Freelancing Without a Safety Net
Posted May 5, 2010 in Getting Started, Inspiration
Have you ever seen a tightrope walker? One foot placed carefully in front of the other. Balancing pole firmly gripped and carefully maneuvered to maintain a delicate harmony that holds gravity at bay.
Years of training and practice come into play as the experienced professional plots a path from one end to the other. The onlookers below crane their necks upward, spines tingling at the possibility of a misstep and the resulting fall. The thrill for both the walker and the audience is incomparable, buoyed by the unknown and the potential for disaster.
For those who make the adventurous leap into the world of freelancing, leaving behind the stability of a weekly paycheck, medical benefits, and all the other relatively boring but wonderfully secure elements of employment, the thrill and sometimes anxiety is very much akin to that of the tightrope walker. Taking the responsibilities of provision for yourself and your family and placing them firmly in your own hands can seem very similar to grabbing the balancing pole and taking the first steps out onto a tightrope.
In this post, I want to challenge freelancers to work without a safety net. In fact, taking that risk may be the very key to your success, not to mention how much more thrilling and exhilarating it will make the trip along the way.
Why a Safety Net Isn’t As Important as You Think
Because of the treacherous territory of freelancing, many will advise the freelancing newcomer to get all of his or her ducks in a row, confirming that there are provisions in place should the attempt fail. Practical wisdom would suggest this is the smart route to take; making sure your safety net is intact before ever setting foot on the tight rope.
What happens when the upward-gazing spectators begin to realize that the tightrope walker has a safety net, or perhaps suspension cables, to catch him if the worst should happen? The tension quickly dissolves and the spectacle deteriorates to mildly entertaining, still interesting in its uniqueness but void of the spine-tingling suspense that only moments before had consumed one and all. The walker himself has nothing more to be concerned about than a possible slip and fall into the net, alleviating any fear and removing almost every ounce of excitement, which in turn is passed on to his audience.
Even more disappointing is the likelihood that once the reality of the safety net is brought to light, it is actually utilized more often than not.
What I am saying is that when you set out to start freelancing with a strong preparation for the possibility of failure, you are more likely to fall back on your safety net than you are to move forward to success.
Removing the safety net may seem foolish, but isn’t it possible that you will try so much harder to keep from falling?
My Story
When I decided to move from graphic and web design as an extra-curricular, after-hours side business into full-time freelancing, it was a life-changing moment. The thought of not knowing when the next paycheck would come–or if one would come at all–was enough to make me stop before I started, especially since this decision affected my wife and three children as much as it did me.
Yet, because of lessons we had learned in previous experiences, my wife and I decided to go for it without any savings, health insurance, or even enough projects lined up to insure some sense of reliable income. The first few months were definitely scary, and at times a bit lean, but the entire family united in the hope for better days ahead and worked together to make it through. Even today, there is still no guarantee I will continue succeeding at the same or better level than is currently putting food on the table and clothes on our backs, but we have weathered much worse to get here and I am certain no one in our family wishes we would have taken an alternate route.
The strength and unity of our marriage and our family is deepened as well, not in spite of the hardships but because of them. Character is not grown in a garden of easy choices. Relationships do not reach new levels by maintaining the status quo. The most successful people in the world will repeatedly tell you they succeed because of what they learn from their failures.
The Benefits of Risk-Taking
Allowing yourself room to fail is wise, and when handled correctly will contribute immensely to your growth, but taking the time to identify all of your prospective potholes will usually result in you hitting every one. Like a moth to the flame, your “what-ifs” and worst fears have the potential to lure you in the more you focus on them.
I’m not suggesting you should ignore them entirely, but only to the point that you can steer clear of them and learn from those that overtake you. Any more than that and you are almost certainly setting yourself on a course that will take you directly toward them and away from the freelancing success you desire.
In short, your success in freelancing is directly linked to your passion for what you are pursuing. How badly do you want to be your own boss, choose your clients, dictate your schedule and work from home? How desperately do you want to spend your days getting paid to do that thing you love so much, with no one else to answer to or dictate your boundaries?
Are you passionate enough to pursue your dream on a tightrope without a safety net? If your answer is no, then maybe freelancing is not for you. It takes hard work, long hours at times, extreme discipline and ridiculous risk. It is not for the faint of heart. Although you could quite possibly succeed at freelancing by creating a nice, safe, just-in-case backup plan, it is my own experience that success is more likely to be yours when you throw caution to the wind and run toward your dream with reckless abandon.
The ride may be bumpier, the stress may be higher, but the thrill of the adventure will always prove much more enjoyable and beneficial, and your potential for success will be far greater if you choose to walk the freelancing tightrope without a safety net.
What Do You Think?
Are you a safety net person or a risk taker?
Image by Shutterstock
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About the author: Brian is a freelance web & graphic designer with over 15 years' experience. His business bkmacdaddy designs specializes in completely custom WordPress, Joomla, Magento & CSS/XHTML websites as well as logo design, brand identity, social media management and more. Brian is a father of 3 and madly in love with his wife of many years.
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42 Comments
Brian Jones
May 5th, 2010 at 8:50 amGreat article Brian and thank you for sharing your story. As I am about to begin schooling for Graphic Design and Multimedia (have been self teaching front and back end web development for the last year), my long term goal is to begin Freelancing. And although it is expected to have a safety net for the shortcomings at the beginning, this is inspiring to know it is possible to succeed with out that particular net. Although if anyone plans this, they indeed are going to need to be strong, love what they do, and work their tails off to become successful (which I would hope all Freelancers would). Thanks again and the best of luck to you!
Jordan Walker
May 5th, 2010 at 9:22 amThank Brian for sharing your personal success story. I am truly happy that your family was able to unite and develop a tighter bond. I personally like having a nest egg / safety net.
Growing up, I was always told to have a back up plan, and save for the rainy day. Which translates today to both my wife and I working full time and having side jobs.
Granted we do not have children yet, but are definitely in the market. :)
With that said, having a savings account for our future children is a priority. As I understand, they can be rather expensive to have. Seems like in todays day of age you almost have to have something on the side to get by.
Najam Siddiqi
May 5th, 2010 at 9:25 amNice article Brain thanks for sharing us .I am much much interested in graphical designing and as well as well web development once again thanks for sharing us.
Kelly Justin
May 5th, 2010 at 10:08 amwow…informative article…thx Brian for sharing
Chris Mower
May 5th, 2010 at 10:09 amYet another insightful article, Brian. Thanks for sharing. I’ve seen a lot of people that are so caught up in making sure they have safety nets and cables that forget their goal is to walk across the tightrope. They’re too scared to notice an audience waiting and willing to pay. If you always focus on the “what-ifs” you won’t go far.
Brian McDaniel
May 5th, 2010 at 10:18 amThanks, Chris. I’ve sadly ended up leaving some friends behind because they couldn’t get past the “what-ifs” and spent all their time planning for them, just in case. Instead I moved forward and onward and they are still in the same place, scared as ever of taking any chances. Those were some extremely tough decisions but surrounding ourselves with others who hold us back with their own insecurities, lack of confidence and fear of failure and the unknown will never open up the endless doors of possibility.
Brian McDaniel
May 5th, 2010 at 10:20 am@Brian:
I hope I’ve encouraged you to avoid focusing on the safety net and finding the right balance between wisdom and pursuit of your dreams with reckless abandon. Thanks for your input!
Steph Auteri
May 5th, 2010 at 10:26 amAn interesting article, Brian.
I like to fancy myself a bit of a risk-taker, but I also prefer to take what my husband calls “smart risks.” So, when I was working full-time in book publishing, but aching to become a full-time freelance writer, I did my research, took some classes, networked like hell, and secured a regular freelance gig before saying sayonara to my corporate bosses. It was a risk in that I didn’t have savings to fall back on, and I didn’t know if I’d end up bringing in enough additional income to pay the bills. But it was a calculated risk.
Still, I also understand how that safety net can hold you back. That regular gig that provided me with some semblance of stability and allowed me to leave my job eventually made it impossible for me to move forward. And one certainly does become complacent when they’re not driven my desperation to find additional, paying gigs.
At the same time, though, I hate feeling terrified that I won’t be able to pay the bills, afford a house, afford a child. For me, career success involved finding a healthy balance between risky and safe.
Ashley Festa
May 5th, 2010 at 10:50 amI really enjoyed this post, Brian. Many of your observations apply not only to freelancing, but so many areas of life. I’m glad that your relationships have become stronger as a result of giving up your safety net. I think it’s time I snipped the strings on mine, too.
Brian McDaniel
May 5th, 2010 at 10:57 amThanks, Ashley. One of the things I didn’t go much into in this post is the impact we have seen this approach have on our kids. They too are more likely to “put themselves out there” and take risks that their friends may think twice about. We are thrilled and proud to see their strong self-confidence and especially their resilience when they do fail. Living life to the fullest has lasting ramifications on those around you.
Deana Goldasich
May 5th, 2010 at 10:57 amWow, this post hit so close to home for me. Last summer I made the leap. Talk about scary! For me, I had to decide whether to go “back” to corporate life or finally pursue my dream. It has been a roller coaster, but I have loved every minute of the freedom and endless possibilities. I completely agree that too many “safety nets” can dilute your value.
My experience after a few months of having the new biz (last Sept):
http://www.wellplannedweb.com/2009/09/tampa-web-content-consultant/
Michael D Hart
May 5th, 2010 at 11:13 amHey Brian….another great article man. I feel like I always resonate with what you’ve experienced and written about. I totally agree that sometimes, well, maybe most times, growth comes out of hardship and not ease.
Always encouraging to hear form you…thanks man.
Jon Rawlins
May 5th, 2010 at 11:22 amVery nice post indeed Brian, I always enjoy reading your posts and back a couple of years ago I tried and failed so I went into a job then tried again and failed… It does put you off and gives you a large kick in the teeth… One day maybe the time will come to try again.
Thanks for a great post as per usual, and as always I will look forward to your next.
Take care,
Jon
Mike Sweeney
May 5th, 2010 at 11:35 amThank you so very much for this encouraging article Brian. I’ve been walking along the edge of this cliff for a while now, afraid to walk out on the tightrope. Almost anything could be an excuse, but like a previous comment about children and risks, I’m afraid my daughter would make this kind of leap better than I. Appreciate your article, I’ve bookmarked it and will read it several times again.
Ashley Festa
May 5th, 2010 at 11:44 amResiliance is key! I realize that especially now because I wasn’t encouraged to take very many risks when I was young, and now I’m more afraid of failure. But hey, I can start TODAY with taking risks and bouncing back when I fall, right? Thanks again for this encouraging post.
Dr. Freelance
May 5th, 2010 at 12:02 pmAlways enjoy your thought-provoking posts, Brian.
I saved a ton of money at my corporate job in the final 9 months before taking the leap back in 1999. With a stay-at-home wife, two toddlers and a mortgage, I would have been irresponsible to do otherwise. Having all of those responsibilities while being the only income in the house still lit a major fire under my butt!
Mentally, I knew that the safety net was an absolute last resort, but I was glad I had it during the 2000-01 recession when business was slow.
Deana Goldasich
May 5th, 2010 at 12:07 pmDr. Freelance, I can relate to that “fire under the butt” incentive!
svnlabs
May 5th, 2010 at 1:26 pmHello,
Wow!!
You are right :)
Prevention is better than cure…..
Thanks
Amber Weinberg
May 5th, 2010 at 4:03 pmI agree ^_^ I did almost the same thing, because I ended up quitting my job at the last minute due to health reasons. I had only $1,000 in savings an no clients. While I didn’t have much work during the first two months, I’ve never had an empty spot less no less than a month out ever since.
Kirsten Wright
May 5th, 2010 at 4:59 pmMaybe it’s just me, but if you are taking freelancing full-time and abandoning all other means of financial support, you are no longer freelancing, you are now becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business. You should go through the process of becoming a company (LLC, s-corp, corporation, etc) and run it as a real business.
Plus, I think you get a lot more respect telling someone “I own my own business” vs “I am a full-time freelancer”.
Lucian
May 5th, 2010 at 5:52 pmWhen I started freelancing, I had a reasonable savings ammount. Luckily, I neves hat touch it.
It took me 1 year and a half to finally get steady income and clients, but witha lot of work and dedication.
Freelancing is one of the best things ever happened to me.
Matt Pritchett
May 5th, 2010 at 9:26 pmBrian,
Excellent post! The similarities between tight-rope walking and freelancing are indeed many. Although I would point out one thing. Someone who walks the tight rope does not grip the balance pole firmly, but rather lets it sit loosely in upturned palms.
Theresa
May 5th, 2010 at 10:22 pmGreat article. I started my business after I’d been laid off twice in 7 months. I had absolutely no plans for this. Fortunately, though, I had been saving money to refinance my house so I had a little cushion. And I had a big client, too.
In the year and a half since I started, I have had work every single day, and I’ve gotten a paycheck every month. It’s been a roller coaster ride, for sure. But my 15-year-old son can see how much happier I am and appreciates having me home during the day.
The timing of this article couldn’t be better. I have an interview Saturday for a writing job that would be fun but is very low-paying. I think I’ll go on the interview for the experience, but will forgo the safety net. Thanks!
BebopDesigner
May 5th, 2010 at 10:30 pmBrilliant article! There couldn’t have been a better time to read this. I’m a freelancer, have a wife and three kids too and we’re about to jump into an adventure: she’s going to college to get a doctorate, and because of that we’re moving to another country. (another country being the U.S.)
So I guess I’ll have to find my way and get by in a freelancing world I don’t know.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Cheers
KeithD
May 6th, 2010 at 2:47 amExcellent and inspiring article, well written to boot.
Thanks.
Mike
May 6th, 2010 at 10:20 amThank Brian for this write up, but i think it do not apply on everyone as some have another way to see the success and work as per that
Marlowe
May 11th, 2010 at 3:35 pmThanks for sharing your story. I’ve been a freelancer (I prefer to say “contractor”) pretty much my whole adult life so I don’t really know what it’s like to have a safety net, and even though I’d love to have less worry about where the next pay check is coming in, I would hate to give up the creative freedom I have to pursue what I love…not to mention setting my own hours.
I was just listening to an interview with Paul Zane Pilzer. He said that in today’s economy it’s actually more financially secure to work for yourself, since working for a company no longer has the long term security that it did 30 years ago. If you have the drive and passion, working for yourself, within a constantly changing team of other contractors and professionals, then you are much better positioned to be flexible and be able to shift your direction whenever and however you want.
So, stay focused, trust and breathe deep!
Jae Xavier
May 11th, 2010 at 7:34 pmRisk takers are an irresponsible bunch that cause a lot of upheaval, mischief, and mayhem. They also cause everyone to envy them because they make a lot of money for their risky business and rambunctious ideals. They think they’re invincible because they believe in their ideas so much, it makes god jealous.
I love being a risk taker.
Deana Goldasich
May 11th, 2010 at 8:46 pmHah! Jae… I loved the roller coaster as I read your comment — between being flattered and being offended! Awesome!
sam
August 29th, 2010 at 8:14 amGreat article and thank you for sharing your story.The similarities between tight-rope walking and freelancing are indeed many.I realize that especially now because I wasn’t encouraged to take very many risks when I was young, and now I’m more afraid of failure.but Thanks for the inspiration.
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