It’s quite a coincidence that I live in Phoenixville, a town that celebrates the legend of the Phoenix every year. A coincidence because the freelancer’s life is a lot like that. No? You’ve never lost a client only to gain a better one or have a new opportunity arrive at your doorstep? I bet you have.
I’ve seen many a client disappear unexpectedly (and even expectedly) over the last seven years. What continues to amaze me is that no matter how bleak it looks sometimes, the career seems to rebound and reinvent itself. I won’t say without effort. If I didn’t put any work into it, there would be nothing here. So let’s say that thanks to marketing, things rebound and reinvent easier.
I’ve also seen my own ability to hold firm in my needs and those of my business. I let a client go not long ago because they started arguing the price. Not only did they come back – they have not balked once at the price, and they’ve funneled more work my way. From the ashes of disagreement on price came a rebirth in the relationship. They tell me often they love my work (their other attempts with lower-priced writers must have burned them badly), and they gave just a minimal pause on my most recent price. They know they’re getting quality. It’s reaffirming to me that my setting and defending my boundaries was the right thing to do.
It takes a few things for this to happen:
– The ability to let go of a bad thing
– The sense to trust your gut
– The strength to do what’s right for your business
– The perseverance to market continuously and to always look for better opportunities
So how do you feel like a Phoenix rising these days? What have you lost lately that has opened doors?
8 responses to “From the Ashes”
I go back and read the books that stirred me into writing in the first place or that have kept me going this far.
I'm more like a phoenix in the death throes right now. I'll rise in about a week or two. 😉
I think a big part of the "rebirth" is simply a newfound appreciation of the mundane. We all get tired of business as usual, but when we get a week like Lori or Eileen is having, just getting back to a normal routine can feel rejuvenating.
I for one am looking ahead about 11 days to a weekend with no pressing deadlines, no home repairs, no broken appliances, no funerals, and no major cleaning. It's been a while since I've had a relaxing weekend.
Paula, you have that fabulous new fridge heading your way, so what's not to love about that? 🙂 So true about the newfound appreciation. I think too it's a shifting of our focus from stressful situations to ones with more promise. Never a bad thing!
Devon, no doubt you'll rise again!
Colin, I suspect you were responding to yesterday's thread, so I'll answer assuming that – I think that's a very good method to deactivating stress. To remind ourselves what about this job we love most is a great suggestion.
Heading my way? I've had the new fridge a week already! Had the plumbers here to run the line for the ice maker (and well, auger the severely clogged drain for the kitchen sink and bathtub) and one of the plumbers kept saying what a beautiful refrigerator it is!
Now I need to get back to work to earn the money to cover the plumbing work. (Although you can't beat reputable plumbers who only charge $30 for the service call.)
Yep, Phoenix, that's me, over and over again… oh, that was Sisyphus… but yes, I know the feeling and like you I've learned to trust my gut, etc.
Good to see this here… we all need to know we're not alone.
Devon, you're never down for long.
What have I lost lately?
Well, my mind, I guess. I'm working on taxes and it's driving me crazy. I so look forward to getting them done, so the tax man can do their annual finger wagging at me in a couple of months. Arggh!
I have had times in the past, where I've lost what I thought was a great gig; only to have another pop up in my inbox. Love those times.
Wendy, I'm right beside you, sister! The IRS has me on the "no, silly fool" list, I swear. And they should – I'm not an accountant. If it takes an accountant to properly file one's tax forms, then the damn things are too hard to complete!
Paula, how much do you love it? 🙂
Anne, I think you were my first example of someone seeing the end in sight who reinvented herself from it. And pretty darn successfully, too.