As a freelancer, negotiating is a skill that’s a must-have. I can even argue that it leads to a happier life because think about this, for example.

How do you feel after negotiating and you don’t get your own part of the deal? Let’s say you’re a writer and have given the client a price of, say, $800 for 4 articles a month, and the client says their company can only afford to pay you $150 for the same number of articles a month. And somehow, they convince you to take the deal

If I were the one, I’d feel…

I remember when I first heard this and how confusing it was to me. The first thing that came to my mind was: How will you wish for a tough road for someone? Does that seem right to you?

I went on with this mindset until I started really looking inwards and reading more. Then, I noticed a pattern among people who are world-class and are remembered for something. The thing is, things weren’t so easy for them.

It was full of struggles that required them to work harder and devote their complete attention to their craft.

But not everyone…

I did this in 2019, and a couple of weeks back, I found the letter in my box when I was packing and was shocked at how much I had changed.

My mind was different, I was in a different headspace and my goals were minuscule compared to what they are now.

It just goes to show how much transformation can happen in our lives if we consistently put in the work overtime. Because whether we see it or not, times are changing. And there’s something I read one time about how we are the first prophets over our lives.

…

I’ve read lots of writers talk about how 6 months can completely change the course of your life if you can put your head down on a particular thing. And no truer words have been said.

Because I’ve seen it happen in my life so, I believe it works.

We’re no longer in the 50s when if you needed to start a business, you had to get loans from banks, sell your soul to them and have them on your necks every day till you repay. But now, there are lots of bootstraps.

Back then, you’d have to work for…

These past weeks I've been randomly reaching out to people ahead of me in the writing game, and asking for tips because I feel like networking is very crucial at every point in your career.

It’s important because the more you connect with these people, the they’ll be willing to support you and the more you’ll grow.

It’s important to network.

You opened this post because you were looking for something deep from him. I’m not gonna lie, I too thought the same thing when I asked for tips. …

Everyone wants to learn a skill, so they can become freelancers and work from a holiday destination, at a beach or something.

While this is great, there’s the less glamourous side of freelancing which only freelancers who have been in the game for long know about and can attest to. And it’s the rollercoaster you get every month trying to look for work or keep your already existing clients satisfied.

It’s a never-ending struggle because as a freelancer, you’re only as good as your previous job.

And the major determinant of how far you go is how confident you are…

I’ve gotten to accept this because we can’t always be 100% every day.

At times, I’ll wake up pumped and work from when I wake up, up until noon. That’s about 4 hours of focused work, and after I’ve had brunch and taken a nap, I’d get back to work.

Other days, it’s the complete opposite. I’d wake up, lay in bed, scroll through social media for an hour, watch YouTube and then sleep again. Then, look for what to eat, laze around till noon, and when the guilt hits hard, I will get to work.

These days happen, but…