Within the world of freelancing, there is a group of small but highly elite freelancers who make a lot more money than most. What sets these individuals apart from the crowd is that, in addition to the amount of hours they spend in their trade, they often develop unique skills which cannot be found with anyone else. This phenomenon is similar to an actor, musician, or athlete who has a specific trait, one that is unique only to them. History shows that individuals who fall under this category are often paid an enormous amount of money for their services.
In this world, anything that is rare or hard to come by is always regarded as being more valuable than things which are easily acquired. The wise freelancer will take this into account as they grow their career, constantly seeking to develop rare or unique skills which will allow them to distinguish themselves from the pack. Once a client realizes that they cannot find anyone else who has this particular skill set, then this means that there are few limits to the amount of money you can earn.
Regardless of which field you choose to enter, you will always want to discover new ways and skills which few, if any other freelancers have. This will immediately allow you to earn a salary which is much higher than average. When working with your clients, you will often notice that many of them may begin requesting things which few other freelancers offer, things which are difficult to accomplish. If you can successfully master their requirements, then they will become dependent on you, which is a crucial factor of success in the world of self employment. Your goal as a freelancer should be to have your clients become dependent on you, for this is how true power is obtained.
The path of the freelancer is not for the weak of heart. While this style of work offers at lot of advantages, the typical freelancer, especially when starting out, will often be responsible for the accounting, contracts, legal issues, marketing, and many other business functions alone. This can and often will create a lot of stress, and these factors require freelancers to be both disciplined and responsible if they wish to succeed.
Statistics show that little more than 7% of the U.S. population is currently self employed, even with the advent of the Internet, and these numbers are unlikely to change much in the future, simply because the difficulties involved with being a self employed freelancer are much higher than those which are involved with being an employee. Being a freelancer requires one to have a sharp mind, and it also requires them to be a leader, while employees are only required to follow orders and do as they are told.
To become a successful freelancer, it is also important for you to have focus. Focus is defined as your ability to fully concentrate on the work that you're doing. Those who have short attention spans will not do well as freelancers, because many of the jobs associated with freelancing will require a high level of concentration and attention to detail. In addition to this, it is also critical for freelancers to always keep their eyes on their long term goals. Your goal, if you follow the philosophy of this book, is not to remain a freelancer for the rest of your life, but to transition into an investor where all the money you've accumulated over the years will begin working for you.
Prior to entering a field, it is very important to evaluate the amount of competition you face, not just locally, but also internationally. The reality is that the Internet, combined with outsourcing to developing countries, has led to a reduction in the wages that people are paid, even in fields that require an above average level of skill. This means that if you're based in a wealthier country in Europe or North America, you will face challenges from competition in developing countries, and as the Internet continues to be adapted by a larger portion of the world's population, these challenges will intensify.
However, once you build a large client network, you will have little to fear when it comes to global competition. The reason for this is because humans are naturally creatures of habit, and once they are working with someone they're comfortable with, someone who they can depend on, many of them will be reluctant to take their chances hiring someone new to work for them, even if this person offers a lower price. In many cases, a lower price often comes with a lower quality in terms of the work which is completed.
As a freelancer, your goal should never be to take on clients who are bargain hunters, who are always looking for the lowest price. Your goal must be to find wealthy clients who are willing to pay more for higher quality. Excellence is always worth paying more for, and you should never waste your time taking on clients who are willing to cut corners when it comes to excellence. The fact of the matter is that, regardless of how much global competition you may face, if you are truly skilled, your work is a cut above the rest, and you have unique traits and skills which are rare, you will make a stupendous amount of money as a freelancer. Never allow global competition to make you fearful.
While the Internet is one of the most powerful tools which has ever been created, there is a tool which is many times more powerful, and this tool is the human brain. If you know how to use your brain, there is absolutely no limit to what you can accomplish. The world of international freelancing is a fresh one, and those who are able to take advantage of this world today will have great power tomorrow. In this chapter, we have taught you how to sharpen your mind, which will allow you to rise to the challenges which await you in the world of freelance employment. As powerful as the Internet is, it is worthless to you if you don't have the perfect mindset.
Your mind must have a solid state before you can be capable of maxing out the capabilities of the Internet. The two things that you will need the most are focus and discipline. If you have these two things in abundance, then your success is essentially guaranteed.