Asking questions
What do I want from my life? What really deep-down motivates me?
These can become supremely useful lifelong, daily questions. For now, we can unplug in a quiet place alone to consider them for a while. Maybe all of us would find inside a wish to be of use, to contribute, to make something in this world better.
What skills might I freelance for pay or pro bono? Who could knowledgeably critique my skills, and how can I polish and present them?
College degrees, good connections, and solid experience can boost our credentials and fast-track us toward selling our skills. That's how it happened for me, but two fellow freelancers I knew in Rio skipped all that and did fine too. With a little entrepreneurial spirit, someone who wants to try out freelancing on a small scale can contribute a skill to, say, a local newsletter.
"This is a day we have never seen before and will never see again." Rev. Geraldine McClellan
The old photography aphorism "F8 and be there" holds true, staying awake to the moment and possessing the skills and confidence to make the most of it.
Would I take assignments seriously, commit only to what I actually can do, and deliver on time?
Contracts for professional services are real contracts, and in a sense, every freelance job is a tryout for the next. A new client won't bother with a freelancer who misses deadlines or delivers faulty work. We build relations with steady clients as they come to rely on us to say yes only to what we can do well and on time, no excuses.
If I wanted to write, edit, proofread, record, photograph, film, design, illustrate, translate, and/or produce material on any subject, what would I choose?
The next page on this site, Taking wing, offers more specific ideas and connections to consider, maybe leading deeper into potential answers.