So we’re headed out of 2017 and I can’t even say it flew by.
The further away from employed life I get, the more realistic my perception of time seems to be. That means 2017—even with the walking disaster America’s got at the steering wheel—felt like an actual…year.
It was a year that overall went well for me.
- I’m coming in very close to my full-time employed income (and that’s working part-time and losing a month of production from a hurricane)
- I had my first $8K+ month
- I kept up with my gym routine, meaning I’m carrying around more muscle and less fat than I was when 2016 was saying goodbye
I’m also more flexible (before bed stretching habit), no longer hiding from my inboxes on weekends (though still not checking them) and my meal prep game’s been strong.
I owe all that to a good focus on habits (2017’s theme). Falling off those same habits though, are also why I ended the year in a little bit of a panic (after having a client cancel at the worst possible time) but thankfully I learned that when things get rough, I can rally and rebuild my income. I still won’t be trying that again though…no more playing with my marketing habit.
It’s been a good year around here too, with some great looks at promising starter niches (real estate…check out the interview if you haven’t) and closing things out with a 4-part series on supporting Black businesses through content marketing (a topic that I‘m really excited about exploring in 2018.) I’ve also seen members make great breakthroughs in their niches and marketing. I hope you’re seeing the same growth. If not, here are a few of the highlights from last year for review…
2017: The Year I’m Giving Up Goals
Why I Recommend Upwork for Every New Freelancer
What Choosing a Niche Really Looks Like
Are You Wasting Your Time in a Niche with No Earning Potential?
4 Ways to Pace Your Freelance Earning
So what’s that mean for 2018?
Well I’m still not really doing goals. (That’s just me though. If you find that concrete goals work for you, go for it!)
Yes, I plan on hitting six-figures while working part-time this year, but that will have to be a result of habits…habits that instead of being inspired by a goal, are an outgrowth of the life I want to live and stress levels I’m comfortable with. I won’t do it at any expense, definitely not of my health and peace of mind.
The foundation of that goal is a recent focus I’ve had on figuring out where I can do the most good for clients (and in turn, get paid more) which means 2018’s theme will be…
The Year of Value!
Here on the blog we’ll be covering what it is, what it means for your business, and how you can get better at understanding it. In the Academy we’ll be doing more practical work with a few worksheets.
Habits aren’t dead though!
You guys let me know on Twitter that we all need to up our marketing game, so we’ll be talking about that more in the newsletter on top of a look into prospecting. The best part though, is that we’re going to be building on that 4-part series and taking a walk through Black Content Marketing (#BlackContentMarketing) and where you can provide value as a developing freelancer.
So that’s it! Let me know how your 2017 went in the comments, and if there’s anything you’d like to see for 2018, toss it in!
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