how to stop settling for less

Not too long ago, I struck up a conversation on Instagram in the DMs with a new freelancer. She mentioned that she did work for someone's blog for free. 

"Now that was a freebie because I have my first portfolio piece!" she told me.

I mentioned how excited I was for her that she had a project under her belt and that she felt so confident about how everything went. And I was. 

But right after I congratulated her on that first client, I said this: "Now, you don't work for free again."

TOUGH LOVE BAY-BEE!

Here's the thing.

You deserve to be paid even if you're new at something.

Why? Because skills are transferable. Just because you haven't done that EXACT thing before, doesn't mean you're not capable enough to tackle it.

And let's face it, you're settling for less than you deserve because you don't know if you CAN tackle it. You don't know if you'll succeed. You're afraid to try.

So, want to know the truth about how to stop settling?

Dream.
Bigger.

Feeling proud that you helped a client with a blog post? Amazing. You should be, you badass. But also, you have to reach for more. How about you help a client with a blog post AND get paid for the value you provide?

What's wrong with believing in yourself? It's so wild to me that selfishness in pursuit of our own deepest desires has been somehow demonized. So we fold up our dreams into the tiniest piece possible and tuck it away for no one to see but us when we're alone.

Or if we DO show others and share a bit about our dreams piece by piece, we're shut down... by society, by family, and even friends or your community.

A few examples, please, you say? I got you.

If you're a business owner who wants to make her first million, you've probably been met with, "Why do you care so much about money, anyway?"

If you're a freelancer who wants to convert a van and travel the world, you've likely been told to "That's so dangerous. What if...?"

If you're a writer who wants to quit her 9-5 to be an author, you've probably heard "Just keep your normal job and save for retirement like everyone else."

The problem with these seemingly innocent responses to sharing our big plans is that they stem from fear, not a desire to help.

Fear of the unknown.
Fear of failure.
Fear of things doing things differently than how it's usually done.
Fear of "Well, if SHE does it then that means I COULD HAVE DONE IT TOO."

That last one is the kicker.

Regret is a powerful force in this world. I think a lot about regrets and what I'm going to think when I look back on my life when I'm older. 

Maybe you do too.

The truth about how to stop settling for less is simply to understand that your dreams are possible simply because you have them. And a prerequisite for going after them isn't to have done it before.

While we're at it, those goals and lofty plans you want to toss to the side because someone told you to "get a real job?"

Will you regret that?

I think when people shut you down when you tell them about your wild plans and goals you're going after, it's because they don't like the path they've chosen for themselves and regret not chasing their own dreams.

Don't let them get in the way of you. Stop settling for less than you truly desire. Dream bigger. You have the power to accomplish what you want in this life.

You just have to believe in yourself. No one else is going to do it for you.

Looking for a community of other freelancers who do things differently and chase their dreams, even if it terrifies them? It's here for you.