When I first started freelancing, it was a total disaster. I had no idea what I was doing, and my work suffered as a result. From the outside looking in, it appeared like I had everything going for me but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
It took three years to get over the fear of failure and truly succeed as a freelancer. But throughout that time, one thing became abundantly clear: Freelancing is the best way to do what you love every single day (even if there are plenty of challenges along the way). Here’s why:
Takeaways |
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1. Diverse Career Opportunities: Freelancing opens doors to various industries, allowing individuals to pursue their passions and explore different fields of work. |
2. Flexibility and Work-Life Balance: As a freelancer, you have the freedom to set your own schedule, enabling a better balance between personal and professional life. |
3. Autonomy and Independence: Being your own boss gives you the power to make decisions, choose projects, and shape your career according to your vision. |
4. Skill Development and Growth: Freelancers often acquire a wide range of skills through diverse projects, fostering continuous learning and personal development. |
5. Potential for Higher Earnings: With the ability to negotiate rates and take on multiple projects, freelancers have the potential to increase their income compared to traditional employment. |
6. Global Reach and Remote Work: Embracing freelancing means breaking geographical barriers, enabling you to work with clients and companies worldwide from the comfort of your home. |
7. Entrepreneurial Experience: Freelancers gain valuable entrepreneurial skills, learning to market themselves, manage finances, and build their brand. |
8. Enhanced Creativity and Innovation: The autonomy in freelancing encourages creative thinking and innovative solutions to meet client demands and stand out in the market. |
9. Adaptability and Resilience: Freelancers develop the ability to adapt to changing market trends and overcome challenges, fostering resilience and perseverance. |
10. Contribution to the Gig Economy: By participating in the gig economy, freelancers play a vital role in shaping the future of work and influencing modern employment trends. |
You Get To Be Your Own Boss
You call all the shots! You set the rules, hours, price, and terms. You decide what you want to do and how you want to do it. There’s no one breathing down your neck telling you how things should be done or how much time it should take for a task because they have their own goals they need to accomplish themselves.
It’s a good idea not only for freelancers but also for anyone who is looking for employment at any company whether it is another business or even in government agencies like police departments or firehouses because often those types of jobs come with too many complications than they are worthwhile having no benefits.
Other than having money in your pocket each week but if that’s all that matters then freelancers can still earn just as much if not more working part-time hours during weekends than full time during weekdays without having someone else tell them when they should go home after putting in eight hours.
Instead of allowing yourself freedom on choosing when will be best suited based off personal needs such as wanting more family time vs taking care of other obligations such as volunteering work projects at school clubs etcetera.”
Building a successful freelancing career requires making the right choices. If you’re unsure whether to choose Upwork or Fiverr, our detailed comparison of Upwork vs. Fiverr can help you decide which platform aligns better with your freelancing goals.
You Control Who You Work With
- You choose who you work with, so you can work with people you like and trust.
- You can choose to work for a company that shares your values.
- You can also choose to work for a company that does great work, even if they don’t share your values.
And if you’re lucky enough to find both of those things in one place, then go ahead and jump on it!
You Can Work From Anywhere (If You Want)
If you’re like me, then you’ve worked in an office before and have probably been chained to your desk for 8+ hours a day. But the beauty of freelancing is that it allows you to set your schedule. If a client needs something done at 4:30 on a Friday evening? That’s fine!
Want to take off and travel for three months? You can do that too! As long as you get your work done on time, there are no limits.
If this sounds good but also scary (like it did when I started), remember: You don’t have to be afraid of being disconnected from others if they don’t understand what freelancing is all about yet or feel threatened by how much freedom it gives them (not everyone will). You just need someone in charge who understands what makes freelancers tick like me!
You Get To Schedule Your Own Time
Being a freelancer means that you get to set your schedule, which is something that can be super beneficial for people who have trouble waking up early or staying late at night. You can work when you want, so if there’s a meeting from 10 am-12 pm today but tomorrow is going to be a better day for doing some work on site X, then push the meeting back!
This flexibility also makes it easy for freelancers to manage their workload with other commitments such as family life or schoolwork because they don’t have to wake up early (or stay up late) every single day of the week just because they’re “on the clock.”
Are you considering a career in freelance writing or copywriting? Discover the possibilities and challenges of these creative professions in our insightful article on Are Freelance Writing & Copywriting Good Jobs? Learn what it takes to thrive in these roles and how to leverage your skills.
You Only Work On Things That Interest You
This is the main reason why freelancing is awesome. You get to work on things that you’re interested in and choose everything from your clients to your hours. No boss or a project manager is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do or how to do it, so no one can tell you what type of work to take on or where and when to work.
You can be as creative as possible when it comes to setting up an ideal schedule because there aren’t any rules besides those that govern common sense (like don’t steal from people).
You Can Do What You Love Every Single Day
You get to spend your time doing what you love.
If you love what you do, then it’s not working it’s a passion. And being passionate about something leads to increased motivation and productivity, which leads to better results in all areas of life. If you’re interested in something but don’t have the opportunity at work to pursue that interest, freelancing could be a great way for you to turn that hobby into a career by starting on the side and gradually building up more clients until it becomes full-time employment (or even more).
Your Projects Are More Fulfilling
When you work for yourself, you are more likely to be proud of the work you do. You are also more likely to enjoy the work you do. And being proud and enjoying your job makes it much easier for you to be engaged in what you’re working on.
This is important because being engaged in your work is one of the best ways to increase productivity and when we’re productive, we can accomplish so much more!
Another reason freelancing is great for productivity is that it gives us control over our schedules and workloads: if something comes up, we can make adjustments; if something slows down at a certain time of year or month, then we can adjust accordingly (or even take some time off).
Millennials, eager to embrace the freelance lifestyle full-time, should explore these 15 ways to live the freelance life. From managing finances to finding remote work, this guide offers valuable advice to make your freelancing journey a successful and fulfilling one.
Learning Is An Integral Part Of Your Career
As a freelancer, you’re constantly learning new things. And not just about what you’re doing; sometimes, it’s about how to do it. There are so many skills that you can learn as a freelancer! You can learn new languages, technologies, and techniques for your job.
You’ll find yourself forced to make decisions that were never an issue before: how should I organize my day? What tools should I use? Should I hire someone else or do this myself? What kind of marketing strategy will be most effective for my business? Where should I post my content so that people find me while they’re looking for it?
How much time should I spend on social media each day (if any)? How can I make sure that everything is done well without spending too much time working on it? What are some cool new apps out there right now?
Is there somewhere else in town where people would buy what we sell and if so where is it located exactly so we don’t waste time driving around aimlessly trying not
Connections Become A Priority
When you are a freelancer, connections become your lifeblood. When I was working as an employee in a company, my connections were limited to my coworkers and bosses. But as a freelancer, my connections can be anyone willing to share their knowledge with me.
Connections can help you find clients when they need help with something that they can’t do themselves but don’t have the budget for hiring someone else to handle.
For example, if I’m looking for some help building a website or writing content for them, I could directly approach them with my offer and see if they would like to take advantage of it without going through all the red tape of finding someone else in the first place!
It’s all about knowing who’s out there and what skillsets they have available; from there it’s just up to whether or not those two things match together well enough that there’d be mutual benefit between them (and maybe even friendship).
Work/Life Balance Gets Easier
Being your boss means that you can set your schedule. You can take time off when you need it, or take a vacation when you want to. If you’d rather work from home than in a noisy coffee shop or coworking space, being a freelancer will allow for that easily.
Being self-employed also means that you have the freedom to work on projects of interest instead of having to do the same thing over and over again (which may not be what interests YOU).
This is especially important if certain tasks aren’t as fun but still have to get done for everything else in the business world to run smoothly such as taxes and bookkeeping!
Taking Calculated Risks Is Essential (And Becomes Second Nature)
As a freelancer, you’ll be forced to take calculated risks all the time. You’ll have deadlines, and you won’t always have all of the information needed to complete a project. This can be stressful, but it’s also incredibly exciting and it will teach you how to think on your feet in any situation.
If you’ve never worked as a freelancer before (or if this is a new skill for you), don’t worry: taking calculated risks is something that can be learned! The important thing is being honest with yourself about what risks are worth taking in your business so that they’re not too big or too small.
Crafting an outstanding Upwork profile is crucial for freelance success. Check out our curated list of The Best Upwork Profiles to gain inspiration from top-performing freelancers and learn how to showcase your skills and expertise effectively.
Money Is A Secondary Benefit, Not The Primary Focus
Money is important, but it’s not the only thing that matters.
If you’re a freelancer, you don’t have someone telling you what to do most of the time. You control your schedule and you get to decide how much time is spent on projects or tasks at hand.
You can spend as much or as little time with clients as they need, which means that if they need help with something outside of work hours (like an emergency), then they will be able to call on your services.
The freedom that comes along with being self-employed gives people an opportunity to focus on other areas in their lives such as hobbies or family life without worrying about missing deadlines at work because there aren’t any!
You Don’t Burn Out As Quickly (Or At All)
One of the biggest benefits of freelancing is that you can take a break whenever you want. You don’t have to worry about getting fired or being let go because you’re not working enough hours and will never be burnt out like you would with a traditional job.
If your client wants something done, they will pay for it when it’s done and if they don’t need it as soon as possible, then there’s no pressure for them to rush through the project with you. There is no such thing as “company time” when working on your schedule!
As long as clients are willing and able to pay their bills on time (or ahead of time), then everything should work out okay…even if there is an emergency that causes delays in getting things done.
Overhead Costs Are Usually Lower Compared To Traditional Jobs
Overhead costs are usually lower compared to traditional jobs. For example, you don’t need to pay for an office because freelancers can work from anywhere (in their own home, at a co-working space, or coffee shop).
Furthermore, freelancers also don’t have health insurance and retirement plans that are required by most companies. Additionally, they don’t have benefits like paid sick leave and vacations – instead, they receive money upfront when they get a job.
Last but not least: freelancers avoid paying taxes since their income is considered self-employment income rather than salary/wages.
Work Never Feels Like “Work” (Until It Does But Then You Take A Break!)
One of the biggest benefits of freelancing is that work never feels like “work” (until it does but then you take a break). Here’s why:
Work can be a pleasure. As an entrepreneur, you get to be in charge of your own time and schedule. You choose when to work and how long to work each day on whatever tasks are most urgent or important. If something sucks right now, no worries – just do something fun instead! It’s all up to you.
Work is fun because it allows us to pursue our interests and passions without being limited by someone else’s idea of what we should be doing at the moment (or ever).
Your job may suck if one person tells you what projects need completing or which ones are more important than others or how many hours per week they expect from you; this isn’t true for solo entrepreneurs who set their schedules based on their strengths/weaknesses as well as outside factors such as seasonal demand changes in their industry niche(s), etc.,
Rather than having an employer dictate those things unilaterally through annual performance reviews where everyone has equal say over each other’s careers regardless of whether they’re qualified managers themselves (which some aren’t).
Early Career Mistakes Bear Less Weight In The Long Run (Comparatively)
On your first day, you might be nervous and make a mistake. You’ll learn from it and move on.
Don’t worry about what other people think of you. Don’t be afraid of failure because, in the long run, the weight of an early career mistake is much less than one made later in life when there are more pressures to succeed at all costs.
Pursuing a full-time career as a freelance writer doesn’t mean compromising your principles. Our guide on How to Become a Full-Time Freelance Writer Without Selling Your Soul provides valuable insights on maintaining authenticity while thriving in the freelancing world. Discover how to stay true to yourself while achieving your freelance aspirations.
There’s Always Room To Experiment, Try New Things, And Change Direction If Needed
As a freelancer, you’re free to experiment and try new things. If you don’t like what’s happening in your career, it’s simple enough to change direction.
No boss is breathing down your neck telling you that they need some report on TPS reports by Friday and so if you don’t have time to finish it now, he’ll just have to let the whole team go over the weekend because they can’t get anything done without those numbers.
Being able to change course is one of the best things about being a freelancer. It’s easy for that project which seemed like such a good idea at first not only to fail but also cost money or waste time while doing so.
You can get stuck in something where no clients are coming through or it’s hard work just getting clients at all! That would never happen if you were employed full-time somewhere else!
There Are A Lot Of Benefits To Working For Yourself
You get to be your boss. If you’re working for yourself, there’s no one else who can tell you what to do or how to do it. You have complete control over your time, tasks, location, and more! This can be extremely liberating if you like having the freedom to make decisions without having them questioned by other people.
You can work from anywhere: Whether you choose a local coffee shop or office space in another city halfway across the world is up to you! Being able to take control of where and when you work allows people with this lifestyle choice not only flexibility but also variety in their lives as well (and don’t forget those discounted lattes).
Conclusion
If you’re already a freelancer, I hope this article encouraged you to keep doing what you love and reminded you why it’s important to go out there and show prospective clients that you’ve got the chops. If you aren’t yet a freelancer but want to be, get ready for a wild ride!
There are many more upsides than downsides to giving this lifestyle a try. Of course, each person will have their own experience with self-employment some people are lucky enough to find the perfect balance between work and life from the start, while others need to experiment before finding their groove.
But one thing is certain: your experience will be unique, rewarding, and never boring!
Further Reading
15 Popular Reasons to Become a Freelancer or Entrepreneur: Explore the top reasons that motivate individuals to embark on the freelancing or entrepreneurial journey. Gain insights into the benefits and opportunities these paths offer.
10 Reasons Why Freelancing Is Better Than Any 9-5 Job: Discover why many professionals find freelancing more rewarding and fulfilling than traditional 9-5 employment. Learn about the advantages of being a freelancer and how it can enhance your work-life balance.
Becoming a Freelancer Is a Great Choice – Here’s Why: Delve into the reasons that make freelancing an excellent career choice. From independence to flexibility, this article highlights the key factors that make freelancing appealing.
FAQs
What are the benefits of becoming a freelancer?
Freelancing offers various benefits, such as flexibility in work hours, the ability to choose projects, and the potential for higher income.
How does freelancing compare to a traditional 9-5 job?
Freelancing provides more autonomy, the opportunity to work on diverse projects, and the freedom to create a work environment that suits your preferences.
Is freelancing suitable for everyone?
Freelancing can be a great fit for individuals who prefer autonomy and have self-discipline, but it may not suit those who thrive in structured environments.
How can I find freelance opportunities?
Networking, using online platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, and building a strong online presence are effective ways to discover freelance opportunities.
What challenges should I be prepared for as a freelancer?
Freelancers may face irregular income, managing taxes, and acquiring new clients. However, with proper planning, these challenges can be overcome.
Why Should I Become A Freelancer?
The answer is simple: because it’s awesome. There’s no better way to make money and have fun than to be your boss. You get to pick your schedule, you get to work from where you want, and you get to decide how much work you want to do. You can go from working one hour per day to working 12 hours per day it’s up to you!
What Do I Need For This To Work?
You just need an internet connection and some skills. The internet is everywhere and available for free (or cheap), so there’s no excuse not to join us! As for skills, well… everyone has them.
You might have more than one skill maybe you can design websites or maybe you know how to write well but even if all you have is some Excel proficiency or experience with Word documents, that will come in handy when it comes time for the next step: finding clients!
How Do I Find Clients?
That’s easy too! Just set up profiles on any freelancing sites like Upwork or Freelancer (both of which are free). Then start bidding on jobs that interest
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.