5 Things Every Freelance Writer Should Embrace Before The End Of The Year

To be successful as a freelance writer, embracing the fact that you're in charge of your own career is essential.

Here are five things you should do to ensure a bright future for yourself ASAP.

Learn a New Skill

Learning new skills makes you a better person and a more effective writer.

It fills you with confidence that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. These skills can be something like learning how to manage your time better.

So many people miss chances to grow because of poor time management - because of how their day is stretched for time. They often overlook opportunities that come their way or immediately dismiss them, thinking they can't possibly juggle anything else.

Some examples of new skills for writers are learning SEO, diving deeper into content marketing, and or taking up copywriting.

Develop Your Leadership Potential

Believe it or not, everyone has leadership potential.

Some people are outgoing, strong leaders, while others lead quietly. You want to develop your leadership potential as part of your self-improvement - not necessarily because you want to go into leadership, but for the benefit, it will bring to you.

One benefit of developing your leadership potential as a writer is that it will help you become better at leading projects. You can effectively lead client projects and ensure that your team is working cohesively to reach the project's goal.

Leadership potential also helps with managing a workflow, which is essential for freelance writers who are handling multiple deadlines simultaneously.

With leadership skills development, you command your life - which always leads to the ability to take whatever action steps are necessary to be a better you. Developing this kind of self-improvement lets you stick to your values and gives you the discipline to achieve success.

It also inspires and empowers you, and what writer doesn't want to be and feel more empowered?

Set Boundaries

Boundaries are the limits on which people live their lives, which is even more poignant for freelancers.

Setting a boundary means you impose constraints on what is acceptable.

These constraints can refer to what you accept for your emotional or physical self. When you have a boundary, it feels a lot like self-care - because it is. It means that you recognize that what you need to be whole and healthy is equally as necessary as what others may need. And this has a direct impact on your career as a freelancer.

Boundaries are meant to protect your space. It means your opinions don't change just because someone else thinks differently. An example of this as a writer means saying "no" to work you know will not be up to your standards with no guilt, no shame. Developing boundaries makes it easier to recognize what works best for you in your professional and personal life.

Having boundaries means saying no when something crosses the line of what is okay with you. Sometimes your boundaries may make people uncomfortable, but that is their issue to overcome - or not.

When you set boundaries, you establish the way that people are allowed to treat you.

Take Risks

It is human nature to reach a comfort point and stay there.

This can happen in every part of your life. You can reach a certain point with your weight, health, finances, and relationships, and you settle in for the long haul because change is risky.

As a freelance writer, you've already taken a giant leap of faith... in yourself. It means you may have to stretch. You may have to reach outside of your comfort zone. Usually, when people are challenged to step away from what is familiar and leave it behind, they begin to backpedal.

That's not you, though.

What you have to realize is that if you put off risk and keep living the way you have been living up until this point, nothing will ever change. Self-improvement is about change.

That thing you've put off doing out of fear, out of weighing the risks, and falling back into old habits - is the very thing that would change your life and put you on track to realizing your dreams.

Give Up Procrastination

Procrastination is a barrier to self-improvement and becoming the best writer you can be.

You'll start the article tomorrow. You'll begin that new diet next week. You'll set boundaries after this next family vacation. You'll change your negative habits when you have more money, time, or a better life situation.

Procrastination is really fear that just all dressed up.

Maybe you are worried that you will become the object of criticism or that you will get rejected by people you care about if you change something about yourself. When you give in to procrastination, it means you are putting success on the back burner. Putting your dreams on hold.

You might think you are not making a choice one way or another, but you are. Not making a choice is actually making one. So what do you want to improve about yourself now and in the future?

Stop putting it off.

The lack of action on your part is eating away at your self-confidence. It undermines your success; you were meant for more in life than you allowed yourself to have.

The final word

Freelancers have to be especially diligent in setting boundaries.

It's not only for their own sake but also for the sake of their clients and customers. Setting boundaries makes it easier to recognize what is and isn't acceptable - which means that your work will always be up to your high standards. Additionally, freelancers must take risks to improve their skills and reach new levels of success. Procrastination is a barrier to self-improvement, so freelancers need to develop a system where they can hold themselves accountable without sacrificing their dreams.

Join our merry band of Outlaw Writers. For the creators who are tired of playing by the same old boring rules.