I'm with you — I'm someone who puts a deadline on something and moves toward it. But I've seen so many people never really go beyond wishing for something. And you know too that plenty of people don't bother to reassess, even their own earnings. They take a passive approach — march on and wait for something to happen. How the devil do you get anywhere that way?

You should definitely teach people how to assess and build a plan. You've done an exceptional job of that.

I try to do a quarterly evaluation and re-assess my long-term goals, changing them when necessary. I do the same with my 3-year publishing plan. And I look at smaller goals monthly. So far, so good.

The key, for me at least, is just being able and willing to reassess your situation from time to time and not tie your self-worth to self-imposed rules or deadlines that won't always make sense down the road. In my case I feel far more pressure without deadlines because it's easier to let things slide. As I watch time pass me by and things aren't getting finished, that's where a lot of the stress comes from for me. Then I feel like I don't know where to start or how to get things on track… because I never laid that track in the first place.

Just my $.02. 🙂

Kim, you're one of the smartest freelancers I know. I've seen you doing the reassessments regularly. It really does help, doesn't it?

Love the image of your guarding your personal time. 🙂

I also assess my goals constantly and shift focus and goals accordingly. I mix up my marketing tactics and am currently trying out some new things. Keeps things interesting which is essential when earnings dip.

I have been like a pit bull on a bone about committing time and energy to my personal writing/entrepreneurial pursuits, and it's paying off. Investing in yourself is always a good decision.

Like you and Paula, I don't depend too much on one client supplying me with enough work to exist on. Learned that lesson early on. Diversify those eggs!

While I like knowing I'll have a nice check at the end of the summer, it doesn't pay my immediate bills. So I'm actively seeking more clients to try to balance out the uneven revenue stream.

The last week or so I've been targeting custom publishers – that seems like a good way to transition from features to more corporate type assignments.

I try never to take it for granted that an existing client will supply me with a given amount of work every month, quarter or year.

I'd love to land a retainer type situation, but right now I'll be happy to add a semi-steady client to help even the flow.