Every fish has a place in the Ocean

If they didn’t, we would be finding frantic flapping fish laying around on the ocean shores, and the surface of the water would literally be swarming with fish bumping each other looking for space, and fishing would be a breeze. But what does this have to do with freelancing?

We’ve been talking about how to start out in freelancing and how to find and retain clients. I also introduced you to Freelance Switch, and I hope you have visited and found something useful.

Today I want to talk about being a fish. It’s a big sea out there in the world of self-employment, freelancing, independent contracting, and small businesses, and it’s easy to start feeling like a small fish… a really really small fish. This can be discouraging, especially when you’re just starting out and realizing that there is competition out there, that there are people out there that do what you do, have been doing it for a while, and are good at it.

The important thing to keep at the forefront of your mind is that you have something to offer! You have a skill, a product, a service. No matter who else has the same skill, or product, or service, you are unique. You have something that all your competitors don’t have. You have yourself, your presence, your particular quirks, your unique personality, your approach, your fingerprint. This is your trademark, your uniqueness, the secret weapon that you bring to the table. This might seem like an abstract concept, but if you don’t think about it, and own your uniqueness and peculiar identity, you will give up when the competition gets stiff, and the clients aren’t biting. You will lose confidence and not recognize that every fish has a portion of the sea.

Whatever your chosen area of freelancing is, think about what you bring to the table that is distinctly you. It may be as simple as your smile, or your listening skills, or your ability to make everyone feel at ease. There is something that you bring that is unique. There is no one quite like you. Find what that thing is, and figure out how to make it work for you.

You are your biggest asset!