Competition means that there is someone else who is also targeting your ideal clients and prospects. They may be applying for the same projects. They may even be getting more of those projects than you are getting.
It’s very easy for a freelancer to get distracted by what their competition is doing.
In this post, we’ll discuss the three possible attitudes you can have towards your competition. We’ll also explain why it’s important not to get too sidetracked by focusing on your competitors.
I started dreaming about working from home when I first became a Mom almost 16 years ago. But, back then, I had no idea there were so many ways to earn an income without a regular job. Besides, as my family grew, we needed the medical coverage my job provided.
Fast forward many years later: I have three children and have become Internet-savvy. My head is swimming with the many possibilities for self-employment. With the guidance of experienced, entrepreneurial Moms, I set up shop as a freelance writer and online marketer.
I am giddy. I am living my dream, at last!
And then reality hits. An 18-month-old toddler needs constant attention and does not understand that Mommy needs to be at the computer for hours at a time so that we can buy groceries. To make it worse, he stops needing two naps a day. The house gets dirty again a couple of hours after I vacuum. Plus, older children, even a teenager, still need Mom after all.
A few weeks after my dream became a reality, I was almost crying in frustration. How was I going to get any work done if my family–particularly The Little One–was demanding my attention constantly?
I had several options:
My other problem is that I really get wiped out when I try to go by on very little sleep for days on end. I get cranky, my skin breaks out, and I eventually just pass out by 8 p.m. If I keep pushing myself, I get ill–which makes it even harder to get work done!
Some students spend their earnings on everyday needs while others (like me) have allowances being sent every two weeks to cover most of the major expenses (especially food and transportation). This leaves my freelance earnings in my bank account at my disposal.
Obviously, the earnings received from freelance work can be spent on almost anything my heart desires. I get to buy clothes, shoes, accessories, better food, and can even treat my friends out to pizza every week!
Having disposable income from freelancing is a dream come true, right? Far from it. As student freelancers, we need to remain responsible with our expenses and must learn how to budget our freelance earnings. In this post, I’ll explain how to accomplish that.
A reader once asked me a very interesting question–how do I stay motivated long-term when I don’t receive any raises or benefits as a freelancer? This got me thinking hard–just how do I keep myself motivated?
I was never really lucky enough to have a job with good benefits, bonuses or raises, so maybe the lack of these things doesn’t bother me as much as someone who did have them at a full-time job. Or, perhaps it’s because I feel like I do receive all of these benefits–and more.
There are tons of things that keep me motivated as a freelancer, so much so that I don’t think I would ever go back to any kind of regular job.
The trick is to reward yourself regularly for the hard work you do, much like a boss would. Here are some ways I’ve kept myself motivated through years of freelancing.
