Don't Get Stuck in the Comfort Zone

One of the great things about freelance writing is that projects come in all shapes and sizes. The diversity means that boredom, frustration, and lack of enthusiasm are things other people have to worry about, not you. This very thing is what draws many people to the freelance life in the first place.

But when it comes to stepping outside of their area of expertise, many freelancers balk. Suddenly ten years of say, legal writing experience, seems worthless when attempting to snag that cool children's writing gig. Writers are very quick to negate solid experience if a project falls outside of their comfort zone, and are very harsh when judging their own skills.

This is a key stumbling block to true freelancing success. Don't be your own worst enemy.

I know you've done it. Surfed through the Elance job listings, immediately dismissing jobs outside of your comfort zone and targeting in on only those you're uber-qualified for. I also know that every once in a while, a job way outside your normal playing field calls out to you, and you can't help but take a closer look... and it sounds so amazingly wonderful! You'd love to do it, you know you'd be great, but...

No buts!!

Who cares if it doesn't meet your skill set! If it's something that calls out to you, give it a shot. Create a killer proposal, attach a decent sample, and go for it! What do you have to lose?

Think of the passion you'll bring to it. Think of the thrill and excitement of forging new territory. You'll do a kick-ass job, not only because you're professional, but also because it's important to you. And guess what? Now that you've stepped outside of your comfort zone, you've added a whole new area of jobs to target, and expanded your potential client base. You're on your way to becoming an expert in a whole new field.

That is how freelancing careers are made.

So next time you find yourself itching to bid on that branding job, forget that you specialize in academic writing, or dating articles, or technical manuals, and go for it!

Step outside of your comfort zone and you'll find a whole new freelancing world of possibilities.



image by finsmal...Phfffft. ..