If someone asked me today if I were where I wanted to be as a freelancer, I’d say no.

Don’t get me wrong...I’ve come a LONG way since I’ve started.  I’ve hashed out a lot of the most difficult questions that come along with building a successful (and sustainable) freelance career, but still...sometimes I hear stories from other freelancers who are transitioning solidly into consulting and who are hitting their income goals more consistently than I am, and I’m reminded that I’m not where I want to be. I am, however, where I need to be.

There have been a couple of projects that I missed out on and looking back, that really was a blessing in disguise--they were either too complex, too big, too broad, too stressful, or just a bad fit for me. Instead of burning myself out on work that was a bad fit, I’ve been able to grow slowly and steadily, focusing on clients with problems I could solve really well, even if they were incredibly small.

So what about you? Where are you in your freelance career? Is what’s going on in your life now helping you be a better freelancer tomorrow?

Since it’s Reflection and Assessment month, take some time to look back at your life as a freelancer...even when you were just kicking around the idea, and look at how you’ve progressed from there. You’ll probably see more growth than you realized.