Killing the Excuses
Killing the Excuses
I’ve been freelancing full time for a few years now. I’m fortunate that my social circle, online and offline, feels that I’m a good person to talk to about the freelance life. Freelancing is one of my favourite topics, so when I’m asked to meet somebody who is looking for information on making the switch from a corporate job to a freelance option, I try to make time to meet with them to answer their questions.
Generally, my advice to them is similar to what I’ve already shared here; how to build your brand, how to set your rates, and how to write kick-ass proposals. Some of them listen to the advice and find a way to make it work.
Unfortunately, some of them spend more time making excuses that keep them in their current job.
Today, I’d like to take a look at a few of the main excuses that might be preventing you from finding freelance happiness.
Where Do I Find Clients?
Everywhere. This excuse is easy to address because your clients are in your community and around the world. You don’t have a lack of clients; you have a lack of confidence. If you don’t think you’re worth it, your clients won’t either. You’ve got to be confident in yourself to charge the rates that work for you (you’re not a charity, you’re doing this to make a living) and you’ve got to be confident to ask your clients to give you their business. They need help, and if they don’t get it from you, they will get it from someone else.
“Fake it till you make it” or “Give a little to get a little” – choose whichever works best for you, and go find your next client.
DoNanza is a fantastic resource for you to find your next project. As you build your portfolio, you start to build your confidence. You will soon find that your projects will start to get bigger — and more frequent. Remember to add your projects to your portfolio on your Freelance Profile page, so your new clients can see the projects you’ve done in the past.
My _______ isn’t ______ enough
This is my least favourite game of Mad Libs. Too often, I’ll hear “My computer isn’t fast enough”, “My office isn’t big enough”, “My website isn’t nice enough.” I’m sure you’ve heard these excuses too, and maybe this is where you’re sitting right now. Sure, you need a decent computer and a semi-quiet place to work, but you don’t need the fastest computer or a private office overlooking the park. If you really want to freelance, you need to find a way to get past these excuses so you can focus on getting your projects completed. As you build your client list, you can start saving up to buy the equipment you need to git ‘r done, but if you’re reading this post, chances are you’ve got the tools you need to start freelancing.
I Don’t Have the Time to Freelance
You’ve got time to spend 40+ hours a week, plus the time to commute to and from a job you don’t like, but you don’t have time to work on your freelance business? How effective could you be if you were using that time to spend on your own business? Freelancing is hard work, and it’s a serious business, but there are some pretty awesome rewards that you can enjoy if you choose to treat it like a business. In the beginning, it will take some extra time, but this is an investment that you need to make in yourself, and it’s one that will pay off well.
You might hear people saying “the economy sucks” (it doesn’t – that’s just another excuse) or “there’s too many people working at a rate I can’t compete with” (you guessed it – just an excuse). There are clients with projects in every industry, at every price point. Choose one that interests you, and show that client that you are the best freelancer to handle their current and future needs.
If freelancing is truly the direction you’d like to go, you will find a way to do it. Don’t let the people that say it can’t be done prevent you from doing it.
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