Remember Your Why (With Infographic)
A couple of weeks ago I made the decision to say goodbye to one of the projects that I have worked on since 2018.
The decision ultimately came down to coming back to remembering my WHY.
Deciding which clients to work with is an ongoing process. As freelancers, we should be constantly evaluating whether or not to take a project when it comes our way. And my hope for you is that you are in a position, or will soon be in a position, to be able to say no to clients that don’t meet your needs.
Remembering your WHY means remembering why you started contracting to begin with, and always keeping it in mind when deciding whether or not a project is for you. It means making sure you keep that reason at the forefront of the decisions that you make so that you don’t steer off course.
REMEMBER YOUR WHY MAY CHANGE
I know WHY I started event contracting. I wanted flexibility.
But, what does “flexibility” really mean?
Flexibility to travel? To make a lot of money? To have a lot of time off? To work long hours but have weekends off?
Ask 10 people what “success” means to them and you’ll probably get that many answers, and the same goes for the word “flexible”.
My own definition of flexible changes. My why in 2021 was very different from what it is in 2022.
Last year it involved the flexibility to be able to make more money. This year, I have a list of factors written on my whiteboard that is hanging in my office. It’s labeled “how decisions are made in 2022”. Money isn’t on it this year. While last year I may have based decisions based on money, this year I am focused more on projects that allow me creativity and to have influence.
About 6 months ago someone expressed confusion around this “flexibility” that I claim to want. “But you always seem to be working”, she said. She was working under the assumption that my definition of flexibility was not working all of the time. And working part-time HAS at one point been one of my definitions, it’s not always the case. But the one thing that I am pretty consistent on: I want projects that have a beginning and an end. Because then I can constantly re-evaluate if the projects I have going fit my WHY.
That may change. I don’t think that flexibility will EVER stop being my WHY. But I do think that how that plays out in my life and what it means will continue to change.
STICKING TO YOUR WHY
One of my WHYs- being able to be with Sabrina when she needs to be in the hospital.
It can be difficult to stick to your why, especially if you’re like me and love new projects and have a hard time saying no. It’s important to constantly be re-evaluating to make sure that you’re staying on track.
5 WAYS TO REMEMBER YOUR WHY
5 Ways To Stick To Your Why Infographic
