Why mindset in freelancing is so f*cking important

Last year I had an epiphany. It was one that I didn’t even know I needed to have.

I realised that I had still been trying to be something that I’m not.

I'd still been trying to ‘act’ corporate. I’ve been trying to fit into people’s 9-5 expectations. I’d been feeling guilty for travelling and living life on my terms.

& finally, after 2 years.. I chose to break completely loose of that.

See when I first started out, I still had quite a corporate mindset. I was grateful to people for giving me work. I felt so thankful that they would pay me.

You know, when you spend your career in corporate and you’re constantly asking for a pay rise, and you’re always told: ‘next year, next year’. You end up being conditioned to have less power and be at the mercy of those employing you.

Going independent was a huge mindset shift to realise that I am in control, and I have to take control.

In my first year of freelancing, my mindset shifted.

I worked with a business coach to set more boundaries and do things my way. I started to think more about the impact that I add, and why people should be paying me (and paying me more!) for this.

However, I still didn’t believe that I deserved to get paid for delivering incredible work, because I actually (if I deep down inside admit it), felt guilty that I wasn’t fitting in to the social norms.

& I don’t know what happened this week, but I had an insane shift in my mindset.

I decided to revisit the work that I really want to be doing.

I wrote down everything I was an expert at, everything that I loved doing, and crucially - what makes me do this better than anyone else.

& there it was, the thing that I think makes me incredible at what I do. Whether that is working with Product teams, coaching product people or putting my thoughts out there through my writing. It is the fact that I am doing things differently.

I’ve never been afraid to call BS. I’ve never minded letting people know how I feel. I’ve never wanted to live a socially conventional life. & that is where I make the magic happen.

I show everyone how they can play to their strengths. I help teams to break from everything that they’ve been doing and do it 10x better. I show people how things can be different.

So from this week, I’m no longer apologising or feeling guilty for my ‘unconventional’ life. I’m f*cking embracing it, as I add a million times more impact this way.

If you’re ever feeling a bit out of place, remember that your place is your strength! Keep playing to that and believing in yourself. You’ve got this. The world needs more of your magic 🪄