Did you know that in 10 years, it’s estimated 50.9% of the population in the U.S. will be freelancing? Will you be a part of that number? If not, what’s holding you back?

It may be that 9-5 corporate job, that we all know is much longer than the proverbial 9-5. You feel it’s a dead-end, yet day in and day out, there you are. Or maybe you’re slaving away at a job, sometimes two jobs, that pay minimum wage because you need to make ends meet. You keep treading water, and the only reason is you don’t think there’s much else you could do. You have some ideas, but you’re just unsure of it all.

In either case, the result is the same. You’re exhausted every single day, drained by a job you dislike and that leaves you sucked dry. You came home exhausted, go to bed exhausted, wake up exhausted, only to have to do it all over again the next day. No energy left for your family or friends, and certainly, none left for you.

You know you need a change and that you need to find a new job or career if you are ever going to be happy.

Yet, the days come and go and nothing happens. Why?

It can all be summed up in one word: fear.

You’ve decided that you want to try out freelance writing but find there’s so much resistance coming from inside of you. It’s coming from the lies you’re telling yourself, and those lies are keeping you from your pursuit of happiness. Do any of these statements sound familiar?

    1. I have no uniqueness as a writer to offer, so no one is going to want to hire me.
    2. I don’t know the first thing about freelance writing, so I wouldn’t even know where to begin or how to find clients.
    3. I’m not qualified because I don’t have a degree in journalism or English.
    4. I don’t know if I’ll be any good at it or if I’ll like it.
    5. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make any money
    6. I’ll never be able to replace my salary.

Did you notice all the negative self-talk? Every thought is filled with no’s, never’s and don’ts. That’s what fear does to you. It stops you in your tracks and makes you think you can’t.

Well here’s the truth: Fear is a liar. Think about all the people who you feel are less capable than you, yet have been able to do so much more with themselves. Why were they able to get farther?

Because they kicked fear to the curb! Imagine how far you could go if you did the same. Here are some suggestions on how you can finally get the ball rolling.

1. Identify What’s Holding You Back

You know that anxiety you get when you think about starting or doing something? What are you telling yourself in those moments? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) says that your feelings are a direct result of your thoughts and how you perceive a situation. So if you change your way of thinking, you can change how you feel.

Write down your negative self-talk and then think of a rational response. For example, if you’re worried about whether or not you’d make enough money to support yourself, you can take that fear to its logical conclusion and ask “what’s the worst that could happen if freelance writing didn’t work out?”. In all likelihood, you’d find something else to do––even if for a time you had to get a job you didn’t like very much while you figured out what other things you might like. At least you tried and gave it a shot. Every failure brings you one step closer to success.

2. Just Start!

With freelance writing, you just have to jump in and get wet! You don’t have to be perfect from the start. Don’t spend days on end researching where to begin or learning everything there is to know about freelance writing. That’s not what matters and will bring you precisely 0 clients. You can learn as you go along. Actually writing, guest posting, and pitching to prospective leads, is what you need to be doing. Learn some basic information on choosing a niche, creating a website, and how to cold pitch, then get started!

3. Develop a Writing Routine

If you’re worried that you don’t have the proper qualifications to write posts and articles, don’t. Most online writing is at a 5-8th grade reading level. Of course, there is an art that goes along with creating content for the web and other businesses, but you can learn that with time. The important thing is that you already have what it takes to start.

So now that we got that worry out of the way, to get rid of that tiny little voice that fills you with doubt and fear about your writing abilities, set aside some time every day to write, even if it’s just for 15 or 30 minutes. You’ll grow more confident as you see your progress. Also equally important is being efficient with your time. When you start juggling multiple clients, and you will, getting in the habit of creating an outline will keep you focused and will help you to write your posts and articles quickly.

Remember that fear is a liar and will bring up a million excuses and tell you that you can’t. Recognize the lies for what they are and don’t let them hold you back.

 

What fears about pursuing this business keep stopping you in your tracks? What fears have you been able to overcome and how? Comment below to share your thoughts.