A journey to quitting my job

freelancedev · Aug 27, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper">Ok so a little background to add context to this thread. I started trying to run my own business a little over 2 years ago now. It hasn't really gone very well, and I've been in some very dark places mentally over the past couple of years which probably hasn't helped things as it's often difficult to think clearly when you feel that way most of the time. I really dislike my slowlane job and I aspire to work for myself for the following reasons (stolen from <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/13831/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="13831" data-username="@SinisterLex">@SinisterLex</a> but sums up my feelings too): - to come and go as I please - to work or not as I please - to not have to worry about how I'll pay bills - to influence others and create positive change in their lives - to enjoy the journey - to do things the way I want to do them - to have the freedom to travel when I please - to have the freedom to tell people who think they have power over me to go to hell My experience includes: - Dating website ads - made $5k revenue from banner ads on websites like plenty of fish, youporn etc. with banner ads leading users to sign up for dating websites - SEO - spent some time learning how to do SEO really well and have attempted the client SEO, pay per lead, and affiliate SEO models without much success. I have spent a lot of money chasing the dream of working for myself on courses, web hosting, tools etc. I have explored/read about the idea of the following business models: - Subscription boxes - eCommerce - Amazon FBA - Info products - Probably many more that I'm forgetting about I want to escape my job as quick as possible, and I realise that this might not be possible with a fastlane business idea which is time consuming and not necessarily guaranteed to come to full fruition after all of that time, which is why I'm looking at other routes. I know a lot of people are going to come in here and criticise me and say I don't want to give value. I do want to give value, and would like nothing more than to build a fastlane business with a product that has a massively positive impact on my customers life, but I have spent a lot of time trying to think of ways to help people, needs I can fill in markets etc. and have drawn a blank. I cannot sit around being depressed at my day job hoping that one day an idea will magically pop into my head. If it happens in the future, great, but I don't want my happiness and life satisfaction to depend on that idea, it's probably what has prevented me from coming up with anything at all so far. I have a few ideas of where I want to move forward from here but nothing concrete. Matched betting I'll probably get a lot of eye rolls on this forum for this one, but it works and has been the most consistent profit maker I've found so far. In the UK gambling websites have offers and promotions which you can essentially leverage to make guaranteed profit. I'm planning on stepping up my efforts with this and think I can realistically make £1000 per month from it, but don't want to rely on the income in case something changes and it's not possible any more. Amazon Affiliate Site(s) Leveraging my SEO skills, I've build an amazon affiliate site about a consumer product, which has lots of really useful reviews on there for customers. I feel like my site has been really valuable for those who have seen it (not uncommon for my visitors to spend 10+ minutes on there according to my analytics. Not monetising yet as has only had a handful of visitors so far, but will be adding my Amazon links as soon as it starts to rank a little better. I'm considering building a few more similar sites. Freelancing After reading <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/13831/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="13831" data-username="@SinisterLex">@SinisterLex</a> 's thread, I'm interested in trying this, but feel that it is becoming very much a "me too" type of thing, with lots of people using his methods. He even wrote a post saying that it is getting more difficult to find jobs so I'm on the fence over it at the moment. Other ideas I read <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/8202/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="8202" data-username="@Vigilante">@Vigilante</a> 's thread on Amazon FBA and got a ton of value from it, but felt that at the moment, Amazon FBA might not be for me. I've spent some time looking at products to import, and again there is a lot of "me too" stuff. I don't want feel like I'm waiting around for the "right product" to come along. Thoughts?</div>

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Lex DeVille · Aug 27, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 31367" data-quote="A1roller" data-source="post: 481174" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=481174" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-481174">A1roller said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Ok so a little background to add context to this thread. I started trying to run my own business a little over 2 years ago now. It hasn't really gone very well, and I've been in some very dark places mentally over the past couple of years which probably hasn't helped things as it's often difficult to think clearly when you feel that way most of the time. I really dislike my slowlane job and I aspire to work for myself for the following reasons (stolen from <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/13831/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="13831" data-username="@SinisterLex">@SinisterLex</a> but sums up my feelings too): - to come and go as I please - to work or not as I please - to not have to worry about how I'll pay bills - to influence others and create positive change in their lives - to enjoy the journey - to do things the way I want to do them - to have the freedom to travel when I please - to have the freedom to tell people who think they have power over me to go to hell My experience includes: - Dating website ads - made $5k revenue from banner ads on websites like plenty of fish, youporn etc. with banner ads leading users to sign up for dating websites - SEO - spent some time learning how to do SEO really well and have attempted the client SEO, pay per lead, and affiliate SEO models without much success. I have spent a lot of money chasing the dream of working for myself on courses, web hosting, tools etc. I have explored/read about the idea of the following business models: - Subscription boxes - eCommerce - Amazon FBA - Info products - Probably many more that I'm forgetting about I want to escape my job as quick as possible, and I realise that this might not be possible with a fastlane business idea which is time consuming and not necessarily guaranteed to come to full fruition after all of that time, which is why I'm looking at other routes. I know a lot of people are going to come in here and criticise me and say I don't want to give value. I do want to give value, and would like nothing more than to build a fastlane business with a product that has a massively positive impact on my customers life, but I have spent a lot of time trying to think of ways to help people, needs I can fill in markets etc. and have drawn a blank. I cannot sit around being depressed at my day job hoping that one day an idea will magically pop into my head. If it happens in the future, great, but I don't want my happiness and life satisfaction to depend on that idea, it's probably what has prevented me from coming up with anything at all so far. I have a few ideas of where I want to move forward from here but nothing concrete. Matched betting I'll probably get a lot of eye rolls on this forum for this one, but it works and has been the most consistent profit maker I've found so far. In the UK gambling websites have offers and promotions which you can essentially leverage to make guaranteed profit. I'm planning on stepping up my efforts with this and think I can realistically make £1000 per month from it, but don't want to rely on the income in case something changes and it's not possible any more. Amazon Affiliate Site(s) Leveraging my SEO skills, I've build an amazon affiliate site about a consumer product, which has lots of really useful reviews on there for customers. I feel like my site has been really valuable for those who have seen it (not uncommon for my visitors to spend 10+ minutes on there according to my analytics. Not monetising yet as has only had a handful of visitors so far, but will be adding my Amazon links as soon as it starts to rank a little better. I'm considering building a few more similar sites. Freelancing After reading <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/13831/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="13831" data-username="@SinisterLex">@SinisterLex</a> 's thread, I'm interested in trying this, but feel that it is becoming very much a "me too" type of thing, with lots of people using his methods. He even wrote a post saying that it is getting more difficult to find jobs so I'm on the fence over it at the moment. Other ideas I read <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/8202/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="8202" data-username="@Vigilante">@Vigilante</a> 's thread on Amazon FBA and got a ton of value from it, but felt that at the moment, Amazon FBA might not be for me. I've spent some time looking at products to import, and again there is a lot of "me too" stuff. I don't want feel like I'm waiting around for the "right product" to come along. Thoughts? </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote> <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/attachments/battlecog-enneagram-with-numbers-webp.10414/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/data/attachments/7/7044-da89e680d0783d3a9a729057d87ffc4e.jpg?hash=ULKKqLmVZS" class="bbImage " style="" alt="Battlecog Enneagram with Numbers.webp" title="Battlecog Enneagram with Numbers.webp" width="200" height="206" loading="lazy" /></a> Enneagram Type 6 with 7 Wing. Most of what you wrote applies to this personality type. A type that sits at the center of the Enneagram Head triad and therefore often gets stuck in internal thoughts and head chatter. The Head Triad also has a core issue with fear, which is pretty clear from your message. To make matters more complex, Type Six has basic issues with anxiety and worse-case scenario thinking as well as decision making and action-taking. They also share a wing with 5 which has tendencies toward darker thoughts & brooding. (Note this is at less healthy levels) The Type 7 is an enthusiastic type that also sits in the Head Triad which amplifies internal thinking. However, the 7 is more of a go-getter, and constantly wants to try new things. When you have 7 as a Wing, it means you have some of the traits of a 7, but they're in the service of the Core Type 6. So, you experience fear over worse-case scenarios, and get stuck in your head while considering all of your possible entrepreneurial options in addition to why they probably won't work. 7 Also has trouble with commitment, which could be why you listed so many ideas (a 7 trait), but haven't chosen one because choosing one means closing off the rest. Since six also shares traits with Type 5 (Also in the Head Triad) it can cause a tendency toward feeling incompetent. When 5 moves to less healthy levels he also moves even more inwardly to focus on his own knowledge acquisition in order to prepare himself to deal with the world around him... (Probably why you turn to courses, reading, etc.) When Six grows in health and adapts more of the useful (read healthy) traits of the 7 Wing then he can begin to take more action, and cut back on constantly worrying about outcomes, or the many choices to pick from. When this happens the Six has a chance to make real progress (as you already have) as he becomes more structured, yet action oriented. As Six grows in health they also take on the healthy traits of their core type, such as loyalty and dedication which help them stay focused instead of wanting to constantly switch between ideas. So, how do you get from an average or unhealthy level to a healthier level where you can get shit done and make things happen? The answer isn't all that complicated. It's merely a matter of recognizing your tendencies, and then adapting the positive traits of your action-taking wing. Instead of worrying about quitting your job and failing (worse-case scenario), just make a decision and stick to it, and take action. You don't have to quit your job to get something going anyway. You'll also want to take note of other areas of your life that cause you stress: - Diet - Exercise - Sleep Habits - etc. The more of these you learn to control, the easier it is to get your mind right. There's a lot you can learn about yourself from the Enneagram. ...So you want my Thoughts? Get out of your head and... Just do...something. Note: that your personality does not dictate you or your life. You are always in control when you choose to be. </div>

freelancedev · Aug 27, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 13831" data-quote="SinisterLex" data-source="post: 481196" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=481196" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-481196">SinisterLex said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/attachments/10414/" target="_blank">View attachment 10414</a> Enneagram Type 6 with 7 Wing. Most of what you wrote applies to this personality type. A type that sits at the center of the Enneagram Head triad and therefore often gets stuck in internal thoughts and head chatter. The Head Triad also has a core issue with fear, which is pretty clear from your message. To make matters more complex, Type Six has basic issues with anxiety and worse-case scenario thinking as well as decision making and action-taking. They also share a wing with 5 which has tendencies toward darker thoughts & brooding. (Note this is at less healthy levels) The Type 7 is an enthusiastic type that also sits in the Head Triad which amplifies internal thinking. However, the 7 is more of a go-getter, and constantly wants to try new things. When you have 7 as a Wing, it means you have some of the traits of a 7, but they're in the service of the Core Type 6. So, you experience fear over worse-case scenarios, and get stuck in your head while considering all of your possible entrepreneurial options in addition to why they probably won't work. 7 Also has trouble with commitment, which could be why you listed so many ideas (a 7 trait), but haven't chosen one because choosing one means closing off the rest. Since six also shares traits with Type 5 (Also in the Head Triad) it can cause a tendency toward feeling incompetent. When 5 moves to less healthy levels he also moves even more inwardly to focus on his own knowledge acquisition in order to prepare himself to deal with the world around him... (Probably why you turn to courses, reading, etc.) When Six grows in health and adapts more of the useful (read healthy) traits of the 7 Wing then he can begin to take more action, and cut back on constantly worrying about outcomes, or the many choices to pick from. When this happens the Six has a chance to make real progress (as you already have) as he becomes more structured, yet action oriented. As Six grows in health they also take on the healthy traits of their core type, such as loyalty and dedication which help them stay focused instead of wanting to constantly switch between ideas. So, how do you get from an average or unhealthy level to a healthier level where you can get shit done and make things happen? The answer isn't all that complicated. It's merely a matter of recognizing your tendencies, and then adapting the positive traits of your action-taking wing. Instead of worrying about quitting your job and failing (worse-case scenario), just make a decision and stick to it, and take action. You don't have to quit your job to get something going anyway. You'll also want to take note of other areas of your life that cause you stress: - Diet - Exercise - Sleep Habits - etc. The more of these you learn to control, the easier it is to get your mind right. There's a lot you can learn about yourself from the Enneagram. ...So you want my Thoughts? Get out of your head and... Just do...something. Note: that your personality does not dictate you or your life. You are always in control when you choose to be. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote> Interesting post. I can see what you mean with what you're saying about the type 6/7 personality, but I feel that a lot of these descriptions are "truisms" that apply to everyone, eg. most people would see themselves as loyal and fearful in some situations. These personality types also completely ignore behavioural modification through experience. The reason I am fearful and hesitant of moving forward in a certain direction without knowledge that it will work is because I've failed many times before. My £25,705 spent in the past 2 years with only £2,568 recouped is testament to the fact that I've been rash at jumping into things in the past without thinking things through, and reason for being incredibly cautious now (I still have a large chunk of those losses as debt which I'm repaying slowly). It goes deeper than that though, I also fear losing time and opportunity. I'm 24 years old and have thrown away the last 2 years in vain trying to make it as a business. How many more years will I throw away on things which won't work out before I'm a broke 30 year old loser with no friends, girlfriend, money or life experiences? I know I don't have to quit my job to get anything going, again my experience over the last 2 years has shown that I'm more than willing to put in lots of work on the side, but I'm constantly miserable. Part of it is just the monotony of the job itself, the fact that most days are a total grind to get through where I'm just praying for the day to end quicker. The other part is my utter embarrassment at being in the position I'm in with a terrible job, no life and nothing to show for myself. Yes, it's incredibly egotistical to think this way, but it's only natural. I want to quit my job because I can't sustain this level of misery and lacklustre life experience.</div>

Bellini · Aug 28, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/31367/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="31367" data-username="@A1roller">@A1roller</a> , Why don't you get different job now? Is there some reason you have to stay at your current miserable job until you start a business? Seems like it would benefit you to go ahead and change jobs now. Find something you have a mild interest in and can maybe even have fun at. It would also change your circle of peers and give you new experiences, and thus new ideas. You can keep working on a business too. You come across as very sincere, but what concerns me is that it sounds like you are putting ALL your happiness on starting and owning a business, as if NONE of your joy is going to start until that happens. It's like you are waiting to be happy until after you have a business. That's not realistic. You NEED the other things (other income, other friends, other social life) at this point to help you transition to the fastlane. That doesn't apply to everybody at all times, but I think it applies in your case. Consider taking steps to get yourself in a better place mentally and socially. I think that's one of the reasons you are mentally blocked.....because you are so unhappy. You'd be surprised how your creativity and problem-solving skills soar to new heights when you are happy and at peace. Then the ideas start to flood in. So do the people who may lead you to your next business. Who knows. So, try to make some changes in other parts of your life. (move, change jobs, date, go out, travel, socialize, etc) Get yourself unstuck. Don't wait. ENJOY YOUR LIFE !!!! <img src="/community/imgs/emoticons/em-smile2.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-shortname=":)" /> <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/attachments/cubanfailure-webp.10431/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/data/attachments/7/7061-3b8cf1447fa7bd997bf217343e4ff95b.jpg?hash=6S2i-8a7T2" class="bbImage " style="" alt="CubanFailure.webp" title="CubanFailure.webp" width="240" height="200" loading="lazy" /></a></div>

freelancedev · Aug 29, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 30453" data-quote="Bellini" data-source="post: 481469" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=481469" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-481469">Bellini said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/31367/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="31367" data-username="@A1roller">@A1roller</a> , Why don't you get different job now? Is there some reason you have to stay at your current miserable job until you start a business? Seems like it would benefit you to go ahead and change jobs now. Find something you have a mild interest in and can maybe even have fun at. It would also change your circle of peers and give you new experiences, and thus new ideas. You can keep working on a business too. You come across as very sincere, but what concerns me is that it sounds like you are putting ALL your happiness on starting and owning a business, as if NONE of your joy is going to start until that happens. It's like you are waiting to be happy until after you have a business. That's not realistic. You NEED the other things (other income, other friends, other social life) at this point to help you transition to the fastlane. That doesn't apply to everybody at all times, but I think it applies in your case. Consider taking steps to get yourself in a better place mentally and socially. I think that's one of the reasons you are mentally blocked.....because you are so unhappy. You'd be surprised how your creativity and problem-solving skills soar to new heights when you are happy and at peace. Then the ideas start to flood in. So do the people who may lead you to your next business. Who knows. So, try to make some changes in other parts of your life. (move, change jobs, date, go out, travel, socialize, etc) Get yourself unstuck. Don't wait. ENJOY YOUR LIFE !!!! <img src="/community/imgs/emoticons/em-smile2.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-shortname=":)" /> <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/attachments/10431/" target="_blank">View attachment 10431</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>I have looked, applied for and interviewed for other jobs but not managed to get any of them. It's difficult because a lot of the jobs that come up are the same sort of thing I'm doing at the moment (call centre jobs) which pay less, so I'm kind of stuck. I'm strongly leaning towards the idea of freelancing, as I think that would give me the best of both worlds and allow me to break out of my job without having so much dependence on the big fastlane idea. You're right, I am putting all of my happiness on starting a business. I've been miserable for 2.5 years because back then I naively thought I would be able to get into internet marketing and be making loads of money in 6 months. When that didn't work out I tried out a couple of other things which didn't work out and I'm stuck in analysis paralysis now, afraid to start anything new and waste more of my life being miserable because I'm depending on it to work. I kind of just got stuck in a rut. I don't do things anymore really, only work (whether that be building websites, researching, reading etc.). I have no hobbies, social life or anything. I again naively thought that if I put all of my time and energy into this, things would work out in the end. I'm not inherently afraid to fail. When I started in internet marketing, I went into it expecting to fail over and over again before I ever succeeded. I wasn't afraid of that. But when building a business became the only way of being happy in my mind, I became incredibly emotionally attached to succeeding and have become really unhappy through not succeeding thus far.</div>

tafy · Aug 29, 2015

“In war, truth is the first casualty.” - Aeschylus

freelancedev · Aug 29, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 17840" data-quote="tafy" data-source="post: 481550" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=481550" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-481550">tafy said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Sounds like your chasing money and that's the big reason your failing. So you work in a call centre? Cold calls or customer service? Why not start a business that cold calls for other businesses, a outbound sales business for startups and small biz. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>I'm inbound customer services but hate it so doubt I would be any more satisfied doing it for myself. I'd rather put my other skills to use.</div>

tafy · Aug 29, 2015

“In war, truth is the first casualty.” - Aeschylus

smarty · Aug 29, 2015

Learn by doing, fail by trying, grow by falling, succeed by progressing, work by playing.

freelancedev · Sep 3, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper">Ok <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/13831/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="13831" data-username="@SinisterLex">@SinisterLex</a> I've started taking a bit of action with some copywriting applications on Upwork yesterday, but haven't received any replies yet. Here is a copy and paste of my most recent app, I'd appreciate it if you could pick it apart and tell me where I might be going wrong: Hi, I am a native English speaker and am able to deliver the work well before your deadline of 8th September. My rates are extremely low at the moment, because even though I am experienced with online marketing, I am new to Upwork and looking to do some work at a heavily discounted price to build up reviews on my profile. i think I could do a really great job with your amazon listing, I am familiar with and have learned some of the materials in courses like Amazing Selling Machine which teach how to optimise amazon listings. Here is a quick snipped of a piece I wrote about emu oil shampoo to give you a taste of what I can offer: "Reverse balding in 30 days with Emu Oil Shampoo Are you worried about how your friends will react at your next christmas reunion if you continue balding fast? When you started balding, you may have thought that your hair was gone forever. Perhaps you had given up hope on having a full head of hair again, but there is a little known hack to reverse your hair loss and even start a regrowth. No, I'm not talking about Propecia or any of the pills you might get from your doctor which cause questionable side effects. What if I told you that you could reverse your hair loss without depending on potentially dangerous chemicals? Emu oil is a natural remedy which works, as proven in clinical trials by the Boston University of Medicine who have found a 20% increase in the activity of hair growth after the use of emu oil. Our formula is packed with a fragrant fruity punch which will have the ladies in your office flirting with you at the water cooler (did I also mention they'll dig your fuller head of hair too?). Buy your bottle and kick start your second youth today." I would prefer to complete this work at an hourly rate if that can be changed? I'm happy to just charge the lowest rate of $3 per hour in exchange for positive feedback. If you don't like the work I offer a 100% money back guarantee. Which part of this project do you think will take the most time? The actual writing of the copy Why did you apply to this particular job? I think I can deliver excellent results which will drive more sales to your Amazon product before your deadline of 8th September. The job was basically to rewrite an Amazon listing for a coconut oil product.</div>

tafy · Sep 3, 2015

“In war, truth is the first casualty.” - Aeschylus

freelancedev · Sep 3, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 17840" data-quote="tafy" data-source="post: 482709" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=482709" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-482709">tafy said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Oh dear, some one is gonna come along and tag all the places you used the words I and Me. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>I figured that may happen, but I did try to place emphasis on the benefits they would get from choosing me. It's hard to do that without using the word I.</div>

freelancedev · Sep 3, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper">OK, interestingly I've just had a reply from one of the job application stating that they love my writing and that I "have a way with words" (lol). They have asked that I send a sample description of one of the products they are selling and a sample of some past writings similar to this job (I don't have any!!). Would the best approach be to just send over the sample description of product and hope they don't bring up the other samples again?</div>

freelancedev · Sep 3, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper">ok long story short, sent over another little sample and got the job offer. It's only for $3 per hour but will be a confidence builder and will help me build up my profile. Still no idea how all of this Upwork stuff works but I'm sure I'll learn along the way!</div>

Lex DeVille · Sep 4, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 31367" data-quote="A1roller" data-source="post: 482841" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=482841" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-482841">A1roller said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> ok long story short, sent over another little sample and got the job offer. It's only for $3 per hour but will be a confidence builder and will help me build up my profile. Still no idea how all of this Upwork stuff works but I'm sure I'll learn along the way! </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote> Great job taking action. That's the first step in creating change. Then again, your problem was never taking action, was it? Fail to recognize your tendencies... - Being a head type - That rapidly generates ideas - and hates feeling uncomfortable - and desires stability - but also constant change - with an underlying issue of anxiety - and problems with commitment - and a desire for self-sustainment (6w7 traits, but what do I know, I've just studied it for a decade.) and you won't do any better with freelancing than inbound customer service. Tell us...how exactly is freelancing not inbound customer service? How will you interview better for a freelance job than for one you actually have experience in? How will you keep going when you realize freelancing isn't paying your bills? How will you keep going when your stability and comfort are threatened? Reality doesn't care about your feelings toward the Enneagram. Reality is reality. Tools are tools. If you won't use useful tools placed in front of you after asking for help, then freelancing, & entrepreneurship may not be right for you. On the other hand if you learn to gladly accept any tool that might be more beneficial than you realize, then you might have a chance. Forget everything you think you know. You're probably wrong. Winning your first $3 gig doesn't mean you have what it takes to secure high-paying clients or to stick with it long-term. Once you get out of the kiddy pool you actually have to compete against people who know wtf they're doing. I've won jobs over Ph.D.s in live interviews without a degree or experience. Just sayin. You have the unique ability to clearly see a variety of paths & the big picture. You're smart enough to have acknowledged you want something more out of life. The tools for getting unstuck (and not just taking action) are right there in front of you. The question is - will you let what you think you know block you from moving forward?</div>

Lex DeVille · Sep 4, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper">By the way...the few times I've made serious progress in life didn't come from idea hopping. They came when I acknowledged my tendencies and countered them, because someone else brought them to my attention.</div>

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freelancedev · Sep 4, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 13831" data-quote="SinisterLex" data-source="post: 482947" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=482947" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-482947">SinisterLex said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Great job taking action. That's the first step in creating change. Then again, your problem was never taking action, was it? Fail to recognize your tendencies... - Being a head type - That rapidly generates ideas - and hates feeling uncomfortable - and desires stability - but also constant change - with an underlying issue of anxiety - and problems with commitment - and a desire for self-sustainment (6w7 traits, but what do I know, I've just studied it for a decade.) and you won't do any better with freelancing than inbound customer service. Tell us...how exactly is freelancing not inbound customer service? How will you interview better for a freelance job than for one you actually have experience in? How will you keep going when you realize freelancing isn't paying your bills? How will you keep going when your stability and comfort are threatened? Reality doesn't care about your feelings toward the Enneagram. Reality is reality. Tools are tools. If you won't use useful tools placed in front of you after asking for help, then freelancing, & entrepreneurship may not be right for you. On the other hand if you learn to gladly accept any tool that might be more beneficial than you realize, then you might have a chance. Forget everything you think you know. You're probably wrong. Winning your first $3 gig doesn't mean you have what it takes to secure high-paying clients or to stick with it long-term. Once you get out of the kiddy pool you actually have to compete against people who know wtf they're doing. I've won jobs over Ph.D.s in live interviews without a degree or experience. Just sayin. You have the unique ability to clearly see a variety of paths & the big picture. You're smart enough to have acknowledged you want something more out of life. The tools for getting unstuck (and not just taking action) are right there in front of you. The question is - will you let what you think you know block you from moving forward? </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>I'm not really sure what you're getting at here, you're saying I should give up on freelancing and stay in my customer services job?</div>

Lex DeVille · Sep 4, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 31367" data-quote="A1roller" data-source="post: 482972" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=482972" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-482972">A1roller said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> I'm not really sure what you're getting at here, you're saying I should give up on freelancing and stay in my customer services job? </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote> I'm saying right now is the time to take a look at your patterns of behavior. Figure out what specifically you want (your goals) and what specifically isn't working for you. When you become aware of your patterns, then you can see when you're falling into old negative habits (such as rapidly jumping to new ideas). It also helps you understand what you need to do to move in the right direction. For instance if I notice I'm changing my mind a lot, then it means I'm entering one of my negative patterns. To get back on track I need to narrow my focus, bring myself back to the present, and take action on what I'm already working on. Every time you get a new idea you have to start over. It becomes a pattern of constantly starting and never finishing. If you want to make it as an entrepreneur then you gotta notice when you start getting those feelings. But since you have more than one emotion you also have to notice other negative emotions and tendencies that take you further from your goal. Then you have to constantly work toward doing the opposite, or finding some way to make those negative tendencies work to your advantage. I'm not saying to give up on anything. But if you want to reach your goal, then you need to know exactly what that goal is, and which actions of yours actually move you closer to it. So what's your goal? Your very specific long-term goal? What steps are between you and that goal? What actions move you closer to it? Job? Freelancing? Both? What is the very first step? Answer these for yourself and the only thing left is to choose your path and start the journey.</div>

freelancedev · Sep 4, 2015

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 13831" data-quote="SinisterLex" data-source="post: 482983" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=482983" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-482983">SinisterLex said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> I'm saying right now is the time to take a look at your patterns of behavior. Figure out what specifically you want (your goals) and what specifically isn't working for you. When you become aware of your patterns, then you can see when you're falling into old negative habits (such as rapidly jumping to new ideas). It also helps you understand what you need to do to move in the right direction. For instance if I notice I'm changing my mind a lot, then it means I'm entering one of my negative patterns. To get back on track I need to narrow my focus, bring myself back to the present, and take action on what I'm already working on. Every time you get a new idea you have to start over. It becomes a pattern of constantly starting and never finishing. If you want to make it as an entrepreneur then you gotta notice when you start getting those feelings. But since you have more than one emotion you also have to notice other negative emotions and tendencies that take you further from your goal. Then you have to constantly work toward doing the opposite, or finding some way to make those negative tendencies work to your advantage. I'm not saying to give up on anything. But if you want to reach your goal, then you need to know exactly what that goal is, and which actions of yours actually move you closer to it. So what's your goal? Your very specific long-term goal? What steps are between you and that goal? What actions move you closer to it? Job? Freelancing? Both? What is the very first step? Answer these for yourself and the only thing left is to choose your path and start the journey. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>I know starting over is not ideal, but I feel it's also valuable to know when to pivot when something isn't working which has clearly been the case for my past endeavours. What is my goal? My goal is simply to quit my job and live independent of employment. What steps are between me and that goal? Earning £1500 per month What actions move me closer? Running a successful business or being a successful freelancer What is the very first step? Gaining freelancing experience. This is the way I see things. I have no other "irons in the fire" at the moment if you will, other than an amazon affiliate website which is quietly churning away in the background while I wait for google to rank it higher.</div>

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