Freelancing and being well paid for it can be Action Faking too

[FastNAwesome]

Just a quick realization I had.

I recently finished a website for a client. They got the result they were delighted with. I got the payment I was delighted with (my asking price).

However, in terms of progress, I'm exactly where I was before. Sure, a few $ richer, but also more than a month poorer in limited asset called time.

So, I'm not really keen on taking another website client. Even a high price wouldn't be sufficient motivator, as it wouldn't help me move in the direction I want to.

While freelancing can be a great stepping stone towards business, holding on to it for too long can be action faking too. You stay busy with what seems perfectly reasonable (helping people and getting well paid for it), but if it's not moving you towards your goals - then maybe it's just a way for you to keep busy and postpone facing real challenges.

 

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[GoGetter24]

However, in terms of progress, I'm exactly where I was before. Sure, a few $ richer, but also more than a month poorer in limited asset called time.

Not if your personal revenue-costs margin is enough to outsource work.

 

[The_Saphir]

Just a quick realization I had.

I recently finished a website for a client. They got the result they were delighted with. I got the payment I was delighted with (my asking price).

However, in terms of progress, I'm exactly where I was before. Sure, a few $ richer, but also more than a month poorer in limited asset called time.

So, I'm not really keen on taking another website client. Even a high price wouldn't be sufficient motivator, as it wouldn't help me move in the direction I want to.

While freelancing can be a great stepping stone towards business, holding on to it for too long can be action faking too. You stay busy with what seems perfectly reasonable (helping people and getting well paid for it), but if it's not moving you towards your goals - then maybe it's just a way for you to keep busy and postpone facing real challenges.

Why action faking? It's really up to you. Why do you freelance? If you're freelancing to get rich, you might get the money but you're still trading time for it.

If you do it with a goal in mind like saving money to start a business or execute on an idea that requires some funding, it's not action faking.

It's up to you at the end

 

[Longinus]

What if...

...this freelance work would lead to fastlane ideas

I read so many times here on the forum about guys who think freelancing should be avoided because SLOWLANE.

First of all, like it has been said here before: it's a means to an end. It's an excellent stepping stone between a job and a business.

Second, it's in many ways better than a job. Maybe you made a website for $1000. You could ask $2000 to your next client. Try getting a 100% raise from your boss.

Third, slowlane isn't evil. 100% of all fastlaners made sacrifices and did slowlane stuff before going to the next level.

I mean: what else are you gonna do? Do nothing and wait for that ultimate fastlane venture that will suddenly create itself without any sacrifice or hard work?

 

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[DakonSG]

Where is it that you're going? Would you enlighten me about your goals?

 

[ZF Lee]

What if...

...this freelance work would lead to fastlane ideas

I read so many times here on the forum about guys who think freelancing should be avoided because SLOWLANE.

First of all, like it has been said here before: it's a means to an end. It's an excellent stepping stone between a job and a business.

Second, it's in many ways better than a job. Maybe you made a website for $1000. You could ask $2000 to your next client. Try getting a 100% raise from your boss.

Third, slowlane isn't evil. 100% of all fastlaners made sacrifices and did slowlane stuff before going to the next level.

I mean: what else are you gonna do? Do nothing and wait for that ultimate fastlane venture that will suddenly create itself without any sacrifice or hard work?

This^^^

If you want to learn how to hire and manage a team, especially an online one, frameworks for testbeds and learning the ropes can be found on Upwork. Video calls, chat boxes and so on.

I didn't know that businesses could run WHOLE teams on Upwork, full-time staffing and all, until I got invites for positions....

I found that freelancing gave me great lessons in team communications and feedback, very important mechanisms in business.

Based on my experience freelancing in the present, I should be more comfortable hiring an online team when the time comes for it. Business success comes more smoothly when you can do things comfortably, knowing that you have been there.

I got the chance to sharpen my 'listening for opportunities', through interviews with potential business folks. Sometimes the conversations went to personal lives and beliefs, as most of them aren't the restrictive corporate mindset folks.

Some of them were avid personal development folks like most of us here.

Some of them were veteran startup founders.

Some of them got fired from jobs.

Some of them got left out to dry by freelancers or employees that ditched them.

Some of them had businesses wiped out because of shitty internet in their countries or a wrong social media ad.

And I think this has been covered by SinisterLex and many others, but if you want to master a skill on-the-job, freelancing can be a more efficient (and challenging) path than regular job promotions.

Third, slowlane isn't evil. 100% of all fastlaners made sacrifices and did slowlane stuff before going to the next level.

Both the Slowlane and the Fastlane do rely on the principle of providing value and putting education in high esteem.

Definitely nothing evil with that.

 

[Ninjakid]

Same could be said for any business though. Some people are satisfied with a little hamburger stand, but Ray Kroc has to make McDonalds.

Freelancing is your own business, and you can take it to whatever heights you want to.

Let's say your freelance gig makes a milli a year and you barely do any work, just manage people who you hire/outsource to, are you gonna be complaining?

 

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[Andy Black]

Just a quick realization I had.

I recently finished a website for a client. They got the result they were delighted with. I got the payment I was delighted with (my asking price).

However, in terms of progress, I'm exactly where I was before. Sure, a few $ richer, but also more than a month poorer in limited asset called time.

So, I'm not really keen on taking another website client. Even a high price wouldn't be sufficient motivator, as it wouldn't help me move in the direction I want to.

While freelancing can be a great stepping stone towards business, holding on to it for too long can be action faking too. You stay busy with what seems perfectly reasonable (helping people and getting well paid for it), but if it's not moving you towards your goals - then maybe it's just a way for you to keep busy and postpone facing real challenges.

I hear what you’re saying.

I’ve literally had to wean myself off the higher paying but bespoke consulting gigs so that I can focus on building repeatable and scalable Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR).

I wouldn’t call it action-faking to be doing freelance work, but I would say it carries the danger of being a destination when it likely should just be a stepping stone for us.

And the higher our freelancing rate the harder it can be to move beyond freelancing.

 

[Drive2Riches]

but if it's not moving you towards your goals - then maybe it's just a way for you to keep busy and postpone facing real challenges.

It took a few years, but finally, I have a freelance gig that pays my bills. I'm not making bank by any means, but I'm fixing credit and saving nickels. I tweaked my whole process to squeeze out most of the admin in it, and now my time is used solely for genuinely billable work. What's most valuable to me is my process. Not the product. I'd love to leap onto a different plateau using the same process I've created on a more valuable, less time-consuming product.

So... Eliminate the admin work. Maybe what you need is to find a new gig. Maybe your forte is instead getting clients or networking or simply in developing the non-product-related process that has gotten you this far with your current product. Maybe your valued results can be achieved more quickly.

You're already doing something that is free from geography constraints. Kudos for that.

Since you've found yourself in a spot that demands your time, maybe finding ways to reduce the amount of time spent on your product and process can help shape future goals.

 

[cjac9chris]

Just a quick realization I had.

I recently finished a website for a client. They got the result they were delighted with. I got the payment I was delighted with (my asking price).

However, in terms of progress, I'm exactly where I was before. Sure, a few $ richer, but also more than a month poorer in limited asset called time.

So, I'm not really keen on taking another website client. Even a high price wouldn't be sufficient motivator, as it wouldn't help me move in the direction I want to.

While freelancing can be a great stepping stone towards business, holding on to it for too long can be action faking too. You stay busy with what seems perfectly reasonable (helping people and getting well paid for it), but if it's not moving you towards your goals - then maybe it's just a way for you to keep busy and postpone facing real challenges.

I’m in the same place. I’ve jacked the prices up and outsourced/automated just about everything I can.

It’s bought me time and sanity. Now I’ve just gotta build my money tree with all my free time. That’s the hard part...


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[safff]

Freelancing, or consulting - are things that need to be taken in perspective.

What I mean is, that it needs to be part of a bigger plan if that's what you want.

My consulting business has done a few things for me.

1) become a massive time drain. Whilst I pick my clients and get paid for results, I fly 6000 kms a week, am away from home and generally am in an office for 8-10 hours a day.

2) become a massive enabler. During this time I have been able to start two businesses which will grow when I can divert more attention to them and are slowly growing with the current time I have available.

3) is developing into a business as opposed to a job - this is the important one. Consulting in my field can take a few routes: a) end up a career consultant. No bad thing, it pulls in at least $30k a month at the moment. but it's still a job and is still capped by the time I can put in. b) become a consultancy BUSINESS - with the ability to take a step back and earn passively.

I'm somewhere between a and b at the moment. I have the potential to employ more resources and hire them out on a day rate, taking a cut. I also have the ability to develop products which are leased and sold to my current and new clients which will change things dramatically.

Once fully in position B, 2 is amplified and my other ventures can and will flourish.

And to me, therein lies the difference between it becoming 'faking' and actually progressing.

The problem with freelancing and consulting is that it is very easy to make a bit of bank and then settle at 1 above, so that 2 and 3 don't occur - ie a glorified job..