The Untold Truth: Freelancing Lessons Learned in 3 Years (For Success in 2024)
Ditching my 9–5 for the wild world of freelancing three years ago felt like jumping off a cliff — exciting, maybe a little reckless, but definitely an adventure.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s been amazing, but let’s be real, freelancing isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. There have been bumps, some bigger than others (looking at you, surprise client revisions!).
The good news? My extreme leap of faith eventually paid off.
If you’re thinking about making the switch to freelancing yourself, read this article to end cause I’m getting REAL. Here are my 3 biggest takeaways from my wild freelance journey!
Lesson 1 — Self-Discipline: Your Best Friend (and Worst Enemy)
Sure, when I started freelancing I knew it required self-discipline. But it was the amount of self discipline needed that actually shocked me.
It’s like graduating from employee to CEO, COO, and janitor — all rolled into one. And let’s be honest, thats hard. Especially when the “boss” voice in your head is telling you to lie in bed and watch netflix all day (which admittedly I have done on occasion, don’t judge me :)…).
Working from your bed sounds like a dream, but freelancing is a hustle like any other. You can’t hide behind a company name. Every project is a reflection of you. This is especially true on freelance platforms like Upwork (my personal fave) where they leave reviews after every project.
It took some trial and error, but I finally built a system that keeps me productive, avoids burnout, and still allows time for life’s little indulgences (like the occasional Love is Blind binge)
Lesson 2 — The Income Rollercoaster: Brace yourself for the Climb (and the Dips)
This lesson hit me like a ton of bricks, more than any other.
Back in 2021, I started freelancing with just one client. Soon enough, I got a few more, and things got crazy busy! The money was flowing, and I finally hit the financial milestone I’d been chasing forever. And man, it felt good. I even thought, “Who needs a job search? I’ve made it!”
Unfortunately nothing lasts forever, especially a freelancer’s salary…lol
Almost immediately the following month, a client dropped the “we have to end our contract” bomb. And let me tell you, with no backup plan, I felt so foolish. That’s when the freelancing gods schooled me on the most important lesson: ALWAYS be prospecting.
Never stop hunting for new clients, even when your workload feels like a lot. Keep that pipeline flowing! This way, when one project ends, you have a pool of eager clients ready to jump on board. That’s how you win the freelance game!
Lesson 3 — Boundaries, Boundaries, Boundaries
As a newbie freelancer, I made a classic mistake: I didn’t set boundaries.
Of course, when you’re just starting out and, let’s be honest, desperate for work, you’re going to say yes to working nights, weekends, answering emails at 2 am, and all the rest. I’m not ashamed to say that I did all that and more.
The problem? This “hustle mentality” quickly leads to burnout.
I had to learn the hard way that I couldn’t be everything to everyone at all times. Effectively communicating my boundaries to each client became crucial.
Setting clear expectations from the get-go is key: your work hours, communication channels, project scope — the whole shebang. Remember, you’re a human, not a machine. You deserve a life beyond your laptop screen. And guess what? Saying “no” to unreasonable requests protects your time, your sanity, and ultimately, the quality of your work.
So in the end would I reccomend freelancing? Heck Yeah! Its the best thing thats happened to my career. I literally went from earning NGN to USD within a matter of months and have x25 my income in just a few years. And there’s definitely more to come!
Follow me at @socialmediabutterflyy for more tips
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