Here’s a question for ya…
Why are you a freelance B2B copywriter?
Or more specifically, why do you do this work every day?
This is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. And if you don’t have a clear answer, you have some homework to do.
I talk with dozens of aspiring writers and copywriters every year. Many of them want to quit their jobs and go freelance because they want to earn more money, get away from a horrible boss, get out of a toxic work environment.
All of these are good reasons to make the leap. But they’re not GREAT reasons.
Here’s the thing. If you want to succeed in this business, you need a big, personal WHY.
And your big WHY should be about much more than money. Or a crappy boss. Or a terrible work environment. Or boredom.
It should be something that will get you out of bed every morning. Something that will help carry you through the tough times. Something that will inspire and drive you beyond today.
Freelancing is wonderful. But it has its own set of challenges. And if you don’t have a powerful fundamental reason for going down this path, it won’t be long before you look for another career.
My WHY is simple, and it has two dimensions.
The first dimension is family. I was in corporate sales prior to going solo. I was doing very well, earning a six-figure income, moving up the ladder.
But weekly travel was about to become an inevitable reality for me.
Trouble was, I didn’t want to be away from my wife and kids all the time. I wanted to be a great dad and husband. I didn’t want to be a stranger to my family.
Becoming self-employed enabled me to do both: earn a great income and be home every day.
I’m proud to say that it’s worked. I spend time with my kids daily. They’re nuts about their dad, especially my little one (my teenage son is currently too “cool” to show a lot of attachment). 😉
I’m there for them. We play ball. We play music. I coach one of their soccer teams. We have fun. I help with homework. I even cook dinner every night.
Of course, not every day is a Kodak moment (or should I say “Facebook” moment?). We have our arguments and struggles. But I’m not a stranger. I’m very involved in their day-to-day lives.
This would not have been possible had I stayed in corporate sales.
Would I have been a good dad? Sure. But probably not a great dad. And I would have probably been filled with regret.
Kids grow up so fast — too fast! I don’t want to miss a single day of that beautiful experience.
That’s my big, main personal WHY: To be a great dad for my kids. And to make a living in a way that enables me to do that.
It’s what keeps me going when things get difficult.
But I also have a secondary WHY. And it has to do with how I’m wired. I’ll explain with a story.
When I was seven years old, I started a candy store out of my carport. It was a huge hit from day one.
That led to other business ideas. Frozen pops. Popcorn. Paper routes. Greeting cards. Puppet shows. All between the age of 8 and 11.
It took me a long time to realize this, but a few years ago, I realized that I love, love, LOVE building things. I love launching and growing businesses that help people because they add huge value to their lives.
I can’t explain why I love this. But I love it for its own sake, not for any other extrinsic reason.
In other words, it has nothing to do with the money or other external reward. It’s truly an intrinsic motivation of mine.
So my other Big WHY is to launch and grow businesses that help and delight people because they add value to their lives in some meaningful way.
So… what’s your WHY?
It’s okay if you’re not sure yet. But before you go too far, take a moment to think about it and to define it clearly.
It will make all the difference in the long-term success of your writing business.
