset shifts, we can make serious progress in becoming our own stability—even when the weather outside is stormy.
- Accept that no one is
as invested in your success as you are. This is true for employment relationships too, but the impact is greater for indie workers. You’re on a path of learning to desire a certain kind of success and growth for your business, and that can take time.
- See yourself as capable…or at least capable of capability. You might not feel it now, but I believe you can learn to see yourself as competent and capable in ways you
never imagined…mostly because freelancing stretch muscles, skills, and emotional habits we just don’t even have to consider as employees.
- Believe you can learn and grow. This is something you develop over time. As you get better at little things, make mistakes and learn, you’ll learn to trust yourself and your decisions.
- Commit to great habits. Tiny,
targeted actions are easier to keep up over time. Consistency beats big flashy risks. Don’t sleep on the small steps.
Action steps:
This month, try out a few practical applications that will help move you toward stability:
- Accept imperfect starts. Perfection can be a form of
procrastination…partly because we’re too hard on our less-than-perfect first steps. Try a little less self judgement (in any area) and a little more positive talk around your mistakes and see what it feels like. (This will be critical because freelancing involves a LOT of trial and error…mostly error.)
- Try one, small freelance skill. Something like prospecting, using a CRM, or sending out invitations on LinkedIn can get your freelance muscles moving.
- Set aside time to work on your strategy. This workbook will be helpful.
- Come join our Discord to remind you that you’ve got other people in your corner who are going through the same things you are. See you there!
The world is changing in some disorienting ways—but I think a new world is emerging, and there are going to be some really interesting opportunities popping up along with it.
Megan (Nutmeg)
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