If you’re early in your freelance career, you may at some point be tempted to give up.
You started out with big dreams and ideas. But when they don’t pan out in the way you’d imagined, it’s easy to lose momentum and become discouraged. So you become stuck.
You want to progress. You’re willing to learn! But maybe things just aren’t coming together. And you wonder if you should revert back to a traditional job.
No one here will judge you if that’s what you ultimately decide to do. I’m the first one to admit that freelancing isn’t a good fit for everyone (or for everyone at every point in time).
However, while every case is different, I often find that the crux of the issue is the unacknowledged difference between freelance and traditional work.
The Difference Between Hunting and Cooking
Freelance work has two aspects: “hunting” and “cooking.” Hunting is finding the work. Cooking is doing the work.
For most freelance writers, cooking isn’t the issue. They’re good writers. They’re smart and willing to learn. They’re reasonably confident in their ability to research and put together a case study, blog post or other piece of content.
But when it comes to hunting, things fall apart.
When you’re traditionally employed, the hunting is done for you. You don’t have to find the work—it’s assigned to you! As a result, most traditionally employed people have undeveloped hunting skills.
But as a freelancer, hunting is critical to your success. Having a plan—and executing on it consistently—is the only way to hunt successfully.
Fortunately, hunting is a learnable skill. True—it comes easier to some than others. But anyone can develop it.
Hunting Skills Are Valuable Skills
Yet freelancers often resist developing these skills. Because hunting can be scary. It takes you outside of your comfort zone. You have to feel the fear and do it anyway.
And so you hesitate.
Why should you put yourself through this discomfort if things might not work out in the end? You might go back to a regular job. So why go through all this for nothing? Isn’t it just a wasted effort?
Not at all. Hunting skills hold value outside the world of freelancing. If you end up going back to traditional work, your hunting skills will help you find a new job.
They’ll give you the courage to put yourself out there. To keep pushing when things look grim. To not take “not right now” as a no. To not take rejection personally.
Your hunting skills will also make you more marketable in your field. You’ll have demonstrated that you had the guts to strike out on your own. You’ll have new connections and skills you can leverage.
And once you land a job, your hunting experience will give you a whole new perspective on the work you do. It will help you think outside the box. It will give you a deeper appreciation of the bottom line.
So no matter what the future brings—whether you continue to freelance or go back to a traditional job—you’ll always have your hunting skills.
In other words, you’ll have what it takes to survive and thrive in today’s marketplace.
By the way … whenever you’re ready, here are 4 ways I can help you grow your freelance business:
1. Grab a free copy of my training class for writers who are new to freelancing.
It’s called “The 3 Magic Levers: How to Get Your Writing Business Off the Ground and Land Your First Paying Client.” — Click Here
2. Download a free copy of my book for ESTABLISHED writers/copywriters.
You’ll discover how to quickly and predictably reawaken dead leads, generate new client opportunities and convert not-yet-ready prospects into freelance writing clients. — Click Here
3. Join our “Get Better Clients Academy”
You’ll get a personalized action plan based on where you are today in your business. Plus all the tools, scripts, checklists, cheat sheets and templates you’ll need to escape feast-or-famine … grow your income … and land clients who love and respect you. — Click Here
4. Get your website DONE!
If you’ve been struggling to get your website done … or if you’re not happy with what you’ve got today… let my team and me build you a beautiful website for your writing business. We’ll do all the hard work! Email me at [email protected] … put “WEBSITE” in the subject line … and I’ll reply with the details.
