“So you are a freelancer?” he asked with a lot of expectations.
“hmm…yes..”
“Are you a successful freelancer?”
“I am in my own way…” I said but watched his face turn from happy to dark.
“But I don’t see any fancy things, expensive stuff or a luxury car or a house with you,”
“So?”
“I think you are not a successful freelancer, without any of those..”
Well, this is a conversation I mostly have with many. From many others’ point of view, I am unsuccessful. Because I don’t have any worldly things to show off nor do I boast about my achievements after a decade working as a freelancer.
So am I successful?
For the past decade, I have managed to earn an income that has been enough to pay off my bills, take care of my mother, and let her live comfortably while saving a little bit for emergencies. Plus do something fun once in a while or surprise my friends and family in a small way. I can live comfortably without loans or debts to anyone. And enjoy a relaxed mind and a stress-free happy life.
From my point of view, I am successful. I was able to lead the life I have wanted. Free from worries and headaches. Because I want to live a stress-free life, which is helpful for a healthy lifestyle. With the way I work, I can up my game if I need to earn more or, take a few days off if I want to be free and do my artistic projects. I manage my workflow so my work life is stress-free and filled with less conflicts.
But really – how do you measure a successful freelancer?
This depends mainly on what you want to achieve, and where you want to be. But don’t compare yourself to another. Remember first come you, your happiness, your health, and your family. There may be ups and downs but don’t be discouraged. And don’t worry if you go slow, because a fast pace can tire you out easily and lead to making many mistakes.
But how can I be successful?
When it comes to freelancing, you need to:
- Communicate – properly, friendly and professionally. Which leads to a successful connection between you and your client.
- Understanding – Try to understand the project scope, and research for a few days if needed with the client’s permission, so they trust you, that you understand what they need. But be truthful if this is something beyond your scope, let them know you cannot do it but guide them where they might be able to find the better person. This is a successful way to make your client remember you and come back with another project suited for you.
- The project – for a successful project you need to communicate and understand the client’s outcome in mind. From the first draft, be sure to have consistency with the deliveries and modifications. Listen to your client, if you think there is room to improve, suggest and implement it with their approval.
- Finalize – when a project is finalized, remember to deliver as you promised. A successfully completed project will lead to more recommendations by the client. Which helps you to gain new clients.
- Earnings – when you quote for a project, try to be reasonable. This will result in the successful awarding of the project to you. And if you do exceptional work, you will be rewarded with a tip/bonus.
One thing to remember – is to save a portion of what you earn, in case of emergencies. Which can come at any time, without a warning. But remember to trust yourself so that you can overcome it.
Remember – you don’t need to impress anyone, but yourself. Believe in yourself. Be happy with yourself. Then the rest will follow…
And, the media can let you think that being successful means having luxury brands, cars, houses, watches, vacations, and so on…. Don’t let them manipulate you, because success comes within you with your efforts and willingness. Be successful in your own way.
Yes, I am successful in my own way. So I am sending you my blessings to be successful in your own ways….
Good Luck and Be happy….
