Born To Be… A Freelancer?
Posted May 23, 2008 in Lifestyle, Open Thread 14 Comments »
It’s an argument that’s been discussed on the Internet time and time again. Are the qualities that make for a successful freelancer part of one’s genetic makeup, or are they learned?
It’s the old nature versus nurture discussion brought to the freelancing roundtable for discussion: which is most responsible for the qualities that make a freelancer successful?
What do you think?
There are strong arguments for either position.
Arguments For Nature
Some of the characteristics that lead to freelance success would seem to be inherited:
- Some people just seem to be naturally more independent
- Some seem to naturally gravitate towards the sales that are necessary to bring in new business
- Often the knack for a certain talent (whether it be for writing, design, or programming) that enables one to freelance seems to be something some people are born with
- Some people seem to be innately more comfortable taking risks than others
Arguments For Nurture
Many of the characteristics of successful freelancers are actually skills that can be learned:
- There are many articles, blog posts, forums, and even classes that claim to teach one how to set up a freelance business. Some claim to have found success as a freelancer by following one, or more, such programs.
- Many people start their freelance business only after a long and successful traditional career. You can probably name people (Hint: I’m one of them) who took the skills that they learned from conventional employment and used them to develop their own freelance business.
- Often successful freelancers claim that they benefited from the guidance of a mentor (an older, more experienced freelancer).
- The U.S. Small Business Administration has classified the notion that one must be born an entrepreneur a myth and has a whole page devoted to dispelling it.
My Argument: Neither
My own argument is that freelancing is not necessarily something that one is born with, but neither is it necessarily something that one can always be taught.
(Personally, I find the first choice to be a bit fatalistic. I can just imagine someone copping out saying, “well, I couldn’t be a successful freelancer, no matter how hard I tried, because I just wasn’t born to be one.”
As far as the second choice, that of being taught to be a freelancer, we all know that passing a course doesn’t necessarily ensure success.)
Rather, let me suggest that the crucial ingredient for successful freelancing boils down to one key ingredient – Desire!
Desire was the key for me, and I’m willing to wager that desire was also the key for most successful freelancers.
In my own case, I actually worked for a very long time (17 years) in traditional employment. I was doing well, too – getting great performance reviews and regular raises. When I decided to leave the company, two different managers tried to talk me out of it. I was probably the last person that anyone would have expected to become a freelancer.
What Changed For Me?
I saw that freelancing offered something that I wanted very much – a flexible work schedule. It was something that traditional employment (at the time) could not (or would not) offer. Thus, was born my desire.
I’ve now been freelancing for over six years, and I can honestly say that I don’t regret my decision at all.
You see, with enough desire, anyone (yes, anyone – not just those born to it) can find a way to learn exactly what it is that they need to know to be a freelance success.
Without that desire one can have all the natural ability, or take all the entrepreneur classes in the world, and (in my opinion) it still won’t work. They won’t make it as a freelancer.
Where do you stand, and why? :)
Laura
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About the author: Laura Spencer is a freelance writer from North Central Texas with over 18 years of professional business writing experience. If you liked this post, then you may also enjoy Laura’s blog about her freelance writing experiences, WritingThoughts.
About the author: Laura Spencer is a freelance writer from North Central Texas with over 19 years of professional business writing experience. If you liked this post, then you may also enjoy Laura’s blog about her freelance writing experiences, WritingThoughts
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14 Comments
Jamie Grove - How Not To Write
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:50 pmDefinitely nature in my case. I love to take risks and I enjoy a constant stream of new activities.
My MBTI profile is ENTP and I’m a classic example of the type. Unfortunately, it’s the only thing classy about me… Thankfully people are willing to pay for the brains. (most of the time)
Laura Spencer
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:02 pmThanks Jamie!
I know that a lot of freelancers would agree with you.
However, I also know a LOT of VERY talented outgoing people, risk-takers even, that don’t freelance (for whatever reason).
It’s a complex question and I’m not sure that it’s easy to answer. I’d love to see what others have to say, though.
Diane
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:36 pmI used to think it was nature, but then realized the very things I am made of were keeping me from realizing my potential as a freelancer.
I’m an INFP who works as an INTP. I’m shy, not a go-getter by any means, and I often trip over my own spoken words. I can write eloquently, but I cannot follow through with my own business plans. I’m also newly diagnosed as ADHD and have come to see how that has played a big part in my life as well.
So….I’ve had a lot of hurdles to jump to make freelancing work for me. Desire has probably been my biggest fan and motivation. Ever since I can remember it was my dream and life goal to see my name on a byline. If I weren’t doing it for myself, I wouldn’t be doing it at all.
I guess you can say it’s been a delicate combination of nurture vs. nature, plus a few things thrown in for good measure.
Lois K
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:38 pmI think it’s a little of both. You have to be somewhat of a risk taker to be a freelancer, no matter what field, so that part of it is something you just have to be born with. However, in order to succeed at being a freelancer, you need to nurture your talent and create discipline in your life to maximize your potential.Whether you have enough stamina and talent to make it through the lean times is up to you. Those of us that are truly bitten by the freelance bug will tell you we will always find a job to do because we know clear to the bone we can make one up if the need arrises.
Fringe
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:45 pmDefinitely nature…I just can’t stand being told what to do,when to do it.I hate that.It’s great to be free and make your own decisions when it comes to your job.It’s a risk ,I admit , but hey I like taking risks :)
LS
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:27 pmI think it’s a little of both It definitely suits my personality and I can see how it could be the result of nature But, both of my parents were self employed most of the time when I was growing up, so I saw it as something normal because of that nurture factor.
Noobpreneur
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:39 pmLaura,
I’ll go with you – either.
I was born as a true office worker. However, my desire is to be free – I don’t want to wait till 7 pm just to know my boss is eventually cancelling the meeting! I want to work with my own time and scheduling – whether it’s 2 pm or 2 am – I’ll work when I wanted it, how I wanted it.
Good post, Laura!
Cheers :)
Rebecca Leigh
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:46 pmDesire is definitely the major requirement – if you don’t have the desire and will then you will give up at the first hurdle.
As for the rest… writing, problem solving and quick comprehension are skills that came naturally to me from an early age. But, like Laura, I also learned important principles through a decade of ‘traditional’ work. My understanding of marketing and risk-taking come through this experience: seeing what works and what doesn’t.
Mike Smith - Bootstrapping Blog
May 23rd, 2008 at 10:52 pmNature 100% … I am a natural salesman and love being creative in design, marketing, sales, ect. I can’t shut it off :) I also love taking risks. I have a laid back personality as far as being worried about things go, yet I’m outspoken and love being in groups of people. The perfect match I think.
Brian Nelson
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:00 pmI think somewhere in the nature part is the desire to communicate via writing. I know lots of people who meet all the other requirements but have said time and again that they would just rather talk than write. If you don’t have that passion to communicate via words chosen with the luxury of time, then you can’t be a writer. The rest of the skills can be learned.
Joe Norton
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:52 pmI’d like to think neither, but I’m really not sure. I saw others were busting out their MBTI results – I admit it’s the first thing I thought of as well. I frequently test as ENTJ but I believe I’m actually INTJ at heart (with a love for public speaking and spotlight).
I really wonder if an extrovert would get what they needed out of a freelance career. Atleast from my perspective, the way I’ve freelanced in the past it was more of an independent thing which didn’t involve a ton of interaction and was perfect for the time when I like to be on the computer to all hours, letting time fly as I’m in my “creative zone”.
Good Post…
Jenny
May 24th, 2008 at 8:50 amI like the flexibility and variety of being a freelancer. Commissions are usually varied and you can manage your own time and work around other things in your life. Sometimes it can be difficult to motivate yourself, but the ‘desire’ is a strong influence.
Luke
May 25th, 2008 at 3:46 amIt is also about the special know how the freelancer can offer. When you have no special skills and competencies to offer, you cannot be a freelancer.
But many people enjoy the risk of being unsecure for some time, which makes them growing personally as they are fighting for their security every single day.
The freelancers are fully dependent on their own negotiation skills and presentation skills – and they usually say they like “NO BOSS” status, but they always have a boss – it is the client.
Alex
May 25th, 2008 at 6:20 amI’m only new the whole freelancing idea, have been employed as a designer for a while now and just working on starting my own freelancing. I agree the desire is a major factor, if you don’t want something enough, it just won’t happen. But with that said I don’t think I would ever make it on my own without all the skills i have learn from working within a large company.