4 Mistakes in 2023 That Pinched Me with Taunting Results
December isn’t only about sharing wins.
2023 transformed me as a person after I failed.
This year improved me as a professional after the reality hit me.
I initiated the year with huge expectations and spirits, but I lost many things in the middle of the year and experienced triumphs and failures up to the end.
A year in failure doesn’t mean a waste; it is the step to a better life in the upcoming years only if you continue rather than stall.
Here are the shattered misconceptions (which I’m grateful for) and screwed mistakes in my career and life:
1) Believing having a job is secure.
I’ve been swimming in the pool of insecurity and uncertainty of freelancing. As a beginner and in the intermediate journey, I had chosen a part-time online job:
- For financial support.
- Learning and experiences.
I’d been working with this attitude for one year. I realized my awful misconception when I was removed from the job all of a sudden.
I carried this lesson from 2023 to never depend on one job, gig, or project — anything can happen. Now, I’ve doubled my inputs to bounce back into freelancing.
2) Failed to listen and understand a person.
We judge people without having the credentials of a judge. And we badly fail at it.
Oh, yes! We can read minds — A stupid mistake.
We are meant to understand other people rather than judging and reading their minds.
We ignore to understand that everyone is different in terms of mindset and behavior and as a person.
And I overlooked it.
That shaken, broken, and disturbed me eternally.
That experience guided me to go beyond the face value. Make them feel special as you listen sincerely, recognize depthness of their beliefs, and help them to overcome any negative thoughts.
Now, I never prefer to say I’m too busy to listen to somebody, give time, and understand them.
3) Focused straight on the output.
That happened in the first four months, and its results trained me to focus on the process.
I used to be unsatisfied and rushed in those days for not achieving my desired outputs, which stole my joy.
After thinking about the result all the time while working and learning, I was miles away from my expected results.
Situations reversed when I immersed myself in the process.
Now, I celebrate small wins with super excitement, even if it is:
- Genuine comment under my LinkedIn post.
- 1 calp on medium story.
- Received responses on Medium.
4) Stopped outreaching
Be ready for the fall after your good time if you don’t have clients in the pipeline.
I was engrossed in my new job and personal branding projects. I didn’t think of reaching out and networking even on the weekends.
Yes, giving the best experience to clients is appreciable. However, as a freelancer, I should focus on having clients in pipeline to avoid horrible situations.
And I missed reaching prospects for so many months.
Now, I resumed it with a fine-tuned strategy for outreach and follow-ups.
That’s it!
Missteps and misconceptions teach us when we are eager to learn from them rather than getting buried under regrets. That’s how our journey is!
I chose to pick up the lessons:
- Sharpen your skillset to let opportunities come to you rather than depending on a limited job.
- Be always open to listening and understanding people.
- Enjoy the process and value little things.
- Prioritize outreach and networking.
How did 2023 guide you?
What was the lesson instructed to you in 2023?
What are you going to take forward in 2024?
Share in the comments; let’s exchange our experiences.
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