Lessons I’ve Learned In My First Year Of Freelance And The Many People I’ve Learned Them From
If you’re reading this for a quick fix to your freelance problems or a strict guide of what to do, this series is not that. The most I have to share is my perspective. It’s unique to me and the experiences I’ve had, but there are lessons to be learned that may apply to you. My hope is that you won’t read this as a roadmap, but as travel log. See where I’ve been, figure out where you are, and hopefully my perspective can help you find your right direction. This is the first in a series of posts, so check back in the next few days as I unpack the lessons I’ve learned in my first year of freelance.
Lesson 1: Prioritize Your Happiness Over Your Success
It may feel narcissistic to start with myself, but this is the hardest realization that I had to make. I spent 12+ years chasing the ethereal idea of success, waiting for someone else to maximize my potential. I focused on reaching impossible goals. There was no way of measuring where I was and where I was going. I was running full speed in any direction, not knowing if I was nearing the finish line.
I had adopted goals from someone else because I was too afraid to make my own.
I didn’t have a definitive answer to the question, “Am I successful?” I would ask again and again, but the answer would always be the same, “I don’t know.” When I was contemplating leaving in-house work, I had to ask myself, “Am I happy?” The answer was no. I realized that my desire for success had come at the cost of my happiness, so I jumped. With no plan or safety net, I went full-time freelance and began the process of forgetting success.
The world started to open as I explored what would make me happy. I asked myself one of the questions that I felt like I wasn’t allowed to ask, “What if I left my industry? Would I be happy if I wasn’t a designer anymore. Would I still be me?”
I had tied who I was to what I did for so long.
I live near L.A., so I threw a Hail Mary and started going to auditions, I made the rounds on game shows and tried to book commercials. Acting made me happy and with happiness as the goal, every option was on the table. I pushed, experimented and dove deeper every time I felt the slightest taste of happiness.
With that search began to come reward. Amazing partnerships with conferences started to emerge, I was able to start my own online event called Cancelled Con, and became a regular streamer of educational and entertaining content with Adobe. All of these opportunities came because I began to pursue my happiness and play to my strengths. Community, creativity and entertaining make me happy. Now, those things are my job and I am happy.
My Takeaway:
I learned that I had to find balance and explore what I could do while ignoring what I thought I should do.
So what happens when I’m not happy anymore and I’m alone in my room with my green screen and a camera? Well, like I said, I had to find balance and I have 9 more lessons to remember for the next time I decide to move on. Follow along each day as I unpack another lesson I’ve learned.
Tomorrow, I’ll share Lesson 2: Share The Work You Won’t Get Hired For
