The Surprising Reason I Quit My Job To Become A Freelancer

I’ve spent most of my adult life working as a freelance writer, but it wasn’t until I quit the job that I realized how many people struggle to find the motivation and flexibility to work at home.

Even though they might have some of the same problems I do, like juggling family and work responsibilities or dealing with financial challenges, they still tend to stay in their jobs because they feel like they don’t have any other options.

These are just some of the reasons why so many people decide to take that leap into freelancing:

I Want To Quit My Job & Become a Freelancer, But I’m Scared!

Takeaways
The author shares a surprising reason behind quitting their job to become a freelancer.
Exploring unconventional paths can lead to unexpected opportunities and personal growth.
Embracing the freelance lifestyle can provide flexibility and autonomy in work.
Quitting a job to pursue freelancing requires careful consideration and planning.
Freelancing can offer new challenges and rewards that traditional employment may not provide.

Table of Contents

Lack Of Motivations

As a freelancer, you have the freedom to work on your schedule and in the comfort of your own home or office. By creating your schedule, you can set realistic goals for yourself that fit into that schedule and then follow through on them.

You’re not beholden to someone else’s idea of success, so there are fewer reasons why you would feel burned out from work.

This isn’t always an easy change though! There were times when I would come home after a day of writing articles and be completely exhausted from having spent all day sitting behind a desk at my old job.

And I didn’t even have any physical tasks to do before quitting! Most days were spent with coworkers around me asking for help or trying to get my attention so they could ask me something else…it wasn’t exactly relaxing either way!

Treating freelancing like a business is crucial for success. Discover why it’s important to view freelancing as a business and learn valuable insights in our article on Is Freelancing a Business? Here’s Why You Should Treat It Like One.

Low Salary

I feel like I have a good story to tell that might help other people. While I loved my job and had many reasons to stay there (like the fact that it was a steady paycheck), it was just so hard on me. I felt like I couldn’t take any more stress from the traffic or my boss and co-workers. Here are some of the reasons why:

Lack of motivation: When your work is not motivating you anymore, then it’s time for a change. You should never feel trapped in your job or unhappy about what you’re doing – no matter how much money is being offered as an incentive for staying put!

Traffic: For me, traffic is by far one of my biggest enemies when it comes to trying to get anywhere on time (or even early!) It takes at least 30 minutes longer than usual just getting out into traffic before you even start driving towards where ever it is that needs going too.. sometimes longer depending on which way they decide to go 😉

And once there they wait another hour before leaving again! This leaves little time left over after working all day long already so why would anyone want more stressors added to their day?

Traffic

Traffic is the number one reason I’m glad I quit my job.

I live in a major city, where traffic is a constant problem. If you live here too, you know what I mean. Whether at work or home, it seems like people are constantly stressed out because they have to deal with traffic every day.

You’re probably thinking: “Well, what’s wrong with that? It’s just part of life in the city!” But no matter how much time you spend on the road each day, it has an impact on your quality of life and not for the better!

This situation can also make it harder for people who rely on public transportation or carshare services to get around efficiently or cheaply and especially if they want to travel outside their neighborhoods into other parts of town (or even their neighborhoods).

I Was A People Pleaser

I was a people pleaser. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. If someone asked me for something, I would do it without question and without considering my own needs or wants.

I was afraid of conflict and confrontation, so I avoided having any to keep the peace and look good in the eyes of others.

This led me down some weird paths where I would say yes when I wanted to say no, which eventually resulted in resentment toward myself and others because they were taking advantage of me.

I also felt that if someone disliked me, then they wouldn’t want me around anymore; therefore, being nice and accommodating felt like the only way to avoid losing friends or colleagues as friends or colleagues (which could happen at any point). And finally:

if I got fired from this job (or worse yet if this job made me unhappy) then what am I supposed to do with my life?

Are you ready to kick-start your freelancing career? Our comprehensive guide on 12 Tips to Kick-Start Your Freelancing Career in Less Than a Month offers valuable advice and strategies to get you on the path to success.

Over Supervisions

The thing is, I didn’t like having to answer to people all day long. It made me feel like my skills were being wasted in the role. I couldn’t stand feeling trapped in one place, or doing the same thing every day. Being on my own was much more comfortable than working with people every day and being told what to do.

It took some time for me to realize that this was really about personal preference and not about making money or getting a better job title. Now that I have my own business, I am a happier person when I work for myself; there is no over supervision from bosses or managers looking over my shoulder!

I Was So Miserable Why Would I Want Someone Else To Feel The Same Way?

Do you ever find yourself dreading going to work? Do you dread leaving your home, because you know that for the next eight hours (or however long), no matter how hard you try, there’s nothing more than a cubicle wall separating you from feeling alone and bored? If so, then I have good news: You’re not alone.

If this sounds like something that describes your life daily if even when you’re at home in front of Netflix binge-watching season two of Stranger Things while eating pizza in bed with your dog and cat then congratulations!

You’ve got some pretty awesome priorities right now. I’d go so far as to say they’re probably better than mine were back when I was working full time as an employee at my job as an analyst:

I didn’t want anyone else to feel what I felt every day; why would I want someone else’s family or friends feeling it too?

It Was Hard To Find People Who Could Relate To Me

I don’t know if you’ve ever felt this way, but I’m sure that most of us have at one point or another. It’s a common feeling among freelancers that you’re alone in your work – that no one else understands what you do, or how much effort it takes.

That’s why it’s so important to find friends in the world of freelance writing; they’re more likely than others (especially those who haven’t gone through the process themselves) to understand what it feels like from their own experiences as well.

And once again: there are plenty of places online where freelancers connect! For example, there’s The Freelancer Cafe on Slack which has become a haven for those looking for advice about how best to tackle certain aspects of their workday while also making connections between themselves and other contributors who share similar interests/tastes/values, etc.,

This means these kinds of connections aren’t only possible but pretty easy too!

I’m A Happier Person When I Work For Myself

When you work for yourself, you get to do what you want to do. You can work faster if you want, or slower if that’s what works better for your brain. If there’s something really important going on in your life outside of work (like a sick family member), then it won’t be a problem to take some time off from work and focus on them without any guilt or pressure from anyone else.

Other things can make freelancing magical: I get to choose who my clients are, which helps me pick people with values that align with mine; I have more flexibility when it comes to my schedule (I don’t have set hours).

And I enjoy doing creative projects with people who inspire me instead of having them assigned by someone else. This all adds up to one big reason why freelancing has been better than anything else at making me feel like I’m living my best life!

Balancing freelancing and maternity leave can be challenging. Gain insights into how freelancing affected one individual’s life during maternity leave in our article on How Freelancing Affected My Life When I Was on Maternity Leave.

Everyone Thought I Was Crazy For Leaving A Good Job

When I quit my job to become a freelancer, everyone thought I was crazy. But the fact of the matter is that I had been working in marketing for over seven years and was ready for something new.

Everyone else thought it would be a huge mistake and a bad idea to leave a good job, especially in an industry where it’s easy to get laid off.

But here’s the thing: You have to do what is right for you. If you’re not happy with your current situation, don’t allow anyone else’s opinion of that choice to affect what you ultimately decide to do with your career (or life).

No matter how well things seem at work, there will always be people who try and makeup excuses as to why they should stay there forever instead of taking risks and following their dreams.

That’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with positive people who will encourage you along every step of your journey and ignore those who don’t support you!

I Felt Like My Skills Were Being Wasted In The Role

You may be surprised to hear this, but I was bored and frustrated while working at my job. This is even though I loved the company I was working for and the people I worked with. The work was repetitive and mundane and gave me no opportunity to learn new things or challenge myself creatively.

I wasn’t being recognized for my work, nor did they pay me enough money in comparison with other freelancers in my field who were doing more interesting things than what we were doing at our office.

Being On My Own Was Much More Comfortable Than Working With People Every Day

You may be wondering why I would want to work alone, especially after spending so much time in an office where I was surrounded by other people. It was the complete opposite.

I was very uncomfortable being around that many people all day long. When I worked in an office environment as a web designer, I tried my hardest to please everyone and not make waves. But this left me feeling miserable and unfulfilled at the end of each day.

It wasn’t because they were mean or anything like that it’s just hard for me to relate well with people who have different interests than me or who don’t share my values when it comes down to it (especially when those values are things like “what’s right” and “what’s wrong”).

It got harder for me over time because no matter how hard I tried not to be myself around others (and even though most were friendly), there were still times when they could sense that something wasn’t quite right about how we interacted together socially;

Especially since this led them to become uncomfortable too! It made me feel bad about myself because if someone else felt uncomfortable around us then there must’ve been something wrong with our relationship…

I Couldn’t Stand Feeling Trapped In One Place, Or Doing The Exact Same Thing Every Day

I didn’t want to be stuck in one place or doing the same thing every day. I wanted to feel free and independent. So I quit my job and became a freelancer.

When I was working 9–5 every day at an office job, I couldn’t stand feeling trapped in one place all of the time or having to work on someone else’s schedule.

Plus, being able to work on my terms was important too: It gave me control over when I worked (and how much), as well as what projects were next on my plate. And since it wasn’t tied down by any one company or client, no boss was telling me what to do or when it had to get done by either!

Avoid common freelancing mistakes and enhance your career. Learn from the experiences of a designer and discover 10 Mistakes I Made Freelancing as a Designer and How You Can Avoid Them in our insightful article.

Some People Will Always Tell You That You Can’t Do It But They Aren’t The Ones Who Have To Live With Those Regrets

I’ve always been a creative person, and I wanted to do something that would allow me to do that. I’ve also always been a people person, and I wanted to do something that would allow me to do that. As an educator, my time was spent preparing lessons for students and teachers who were not necessarily interested in what I had to say or teach them.

As a teacher’s aide, my job was primarily dealing with the administration so they could get their work done without having to worry about it themselves. While these jobs were satisfying at times, they became less so as time went on, and besides, there were issues within each of the schools I worked at that made it difficult for me as well (i.e., lack of discipline among students).

Exploring the diverse world of freelance opportunities? Discover the different types of freelance jobs and explore exciting opportunities in our article on The Different Types of Freelance Jobs Opportunities. Expand your horizons and find your niche.

Conclusion

It may seem like a big risk, but remember that you’re leaping yourself. I was terrified to quit my job and try something new, but it turned out to be the best decision I ever made. It doesn’t matter what other people think; if you want to live your best life and pursue your dreams, then do it!

There are so many things that can go wrong when you take such a big step in life – but that doesn’t mean they will. You just have to believe in yourself and know that no matter what happens, everything will work out for the best.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Did You Become A Freelancer?

I was working at a successful company, but I was bored. I wanted to do something more exciting and challenging.

How Did You Choose The Type Of Work That You Do?

After some research, I decided to focus on writing because it’s something that I’m good at and enjoy doing.

How did quitting a job to become a freelancer impact your life?

Leaving a job to become a freelancer can have various impacts on an individual’s life. It often brings more flexibility in work schedule and location, but it can also involve financial uncertainty and the need for self-discipline.

What are the common reasons why people quit their jobs to pursue freelancing?

Some common reasons include the desire for more autonomy and freedom in work, the pursuit of passion and personal fulfillment, dissatisfaction with the corporate work environment, and the potential for higher income or better work-life balance.

What challenges should I expect when transitioning from a job to freelancing?

Transitioning to freelancing can present challenges such as acquiring clients, managing finances and taxes, dealing with irregular income, establishing a professional network, and maintaining self-motivation and discipline.

How can I prepare financially before quitting my job to freelance?

Before making the leap, it is advisable to have a financial safety net that covers living expenses for a certain period, to have a clear understanding of freelance rates and potential income, and to have a solid business plan in place.

What steps can I take to ensure a successful transition to freelancing?

Some essential steps include identifying your niche and target clients, building a portfolio, networking and marketing your services, setting up efficient systems for time and project management, and continuously improving your skills through learning and professional development.

What Skills Do You Need To Become A Freelancer?

You need to be able to communicate well in writing whether it’s emails or blog posts or articles and be able to work independently with no supervision from others.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.