What does it mean to be successful as a freelancer?

Is it about:

1) money?

2) fame?

3) satisfied customers?

Or is there something else that you need to achieve or build to feel fulfilled?

There might be as many answers to this question as many freelancers there are in the world. And none of them will be wrong.

After 12 years of running a freelance business, I realised that although numbers 1 to 3 give some sort of satisfaction, I’d rather choose something else. For me, the definition of success is to stay free from the race and flitting desires. It’s about silencing the ego that constantly strives for more.

Your definition might be different, but whatever it is, we all have to overcome some obstacles to reach our goals.

Key obstacles standing between you and success

The biggest challenges you’ll need to face to achieve your success are inside you, not in the outside world. No matter what you want to build or accomplish in your freelance career, chances are you’ll be stuck because of your fear, procrastination, or imposter syndrome, rather than external factors.

Yes, your location, tax system, or economic situation play an important role too, but you can always find a way to deal with unfavourable market conditions, lockdowns, or crisis if you adopt the right mindset. With some flexibility, creativity, and courage, you can grow your freelance business, in any environment.

For example, during the pandemic many small business owners and freelancers adapted their services to the current needs of their customers: one hairdresser started teaching clients online how to cut hair, and one law company shifted its focus to domestic violence, once the employees noticed a raise of cases in this area.

All they had to do to stay afloat in tough conditions was to listen to the clients, think outside the box, and act swiftly.

To overcome any roadblock, you’ll need to begin from your approach.

Embracing your fears

How to achieve this mindset? How to get rid of the paralysing “what if’s” that may prevent you from building your dream freelance business?

In my new book, “Successful Freelancer’s Mindset“, I embark on the journey through fear, procrastination, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome to discover how to embrace common challenges that nearly all freelancers face. But this journey doesn’t end there.

Once you learn how to overcome your internal obstacles, you’ll also find out about other key ingredients worth adding to your success recipe. For example, you’ll explore:

• How to define your goals and priorities
• How to recognise when it’s time to give up on your idea
• Why it’s not only money that matters
• How to put your business into perspective
• How empathy and non-attachment can help you become a better freelancer

With all these tools, you’ll be better equipped to deal with any situation that a freelance life throws at you.

Have a look inside, grab your copy, and discover a smooth road to your successful freelancer’s life.

Dorota Pawlak

Dorota helps digital brands infuse their content with a local touch. She is a localization consultant, translator specialized in IT, prompt engineer, and a book author. Dorota teaches online courses on localization, writes for her blog and a Medium publication. She also runs a Small Biz AI, a Substack newsletter for freelancers and small business owners ready to discover handy AI tools.