Freelancing can be amazing!
What I truly love about it is being more independent, having the chance to work for myself and all the emotional and financial rewards that follow.
But how about setting things right and taking a look at the downside of things?
How about unveiling some of the most common traps that all freelancers get sucked into at some point or another, so that you know what to be prepared for if you are thinking about freelancing, or so that you know what's happening to you if you have already crossed paths with this adventurous method of earning a living?
First of all, why do people want to become freelancers?
It's because they think they are good or because they actually are, it's because they can't stand having a boss, because they don't want to follow rules, they want to earn more money and many other possible responses.
Everything's great until now, but let's see what pitfalls await you when you do become the Grand Freelancer:
1. Overselling: your client needs a blog, you say you'll do it. Even though you are a brand strategist or a financial consultant. Actually, you are too afraid not to lose your client so you would promise anything! Doesn't matter that you're not good at it..
2. Underselling: If the company you worked for paid sells a training with $1,500, you as a freelancer will do it for $700. $500 would not be bad either when you have nothing better to do..
3. You stop keeping your promises: Overloading leads to superficiality. Being 2 or 3 days late means a log for you customer so don't ever lose your focus.
4. No time for selling: You only sell when you don't have anything to work on. This takes you to financial instability and, more importantly, takes you to trap number 2 when you become desperate for not finding work.
5. You forget the word NO: You're afraid of losing your client.You overload yourself, overestimate yourself and make false estimations on the jobs in hand. If you are addicted to money, that makes it even worse.
6. You exhaust yourself working endlessly: As an employee you had weekends and holidays. Now you are free.. to work for yourself.. and you don't hold back for doing so.including on Saturdays, Sundays and special holidays.
7. You stop developing: Because you are work like a slave on your projects, you don't have any more time for learning, studying, other opportunities or to see what's happening in your environment.
If you're a freelancer I'm sure you'll find something to comment on this post.
If you're just thinking about the idea, think long and hard.
Whatever your paths willl be, I salute you!
September 02, 2010
The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Dan Pink, a skillful author about how changing of the world works, posted a very surprising and helpful theory about what really motivates individuals to perform their best in todays work environment.
After doing tons of research through interviews and studies, he finally concluded that, indeed, money are a motivator and they are important if you want your employees to be happy and do their work. However, sometimes a larger reward can actually lead to poorer performance!
What really gets people going and makes them achieve more than they would be normally capable of lies within their feelings about themselves, about you and your company and about what they are doing.
So remember!
Autonomy,
Mastery,
Purpose.
Are you offering enough to your people?
After doing tons of research through interviews and studies, he finally concluded that, indeed, money are a motivator and they are important if you want your employees to be happy and do their work. However, sometimes a larger reward can actually lead to poorer performance!
What really gets people going and makes them achieve more than they would be normally capable of lies within their feelings about themselves, about you and your company and about what they are doing.
So remember!
Autonomy,
Mastery,
Purpose.
Are you offering enough to your people?
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