As a freelancer, you sometimes need to step outside of your natural character.
That headline is a paraphrase of a book I just finished reading. Stone’s Fall, by Iain Pears. A great read.
I can’t even remember which character spoke that line, or in what context. But it stuck with me. Actually, I do recall something of the context. It was about a moment in time when someone was faced with a huge challenge, and had to act in a way that didn’t come naturally to him.
I thought of that line again this morning during a coaching call. My client was also facing the need to step outside of his natural character.
In fact, I think as freelancers we all need to do that from time to time.
- We have to put on a mantle of confidence when, by nature, we are feeling vulnerable.
- We have to be salespeople even if, by nature, we are not.
- We have to be self-disciplined when, by nature, we are anything but.
And so on.
Of course, if you CAN’T express yourself confidently, CAN’T sell and CAN’T be self-disciplined, that’s a whole different matter.
But most of us can do these things when we have to. Even if it takes us outside of our usual comfort zone.
This may sound obvious.
But our ability to step outside of our natural character, and do what has to be done, is what separates low-earning freelancers from high-earning freelancers.
The latter group, the people who make a big 6 figures, are the people who consistently do what needs to be done, regardless of whether it fits their natural character or not.
I know one such freelancer who, by nature, has such a low level of self-discipline, he actually had to rent an office space down the street from his home to force himself to work. He is now a huge earner.
I know another freelance, a former coaching client, who is mortally afraid of public speaking. But she does it, because that’s what it takes to make her particular business grow.
All too often freelancers say something like, “I know I should be doing that, but it’s just not in my character.” Or, ‘I’m just not comfortable doing that.”
Well, if you want to be a big earner, that’s not good enough.
If you are truly committed to success, you sometimes need to step outside of your natural character in order to make the big strides forward.
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