6 lessons I keep coming back to what it takes to be self-employed
I’ve been talking to people who are either newly self-employed or thinking about making the transition. Some are coaches and consultants, some are exploring creative avenues, and others are trying to figure out what working for themselves might look like. I’ve also noticed a growing interest in this topic, probably partly driven by AI and the uncertainty it’s creating about the future of work. One question comes up again and again: How do you get started? What do you actually need to do to get things going?
I know how quickly the freedom of working for yourself can come with its own set of challenges. I talk to people about this all the time, and they can easily come up with 20 or 30 things they think they need to do: build a website, clarify their message, file an LLC, figure out their branding, learn marketing, and the list goes on.Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve noticed that the more information I look for, the longer my own list gets. Every new piece of advice seems to come with three more things I should be doing. And that’s before you’ve even figured out exactly what you want to build or feel clear about the direction you want to take.
So I wanted to share six lessons from my own experience building a coaching practice, as well as from conversations with people I coach who are trying to get something of their own off the ground. These aren’t step-by-step instructions for starting a business. They’re things I’ve found myself coming back to when the process feels overwhelming, and I think they apply to starting just about anything new.
Here are six lessons I keep coming back to:
1. Simplify your objectives.
Your first priority is to reach the people you want to reach. Customers, clients, readers, or an audience. Get clear on who those people are and what you can do to connect with them. When everything feels important, come back to this.
2. Don’t confuse preparation with progress.
You can spend months researching, planning, refining your website, or taking another course. Some of that matters, but none of it should replace doing the things that help you build what you want to build.
3. Perfectionism will keep you stuck.
You may want your message to be perfect, your offer fully developed, or your work polished before anyone sees it. But you learn by putting things out there, getting feedback, and adjusting. You can’t improve something that you never share.
I know this because I’m dealing with it myself. Building my coaching practice has meant learning to put myself out there consistently, and that has been one of the harder parts. Writing on Substack is another example. I want people to read my work and connect with my ideas. And yes, I want to reach more people. But that means continuing to write and share, even when growth is slow and I sometimes wonder whether what I’m doing is working.
I’m learning that putting yourself out there isn’t something you do once and get over. It’s something you keep practicing, even when it feels uncomfortable, even when the results aren’t what you hoped for, and even when you’re tempted to wait until you feel more ready.
4. Learn to handle rejection and setbacks.
Not everyone will respond to your email or become a client. Some things won’t work out the way you hoped. That’s part of putting yourself out there. You need to learn how to deal with disappointment without treating every setback as proof that you’re doing something wrong.
5. You don’t have to feel ready to take action.
I’ve felt nervous before intake calls with potential coaching clients. I learned more from having those conversations than I would have by waiting until I felt completely confident. Confidence comes after you take action and after you’ve done it consistently, not before.
6. Remember your why, and commit to a process.
Motivation comes and goes. There will be days when you question yourself or don’t feel like doing the work. Remembering why you started can help, but you also need a process you can return to. Five emails a day, one article a week, or one meaningful conversation at a time. Small, consistent actions over waiting for motivation.Same as confidence, motivation follows action, not other way around.
If you’re thinking about working for yourself, or are already doing it and finding it harder than you expected, you’re not alone. There’s a lot to learn, and not all of it comes naturally. You figure some things out along the way, and others take a little longer.
And I’m still learning. I still get stuck, run into the same challenges, and have to remind myself of these lessons along the way.
You can find my articles on Substack, where you can subscribe for free. If you’d like to support my work, you can also become a paid subscriber and suggest topics you’d like me to write about directly.
Comments