Okay. So David Cottrell’s Monday Morning Choices isn’t exactly a freelance-specific book, but I have a weakness for the self-help genre. I find that — like a good session with my shrink — self-help books inspire me to be the best version of myself.
As people who have willingly given up benefits and a regular salary to go it alone, I can’t help but feel that we’re all trying to find a career that’s in tune with the very best version of ourselves. After the jump, some things to keep in mind if you want to maintain a winning attitude:
- You shouldn’t fall prey to a victim mentality. In the end, it’s your response to the events in your life that determine the ultimate outcome. In short, stop whining and take some action. If you reach some hurdles in your path to the perfect business, take a deep breath and calmly figure out how in heck to overcome them.
- You shouldn’t waste too much time thinking about what you want to do, or someday will never come. I will invariably set myself down beside my husband, a wistful look in my eye, and say “I need to take an online photography course” or “I need to start up that blog of mine so I can begin my journey toward world media domination.” He always cuts me short. “Stop talking about it and just do it,” he’ll snap, sounding for all the world like a Nike advertisement, except more impatient than inspirational. After all the research I did on how to succeed as a freelancer, it was time to finally stop waiting for the perfect moment and just leap. When I approached my boss to resign, I was terrified. Getting it over with was the best feeling ever.
- If you’re truly dedicated to a cause or goal, you shouldn’t let the minor setbacks throw you off course. Rather, you should take this golden opportunity to learn from your mistakes and, for the love of god, never commit the same ones again.
- Creating a network of like-minded folk will always pay off in the end. When you build up a personal or professional network, it’s only a matter of time before you both get the chance to help each other. And in the meantime, it’s nice to have someone else to commiserate and bullshit with.
- Being committed to your work means you won’t quit. When you’re building your business, make sure you’re following passions in addition to trends. Those who are committed to their goals are often more creative in figuring out how to reach them.
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