As a Full-Time Writer, You’ll Never Have *Stability* or *Certainty*
That’s alright if you learn to navigate the ups and downs of life as a freelance writer or a self-employed person.
That’s alright if you learn to navigate the ups and downs of life as a freelance writer or a self-employed person.
We all know there are no guarantees in life. You feel this harder when you’re self-employed.
Fluctuations in income can be crazy when you don’t have a steady job. But even more than that, the impact of sickness or any form of personal tragedy can hit hard.
When you have a job, you can ask for leave. It doesn’t matter whether it’s paid or not. As long as you have the assurance that you can get back to working whenever you want, you can take some time off and devote your attention where it’s most needed.
But when you’re freelancing, most of your projects are bound by deadlines. It’s hard to ask for leave when the client wants an article by a set date. Either you deliver on the promise by compromising on your mental health or you leave them dissatisfied by not giving them what they expected.
It’s all a game of balance, and sometimes, it gets hard to maintain all of it.
The key to not losing hope
That’s where self-belief comes in.
Even if you don’t have a stable job and you lose all your clients in the face of a personal tragedy, you need to have the faith that you’ll get similar projects when you’re ready.
Right now, I’m facing something similar.
An unexpected family crisis happened a few days back, and I’m finding it hard to postpone my deadlines further. I know I’ll deliver them because I’m not yet at the stage where I can have 100% belief in myself that I’ll bounce back harder.
I also know it’s not sustainable to always continue writing even when my world comes crashing down.
Chasing the elusive goal of “passive income”
And that’s why I’m writing this post more for myself than for anyone else. I want this to serve as a reminder that I need to build assets that continue paying even when I’m not actively working (hello, passive income).
It’s also a wake-up call that I need to trust in the hard work I’ve invested in my writing business over the years.
I’m not strong enough today. But I know I WILL be one day.
Can you relate? What are your thoughts on dealing with uncertainty as a self-employed person? Let me know in the comments.
I’ve made a FREE 5-day course on how to be a highly paid writer to help people who are just starting out. Join here and be a part of this amazing journey towards financial freedom.
Want to read more honest takes on what it means to be a freelancer? Check out these articles below:
