Why I Freelance?

Well, that's a pretty interesting topic, if I say so myself. And I do! There are certainly many different reasons why I freelance. But perhaps I'll shed some light on the major pros and cons of what I choose to do for a living. And from there, perhaps I can better relay just why I do what I do. I said do twice. Do do... I'll never grow up, I think. Well, I know. At least that's honest, I suppose. Ok, enough of my complete lack of professionalism.

Here are 5 general reasons that make my career worth while.

PROS:

I. Making My Own Hours - Believe it or not, this is honestly my favorite thing about working as a freelance web and graphic designer. I can wake up when I want, work in my jammies when I want, exercise when I want, vacation when I want, lounge around when I want and all that jazz. And let it be known that all that jazz is quite important. But yes, I can do all of this at my own leisure. Provided that I get my work done in an appropriate amount of time, that I've designated to my clients, the rest of the time is mine.

II. I Choose My Clients - Unlike working for someone else, I can pick and choose whom I will work for and with. As in, if a potential client comes to me with a project and I don't feel comfortable with it, I may very well choose to pass on it. But if I worked for someone else, I would not have that luxury. I'd have to bite the bullet and struggle through it, even though it may be detrimental to their company.

III. I Get To Be Creative - With the exception of the direction a client wants to go, I have carte blanche to be as creative as I want to be. I see an end-goal, and just whittle it down to something that just works. If I worked for another company, I may have several people whom would put their input above mine before I send it to the client. That's not to say that I don't take advice or criticism, (I love both actually), but at least I get to present my vision before anyone else touches it.

IV. Possibilities Are Endless - The sky is the limit when you work for yourself. There are endless clients to work with, countless ideas to explore and an unset amount of prospects to investigate. In fact, as cliche as it sounds, the only limit is truly yourself. Not your boss's.

V. It Just Makes Me Happy - When I combine all of the above, it generally makes me feel fantastic. I've worked in the corporate world for a while and it just wasn't for me. I came back to freelance because it is a perfect fit. I may not make millions, but at least I have the satisfaction of knowing what I'm doing and where I can go. And that is important to me.

Well, as with anything, there are certainly some bad things about working for yourself. And I'll tell you all about some of the worst things below. 

CONS:

I. The Hours Can Be Hectic - As much as I applauded all my free time to do what I want... well... there is certainly a flip side. As in I have to make sure to get all of my clients' projects done, seek new clients and projects, make graphic and site updates, put out tech fires, making sure billing goes smoothly (I just recently got completely burned by a client) and much more. Even on vacations it is hard for me to be completely free. And weekends? Haha, what are those? Basically, you have to fight to be a 9-5 worker when doing freelance. And you certainly don't always win.

II. Clients Are Not Always Easy To Come By - As much as I want to say that the world is my smoked oyster, it isn't always so. There are very dry periods in this business. Some months I can get a huge influx of clients and projects, and some, well, not so much. It comes and goes in waves it seems. And it is when it is in the goes phase that you have to really buckle down and find new work. This can certainly be straining and will burn you out. But, you just have to work your way though it, learn some lessons and just keep at it.

III. Creativity And Direction Is Subjective - As much as I elaborated about my fun with creativity and focus; it is certainly subjective. Sometimes I am working with a client and I absolutely know what direction we should go in. However, the client has an idea of which direction they want to go, and they will be damned if they are going to let someone tell them otherwise. I certainly feel that it is important to protest and make sure my ideas are heard or at least considered. However, that isn't always what I get. And that is fair enough, as it is certainly their project, money and ultimately call.

IV. Sometimes It Just Plain Sucks - There, I said it. Sometimes it is just no fun not knowing where your next paycheck is coming from. Sometimes it feels like your mind will explode because you have so many projects due at once. Sometimes it is frustrating to know that you'll receive a call or text from a client when you are done for the day and trying to relax. Sometimes, the benefits and security of a 9-5 job seems like it would be much better than all this effort. Sometimes clients don't pay, like recently. Sometimes the creative juices just don't flow, and you are in a designer's block. And sometimes, just sometimes, it is just no fun to be in this business at all.

But, even with all of that negativity that can come from the cons, I am absolutely doing what I want to do. I can't imagine doing anything else right now. Perhaps that will change someday. And that's ok. But for now, I'll soldier on. There aren't many folks in this world that would attempt to do what I do. And that makes it all the more sweet. Are you one too?

In closing, I'll give it up to Al Green who said, "for the good times".