Don’t Be A Freelancer–Be A Human Who Freelances

When I first started freelancing in 2016, I was fresh out of college, I had no money, and I had little experience. But I had big dreams. I knew the freelancing life was for me. I wasn’t scared of it like many of my friends were. 

My first year of freelancing was rough. I was living client-to-client. I was in and out of dishwashing jobs to make rent. I was reluctant to ask for help. 

Now that I’m freelancing again, so much is becoming clear to me. (If you didn’t see my post last week, I’m freelancing again.) I’m realizing all the things I didn’t know I didn’t know when I was freelancing before. For a thousand reasons, freelancing has become easier this time around. I have better time management skills. I understand business better. I’m better at finding leads and pitching. But it’s mostly easier because I have more connections. 

It has been said that a rising tide lifts all boats. Not only do I have more connections because I’ve lived in Los Angeles for 5 years, but my connections have more connections too. Since they have better opportunities, so do I. 

When I first started freelancing, I found so much of my identity in being a freelancer. Looking back on it, the smart thing to do would have been to hold down a part-time job that allowed me to freelance half the time. I would have sustainably grown my network, and wouldn’t have been so stressed about making rent. But since I saw myself as a freelancer, I got out of the part-time jobs I had quick. The freelance business model works best with a large network, but since I saw myself as a freelancer, I sabotaged my path to building one. Ironic, isn’t it?

Here’s the deal: the people who cared most about me would have loved me if I had a very normal job or if was making millions freelancing. They didn’t care. The only one who cared was me, and I exasperated myself because of it. 

Don’t be a freelancer–be a human who freelances. Humans need money to pay rent and buy groceries. It doesn’t matter if you get that money in a cool way or a lame way. Just get it, keep your head down, and grow your network. 

Good luck out there.