Vision - How Good Can It Really Be?

Key Concept:

Freelancing can give you a great lifestyle, but to get that lifestyle you will have to work.

A Day in the Life...

This morning I woke up and traveled to work. Except that I work out of my home office, and the trip took 10 seconds. Then, for most of the morning I worked on a client project, and took a phone meeting with a potential lead.

For lunch I met a good friend at a Thai restaurant and we talked about life and business. The curry was excellent, and we had a good time catching up.

Then back at home I was able to get more work done, and on a Pomodoro break I came out and wrestled with my son and daughter, and ate some fresh baked cookies that my wife had just baked. After 4pm I worked on my side project for the month (this course), and my day was done.

And that is a typical day for me (though I usually only eat out 2-3 times a month). And it is freelancing that gives me this lifestyle. I don't have to drive a long distance to work, I don't have to ask my boss for vacation time, and I set my own schedule. Plus at $750 per day I don't have to work every, single, day of the month, and I bring in enough to support my family.

Now freelancing isn't all "sunshine and rainbows" (Rocky Balboa). Some days it's just plain hard. Freelancing means running a business and finding clients. It also means paying quarterly and yearly taxes, and paying the "employer portion" of medicare and social security (often called self-employment tax). Also you've got to cover your own health insurance, unemployment insurance, provide your own equipment, and... you get the idea. But once you do those things a few times they become easier to do. And you are right, there are extra expenses, but you should have a high enough rate to cover those expenses and the risk of freelancing (and don't worry about this yet. I've got a whole section with multiple lessons on pricing and rates).

In the end, freelancing is a great life and it can give you unparalleled flexibility and freedom. True, it will take work, but the benefits are totally worth it.

Assignment

  • Think about these:
    • What kind of life do you want?
    • What would you do if you had two free hours every day for the rest of your life?
    • What would you do if you could take off one week every month for the rest of your life?

Complete and Continue