“Work for Free for As Long as Possible” Is the Best Advice I’ve Ever Heard
It’s real and has had a major impact on my life
“Dude, what the F***!”
This is a message I received from a client, but trust me, it’s a good message. It’s actually one of the best compliments I’ve ever received.
I’m a full-time video editor now. It’s the exact job I’ve wanted my entire life. Two years ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever make it in the “media” field. I looked at editing videos and photos as more of a hobby, but my friends always told me I had the “secret sauce.”
This client gave me a chance, and I put it all on the table, using the tricks I’d learned over a lifetime of messing around making videos. Now it’s my full-time gig.
I hardly made money shooting pictures with my friends. I worked at the craft for free for years before my work was ever recognized. But it was.
“Do X for free for as long as possible.”
Let me tell you why this advice can change your life.
Network effects are powerful
Network effects don’t just apply to tech stocks.
In the simplest terms, a stock is something you can invest in. You, a human being, are also an entity that you can invest in. You add to your perceived value by learning new skills or adding knowledge to your brain bank.
“Network effects are the incremental benefit gained by an existing user for each new user that joins the network.” — Nicholas L. Johnson
Every book you read, eCourse you complete, or 2-mile run you trudge through adds to your effectiveness. While one run seems like a small feat, it’s a testament to your commitment to yourself.
That commitment bleeds into other aspects of your life besides fitness. Running teaches you the value of hard work and consistency. These values can transfer to your side-hustle or commitment to a life partner.
The more time and effort you invest in yourself, essentially, the more you will be able to accomplish. At least, that’s how it seems.
The problem is, it’s so easy to get caught up in the hoopla of day-to-day life and find yourself losing out on valuable time.
That’s what we're after, right? More time? Sure, an eCourse costs money, but it costs time to get the money to then buy the course. Then, it costs more time to actually watch and take notes on the course.
Working for free is also costly. You’re paying with your own time in order to improve a skill you’re not sure will come in handy. The reality of bills makes doing anything for free sound gross.
The reality: you need to suck it up (but there are ways to cope)
I hardly ever want to write a blog. But I do it anyway because there is joy in it if I look hard enough. The 12 or so posts I write a month barely pay for my car insurance. Yet, I love the process of writing and editing.
It seems silly, but when you take a look back, you can see how far you’ve come.
- A year ago, I caught covid on my birthday
- I quit my job but couldn’t start my new one because of quarantine
- I still lived at my parents’
I still wrote my articles, shot my photos, and practiced my video editing, all the while not earning a single penny for my efforts. Now I’m a self-sufficient adult.
I don’t have all the answers, but it’s almost like the things you want the most come to you when you least expect them to.
You’re constantly adding weapons to your holster
I’ve looked up countless Youtube editing tutorials.
Every video I've ever made (and I’ve made hundreds) has presented some unknown challenge. That’s the fun part. I’m always forced to learn something new on the spot.
So, when the same scenario comes around again, I’m ready for it.
Those skills don't Thanos-gauntlet-snap into dust and go away. They stay with me forever, ready to fire when they get an opportunity to shine again.
You don’t know it, but reading emails, driving on icy roads, and intense cardio sessions teach you something different about yourself.
Your skills and ideas compound over time, and that’s a powerful realization.
When you don’t have to put any effort into learning, you are the antithesis of growth. All you have to do is be open to investing your time.
It’s a hard pill to swallow. It hurts less when you know your efforts aren’t being wasted.
You’re thinking about the future version of yourself.
We never stop working for free
This is the best part.
While I’ve realized my potential in the field of, here comes that word again, “media,” there’s still a ton of work to do.
I’ve lifted the ceiling of what I thought was possible for myself because editing has put me in a position of power. Working at a craft opens doors to other options. Everything is connected. Job skills are a web that connects to one another.
The cool thing about this is that we’re constantly developing. That’s what life is all about. The journey should always outweigh the destination. Otherwise, you’re doing it wrong.
Romanticizing your 5-hour flight makes waking up and downing an espresso shot that much better. Showing up to work on a Tuesday is more fun when you make it about personal growth rather than work.
Ask yourself:
- What can I learn today?
- How can I go above and beyond my expectations?
- How can I make today the foundation of my future?
Appreciating every moment counts for something. Live every minute like it’s your last, and take a few seconds to consider what you’ve learned.
There are layers to this life thing, after all.
When you live with this mindset, the moment you think you’re satisfied, you’ll be compelled to build something else.
One last thing
So when someone tells you to work for free for as long as you can, it’s not about dropping your full-time gig to pursue a startup dream.
Needing money for financial stability is a different ballgame. We’re talking about the extra work that you don’t have to do. But nothing worth doing is meant to be easy.
So here’s some semi-pro advice:
- Be a sponge. Never stop learning.
- Add powerful tools to your belt. You’ll need them later.
- Don’t cry about working for free. Appreciate the moment.
Lose yourself in your work. Find flow states that make you feel out of your body. Eventually, someone will take notice. It happened to me.
It takes a little time, but it’s worth it.
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