You might read the title and blow it off. I mean come on, one secret! One secret to a success! There’s no way or is there?
Here’s what I know for sure:
While there are no easy ways to success, there is a simple way. And it’s one thing you can do now that will help you down the road to success.
In the almost year long path that I’ve been on a pursuit to follow my freelance writing dreams, I’ve learned a few things.
- You can’t trust everybody. I had enough deadbeat clients to learn that the hard way. But it also taught me my next lesson.
- I’m responsible for my career. This means that I need to be selective about the people I work with, write for and invite into my professional life. This leads to lesson #3 and what I consider to be the #1 secret for a successful life.
- Confidence! If you don’t feel it, feign it. Why? Because over the last year I realized that you get what you think you deserve. If you feel unworthy of a successful freelance writing career, then you’ll get exactly what you think you’re worth.
The big ‘aha’ moment for me came when I dug in deep and discovered that what was really holding me back was me. There was a voice that said that I was not good enough as a writer to do it for a living.
The thing that got it from boisterous betrayer to wimpy whisper is understanding that I was creating my destiny. I was tripping over my own path because I believed that I wasn’t good enough to deserve better.
What got me over the hurdle was building up my own sense of self-worth. Reminding myself of how far I’ve come professionally and silencing the inner critic with a larger than life ally.
The difference has been profound.
Just thinking that I deserve everything I desire has gotten me better clients, better pay (in one case, almost 7x’s what I was making at the start) and more opportunities. The best indicator of the change is my writing. Just like the way people can perceive in your body language how you feel about yourself, I think you wear your writing on your sleeve.
While I’m still a work-in-progress, I definitely think that confidence has helped me go from, “I think I’m a writer,” to “Yes I can and Yes I am a writer!” And this single secret to success, I believe can also help you on your own endeavors. Try on a bit of confidence, wear Oprah’s or a mentor, someone you idolize, and see if that doesn’t get you one step closer to your dreams!
What an inspiring post! A lack of confidence is what stopped me initially from starting my second blog (and going after other projects). I kept on thinking about all the reasons why I couldn’t do it. Then, I just focused on why I want to write it. Also, any time I start getting insecure and doubt myself, I just repeat, “just write, just write.” And that helps. 🙂
Hi Margarita! So nice to see you on here. =) Thanks so much for stopping by! I think I realized that feeling insecure or doubtful is a normal part of doing anything you love. And on those particularly challenging times, it’s so important to remind ourselves why we’re doing it and how far we’ve come in the process.
You’re welcome! 🙂 I was excited to see that you were participating in the Blogathon, too. It’s a great point about feeling insecure sort of comes with the territory when you’re doing something that you love. It makes sense, because you genuinely want to improve, and it’s important to you.
Absolutely important to think about how far we’ve come. I find that writing that stuff down and keeping it on my desk really helps as a reminder.
I didn’t realize you’re doing Blogathon too! That’s so cool! How have you liked it so far?
I know! 🙂 It’s definitely been a bit challenging but it’s what motivated me to get my second blog going – again, after many false starts. How about you?
I agree its a challenge, but something I actually love doing so much that I don’t mind. Plus, I keep telling myself, “It’s only for a month!” You are doing an amazing job by the way on your blog!
I know what you mean. It definitely takes a lot out of me. 🙂 But, for me, as a writer, it’s great practice to have to write every day and create something coherent! And hopefully someone out there finds the posts helpful.
Do you think you’ll continue writing daily even after the Blogathon is over? I might try to write five days a week for Self-Ish. I already write four posts a week for Weightless, and that’s enough. 🙂 It’s exhausting..hehe..
Thanks so much for the kind words!
I love your blogs, too. BTW, The clip art idea is so creative, and your home office is really nice.