Ever since I explored remote working and started experiencing success, I made myself a promise to pay it forward. I am an ever-present force in Facebook freelancing and remote work groups and entertaining inquiries from newbies has turned into a daily habit. I usually find my Facebook messenger inbox with queries from aspiring freelancers. Their usual question: where do I start? With so many resources available online, it can become overwhelming, especially for those who have zero experience to begin with.
My constant advice is to have a commitment to their chosen career. Freelancing and remote work is not for everyone. It is not easy to get into a new industry and find the first client who will trust a newbie. Some retreat to go back to their 9-5 jobs because it is what’s comfortable. For this reason, I have gathered a number of inspirational quotes to jumpstart beginners and to lift the spirits of those who are yet to find success in the field.
Quotes from H. Jackson Brown Jr., author of Life’s Little Instruction Book series
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
“Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.”
“Don’t waste time waiting for inspiration. Begin, and inspiration will find you.”
“Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.”
“Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.”
None of this can be accomplished without embracing the unknown and understanding that mistakes are expected—even encouraged. Be bold enough to take a few risks, to try something different. Chase that “aha!” feeling.
We’d all like to put off those goals we’re not 100% confident we can achieve, but there’s a difference between setting realistic goals and putting everything off until some undefined point in the future.
When you think about it, what will you be doing twenty years from now? Right now is the best time to start your plans. If you want to travel the world or learn a new language, don’t wait! Don’t throw away your twenties assuming that you’ll have plenty of time later. Your future self will be happier if you live in the present and act on what makes you happy right now.
Quotes from Gary Vaynerchuk, entrepreneur, author, and Marketing guru
“Skills are cheap. Passion is priceless.”
“Live your passion. What does that mean, anyway? It means that when you get up for work every morning, every single morning, you are pumped because you get to talk about or work with or do the thing that interests you the most in the world. You don’t live for vacations because you don’t need a break from what you’re doing—working, playing, and relaxing are one and the same. You don’t even pay attention to how many hours you’re working because to you, it’s not really work. You’re making money, but you’d do whatever it is you’re doing for free.”
“You need to spend all of your time and energy on creating something that actually brings value to the people you’re asking for money!”
“True success – financial, personal, and professional – lies above all in loving your family, working hard, and living your passion. In telling your story. In authenticity, hustle, and patience. In caring fiercely about the big and the small stuff. In valuing legacy over currency.”
“Look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, what do I want to do everyday for the rest of my life. Do that!”
This is important. This is the way you live your life when you love what you do for a living, and if you can build a business that supports that kind of passion, then you’ll have a long, productive career in whatever it is that made you make the decision to leave the cubicle world behind in the first place.
The big picture is that when you connect with your passion, every aspect of your life will elevate. Your work will be more fulfilling. Your relationships will have more meaning. You just have to find the thing that gets your heart beating faster and then go do it.
Most of us will experience something frustrating in our careers. Whether it’s low pay or a boss who doesn’t respect you, chances are you’ll hit something that grinds at your soul. That’s fine. It’s not like we all want to do the same thing all our lives, we don’t all want to be career-lifers, we don’t all want to work forty hours a week – somewhere out there is a job which opens the doors to doing something that thrills you so well that you don’t mind putting in long days and weekends. If you can’t figure out where that sweet spot is, back up a step and go find what interests you. Figure out what it is about it that does interest you and where else you might explore those interests. Live in such a way that no matter what happens for the rest of your working years, you’re going to wake up excited every morning.
Nothing is easy on the get-go but we’ve all got to start somewhere. The only way to know if you’re the right fit is to give it a try. And once you start, don’t back out. Use your passion, stay committed, and soon you will be enjoying perks you only used to wish for.
Written By: Frances De Guzman
