5 Ways To Make Being Successful At Something Simpler

It takes work, but it doesn’t have to be hard work.

Whether you’re trying to launch a freelance career or side-hustle, start a new job, write a book, record some songs, or whatever… you’re going to face challenges.

Comes with the territory.

Lord knows I have a history of various ventures. Some were hits. Some were misses.

I like to think I’ve had more hits than not.

But, again, there were challenges — mostly of my own making.

If you’ve got a goal lined up but aren’t sure of your chances for success, I’ve collected a few pointers I’ve picked up along the way to make success easier.

Don’t wait for perfection

When I decided to start a small press specializing in science fiction books, I did a fair amount of research beforehand. I already had a lot of experience in book design, but I needed to read up on creating contracts, handling royalties, shipping, and so forth.

There was a lot to learn.

I also read websites about making a good publisher’s site, running social media, and all of that.

But I kept waiting before pulling the trigger on actually launching the press.

I never thought I was ready enough.

After a few months, I mentioned my paralysis to a friend who also runs a small press and had been doing so successfully for years. He admitted he had no idea what he was doing at first. He knew less when he started than I did.

But his father had told him that there are very few mistakes that can’t be fixed. If you want to launch a venture — be it a publishing company, freelance business, or such — you shouldn’t wait for the perfect time.

You should just do it.

Yes, there will be mistakes along the way, but my friend’s father was correct. Mistakes could be fixed.

Ten years later, my press is still a thing. Some of the books I’ve put out as a publisher have been nominated for major awards. As a side-gig, it’s a good one, but one I’d have never started if I kept waiting for the “perfect” time.

There ain’t no such thing.

Just get your project started and refine things along the way.

You’ll be fine.

Be brave

I used to have a job I hated. I mean, I really despised it.

Why did I stay?

Fear, probably.

I needed a job. I had bills to pay. Sure, I made a little money on the side as a freelance book designer, but that was only a few extra hundred dollars a month.

Then I got laid off.

Whoops.

Well, I had some freelance work to fall back on, and because my schedule suddenly opened up a lot more, I told my client I could take on even more work. He had plenty.

Then word got around that I’d been laid off, and two clients from my former job sought me out to freelance for them. (Turns out, my replacement, while cheaper, was not working out for a lot of people.)

Both of those new freelance gigs laying out magazines ended up with me taking on managing editor roles with them a few years later.

In short, had I been brave enough and believed in myself more, I could have launched a reasonably successful freelance career much earlier and been less miserable.

Over the years, I discovered that taking risks often ends up to my benefit. Of course, it’s not a guarantee, but the benefits usually outweigh the drawbacks.

But get this…

If you don’t take any risks, you don’t get any reward.

Chew on that, eh?

When opportunities present themselves, don’t waste too much time doubting yourself or always staying with what is “safe.” Instead, take the plunge, and you may end up surprising yourself.

Be patient

Rome wasn’t built in a day. But you knew that already, didn’t you? When you plant a seed, it takes a while to go from seed to sprout to plant to fruit. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a long period of care, nurturing, and a little bit of faith.

When I got into freelance writing, work was slow in coming at first. It took a year before it started to take off as a viable full-time career. Some of those early jobs paid terribly. I learned, over time, how to turn down the low-paying gigs and how to find the better-paying ones.

But it took time. It took time for me to learn. It took time for me to build a portfolio and a reputation.

But the wait was worth it.

Had I not been patient enough to nurture and grow a freelance writing career, who knows what I’d be doing now? Something awful, probably. Like… politics. Ugh.

Learn from mistakes, then move on

I’ve pulled some boners in the past — both as a freelance book designer, freelance writer, editor, and small publisher. I’ve made bad judgment calls, and I’ve made poor decisions based on inexperience and ignorance.

Any one of those failures could have killed my career right then and there if I let it.

Instead, I sought to learn the lessons from my mistakes. Where did I go wrong? What should I have known? How can I make sure I don’t do this again? Or, at least, not as spectacularly?

These are key to long-term success: Accept. Learn. Move on.

Give 110%

I forget which self-help guru suggested the concept, but whoever it was really pushed the idea of giving at least 110%.

At least.

So I did. When I write with a certain word count in mind, I always try to a bit more. When I source a fact for an article, I use as close to a primary source as possible. No second or third-hand reporting allowed.

I edited myself mercilessly. (This piece, for instance, rambled a lot in the earlier drafts.)

It’s more work. I don’t get paid for it. So why do it?

For one thing, it makes me a better writer. I have clients who appreciate that and send me loads of work. I’ve had one creative director who moved on to greener pastures who continues to send me assignments even though they had plenty of in-house writers.

I wouldn’t have that if I turned in work that was lacking or only met the assignment’s minimum requirements.

Anything worth doing is worth doing well. You may not reap the reward every time or immediately, but it will serve you in the long run.

Do what works for you

I’ve been fortunate to enjoy success in my freelance endeavors, but that success didn’t come all at once. It took some patience, faith, and willingness to work. And, in a big way, it’s also taken the ability to recognize a good thing when it comes along.

There’s no reason you can’t do the same.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Ultimately, you need to determine what works best for you and make the most of it. Abandon that which holds you back, and embrace what moves you forward.

And have fun.

Thank you for reading. I’d love to share more with you via my Bi-Weekly Word Roundup newsletter sent to subscribers every other Sunday. It will feature news, productivity tips, life hacks, and links to top stories making the rounds on the Internet. You can unsubscribe at any time.