Summary

The author's journey into full-time writing was met with negativity from friends, but they found overwhelming support and inspiration from the online community on Medium, leading to personal growth and the desire to give back through a free writing course.

Abstract

The author faced skepticism and lack of support from friends when deciding to pursue a writing career. Despite this, they received an outpouring of encouragement and admiration from strangers on Medium, which was both humbling and motivating. This experience taught the author that true support can come from unexpected places and that one's passion should not be hindered by the disapproval of others. The author expresses gratitude for the online community's support and offers a free course to help others achieve financial freedom through writing.

Opinions

The author believes that real-life friends and family may not always support personal ventures due to fear-based mindsets or jealousy.
Negativity from friends can be damaging and cause self-doubt, but it should not deter one from their chosen path.
Support from the online community can be more genuine and encouraging than that from one's immediate circle.
The author values the freedom to pursue one's passion without seeking approval from others.
The love and goodwill from the Medium community have had a profound impact on the author, fueling their desire to help others.
The author is grateful for the support received and is committed to sharing their knowledge and experience with aspiring writers.

Freelancing and Friends: Choosing the “Support” that Matters

My friends never supported me on my freelancing journey, but I found support and love at the most unexpected place.

When I told my friends I’m quitting my job to become a full-time writer, all they had for me was negativity.

They told me I was making a mistake and that I won’t ever find success with something like writing. These were the same friends who never purchased a single copy of my book when it came out.

But when I announced the same on Medium, I got thousands of messages from strangers in different parts of the world applauding my decision and wishing me the best. Some even told me I inspired them, and that reading my words gave them the audacity to dream big.

The love was overwhelming, and I still get teary-eyed with gratitude thinking of that immense love and goodwill.

Why you can’t expect support from ‘friends’

You see, when you do something for your own (write a book, start a freelancing business, launch your first venture), most of your real-life friends and family members won’t support you.

Sometimes, they might do it because of their fear-based mindset and their worries about “What if it all goes wrong?” They genuinely care for you, but they don’t know it’s possible to dream big and actually achieve it.

At others, your friends won’t support you because they know you both have come from the same place. And yet, you’re at the start of something exciting, whereas they’re at the same old boring place. Their jealousy won’t let them wish good for you.

Such instances will hurt you. They’ll make you question your abilities and decisions. They’ll force you to spend precious energy trying to counter the negativity and convince yourself of your potential.

But you know what! If you know you’re on the right path, you don’t need anyone else’s approval.

Life is short, and there’s no point living it by the rules and expectations of other people.

You do you, my friend, quite literally.

And no one should be able to take that choice away from you.

But you’ll find support at unexpected places

On the positive side, you’ll see a lot of love from strangers on the internet. These people might not know where you come from, but they’ve seen you struggle, and they’ll support you wholeheartedly.

Their belief in you will make you want to try outrageous things and experiment with varying opportunities.

And today, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the amazing community of friends and connections I’ve built on Medium.

I don’t know what I did to deserve so much love, but if you’re reading this, know that I cherish you and am sending you all the love and the good vibes right back at you.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for being a part of the journey.

I’ve made a FREE 5-day course on how to be a highly paid writer to help people who are just starting out. Join here and be a part of this amazing journey towards financial freedom.