How to Survive as a Creative

Freelance like you mean it.

Now that you’re here, I won’t lie to you. Freelancing is hard work. You need more confidence than you have and more clients than you want. But the payoff? We’ll get to the “payoff” in a minute.

The romantic notion of freelancing is in direct contrast with the hustle. The “hustle and grind” is scrappy, tumultuous, and motivated as hell. The romance of a freelancer is lighthearted, playful, and patient.

I’ve known freelancers on both sides of the fence, but truthfully? I struggle with both mindsets. I want a third way.

I want the balance between the two — a sense of accomplishment, marked by solid work and set hours at the computer. When I discuss my job as a freelancer, creator, and entrepreneur, the first thing I usually hear from others is, “Wow, you have a lot going on at once, don’t you?”

The answer is always yes. For the creative, if we do not have a lot going on at once, we will perish. I’ve taken to simply calling my abundance of projects “Very Good Things,” so when the 9–5ers ask what I’m up to these days, I simply say, “Oh, Very Good Things. What are you up to?”

By now you’re wondering: Where the hell is the guide to freelancing? It’s coming. But the stage, my friends! Most people working a traditional job are not really asking what current projects you’re chasing: They’re asking if you’re making it. There are some who love the consistency of the fulltime employment role, and others who die inside it. I’m the latter, but I realized it a little later in life. I now consider my journey growing pains.

But for those who long to find freedom, I tread lightly. My work is always moving, exciting, scary, and yes — lacking income and taking all my time. But I am also wildly satisfied with my level of hustle and the romance of my work. To share that passion with someone who does not feel freedom to do the same? It can crush them.

I was that person. I was the shriveling employee waiting for the right moment to burst forth, quit all the jobs, and pursue the huge goals in my heart. But I was afraid. So now, we come to the guide.

How to Successfully Freelance

• Start right now. Working a fulltime job as an employee can’t stop you. Do you have a siren song? What lights your heart on fire? Find someone else doing that very thing and start taking notes. Unless they’re demonstrating constant online activity, client testimonials, and millions of social media followers, they’re likely working as hard as you are outside of this passion project.
• Got it figured out? Start making the first product. You need demonstrative work to show your value, your dedication, and your abilities. It doesn’t matter if the prototype looks like garbage. You are the meat and the matter of your freelancing career. Anyone can sell screen t-shirts; no one else is you. Your vision and passion are the magic you’re looking for.
• Surrender to your new schedule. Wake up an hour earlier, chug a glass of water, and move your body. If you’re lucky, there will be less television and more reading. Less socializing and more authentic networking. You don’t need to join all the clubs or take all the free online webinars. If you found the person online from step one, start connecting with other people in that audience. Chances are, they’re also looking for someone to work with — why not you?
• Talk about it! I know; earlier I said to keep it close to the vest, but that’s me. Anyone can talk about a hundred things and say nothing. I have so much going on, I could ramble for days! But if I find someone I know needs the thing I’m doing, I start connecting. This is not a time to be shy, or call yourself “aspiring.” You are the freelancer. You are the creative brain behind the big project. You are the one they need. When you believe it, they will too. And you can learn how to do so without being obnoxious, pushy, or turning all of your relationships into a Cutco presentation. Refer back to step one, and take notes on others who are presenting themselves in a way that resonates with what you want to do as well.
• Accept help. I could not make it if I didn’t ask for help. While we take great pride in our work and creativity, we also carry humility with us each step of the way. No one wants to work with obnoxious bravado. I want you to believe in your work. I also want you to remain teachable, supportive, and kind. Especially when you are creating free resources (out of the goodness of your heart and of course, it’s also a marketing technique), you can ask for support. Whether that is as a donation through #BuyMeACoffee (like me) or asking for someone’s business (also like me), or relying on a family member to continue working while you chase something bigger for both of you (again, also like me).

This is where the hustle and the romance collide. In the meat of the work, and the busyness of the day to day, and in the small victories when someone actually digs a little deeper into what you create. “Very Good Things, huh? Like what?”

Music to my ears.

Mandy Capehart is a small business owner and certified grief and life coach. She is the creator of The Restorative Grief Project, an online community focusing on one another’s stories and new methodologies for grief, creating a safe environment for our souls to heal and our spirits to be revived. To join for free, visit www.MandyCapehart.com/grief or follow along with weekly columns on Ask A Grief Coach!