Have you ever uttered the words “i wish I had the guts to go it alone and freelance” or “ I wish I could work for myself and be my own boss, but I’m fearful” or varying versions of those two statements? The thing is you won’t be alone. Being your own boss and working freelance is a dream for many, but yet so few actually take that leap of faith and go and do it, why is that? This is because more people are fearful of freelancing and haven’t got a clue how to conquer them. I thought I would share with you some of the most common fears people have and how you can overcome them once and for all. It’s better to be in a secure job More people believe that it is far better to be in a secure job that gives you a guaranteed income every month than to go it alone. I understand that. A job can give you security to pay the bills and maintain the lifestyle you have. But the key word in that sentence is maintained because unless you change the job or go for a promotion that is all it will ever be. No variation, no chance to change things up on a daily basis. The thing is, job security is a myth, no job is safe. For one reason or another, you could lose that job tomorrow. A restructure could happen, administrators could come into your company, no one knows exactly what the future holds. This is why you need to ignore this fear and accept that no job is ever 100% safe. You have nowhere to work Freelancing means you lose you office and workplace, so where do you work? The answer for some people is home, and creating a dedicated space to work will help you distinguish between work and home life. However, there are also places like Grosvenor St Pauls co-working space where you can rent work space for a monthly fee. This sort of setup can give you the best of both worlds, a freelance work life with a workplace to do it in. I don’t know where to start More people would acknowledge that one of the biggest fears about freelancing is actually starting. How do you obtain work? Where do you look to gain new clients? Thankfully, there are websites like People Per Hour or Freelancer that have jobs listed daily that can often lead onto more long term work. Other methods would include building a website, creating a blog, using social media and even reaching out to potential new clients on email or by phone. What if I can’t pay the bills? Money is the biggest cause for worry when it comes to freelancing, after all, your income is no longer guaranteed, and people will tend to worry if they will earn enough to even pay their bills yet alone a lifestyle. There is no cure for this fear, only that you can make the change. In the first few months save as much as you can and create a buffer, get yourself regular clients that could be classed as regular income and don’t take them for granted. Always look for the next piece of work or the next contract. Finally, it can be a worry that freelancing will take over your life, and that might be true given it is your lifeline for earning. But you may end up doing something you love and feel passionate about, which helps to keep you motivated while working. ]]>
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