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Lex DeVille

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Always such a detailed response. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. That's precisely why I was asking for a recommendation. Don't want to pick up poor habits. Was hoping you had quality swipe files. Well thanks. From the ground up it is.
The one caveat I always add with comments like this is to use what proves useful for you. If you try swipe files and you start getting good results, then by all means use them. My methods work for me and they've gotten good results for others who had similar goals but that doesn't mean they're the right way or the best way for everyone.
 
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ProcessPro

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The one caveat I always add with comments like this is to use what proves useful for you. If you try swipe files and you start getting good results, then by all means use them. My methods work for me and they've gotten good results for others who had similar goals but that doesn't mean they're the right way or the best way for everyone.

Gotcha! Will use it until I get the hang of things. Was looking at your upwork profile. Man if I can be half as successful as you...that will provide enough to live while I work on my real fastlane ideas. At the moment, you're my upwork role model.
 

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Nope.

I don't use any swipe files. Virtually all of my copy is tailored for the individual audience from scratch. It's not plug'n'play. I create my own layouts and structures and then split-test them to see what gets the best results.

If you work with serious clients you'll have to split-test your copy anyway even if you use a swipe file. I'd rather use my own styles and structures that have worked for me and start from there. That way I never rely on other copywriters and avoid accidentally getting sucked into their bad habits.

For instance, if you join 20 female coach mailing lists, at least 10 of them will start their emails with: "I'm so excited to share with you blah blah blah."

It came across as authentic for the first couple of people who used it. But now it's stale, yet they (or their copywriters) continue to use it all....the....time.

I don't study other copywriters.

I'm a rebel. I break systems. People study me. Not the other way around. ;)
THIS.

Relates back to my earlier post on my progress thread.

My client just wanted me to write emails following the control, instead of exploring BETTER angles that could rope in more educated and serious customers who would pay MORE.

Re: Eugene Schwartz's Market Sophistication.

Another reason to let him go. :)

Even Danny Marguilles said something like this:

Put all the classical copywriters together, and they will all write DIFFERENT copy for the product.

They are all speaking about the product in their own way and own words.
 

ProcessPro

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Why are you doing this?
To become self-sufficient. My mother is supporting me right now and things are getting tougher. If I don't make this work right now, I will have to get a job and thus lose time and energy to work on my fastlane idea (already started; much to do).

Describe your endgame in specific detail...
To become self reliant while I work on my fastlane idea.

How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?
At least $1000 a month.

Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?
Myself, my mother and my lady.
 
Last edited:

ProcessPro

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@Lex DeVille Sorry to be a bother. But any advice on how to apply to upwork without past clients/experience?

What should I put for skill level, overview and work history? Please point me if you've already answered this for someone else. Thanks.
 

Lex DeVille

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@Lex DeVille Sorry to be a bother. But any advice on how to apply to upwork without past clients/experience?

What should I put for skill level, overview and work history? Please point me if you've already answered this for someone else. Thanks.

Can't remember if I already answered this but when I signed up on Upwork I chose a skill level that fit my skill level. The only thing you really need to get rolling is a short bio. As long as you write YOU Focused proposals AND you're willing to get on a phone call with clients, then not having a fully filled out profile won't stop you from earning clients.

If you look at the thread where I deleted my Upwork account and started over from scratch you'll see that I didn't have any info filled out in my profile. Just sent one proposal with a YOU Focus and got a response. Then got on the call and sealed the deal. Everything else is extra for later on. It builds social proof and credibility but isn't necessary at the start.

You can add portfolio pieces as you finish client projects. You can use any past work experience or education as long as you can relate it back to your skill and show how it makes you better at that skill. Take some of Upwork's tests to build more authority on your profile. You can even add a few non-paid portfolio pieces to show what you can do. This way you don't have to have clients.
 
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ProcessPro

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Can't remember if I already answered this but when I signed up on Upwork I chose a skill level that fit my skill level. The only thing you really need to get rolling is a short bio. As long as you write YOU Focused proposals AND you're willing to get on a phone call with clients, then not having a fully filled out profile won't stop you from earning clients.

If you look at the thread where I deleted my Upwork account and started over from scratch you'll see that I didn't have any info filled out in my profile. Just sent one proposal with a YOU Focus and got a response. Then got on the call and sealed the deal. Everything else is extra for later on. It builds social proof and credibility but isn't necessary at the start.

You can add portfolio pieces as you finish client projects. You can use any past work experience or education as long as you can relate it back to your skill and show how it makes you better at that skill. Take some of Upwork's tests to build more authority on your profile. You can even add a few non-paid portfolio pieces to show what you can do. This way you don't have to have clients.

Okay. Will put those points into practice. Thanks once again!
 

ProcessPro

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Can I use my middle name and surname to register on upwork? Or should the name correspond exactly with my credit card?
 

Lex DeVille

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Can I use my middle name and surname to register on upwork? Or should the name correspond exactly with my credit card?

I registered with "Lex" even though that isn't on my card, so technically yes it can be done. I don't know if you can add your middle name though. Can't remember now.
 
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hatedsalesrep

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I'm having an internal struggle with getting my mindset straight.

I am currently on Upwork as a sales person/ phone closer. I have had personal experience actually doing:
-Phone sales
-Lead generation (taking their customers into funnel and capturing their information)
-Pay per click advertising with display, search, and mobile advertising.

I am getting some interviews with my current sales role, but I would much rather be doing PPC or lead generation. I don't mind also taking on the role of closing the business, but only if I am part of lead generation.

My reason behind it is that majority of sales roles on upwork that I've been finding are marketing agencies, where you have to cold call your leads and it's 100% commission. They view the position as low value. I'd have no problem doing 100% for the right company, but thus far its all the same profile.

thoughts?
 

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Thanks for the great information.

@Lex DeVille Would that also work on other freelancing platforms and in other languages?
 

MB2

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I got accepted using your video, but how do you get jobs with no feedback? No one is going to hire someone with no history.

You got to start with what you know. Go for low paying gigs, just to get the momentum and have positive feedbacks. Once you rack up good, positive feedback, then you can move onto high paying gigs.

Start from where you are friend!

Plan and take actions to see what works and what doesn't. Analyze 'em and decide what your next step is. Remember action is everything!

If you ain't moving, you are staying still!
 
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Upwork is one of the fastest ways to get your feet wet with online business. You probably won't get rich on Upwork (though it's not impossible), and that isn't the purpose of this guide. This multi-post guide is an Upwork Tutorial for those who:

  • Need to get moving on something...ANYTHING
  • Need a way to bootstrap cash...FOR FREE

It doesn't matter where you're from or what your situation is. If you have semi-stable internet and a computer to work from, then you can make money on Upwork at no cost to you but your time.

In the posts that follow I will share a series of Upwork Tutorials to get you started even if you don't know what the f*ck you're doing, and even if you don't have any skills or experience right now. This step-by-step guide will give you a clear path from $0 to your first $1,000 or more on Upwork.

If you follow my posts and do as I say, you will make money...

Possibly this week.

However, you should know that your success here requires a difficult mindset shift. You will have to change how you do things. Employees do NOT make good freelancers. So here are some things you should know right now:

  • You can take your 20 year work history and light it on fire
  • Tuck your college degrees away on some shelf
  • Tear that entitled victim attitude to shreds because...

Freelance clients don't give a shit about your education and experience unless it backs up your ability to get the job done. Also, nobody owes you anything. In the freelance world, you rise to your own level based on how much you help people, and on how clearly you demonstrate that you can help people.


Also... I'm developing a corresponding tutorial for my YouTube channel, and as such will be posting videos related to each post topic. You can watch them or not. You do not have to watch them to get the information because I will also post it in text here.

Consider this DAY ZERO.

Each day I will walk you through one piece of the Upwork puzzle. Step-by-step I will guide you to get approved on Upwork, get started, and make money. At the end of each post you will find a homework assignment.

Do the homework each day.


I would encourage you to share your progress and results either here, on my channel, or both since it will encourage engagement that will send traffic to the Fastlane Forum (each video links to the forum), and to my channel which is valuable for M.J. and for myself and also promotes future comprehensive tutorials such as this one, which is valuable for you.

SET OFF AT SUNRISE TO GET THERE BY DARK

There's only one way this thread won't become another action-faking, analysis paralysis knowledge feast for you. To make anything useful happen, you will have to take MASSIVE action and get started. You will have to stop telling yourself every silly excuse. Stop being afraid. Don't let phantoms of fantasy futures destroy your dreams.

Action is the only way.

So start today. Right now. Make a commitment. Commit to do this. Commit to act and to get started. You will start this today. You will take your first step now. And that first step is to determine WHY you are doing this. What do you want to come of this? To do that, your first homework is physically to answer all of the following questions:

  1. Why are you doing this?
  2. Describe your endgame in specific detail...
  3. How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?
  4. Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?

It's important to know WHY you are doing this. You can't be vague about it. "I want to be a highly paid freelancer who creates value" is not a good response for your "why."

You are doing this because you need to pay bills or debt. Because you want to quit your shitty job. Because you need money for your ecommerce business. Because you want to travel and earn money from anywhere. Because you want to support your family. Because you want to earn full-time pay with part-time work from home.

You are trying to escape something (bad job, bad boss, debt, poverty, feeling like a loser). You desire some kind of change (travel, money, freedom, skills, to get started). You are selfish and you want things in life and THAT IS OKAY.

But you need to define those things. The things you want. The things you don't want. Because it is those things that will help remind you why you set off down this path in the first place, especially when there's nothing but miles and miles of bumpy road ahead.

That is your homework today.

Do the homework. Post your response. In the next post I will teach you how to give yourself the best possible chance to get approved on Upwork. As of 2019, getting approved on Upwork is probably the single biggest barrier to entry for new freelancers.

Lucky for you, you're not a freelancer. You're an entrepreneur, and you have me as your guide. So follow this Upwork Tutorial and commit to continue even when the long road makes you weary. If you do, you may discover the distance between sunrise and sunset isn't so far apart as it seems.

By the way...

This is the only mindset post.

Get your mind right now. In the days that follow, we've got work to do.

  1. Why are you doing this?
  2. Describe your endgame in specific detail...
  3. How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?
  4. Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?
1. I am doing this so as to have an extra source of income and do better in life.
2. At the end of the day, I will like to create an animation studio here in nigeria
3. half a million
4. I would have only failed myself and future Nigerian children who would have loved to watch indigenous animations created by my company
 

Lex DeVille

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I'm having an internal struggle with getting my mindset straight.

I am currently on Upwork as a sales person/ phone closer. I have had personal experience actually doing:
-Phone sales
-Lead generation (taking their customers into funnel and capturing their information)
-Pay per click advertising with display, search, and mobile advertising.

I am getting some interviews with my current sales role, but I would much rather be doing PPC or lead generation. I don't mind also taking on the role of closing the business, but only if I am part of lead generation.

My reason behind it is that majority of sales roles on upwork that I've been finding are marketing agencies, where you have to cold call your leads and it's 100% commission. They view the position as low value. I'd have no problem doing 100% for the right company, but thus far its all the same profile.

thoughts?

What do you want thoughts on? If you want to switch, switch. Nobody is stopping you but you.
 

Lex DeVille

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Thanks for the great information.

@Lex DeVille Would that also work on other freelancing platforms and in other languages?

Which part? If you're talking about the approach to proposals and sales, then yes it will work basically anywhere and on any platform where you can connect with people.
 
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BellaPippin

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You know how to light some fire on people's chests, son!
  1. Why are you doing this?
Because I need extra income to save. Because I want to buy a house to call my home and decorate it with a lot of plants. I WANT TO HAVE A LICENSE PLATE THAT READS "LANDLADY" and eventually I will buy more houses and rent them. My tenants will pay for my mortgage. I will milk my job for as long as I can/want but I will have TIME back. I want to go home to visit, to stay for more than two weeks, to go if something bad happens, if a friend gets married, if a baby is born. I want TIME and for that right now I need FUNDS, baby $$$$.
  1. Describe your endgame in specific detail...
Ditto answer 1. plus ... extra $$ every month. Savings growing. Shopping for a multi unit house by this winter/next spring. Buy. Rent. Rinse and repeat while I keep growing passive streams until I can either work part-time out of desire or just stay at home and make paintings and work for myself. I don't need six figures I just need enough to not need a 9-5.
  1. How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?
If I make an extra $150-$300 a month it's already worth it for me. Every penny counts. Every dollar brings me that house sooner.
  1. Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?
Myself. Myself. Myself. I. Me. My mom. She deserves all the help in the world when it's time and I'm an only child. My family. My friends. I want to give them the world. All the foster doggies and kitties that are sitting in cages and could be sitting near a fireplace. The megachonker Oscar or parrot cichlid fish I want to have in a 75 gallon tank. All the extra homegrown veggies I can take to my local food depository.

If I sound like a total altruistic/philantropic maniac is because I think I am. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ok HERE I GO! ...Maybe tomorrow evening, ima cook keto pizza with bf tonight n_o ~ But here goes my attempt.
 

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What's the deal with the new "specialized profiles" feature over at Upwork? On the surface seems like it's a great thing for smart freelancers who use Lex's approach - but I'm curious what kind of experience people are actually having with it on the platform.
 

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I made a specialized profile, but I did not put much thought or effort into it, just a couple paragraphs that expand on the general profile.

I was thinking about it earlier and I realized it's probably better to have the other way around: slightly shorter general profile, a lot more in depth specialized profile. Or even better, write a completely new general profile, move the current general one as translation one (since I have rewritten it to make as specialized as possible, following this thread's advice), and then see if I want to make one more as a content writer (Lately I've been doing more writing than translating), depends on how this whole reorganization of Upwork goes for me.

Your client gets sent the specialized profile if it fits the job (for example my potential clients would see my Translation profile).
 
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Thanks for this great thread and long posts. It shows how skilled you are with writing ! I don't plan to launch myself as a freelancer but it was very entertaining ! Thanks !
 

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Yes I have advice. You need to work on your mindset not your skillset.

You've got an excuse at every turn. Limiting beliefs in practically every sentence.

If you don't know what to list as your skill you have to figure out how to solve that.



You disproved yourself in just a few lines down.



Actually, this is a useful credibility marker than can help you land gigs.



You don't need experience to plunge a toilet, although nobody will hire you to do that online. There are apprenticeship programs to help you get experience. There are also people who hire people straight out of school for jobs like plumbing and are willing to teach them the ropes. But would you hire someone who walked through the door with an attitude of "I can't because all of these excuses..."?



Sales
Customer Service
Answer Questions
Answering Phones
Decision Making
Promotional Marketing



Nobody is going to pay you more for sure. They would pay me a lot more even without experience because I would just use that skill, sell myself, and make it happen.



I'm not going to tell you what to put in there. You need to develop resources for problem solving because you will need them for freelancing.

Ask yourself questions:

I wouldn't know a single skill that I could put on there.
- How can you go about finding a skill to list?
- What skills do I already have?
- What skills could I possibly learn?
- What skills are even allowed?
- How can I find out what skills are allowed on Upwork?
- What ways could I figure out what clients might need on Upwork?
- What am I most interested in doing?
- How can I best help people online?

But don't just ask yourself questions...find answers. This is the single biggest determining factor between someone who makes it as a freelancer and someone who is just wasting their time. If you can't ask questions and answer them on your own, you can't win at freelancing. You can't win at business. You can't win at anything until you start to learn how to solve problems.
Thank you. I'm a little late, but I wanted to thank you for your feedback. I am definitely taking it into consideration.
 

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Got insta-accepted for article writing, optimized overview, took three tests, came out top 20% on two and "above average" on the third. Now to some portfolio pieces and submit my first proposals. Fingers crossed.
 
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Lex DeVille

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@Lex DeVille Would you submit proposals to jobs with 0 spent, payment unverified and no feedback?

Yup. The $8k web design job I picked up was one of those. Just be sure to get on a call with the client and make sure you know what they want before agreeing to work with them.
 
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Wrote two articles for my portfolio following the course assignments, today I applied to three gigs. n_n

Question: One of the job descriptions for a job said "To get started, I'll give you a title and have you write a 1000 word article. If that goes well I have daily work for you". As someone who has done freelance in the past, that totally sounded like "I want my first article for free" to me (that is if there ARE other articles..)

Since I was writing articles for my assignments I picked a topic of what she was looking for (dog niche) and wrote a 650 opinion article about dog ear cropping to put on my portfolio, then said "there is a dog-related sample article in my portfolio you can review"

If she answers I'll tell her that is the sample, take it or leave it. Not gonna write 1000 words for free. 500, maybe, 1000 no thanks...

Thoughts?
 

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Wrote two articles for my portfolio following the course assignments, today I applied to three gigs. n_n

Question: One of the job descriptions for a job said "To get started, I'll give you a title and have you write a 1000 word article. If that goes well I have daily work for you". As someone who has done freelance in the past, that totally sounded like "I want my first article for free" to me (that is if there ARE other articles..)

Since I was writing articles for my assignments I picked a topic of what she was looking for (dog niche) and wrote a 650 opinion article about dog ear cropping to put on my portfolio, then said "there is a dog-related sample article in my portfolio you can review"

If she answers I'll tell her that is the sample, take it or leave it. Not gonna write 1000 words for free. 500, maybe, 1000 no thanks...

Thoughts?
Maybe he's willing to pay just for the first article to limit his risk, at first, and if you deliver well, he's going to give you a lot of work.

Envoyé de mon SM-G955F en utilisant Tapatalk
 

Lex DeVille

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Wrote two articles for my portfolio following the course assignments, today I applied to three gigs. n_n

Question: One of the job descriptions for a job said "To get started, I'll give you a title and have you write a 1000 word article. If that goes well I have daily work for you". As someone who has done freelance in the past, that totally sounded like "I want my first article for free" to me (that is if there ARE other articles..)

Since I was writing articles for my assignments I picked a topic of what she was looking for (dog niche) and wrote a 650 opinion article about dog ear cropping to put on my portfolio, then said "there is a dog-related sample article in my portfolio you can review"

If she answers I'll tell her that is the sample, take it or leave it. Not gonna write 1000 words for free. 500, maybe, 1000 no thanks...

Thoughts?

If she didn't ask for an unpaid article then there's a chance she is willing to pay for it. I wouldn't write an unpaid article. In most cases it's a big waste of time, although I like that you used it for your portfolio. That's a good way to reframe it to take back the power.

If you think a gig is a fit for you in the future but they're asking for an unpaid sample, it's okay to let them know you'll do a sample but not unpaid. You can give them a discount on the first piece so you still get paid and if they like you after that then you can go forward together.

A client who asks for free work typically isn't a client I would work with.
 
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Upwork is one of the fastest ways to get your feet wet with online business. You probably won't get rich on Upwork (though it's not impossible), and that isn't the purpose of this guide. This multi-post guide is an Upwork Tutorial for those who:

  • Need to get moving on something...ANYTHING
  • Need a way to bootstrap cash...FOR FREE

It doesn't matter where you're from or what your situation is. If you have semi-stable internet and a computer to work from, then you can make money on Upwork at no cost to you but your time.

In the posts that follow I will share a series of Upwork Tutorials to get you started even if you don't know what the f*ck you're doing, and even if you don't have any skills or experience right now. This step-by-step guide will give you a clear path from $0 to your first $1,000 or more on Upwork.

If you follow my posts and do as I say, you will make money...

Possibly this week.

However, you should know that your success here requires a difficult mindset shift. You will have to change how you do things. Employees do NOT make good freelancers. So here are some things you should know right now:

  • You can take your 20 year work history and light it on fire
  • Tuck your college degrees away on some shelf
  • Tear that entitled victim attitude to shreds because...

Freelance clients don't give a shit about your education and experience unless it backs up your ability to get the job done. Also, nobody owes you anything. In the freelance world, you rise to your own level based on how much you help people, and on how clearly you demonstrate that you can help people.


Also... I'm developing a corresponding tutorial for my YouTube channel, and as such will be posting videos related to each post topic. You can watch them or not. You do not have to watch them to get the information because I will also post it in text here.

Consider this DAY ZERO.

Each day I will walk you through one piece of the Upwork puzzle. Step-by-step I will guide you to get approved on Upwork, get started, and make money. At the end of each post you will find a homework assignment.

Do the homework each day.


I would encourage you to share your progress and results either here, on my channel, or both since it will encourage engagement that will send traffic to the Fastlane Forum (each video links to the forum), and to my channel which is valuable for M.J. and for myself and also promotes future comprehensive tutorials such as this one, which is valuable for you.

SET OFF AT SUNRISE TO GET THERE BY DARK

There's only one way this thread won't become another action-faking, analysis paralysis knowledge feast for you. To make anything useful happen, you will have to take MASSIVE action and get started. You will have to stop telling yourself every silly excuse. Stop being afraid. Don't let phantoms of fantasy futures destroy your dreams.

Action is the only way.

So start today. Right now. Make a commitment. Commit to do this. Commit to act and to get started. You will start this today. You will take your first step now. And that first step is to determine WHY you are doing this. What do you want to come of this? To do that, your first homework is physically to answer all of the following questions:

  1. Why are you doing this?
  2. Describe your endgame in specific detail...
  3. How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?
  4. Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?

It's important to know WHY you are doing this. You can't be vague about it. "I want to be a highly paid freelancer who creates value" is not a good response for your "why."

You are doing this because you need to pay bills or debt. Because you want to quit your shitty job. Because you need money for your ecommerce business. Because you want to travel and earn money from anywhere. Because you want to support your family. Because you want to earn full-time pay with part-time work from home.

You are trying to escape something (bad job, bad boss, debt, poverty, feeling like a loser). You desire some kind of change (travel, money, freedom, skills, to get started). You are selfish and you want things in life and THAT IS OKAY.

But you need to define those things. The things you want. The things you don't want. Because it is those things that will help remind you why you set off down this path in the first place, especially when there's nothing but miles and miles of bumpy road ahead.

That is your homework today.

Do the homework. Post your response. In the next post I will teach you how to give yourself the best possible chance to get approved on Upwork. As of 2019, getting approved on Upwork is probably the single biggest barrier to entry for new freelancers.

Lucky for you, you're not a freelancer. You're an entrepreneur, and you have me as your guide. So follow this Upwork Tutorial and commit to continue even when the long road makes you weary. If you do, you may discover the distance between sunrise and sunset isn't so far apart as it seems.

By the way...

This is the only mindset post.

Get your mind right now. In the days that follow, we've got work to do.


1. Why are you doing this?

I need more control over my income.

A. I need income based on merit. Work harder, smarter, receive more money.

B. I want the ability to work as much as I want. I don't have this ability with driving gigs.

C. I want the schedule freedom. I don't want to miss a t-ball game. If I'm up in the middle of the night, I want to have the option of trading that time for money.

2. My Endgame is

A. To level up to a higher income gig. Real estate wholesaling / Airbnb / High-end Woodworking. All of which I'll need capital for starting and a financial cushion. (I'm not saying I'll wait until all of this is done before I start leveling up, but for the sake of my family I have to be responsible)

B. Create income generating money system and establish contribution routine

C. Be debt free. At least what is current...

3. How much $ ?

Well, the endgame as stated above, plus $10,000 saved to level up with.

Initially, $125/day is what I need to keep the lights on and breathe. I'm making roughly that now and a significant portion goes to gas and auto maintenance.

At $250/day I should be able to level up within 6 months.

4. Who am I failing if I give up or don't succeed?

A. My kids. Their childhood, development, positive/engaged role models (me and wife)
B. My wife. Her spirit is suffocating.
C. Me. My talents and aspirations. My thirst for knowledge and experience will never be quenched.
 

jms0717

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Oct 31, 2017
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San Angelo, TX
I have had upwork for over a year, and basically have been half assing it since losing my last big client, not using any specific sales tactics, let alone the scripts here. A few days ago, I went through and applied to something that looks interesting using the proposal script, and got this message this morning. I thought I was out of the game with her, because the job I applied for was showing "hired" already. But obviously something worked
Thanks Lex!
 

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