08-14-2015, 12:09 PM
Yeah, so once I got serious (Sept 2011) I gave myself the goal of getting my first freelance gig in 2012. That was the only real goal for me, because that was the transition criteria for moving earning from the day job to the art. I actually hit it within 3 months, but I quickly realised, that while it was fun, it only paid $100. My procrastination and discipline was so bad that I delivered it late, and ended up hating the process because the money was too little for the time I had put in.
So I decided I wouldn't bother trying to freelance again until I was better with discipline. Also freelancing part-time and working fulltime or part time is not a sustainable practice unless you are uber disciplined and like pain.
Funny story, after 2 years, my skills improved, my discipline didn't, so go figure. I was actually running away from the problem not facing it.
When I finally quit and took the plunge (Feb 2015), My folio hadn't changed a bit since Feb 2014 and yet I started getting jobs, and better paying ones too.
If I had sent my folio out the way I did in Feb this year, a year ago, by skills alone, I would have been freelancing then. My mind just wasn't ready to accept it then. So, here's the thing, you are ready when you are ready. You become a pro when you have enough skills to get people in the door, and enough courage to believe you can do it. Sometimes we don't have the courage to do things, even though we are ready. This is why having someone pro or an AD look at your folio every so often and give you feedback is an important part of knowing when you are ready. I didn't get that often and even when I did, none of them said, you can do it, just go for it. I had just had enough of living in fear so I jumped.
I think if you are focused, and you can work 6 hours + per day, you can be freelancing within 2 years. Again the time will depend on the person. I always felt that I picked things up quickly but I was a lazy ass. (not in hours spent, but in terms of attacking what I knew I should). If you learn a bit slower, but you attack the problems you know you have more efficiently, then yeah you can still do it.
So I decided I wouldn't bother trying to freelance again until I was better with discipline. Also freelancing part-time and working fulltime or part time is not a sustainable practice unless you are uber disciplined and like pain.
Funny story, after 2 years, my skills improved, my discipline didn't, so go figure. I was actually running away from the problem not facing it.
When I finally quit and took the plunge (Feb 2015), My folio hadn't changed a bit since Feb 2014 and yet I started getting jobs, and better paying ones too.
If I had sent my folio out the way I did in Feb this year, a year ago, by skills alone, I would have been freelancing then. My mind just wasn't ready to accept it then. So, here's the thing, you are ready when you are ready. You become a pro when you have enough skills to get people in the door, and enough courage to believe you can do it. Sometimes we don't have the courage to do things, even though we are ready. This is why having someone pro or an AD look at your folio every so often and give you feedback is an important part of knowing when you are ready. I didn't get that often and even when I did, none of them said, you can do it, just go for it. I had just had enough of living in fear so I jumped.
I think if you are focused, and you can work 6 hours + per day, you can be freelancing within 2 years. Again the time will depend on the person. I always felt that I picked things up quickly but I was a lazy ass. (not in hours spent, but in terms of attacking what I knew I should). If you learn a bit slower, but you attack the problems you know you have more efficiently, then yeah you can still do it.