I’m Sick And Tired Of Working For Chump Change
A freelancer’s rant.
I have news for you.
I’ve quit freelancing. Yeah, it’s a little unexpected, but I think I need to practice what I preach a bit more.
You know why I’ve quit, though? Because I’m sick of working for nothing.
If I make $100 I’ve really only made $75 because of taxes. And when there’s freelancers on Upwork writing 1,000 words for $3, you‘re not exactly finding a pot of gold every time you open up your laptop.
I have a feeling it’s something deeper, though.
I Used To Love This
I used to love freelancing. I get to work from home in my pajamas! I thought.
I get to go wherever I want and wake up at 10!
I didn’t see the negatives. I’d just started, so how could I know? I was so drunk on the whole thing that I packed my bags and went on a four-month road trip.
I saw all my old friends while barely making it by financially.
I had fun, but money was ALWAYS in the back of my mind. If I had known better, I wouldn’t have went on the road trip to begin with.
I’m Worth More Than This
Before I knew it clients started pulling out of contracts. Some wouldn’t even pay me. This was the dark side of freelancing, a side which never stopped overshadowing everything I did as a contract worker.
I just made the decision to quit it all last week.
You’ll Get Here Too If You Haven’t Already
Do you feel this way? You might not be a freelancer, but chances are you feel undervalued if you clicked on the headline.
What do you do when you’re undervalued?
What do you do when the world pays you chump change, or sometimes not at all?
I’ll fucking tell you.
Take Notes From The World And Don’t Settle
Your whole life you’ve seen superiors refuse to settle. They’ve refused to pay you what you’re worth, drop their price at the dealership, or give you an A- when you’re .2 points away from a 90.
They don’t settle.
It’s time you don’t, either.
The universe likes to beat you down into a type of psychological slavery. You’re “owed” only this much, right? You don’t deserve that A-. You need to “play the game” to make it anywhere in the 9–5.
Fuck that.
I love that quote from Steve Jobs where he says the universe is made up of a bunch of people no smarter than you. It’s true.
The Real Reason I’ve Quit Freelancing
You want to know the real reason I’ve quit freelancing?
It’s not because I’m making chump change, though that has something to do with it.
It’s also not because clients suck, though that has something to do with it, too.
It’s because I’m not going to settle anymore.
I thought I wasn’t ready to make money from a blog yet. I thought I wasn’t worth it, but I’m not about to believe that any longer.
My indentured psychological servitude to the “great minds of the universe” is now over.
They Don’t Want You To Rebel
I’m convinced people don’t want you to rebel. The reason a boss or client is so harsh is because they’re trying to convince you that you deserve it.
They’re trying to beat you down into nothing.
Don’t take their hint.
Don’t SETTLE for that.
You’re worth much, much more.
Believe me.
