I've been self-employed for almost 2 years. There has been ups and downs, but mostly ups. Getting to where I am now was never planned, it was just what I had to do. Although some people always doubt me, and think that I've had it easier for whatever reasons. Maybe my parents helped me, you might think? The truth is that I've had it way harder, and I do have more responsibilities than most and those people don't know anything about me and my values.
Two years really isn't much in the grand scheme of things, but I've learn so much and I'm still learning everyday.
1. I've learned to not undervalue myself. Some potential clients have told me I was too expensive and that I wasn't doing it out of passion, but purely for financial gain. Sure, they can probably find someone cheaper, but I can guarantee it won't be the same quality. Also, passion means so many different things for everyone, and you can't expect people to work for free even if it's their passion. Those hippies make no sense to me at all and I've never lowered my standards for them. Instead, I aimed for clients who see my value and who can afford me. I even raised my price with clients and it's never been an issue.
2. I've learned to accept uncertainty. Most of my life has been colored by a laser-sharp determination and an absolute knowing of what my next step will be. Ironically, I'm here sitting in uncertainty today. I really don't know how long I can do this for, but I've learned to enjoy risks and uncertainty. The higher amount of uncertainty you can take, the happier you will be and the more you will thrive.
3. I've learned self-discipline. I've always thought I was self-disciplined, until I had to work for my own. Waking up early when you won't be penalized for being late is hard. Staying motivated and determined when you don't have any struggles is hard. You don't really have any responsibilities other than the ones you impose upon yourself. And when you're on your own and nobody is watching you? It's even harder.
4. I've learned to change my perspective. Art of War is my favorite book and it taught me so much. Changing your actions really starts with a change in your attitude, and this book has taught me to see things a little differently and to instill a different attitude towards opponents. Being self-employed isn't as simple as going from doing a 9-5 to being your own boss, it's really more of an internal journey; your thoughts, perspective and beliefs all change in a way that will free you from internalized beliefs.
5. I've learned to diversify. When I had a 9-5, I only had the accounting and finance aspect to worry about. When you work for your own, you must know at least a little bit of other facets of the business to function. Now that I work for myself, I've learned so much about marketing, negotiating, and maintaining a good network. You gotta do everything it takes to succeed, and there are no instructions for that, you really have to try everything you can think of. Having done it for 2 years now, I do have some kind of recipe, but it all starts with trial and error.
6. You learn to appreciate failures. Ever since I started working for my own, I started to experiment and although it does end up in failure from time to time, I'm still having so much fun in the process. Many think that I only do accounting, when in fact, I've been able to make a living on internet for more than a year which is why I was able to travel after I lost my job. I built an online store, which now doesn't exist anymore. But I really had fun while doing it, and failure is just part of it and I take it lightheartedly. Life is too short to have it any way else.
7. I've learned (learning) to take time off. This is something I'm still in the process of learning actually. Ever since working for my own, I've always found an excuse to delay vacations. The only advantage of having a traditional job is to have formally scheduled and paid vacations, where I was totally free. This year, I'm determined to take some real vacations, travel, and not feel guilty about it, because I can't possibly do everything...and that's totally fine.
If you're really passionate or curious about something, don't ignore it. You might be wondering if this is the right path for you, why aren't you happy, what are you doing wrong, what else can you do? Well, you know what? Go try, go explore, and go have fun. Remember that life is short, and nobody gets out of it alive, might as well play and experiment. I highly encourage anyone who wants to take the leap to have faith and to not give up.
I've been really privileged in this journey, and I wouldn't have been able to make it without the help and appreciation of so many.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!