How I’ve sustained as a freelancer?
Ever since I quit my job two years ago, I’ve met many people who don’t understand what it is to be a freelancer in India. Most believe that it is more like a time pass where you want to be at home without the stress of the corporate job, there’s no ambition and there’s never going to be success worth sharing. I mean when you fill a form, you are given options like self-employed (which generally refers to owning and operating a business) or professional, so what is a freelancer supposed to fill?
To add to the mess, the Internet is flooded with ads titled — ‘This woman made $40,000 working from home, check it out’. And when you click on the link, it is some sort of typing, form filling, or a commission-based exercise that doesn’t require any sort of educational background.
Living like a freelancer, I’ve realized that it is no less than being an entrepreneur. You are juggling between various roles individually. I work from home but have as much, or sometimes even more stress/pressure than what most professionals have at their job.
Working as a financial accountant, as an account manager, as a marketing head at an organization, you’re constantly battling a lot of responsibilities yet you are sure to receive your salary (a definite amount) at the end of the month. Irrespective of whether you are working with an established firm or a startup, your company has made profits or lost a few clients, or you’ve been scolded/warned by your immediate boss, you know you’d have what you need to pay off monthly installments, bills, and spend to enjoy otherwise. You know how much you’re going to earn and can plan out expenses accordingly.
As a freelancer, things aren’t that smooth when it comes to financial management. If the client doesn’t like your work or is undergoing internal changes, you’ve lost a portion of your income for that month. If you have interns or employees working with you and they don’t respond in time, you are running around managing the crisis. You have all the accountability and responsibility with no one to blame. I mean it is so easy to say things like — this company’s work culture is pathetic, they don’t value their employees, my boss is mean, there’s too much politics, it wasn’t my fault, etc. when you are working at an organization with other employees and a team. Unfortunately, a freelancer doesn’t have that option.
Being a freelancer is sometimes like a one-man show. You are responsible for client development, operations, finances, crisis management, and more. I start the month creating invoices and running behind clients to receive my payments and end the month bidding for new projects while evaluating how much time I can spend on the new clients.
Well, I don’t deny that I save myself from the tiring and hectic schedules of traveling to the office because my home is my office but hey, I also don’t get the opportunity to meet and interact with new people. I also miss out on learning what’s new on the streets. I don’t have someone to guide me when I’m in a fix, I don’t have peers helping me understand industry updates and I don’t have someone pushing and motivating me to run to the finish line to get my paycheck.
A freelancer needs to remain self-motivated, have BIG visions and the determination to achieve goals. He/she must know that while working from home gives the flexibility to squeeze in fun and social obligations on weekdays, it is important to restrict and wisely take decisions. It is easy to fail as a freelancer because the casual attitude and laidback mindset are common traits that take over.
So, being a freelancer is fun but not as easy as it looks. In the last six months, I’ve realized that if you want to be successful, you need to stay determined and never give up. You need to set high targets so that you achieve what you’re capable of —
Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star!
You need to constantly make efforts because it is never enough. You need to sharpen your skills and stay ahead of the competition (which is bigger companies and agencies). You need to reach out to as many clients as possible and bid for as many projects as you can. You need to start afresh each day. I take the following guidance to heart and remind myself of my mission each day —
If you find yourself unable to follow through after a few days, just refresh your determination and try again. Even if you quit and start again every few days, by repeating this process over and over, it will eventually add up to a full month’s effort. If you can keep trying for a month, you can do so for a year. By patiently making efforts each day, taking on your various challenges will become part of your daily routine. The key is whether or not you can keep renewing your determination without giving up for good. — Value Creation, October 2019 (SGI)
A freelancer must believe in yourself. You must envision yourself as an ENTREPRENEUR worthy of creating the next big brand/organization in your domain.
I’ve created milestones and timelines to grow as a freelancer covering all aspects of skill-enhancement, client development, financial management, operations, personal goals, side hustle ideas, self-motivation, and more. If you’d like to see how I’ve done it or share anything from your experience, share a comment and I’d be happy to discuss.
Till then, happy freelancing!