Jun 14, 2022
When a freelancer says that they feel like they’re going backwards, often they’re hyperfocusing on a small piece of data instead of larger trends (e.g. a couple of weeks/pitches vs. quarters/years); or they’ve changed an important variable (e.g. pitching more competitive publications for the first time vs. pitching less competitive pubs they’ve already written for); or they’re on the verge of a major breakthrough.
As journalists, we always look out for our biases in our reporting. As a freelancers, it’s also important to look at a bias toward negative self-talk that leads to spinning out and avoiding the very things that would help you achieve your goals faster.
In a culture oriented toward constant growth, stability can be framed as regression.
That might sound like “I feel like I’m going backwards” instead of “I have a reliable base income month after month” or “I’m making steady progress on my project.”
Plateaus get a bad rap. This is another way of describing steady clients, regular income, and long-term editorial relationships. If you’re super plugged into hustle mode and running on nervous energy, that it can seem like something’s gone wrong to be at ease and appreciate what you’ve built for yourself.
Complex growth isn’t linear. Growth and progression are more often cyclical, where you’re facing a similar struggle at a new level.
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