Should I start freelancing? This is a question so many of us ask at various points in our lives. 
Maybe you’re feeling frustrated with the type of work you’re doing at your 9—5 job, and you don’t see any opportunity to move up or across at that place of work.
Maybe you’re tired of being micromanaged when you KNOW you could do a better job than your boss.
Maybe you want flexibility and freedom in your hours and geographic location.
Maybe you’re having a tough time finding a stable job in your field.
Maybe you want to work on something you’re more passionate about.
Maybe you want to be the master of your own time and schedule.
Grab the cheatsheet to save 45+ hours each month >>
Freelancing isn’t for everyone, but it IS awesome! If you have the right traits to be a freelancer, it can be an amazing business and lifestyle choice.
Here are several reasons why the answer to “should I start freelancing?” is a big YES:
- YOU get to call the shots. I love love love this aspect. You get to make the decisions in your business. You can be anything you want to be and do anything you want to do as a freelancer! You are the boss. You are in charge of your own destiny.
- It will challenge you. Stop working at a job you hate on projects that bore you to tears. Being a small business owner will challenge you in new and unexpected ways! You’ll get the chance to creatively problem-solve and broaden your mind to a whole new way of looking at the world with freelancing.
- The sky is the limit for your income. Seriously. You can choose the types of clients you work with and the projects you work on and the rates you set and the amount you work. Freelancing can be very lucrative if that’s an important piece for you.
- You can work whenever and wherever you want. Do you like to work at 2:00 AM? Go nuts. Want to do your work on a gorgeous beach halfway across the world? Buy the plane ticket! Do you need to take certain times of the day or days of the week away from work for personal reasons? No problem. Do you prefer working at home (or in a coffee shop… or in a pub…)? It’s all your choice, my friend.
- There’s no need to take on projects you dislike or work with people you don’t get along with. Gone are the days of dreading to go to work or of needing to deal with complicated and unnecessary office politics. Ditch the drama and focus on the work (and people!) you enjoy.
But wait! What if I don’t know how to work from home, find clients, or manage the business side of things?
Honestly? This is one of the BIGGEST problems that freelancers face. You have the skill to provide clients. You have the knowledge and experience. You even have the capability to be your own boss. What you don’t have are the systems set in place to ensure your freelance business is a real success.
I totally get it—I was there years ago, when I jumped into freelancing and had no idea what I was doing. I succeeded for a while on pure luck, and then it tanked, I panicked, and I clung to the first office job I could find.
It wasn’t until I had freelanced part-time for several years and set the right systems in place that I was able to transition smoothly into full-time freelancing again… this time managing to actually make a real success at it!
Grab the cheatsheet to save 45+ hours each month >>
My freelancer programs contain the resources I WISH I would have had when I first became a freelancer all those years ago. I’ve created them to share with all of you, who want to be a freelancer but feel overwhelmed with it all, or who are already freelancing but struggling at making a go of it, so you don’t have to make the same mistakes I made.
Learn about the freelancer e-courses inside the SaganMorrow.com School to save a TON of time and frustration trying to figure out which systems are the right ones for your business:
YES! TELL ME MORE.
What questions do you have about being a freelancer? What struggles do you face? Share in the comments section below!
Want to see behind the scenes of a home-based business? Get my newsletter >>
I’ve been a freelance writer for 11 years and wouldn’t trade it for anything. I agree with all your reasons to freelance. I will say, however, that I also do a lot more cautioning about the difficulties of freelancing than the benefits. I think it’s important for people to know it’s not always super simple to become a freelancer. In fact, I wrote a blog post that warns people about how hard it can be. I figure if they still aren’t scared off, then they probably should be freelancing!
YES! I wrote about that a few months ago, actually (http://saganmorrow.com/rhetorically/when-freelancing-is-not-right-for-you/). Understanding what you’re getting into is so important!
[…] needs to take breaks! By this point in my freelancing career, if it weren’t for the fact that I’m basically starting a whole new business with the freelance coaching (and that in the past couple years I took on way too many volunteer commitments—although I […]
[…] Working from home is one of my most favorite of things! It’s not for everybody, but if it’s right for YOU, it can be an absolutely amazing experience. […]
[…] seems awesome and, let’s be honest, it IS awesome. Working whatever hours you want, wherever in the world you want; choosing super fun projects to […]