Why do we go freelance? Having decided to be involved in remote work? There are some reasons:
- Lack of money
- Prestige of freelance
- You can’t get another job
- You do something you enjoy
- Freelance as a lifestyle
Let’s go deep in each of the reasons:
Lack of money
You are sorely in need of money, debts are growing and having looked up and down the internet in search of easy and accessible earnings you found the freelance exchange. That’s it. Yes, you’ve always felt a bit creative and even showed it to your family or colleagues, of course, not without success. You create accounts on all major freelance exchange sites and start taking small projects and fill in your portfolio at the remaining time from work. Everything seems perfect, it’s hard to fault but the client for whatever reason is returning the project for completion over and over again, you face criticism or even outright ruddiness from the colleagues on forums. Why? Get into mind that the quality of your works, which are done anyhow and on occasions, the way you communicate and your status show you as a guest who ran in, grabbed something, sometimes even being unable to make head of it and disappeared again.
Let’s face it, after eight-hour day’s work your creativity is somewhere far away. But, in the morning you’ve taken a project as well as an advance — oh, oh .. And so you hand in the project anyhow and having taken a nap for an hour, rush to your main job. Is it difficult? But a fat lot of good. And many freelancers don’t even bother to perform the task, they delete accounts and goodbye!
Well, what to say here, if you want to be unpopular with freelancing circles – go for it! And don’t think that freelancing is an easy way. No.
Prestige of freelance
Yes, being a freelancer sounds dignified; even the pros would agree with it if you do your job to a high standard. But for most, freelancing is nothing more than a word. Lots of freelancers having just registered on freelance exchange sites are ready to number themselves among the chosen. But to become really prestigious and recognizable you have to work hard and deserve it.
In the west freelancers are treated with respect, people believe that freelancer pursues his goals against all odds and designs his own life in the way he wants and ultimately deserves.
In Russia a freelancer is most often considered as unemployed, doing odd jobs. Yes, there are heaven-born freelancers who are really dignified that even heads of states have nothing against work with them. But there are very few.
So, freelance is a prestigious and worthy job only if it provides high quality works, and accordingly well compensated.
You can’t get another job or there’s no job
Very often we are faced with such problems as there’s no possibility to make money. Those who are used to have traditional employment, for example, in an office or at a company are horrified at the thought that they simply would have nothing to eat and nothing to pay for lodging. These people while hearing the word freelance are often completely at a loss. Freelancing seems so strange to these people that 90% can’t understand what freelance is about. People in this category consider freelancing as something frivolous and useless.
Every moment the real freelancer is ready that he will not be in demand in his area of expertise, so that is why he tries to master the new heights, not looking for easy ways and to become a professional in the field which is the most popular at the time.
And if you decided to succeed in freelancing, get ready for the flow of negativity, distrust and sometimes open aggression from peers and clients. Of course, it’s not all that terrible but ability to handle stress and insistence are essential qualities the freelancer has to have. Also, you have to negotiate, solve big and small problems and many other things. So consider all pros and cons a hundred times.
You do something you enjoy
This is really great if you like your job. You are a lucky man. After all, if you undertake a task with the feeling, the output is an excellent result. And for a well done work you get a good payment. Let the jealous call you a maniac of freelancing or workaholic. Ignore it.
You realize your potential and achieve planned with ease when you put life into your work and work in one breath!
Freelance as a lifestyle
People for whom freelance is a lifestyle, never limit themselves or set any boundaries. They can’t have a boss and loose valuable time in the office. The real freelancers would not exchange their freedom of choice and sometimes crummy gigs to another job even with fabulous salaries. These freelancers are free and independent; they don’t care what «the real hard workers» think about them. They know the value of their time, their money.
So, freelancing as a lifestyle is an essential part of a person who doesn’t get used to take orders and set limits to himself.