8 Habits That Hold You Back from Freelance Success

You have several good habits you're proud of—some more ingrained than others, like brushing your teeth twice a day or carving out time to exercise.

Other daily habits could use some work, like procrastinating on a project that's due and skimming social media when you should be going to bed.

Success in one's career (and personal life) is a culmination of good habits that are practiced often and layered on. They outnumber and replace the bad habits.

When you feel like something isn't working and you aren't sure why, look to the tasks you are and aren't doing to see what needs work and attention.

If you're ready to earn a living as a freelancer, ditch these terrible habits that can destroy your chances of success.

8 Negative Habits Successful Freelancers Try to Avoid

Here are some tips on things that could hold you back whether you're a beginner freelancer or someone who's been in the business for a few years:

Giving in to imposter syndrome?

One thing that can hold someone back from success is the feeling of not being good enough. When feelings of imposter syndrome flare up—usually as I get brought onto a big project or I'm working on something new and different—I remind myself that I'm capable, have experience and have plenty of satisfied clients.

It also helps me to focus on the end goal of the project. I'm doing work that can help others. I have the opportunity to work on meaningful assignments with interesting clients and share their messages to help others improve their lives.

Referring to a doc that contains some positive words of wisdom from previous clients can help when you're feeling like a fraud.

Taking the first freelance rate a client throws out.

Don’t let fear of not being agreeable hold you back. Always negotiate your freelance rate. Throw out a rate range so you can get a sense of what your client is thinking. If the client is someone you want to work with and someone you should be working with, they will be flexible and try to find some way to work together.

Know your worth and the value you bring to every project.?

Forgetting to ask for referrals.

Everyone is looking for social proof, ratings, reviews and recommendations these days. Your freelance clients are as well. That's why you should ask satisfied customers for referrals and/or feedback that you can share with other potential clients.

Avoiding networking opportunities

Freelancing can be lonely at times. You might find yourself with the feeling that you’re missing out on a community and bouncing ideas off others around you when you work for yourself. I suggest connecting with online communities—Facebook groups, Reddit threads, Quora, alumni groups and Slack groups—and finding a few IRL contacts that you can talk to about your business.

Look into local organizations for entrepreneur/solopreneur/business owner meetups and find conferences or events that allow you to practice small talk again.

There's a good chance you'll feel reinvigorated about your business and walk away with new ideas and processes.

Ignoring the courses and digital products they purchased.?

Successful freelancers don't just buy a digital product, they carve out time in their schedule to do the work and implement the teachings.

Throughout the year, I prioritize expanding my knowledge and learning new skills. That involves signing up for online courses, buying digital products that I think can help my business, watching webinars and putting money into programs that I believe can help my business.

Before I buy something, I ask myself if I have time to complete the course, read the content or work on this new skill. I put it in my calendar so I know I'm maximizing the value I'll get out of this investment.

If you’re going to invest in learning, be sure that you are completing the freelance course, reading the book and learning the skill. Wasting money is wasted time.?

Not proactively looking for work.

Sending proactive pitches and emails or LinkedIn messages for work can be scary. But it’s another key to success as a freelancer who's in it for the long haul.

You can (and will often) get rejected or passed over, and it’s more time-consuming to research the perfect outlet for your idea and tailor your freelance editorial pitch for that client than simply responding to calls for writers you see on social media.

But, when you want to work with certain clients and break into specific industries, you need to do the research and reach out.

(Searching for magazine article pitch examples? Find them here.)

Being disorganized with tax and business write-offs?

As a freelancer, you’re entitled to claim tax credits and tax write-offs that will reduce the taxes you’ll pay to the government. It’s one of the perks of being a freelancer (even though you'll have to pay self-employment taxes).

Successful freelancers work with accountants to help them manage their businesses and stay on top of their business write-offs, make quarterly tax payments and run their freelance businesses well, like the business that it is.

Not tracking their time

Utilizing a time-tracking tool is a crucial tool for freelancers. You need to understand where your time is going so you can maximize all of your work hours, raise freelance rates, and make sure have a sense of how long each project will take. Not tracking your time will only hinder your freelance success.

Here, 35+ apps for writers and freelancers to explore before the end of the year.

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Hi there! I’m Diana.

I’m a New York-based freelance journalist, copywriter, editor, content marketing writer, and freelance coach.

I’m also a wife and a mom to two toddlers, a large dog, and an exercise enthusiast who loves baking desserts.

I enjoy covering topics that help people and their loved ones live healthier, happier, fuller lives, whether it’s through health, wellness, personal finance or pet topics.

I also want to help others learn how to become freelancers, improve productivity, and run their small businesses.

I cover these topics and more on my?blog?and in my?weekly newsletter.

You can learn more about me, my publishing background, and my nearly 20-year freelancing journey at?DianaKelly.com.

You can also follow me on?Twitter?and?Instagram.

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