8 Lessons From 8 Months of Being Self-Employed

In September 2021, I quit my job to become a full-time writer.

May 2022 marks eight months of my self-employed life 😍🙌

Here are the 8 lessons I learned from 8 months of being self-employed that will help you in your journey towards chasing your passion 🧵👇

#1  Passion doesn’t last. Discipline does.

When your passion becomes your job, you have to:

• strategize,

• plan,

• take care of your finances,

…and so much more.

This can make you lose love for your passion. Discipline helps you survive in such situations.

#2  It’s easy to get addicted

When you work extra hard, you know you can make extra money.

You become addicted to working more, which can make you burn out & lose motivation.

It’s vital to take regular breaks & care for your mental health.

#3  Envy is your biggest enemy

It’s easy to feel envious of people who’re more successful than you, and lose sight of the good things in your life.

To counter this, stay in touch with your goals. Trust the process and believe that your time will come 🤗❤️

#4  Looking back will hurt

The self-employed life is a topsy-turvy curve.

There are times when you doubt your decision to choose uncertainty over a stable career.

On those days, remind yourself to look ahead, not back. The future can be bright if you work hard for it ✨

#5  Embrace other hobbies

When your passion is your job, you put insane pressure on your creativity.

This makes you lose interest in your passion, and life ceases to be fun.

To avoid this, nurture hobbies that don’t make you money. They'll bring back the joy in your life.

#6  Avoid getting lost in extremes

As you don't have fixed hours as a writing freelancer, you're either:

1. working too hard, or

2. working too little: which traps you in your comfort zone forever.

To avoid this, set goals & review them periodically to maintain work-life balance.

#7  Periodic appraisals are important

It's easy to lose sight of how far you’ve come.

To stay motivated, conduct regular appraisals and reflect on what you’ve achieved in 6 months or a year.

Appraisals will help you appreciate your journey & get you excited about the next goal.

#8  Focus on the positive

When you quit your full-time job to be a freelancer, people often tell you all the ways you can fail.

But as they've never switched their careers, they’ve no idea what they’re talking about. Have faith in yourself & don’t let their negativity affect you.

8 lessons I learned from 8 months of being self-employed. TL;DR:

#1  Discipline lasts, passion doesn't.

#2  Don’t get addicted

#3  Envy is your enemy

#4  Looking back hurts

#5  Nurture other hobbies

#6  Don’t get lost in extremes

#7  Do periodic appraisals

#8  Focus on the positive