Staying Motivated Through the Years
Posted August 10, 2010 in Inspiration
A reader once asked me a very interesting question–how do I stay motivated long-term when I don’t receive any raises or benefits as a freelancer? This got me thinking hard–just how do I keep myself motivated?
I was never really lucky enough to have a job with good benefits, bonuses or raises, so maybe the lack of these things doesn’t bother me as much as someone who did have them at a full-time job. Or, perhaps it’s because I feel like I do receive all of these benefits–and more.
There are tons of things that keep me motivated as a freelancer, so much so that I don’t think I would ever go back to any kind of regular job.
The trick is to reward yourself regularly for the hard work you do, much like a boss would. Here are some ways I’ve kept myself motivated through years of freelancing.
Love What You Do
No matter how much money you make, you’ll never be satisfied if you’re not doing something you truly love to do. While you could probably get away with working on stuff you hate for a while, eventually it’s going to become harder and harder to get out of bed–until the day you finally get fed up and quit.
This is one reason why I advocate specializing your services so much. I know that if I was still doing stuff like Flash and web design, I would’ve quit long ago.
Doing something you love to do every day doesn’t mean what you’re doing is going to be easy, but it keeps you coming back for more every morning.
Give Yourself Raises
Unlike a full-time job, freelancing means you don’t get a yearly raise. But, who needs a yearly raise when you can have two raises a year? Or, three?
The cool thing about freelancing is that you can basically set your prices any way you want. Of course, you have to take the market and your skill level into account, but I’ve seen freelancers charge anywhere from $10 an hour to $300 an hour for similar services.
Freelancing means you have almost unlimited potential to make as much money as you want. Unlike a job, you don’t have to wait around and hope some boss notices your good work and gives you a raise. As a freelancer you can, and should, give yourself a raise a couple of times a year to keep yourself motivated and working hard.
Have Goals in Mind
I’ve always had several goals in mind that could never be realized while working for someone else. Having goals is a great way to keep yourself motivated, because you can remind yourself of the things you want to accomplish to get moving.
In the area I live in, the most any employer would pay for what I do is only $35,000-$40,000 a year. Being stuck at that income level was definitely not one of my goals. I felt like I should be paid much more, which is one of the reasons I struck out on my own. One of my goals was to be financially independent–and freelancing has allowed me to accomplish that. There mere thought of how much money you could make can potentially be a huge motivator.
Better Benefits
People who work in full-time jobs think that they’ll have to give up benefits if they want to freelance. But, what they don’t realize is that not only are there more benefits to freelancing, they’re also better benefits.
For example, the typical benefits of a full-time job are:
- Subsidized health, dental, vision, life insurance
- Retirement benefits
- Possible bonuses
- Paid vacation and sick time
What full-timers don’t realize is that you can get all of these same benefits for the same price, or for an even lower price, that you were paying with your regular job. (For example, my health insurance went from $80 a month at my job, to $50 a month with only a slightly higher deductible). Plus, since you’ll most likely make more money as a freelancer, you can often afford better versions of the above benefits.
In addition to the monetary benefits of freelancing, you also get:
- No traffic jams or commuting
- No office politics or useless meetings
- Can work where and when you want
- Take time off when you want
- Choose the types of clients and projects you want
- Use the kind of equipment you want
Listening to the tales of my friends’ crappy jobs are more than enough to keep me happy about where I’m going in my business.
Always Moving Forward
No matter how much you love the work you do, doing the same thing over and over will quickly become boring and demotivating. You should always aim to improve what you do and learn new things.
This past spring, I hit a slump. I was scheduled up constantly and making plenty of money, but I was bored with what I was doing. Then I got a cool idea for a web app to work on with my fiancee, who’s a programmer. It gave us something to do together and a reason to look forward to coming to work.
Now, I’m learning iPhone development. While it’s something I’ll probably never offer to my clients as a service, it’s fun to learn, increases my skills and gives me yet another reason to look forward to working.
Working Some Place You Love
When I first started freelancing, my office was in the basement. There was one half-window and the room was always dark, no matter how many lights I’d turn on. The paint was also dark and dreary. The room was cold, messy and there was no real decor to it. I hated going down in the “cave” as I called it, which mean it was no longer motivating for work.
So, I made the decision to switch my office with my guest bedroom, which was the brightest room in the house. I painted the room a cheery green, bought new desks and matching furniture (that’s my office in the picture above) and decorated it nicely. Not only is it now a fun place to work in, I can’t wait to get into the office every morning. It’s now the best place to be in the whole house.
Your Thoughts
What are some of the things that keep you motivated while freelancing?
Related posts:
- Open Thread: Where Were You 5 Years Ago?
- Open Thread: How Do You Stay Motivated?
- Ten Tips To Stay Motivated — Even When You Really Don’t Feel Like Working
- The Messy Guide To Staying Organized
- Staying Sane While Freelancing With a Loved One
About the author: Amber is a freelancer with over 10 years of experience and specializes in clean, semantic and valid HTML5, CSS3 and Wordpress development. She also writes a web development blog at www.amberweinberg.com and just launched a web app for developers at www.codesnipp.it.
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48 Comments
Pawel @ Self Employed Cafe
August 10th, 2010 at 8:33 amHey Amber, these are some valid points!
I moved on after few years myself and grew the business from freelance to a small company, so today there are other things that motivate me (and yes, I do give myself raises and bonuses from time to time;) but I always wondered how it is for someone who deliberately stays freelance.
Brilliant post.
Mariusz
August 10th, 2010 at 8:48 amI moved on from freelancing to a small webshop here in Kraków two years ago. I have a full-time job and receive at least four of the benefits you listed as freelancer-exclusive. Well, that kinda made me appreciate my current job even more. ;)
DocuMaker
August 10th, 2010 at 8:52 amWow – this is probably the most honest article about freelancing that I’ve seen in a long time. I’ve freelanced for 5 years now and I have to admit what keeps me motivated is those bills (they just keep a-comin’ ya know ;-) Perks include staying at home with the kids and working at my own pace. I feel spoiled almost because of it!
-Nicole
Bex White
August 10th, 2010 at 8:53 amThanks for your post Amber. It is always good to hear another freelancers experiences and advice.
I think the freedom of being freelance and knowing you are your own boss building a business is a strong motivator. I was dedicated to my teams and driving success for my employers when I worked in agencies and upon deciding to strike out on my own, I definately had a clear goal to make my business work. Running your own business means you are emotionally involved to an even higher degree than when you work as part of a company, becuase your enthusiasm and determination coupled with plenty of hard work will make or break your career. It is great being able to build a client base and hear happy feedback from clients and knowing it is you who made that happen. Similarly when you win a pitch, you know it is your hard work which brought the business in which always leaves me with a Chesire cat smile for a few days.
I think the overall point I am making – is that freelance is directly and immediately rewarding to the freelancer. Agency life offers more long term stability and other benefits such as great office culture and work do’s – however all things have pros and cons and it is usually a case of seeing which suits you best. For me, the idea that my business might become a fully fledged little agency one day is very motivating and rewarding in itself. The potential for sucess is there if I go and grab it and that is a feeling which is unique to freelancing.
I post blogs on some similar topics and one thing which I think might help readers of this post is a recent one on work / life balance for freelancers which is available here: http://www.bubblegumkitten.com/2010/08/work-life-balance-tips-fo-freelance-designers/ and might help out those who are freelancing, or thinking of going freelance tackle this issue and make the most of their freelance life.
Bex.
http://www.bubblegumkitten.com
Follow me @Bubblegumkitten
Jordan Walker
August 10th, 2010 at 8:55 amChallenging projects.
Freelance FactFile
August 10th, 2010 at 8:58 amThat’s really spooky, Amber. Yesterday I was writing a couple of blog posts for later this week and the first line of one of them was: “We’ve all had days when it’s hard to get motivated.” :)
My piece will be about how to motivate yourself if you don’t feel like working today – rather than keeping yourself motivated year in, year out.
A few years ago I did a project three days a week for a bank in the City, here in London. I had to physically be in their offices as I needed access to their intranet. There was nothing like four months of commuting by Tube, office politics and being surrounded by City types dressed in grey to remind me how GREAT it is to be freelance!
Alex
August 10th, 2010 at 9:00 amHi Amber,
I think your article is incredibly useful and valuable.
In order to keep me motivated I try to be curious and interested – just like a kid with an open mouth. The ultimate freedom of choice who to work with (and possible enduring business relationshops) and where to work is one of the great benefits motivating me.
Regards,
- Alex
Joe
August 10th, 2010 at 9:01 amAmber..let me know some details about your health insurance. That sounds like a deal.
Just a suggestion if you’re learning Iphone, do a video & article about it, you’ll get a ton of looks and some subscribers.
Check out http://www.bmyers.com Bill has weekly tip on selling info you learn. take care
Joe
James Beardmore
August 10th, 2010 at 10:41 amVery true words, nicely done. Whenever I wake up in the morning and think “aw man this is going to be another insane day of work” it takes about three seconds before I think: “but that’s fine, I love my job!”
The benefits of self employment far outweigh the downsides for me, I think it just depends on the type of person that you are. However whenever I’m feeling a bit frazzled its really nice to be reminded of how good I have it. Thanks!
Amber Weinberg
August 10th, 2010 at 11:46 am@Joe if you live in TN, get with TRH health plans through Farm Bureau. I have a $2500 deductable and then they pay almost 100% after that, as well as a tax free HSA.
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August 10th, 2010 at 12:23 pmI’m a freelancer since 2004
How i stay motivated ?
- Freedom (weaking each day and must be at work sucks big time)
- Money (i earn as a freelancer more then any medium or high end job in my country) to earn more then me in a job in my country you have to be a CEO / Manager
- My fure plans (developing my own new company ….and having a job won’t do it …)
Terri
August 10th, 2010 at 12:28 pmThe last time I paid $80 for a monthly health insurance premium was 1994, in Virginia. In New York, for a 43-year-old woman (ie, me), you’re looking at about $400 a month with the same kind of deductible you have. Families are looking at much more than that, often double. A lot of what you say is valuable and realistic. The health insurance, for many, is not.
Ameet
August 10th, 2010 at 12:49 pmHey Amber another nice article…ur articles def keep me motivated in this freelance business…i always look forward to read ur articles…keep posting :)
Mritunjay
August 10th, 2010 at 12:53 pmThe best part is ofcourse, freedom that you get as a freelancer. I was into sales & marketing but the job never inspired me. I was just going through the motions. Its three years, since I discovered my interest in writing and kept working. Though, I cant claim to have established myself but I feel good whenever I write, whatever I write. It is always satisfying and gives me more reasons to be happy.
Money is definitely important but I still feel great even during this struggling period.
Great post. Thanks a ton. :)
Bret Juliano
August 10th, 2010 at 12:55 pmGood article, it was worth reading. Thanks for the post.
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August 10th, 2010 at 12:55 pminspiring article! i’d love to move to freelance full time, it’s not the perks or lack of that scares me, its the finding enough work that does.
TheAL
August 10th, 2010 at 1:59 pmTotally awesome read. Only input I can give is in regards to giving yourself perks, especially raises. When it comes to being freelance, no one is on the outside objectively evaluating you and choosing whether or not you deserve these things. It’s all you. And what person doesn’t believe s/he deserves a raise? Everyone does, even the people who really don’t. So it could potentially be easy for anyone to delude themselves into thinking they deserve perks and raises when it might not be entirely warranted. So the key is to not get out of hand. Most raises in corporate jobs are what? A few more dollars per hour every year? But a freelancer might think they need $15 more every hour just because they learned one more programming language or voluntarily chose to use more expensive billing software.
I certainly don’t wanna be a party pooper, but one thing a lot of people have been starting to point out in their comments on a lot of blogs I follow is how ego is becoming more commonly rampant in this industry. Always remember that humility can go a long way, and it can def help with keeping perspective and staying centered over the years.
The Freelance Geek
August 10th, 2010 at 2:45 pmGreat post. I think goals for Freelancers are really important as we have no Manager to point the way for us. When I started out one of the things I lacked was direction. Now I set monthly goals for myself and have an end of month review. When I started doing that I found myself achieving more.
James Beardmore
August 10th, 2010 at 2:47 pm@TheAL Thats a good point. With a bit of common sense its pretty simple to gauge when you should give yourself a raise. My main system is this: Whenever I find that I have too many clients and projects and not enough income, its time for a raise.
Amber Weinberg
August 10th, 2010 at 5:51 pm@Terri Not sure how you can say it’s unrealistic when that’s exactly what I pay….
Stephanie
August 10th, 2010 at 8:38 pmGreat post Amber! Good timing too because I’m going through a very slow week and it’s affecting not only my writing but my motivation to keep going too.
Motivation… well it’s definitely:
* My family
* Goals and things I would like to buy to boost my productivity
* Being able to finish college with my freelance earnings
TLC
August 10th, 2010 at 10:39 pmVery much agree with you about having an inspiring place to work. We just redid our basement with ocean colors to highlight the photo mural of the Bahamas on the wall. I have the best view in the world!
I detest driving in rush hour traffic, so having a “commute” that involves walking down 12 steps is a great benefit. So is being able to work in my jammies, take naps when I need/want to, run errands or go on appointments during the day, and have as long of a lunch as I want.
The best benefit for me is the time I get to spend with my son. He’s 15 this summer, so we’re spending a lot of time driving together to places he normally wouldn’t go with me. He helped with the basement remodeling — even resting on the top of his head to hammer in new baseboards! I treasure every moment of this time because I’m a single parent, and normally I wouldn’t get to do this unless I was married to someone who was supporting me.
No, this isn’t perfect lifestyle — sometimes the finances can really get you in a tizzy. But then again, after getting laid off twice in a 7-month period and watching people lose their jobs after 20 or 30 years working for a company, I’ve learned that no job is “safe.” So you might as well have one that you love. And I do!
Robbie
August 11th, 2010 at 1:00 amStaying motivated is one of the hardest factors when choosing a job, espically as a freelancer. My biggest factor isn’t motivation, but procrastination, as I always leave things for tomorrow, or until the last minute.
Robert Goetze
August 11th, 2010 at 3:54 amMost important in my opinion is giving yourself raises, very good point. Rewarding yourself satisfies one of the most basic human needs and the best thing is, you can give it to yourself. Rewards from other people are way better, but self-rewarding helps brigde the less deeper gaps of motivation.
On my blog I recently wrote a similar article, with a more psychological/scientific approach. If you’re interested:
http://www.twago.com/blog/2010/08/10/motivation-your-personal-catalyst/
Chorng
August 11th, 2010 at 6:24 amthis is really a good article, i’ve started freelancing for about 4-5 months now , almost give up at times and wanting to get back to a fulltime job. Your article and comments from others, really motivates me. Thanks!
Nicolas Miranda
August 13th, 2010 at 12:02 pmgreat, great points Amber. people have to realize that being a freelancer does not mean you are giving up all the benefits, there are many strong points to being a freelancer. there are many benefits and perks. regardless if you chose to be a freelancer, or you were forced to by getting fired from a prior employer, if you make the jump, make the best of it and KNOW the positives of what it means to be a freelancer. although there can be some negatives, you can always find a way to turn those around. cheers to all freelancers.
kathryn barlow
August 16th, 2010 at 9:07 amWhere benefits are concerned – I’ve found a lot of companies aren’t even offering health benefits these days anyway, so that’s not a factor for me in terms of pros/cons of full-time vs. freelance.
In terms of motivation, a lot of my friends say “I don’t know how you have the discipline to work from home, I’d just watch tv all day”. I remind them that when you have bills coming in – it’s a good motivator! Beyond that, I find freelancing very satisfying – to know at the end of the day that I made my clients happy and I get to run my business how I see fit with my own organization systems and choosing the work that I enjoy most.
Kirstine Vergara
August 19th, 2010 at 12:04 pmI love freelancing because I get to dictate the amount of money I can get, unlike in an office where you have only have this fixed amount of money per month. I can earn a half year’s salary in 2 months if I want to. Freelancing is about taking control, which most of the time does not happen in an office setting unless you’re one of the bosses.
Let me share with you an interesting article about Starting a Successful Home Based Business.
Stella Aghenie
September 12th, 2010 at 4:16 pmFaith,Fear & Attitude, Our attitude can influence our faith. It’s up to us to influence our decisions today, to make a future we’re dreaming about. Our attitude can change everything. And we can get a lot of information based on the personal development from these blogs…
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