Gosh, I know this sounds like such a generic title, but as I go into my 5th year of freelancing (this month marks the moment I impulsively quit an editorial job that was *so not right* for me and became unemployed, uh, I mean, a freelancer!), I’ve been feeling really inspired to spread the love to those just starting out. Confidence is a big deal when it comes to how you run your business and what you get out of any career. And honestly, freelance life has so many ups and downs that even right now I’m at a major turning point in my work and in a lot of ways starting over. It’s been challenging to build confidence in my work and my ability to reach financial stability when pivoting + rebranding myself in my field. So of course, I think learning how to build confidence is a lesson for all creatives to visit & revisit throughout their careers, not just starting out.
Photos of Charity taken during a collaboration with some of my incredibly supportive creative friends here in Seattle.
celebrate and share everything! especially out loud
Recently in a Facebook group (is that how I start every sentence now?), someone posted that she was thrilled about a major success, but didn’t know how or where to share it. When you’re a freelancer, a lot of times you work alone or with a tiny team. Many times your support system isn’t a crew of people who really *get* your work, but friends and family that love you, are inspired by you, but ultimately don’t understand what you do. She was understandably sick of bottling up her successes.
I feel the same. I’m all about sharing my successes and failures here on The Blog Market and in my other projects, but most of the time I keep a lot more to myself than I really need to. Just recently, having a few more freelance friends in my circle, I’ve realized how important it is to share dreams, goals, plans, and most importantly, alllll those tiny successes, out loud. Saying something out loud empowers you to appreciate those little wins and use them to build momentum in your work.
Find and rely on your support system
Working from home, mostly alone, as a freelancer has been both rewarding and intensely difficult, which I’ve been pretty open about in the past. Honestly, it wasn’t until I moved out of Los Angeles to my home city of Seattle where I had more people to lean on that I felt more secure in working alone. I had a few amazing colleagues and mentors in LA that I’ll be forever grateful for, but here I have a best friend who works in the same field, a co-working buddy to meet up with weekly, and even a co-working space I can (almost) afford (everything in LA was about triple the price). My point is not that the location matters, but the greater community that surrounds you and whether they’re really supporting and encouraging you to do your best work. I’ll also say that maintaining a support system like this does require lots of getting out of your comfort zone, especially if you’re an introvert like me, and some uncomfortable meetups as you get your footing. But having a good circle–no matter how small–is key to building confidence in your work.
look for the positive in every outcome
There will be times when a project falls to pieces or you lose a major client (and like, 90% of your income), but it’s so important to find that bit of positivity. Most creatives are ALWAYS teeming with ideas, so when something bad happens, think about what window it opens for you: does the loss of work mean you can pursue one of those crazy ideas rolling around in your head? That’s a sign to go for it, I think. It’s so empowering to know that there’s always another option, and really, there is.
think of why your work is needed
When you know that the work you do is needed in the world, it’s hard not to be confident in what you’re doing. I mean, you’re creating something could never exist without YOU to bring it into the world. Let that sink in for a moment. The second you start to second-guess whether you’re on the right path, ask yourself this: Why is my work needed? Why should I keep going, even if it’s hard or I might fail? And you’ll have your answer.
By the way, if the answer is that maybe you shouldn’t keep going, that’s absolutely okay too. Better now than later, right? So you can redirect and find a new, more fitting path for you. Think of it not as wasted time, but something that led you to this realization about what you really should be doing.
Freelancers and creatives, how do you build confidence in your own work? What do you tell yourself when you feel it diminishing? Post an encouraging note below and we’ll share our faves on Instagram!
Jhunelle J ♦ www.simplylocal.life says
Great points! I’ve found investing in a small relevant circle has helped opened my eyes to some “how were these not obvious to me before” points as well as smarter ways to work. I’ve also found reaching out to other creatives and brands helps to boost confidence, especially if they respond positively and you didn’t expect them to!
Chloe says
When I’m at work, I always try and get myself into a mental space of acting as if the business was my own! That way if any issues come up I am able to tackle them with more initiative and it also makes me more motivated to work a little harder!
Chloe X http://chloelxuise.com