Dissatisfaction As An Impulse For Energy And Growth
Five Tips For Freelancers
Are you also one of those freelancers who sometimes feel frustrated and dissatisfied and then think:
- “Another one of those poorly organized projects where nothing is progressing.”
- “I’m just too tired to take care of marketing and sales on top of the daily project work, and now I’m in a right mess: the project is over, and no new client in sight.”
- “For years now, I’ve been doing the same thing. I would love to take on a different role, but somehow it doesn’t work out.”
Just complaining and hoping things will improve on their own doesn’t help. The fact that you feel dissatisfaction is an excellent first step.
How you deal with dissatisfaction has a lot to do with imprinting childhood and later learning experiences. Perhaps as a child, you were often told: “Be content with what you have. Be humble.” These beliefs then shape you.
Or maybe your parents pushed you, wanted you to have a letter life than they, didn’t want you to settle for easy solutions? If so, there’s a good chance you automatically perceive dissatisfaction as a spur because of this learning experience.
When you are dissatisfied, you get a signal that tells you:
- “I want to get out of the state, that is.”
- “I know there’s something better out there.”
What’s holding you back now is your past learning experience on the one hand and your inner couch potato on the other. Maybe you repress your dissatisfaction and say: “It’s not that bad. I can’t change anything anyway.” (learning experience) Or you say to yourself: “It is quite comfortable as it is; a change is too strenuous for me” (inner couch potato).
At first, it seems easier to accept the situation as it is. But don’t forget: You can do it. It’s your decision. Just do it.
Professional dissatisfaction can cover quite different topics:
- The operational project work,
- your vision,
- your strategic direction,
- your marketing and sales set-up,
- your fee.
And perhaps even more areas are essential to you.
Tips
- With what are you dissatisfied? Clarify which areas your dissatisfaction concerns. Only then can you address them specifically. Write 5–10 points with which you are dissatisfied on a piece of paper. Then assign them to operational work, vision, strategic orientation, sales/marketing, and earnings.
- Continuous further education If you want to change your alignment, take training that supports you. Also, if you want to improve your sales skills, there are relevant education opportunities or books you can read. You may also find it helpful to book a coach to support you.
- Build your vision and your strategic direction What do you want your life to look like? Imagine standing in front of a blank canvas that represents your life. What do you want to paint? What is your first impulse? What do you then add?
- Do it! If you feel dissatisfaction, tackle the areas offensively. If you are dissatisfied with how things are going in the project, change something or address items that bother you directly and suggest solutions.
- Networking Find a community of freelancers with whom you can exchange ideas. Here you can get tips regarding fees and sales and share your experiences. There are various groups, depending on the focus of your work.
Here are my favorites communities:
- The Freelance Writers’ Connection on LinkedIn
- Uplink for IT Freelancers (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland)
- Coach.me community for Coaching
- Local communities on Meetup
Use the nudge that your dissatisfaction gives you. If you take the chance, you will not only be rewarded with a boost of energy, but you can develop and grow.
