My social media is flooded with promises of financial freedom, work from everywhere using just your laptop, free your calendar from one-on-one meetings working with groups, switch from service provider to online course creator in your field, make 2-5K euro per month from your passion etc. Each of them seems too good to be true, yet too attractive not to consider.
If you also have an inquisitive mind, like I do, you probably wonder, every time you see them, what’s the catch. What are they not telling you? You just know it cannot be as simple as they say. And yet, many people choose to trust these and end up disappointed.
So, what’s the catch?
I’ll try some hints based on my own experience and understanding of the situation. Just to let know based on what I speak: I have built a successful 15 years career as an employee in my field, going as high up on the ladder as possible in the field, followed by 10 years of full-time work as freelance trainer& consultant in the same domain + 2 years of building a business based on my expertise & personal brand.
So, what’s the catch?
First, your level of expertise. You need to be top-notch to have a chance to make this happen. And even if you are, there are lots of other things you need to succeed. But expertise is the first and most important. You need to know what you’re talking about; you need to breathe expertise in your field to the level that people just feel it.
In addition to being a real expert, you need to believe you’re an expert. Yeap! If you wonder why I say this, I do because there are lots of very good experts who do not have the necessary self-confidence and self-assurance levels to succeed on their own. When you are backed up by an organizational brand, your self-confidence and self-assurance rely heavily on the feeling that someone strong enough has got your back. But when you go on your own, you’re the one having your back. And many experts fall short on this when they realize there’s no one else out there having their back. “But what if you fly” is not enough to counter “what if I fall” in this case.
Second, your complementary skills. Going on your own comes packed with a wide range of supporting actions you need to perform to be able to ensure contexts in which you can actually use your expertise. You need to be able to put together an attractive yet fair offer, balancing the value you promise with the money you ask for. If you have been working mostly to deliver what others have defined in terms of value, content and money, you will have a very hard time covering this part. If your self-confidence and self-assurance are not where they should be, it gets close to impossible to get successful on this.
Third, your expectations’ management skills will make the difference. If you expect it to be easy, you’ll fail. If you expect it to be fast, you’ll fail. If you expect it to go well because you’re an expert, you’ll also fail. You have to understand and accept that you are a novice in being successful on your own, even if you come from the top of the ladder in your previous position. And you need the humbleness of the beginner, the righteousness of the expert, and the belief of the believer.
So, here’s the catch. Get really good at what you plan to do. Learn the context skills really well. Believe in yourself realistically & patiently.
And then there’s no more catch. Just strong passion, smart work, and well-deserved achievement.