Campfire #46: There is no life-hack for freelance success
Whenever I talk to freelancers who are getting started, they ask me what tips or shortcuts I can help them learn to succeed. And I have to repeat the same thing every single time: there's no shortcut.
Wake up at 4:30 a.m. Make yourself a cup of coffee. Make a lot of checklists. Exercise. Meditate. Read a book. Get to inbox zero. Work only three hours every day, four days per week. Step outside. Network. Hire a virtual assistant.
You've done it! 🎉 You are now a highly productive and successful individual!
Is anyone else sick of absurd life hacks like me? Is it a byproduct of our on-demand, instant-gratification, dot-com billionaire society that people need to believe there is a quick way to success in business?
The truth is: there isn't a shortcut.
I've been a freelance designer for 13 years. Of course, I had ups and downs, just like any other business. In the previous few years, I've been at the point where I always wanted to be. My business is heading in the right direction: money is good, creative projects are fun, and clients are almost always wonderful – work couldn't be any better.
Thirteen years of showing up every day and putting in the effort brought me here. Years of creating a name, operating exceptionally professionally, and discovering methods to provide additional value to my clients. Respecting my clients and giving them my best effort on every job, every time. Even when I don't feel like it, I knuckle down and get things done. Even when the sun is shining, and the waves are high. Even when projects are dragging and getting boring. Even when the money is running low, and I have to go the extra unpaid mile to offer excellent results because I genuinely care about my client's success.
Any successful independent contractor or small business owner will tell you there was no shortcut. What pays off is consistent, hard work over a long period of time.
Could I have accelerated the growth of my freelance business and gotten here sooner? Probably. I could have set higher goals and been more ambitious. Even when I was swamped with client work, I could have made more time for company growth and networking. I could have taken more initiative. I could improve my marketing and self-promotion skills.
However, these are all comprehensive tactics in their own right, requiring months or years of dedicated effort. There are no shortcuts to success in the freelance business. Stop looking for shortcuts and concentrate on regularly excelling at your daily tasks.
You might be shocked at how much this alone can help your freelance career.
What do you think? Do you believe in shortcuts or rely on consistent work? Respond in comments below 👇