Want to Start Freelancing? Don’t Let Any Fears Hold You Back
Freedom is one of the most common reasons for choosing a self-employed life. ‘I wanted to decide for myself how much and when I work’ was the most frequently completed after ‘I wanted a new challenge’ in the Self-Employed Survey of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
Freedom starts with what you call yourself. You can decide for yourself, a freelancer or self-employed person, and you can also come up with your job title yourself (although the CEO of a sole proprietorship is always a bit clumsy).
I Never Find Enough Assignments to Make Ends Meet
I have been a freelance journalist for 2.5 years now, and before I took the step to the Chamber of Commerce, it was also my greatest fear not to find clients. I could already envision that I could no longer pay the rent and that a bailiff would be on the doorstep to confiscate ‘all my possessions’ (mainly books and magazines, but still).
Indeed, the first week after I quit my job, I hardly had any clients. I lay on the couch, and fear crept over me. What had I done?
Fortunately, after that week, everything was fine. Now I occasionally say ‘no’ to clients because I lack time. Most freelancers I know are more likely to ‘complain’ that they are too busy and have too much work than bored.
I Wouldn’t Say I Like Selling (Myself)
For a long time, I was held back by this thought. If you are looking for clients, you must sell yourself, especially your services. That is true. Still, it all works out. First, as a freelance journalist, you don’t need that many clients at all. You only need a few great clients with whom you build a relationship and with who you regularly do odd jobs. This way, you have more security and don’t have to keep fooling yourself somewhere. In addition, I have another mindset tip. Try not to see the selling as if you want to sell something to the other person. You want to help the other. The other person has a problem (for example, no articles for the website or no one who can organize the event), and you can solve that problem (because you are an editor or event manager). That’s much nicer, though.
What will Others Think?
When I found one of my first clients, my father-in-law asked: ‘And can you eventually get a permanent position there?’ Not everyone understands why you want to start your own business. Most people just like being employed and getting a salary deposited every month.
Does this mean that office work was not necessary to you? Aside from the insecurities that your colleagues may have, it’s also essential that you take breaks and enjoy the hard-earned fruits of your work. Consecutive days of 15-hour workdays will not only make you cranky but will also negatively impact your productivity. Maintaining your focus and working toward why you started this is essential.
OK, but if you consider freelancing, it doesn’t help that other people do not understand. You probably get comments like: ‘Would you do that, quit your job?’ Or maybe they don’t ask you that, but you are mainly afraid that they think that.
Have the conversation. There is a good chance that the people around you are just super proud that you dare to take the step to freelance. They are, at most, a little protective of you. They care about you and want to protect you from mistakes. That’s just incredibly sweet.
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