The money vs freedom debate
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As someone who earns a living as a freelance writer, I make decent money. Enough to pay the bills and live comfortably. But even though the income is great, what I value more than the money is the freedom.
The freedom I have with my time and schedule matters more to me than solely chasing the highest paycheck.
After years of working 9-5 office jobs for bigfirms, getting to be location independent and make my routine feels like the real “payoff” of being a freelancer.
Don’t get me wrong – the money is important too. I need a steady income to survive and support my family. I’m motivated to make as much as I can through my writing.
But money has never been my ultimate goal or metric of “success.”
What I care about more is doing work I find meaningful on a schedule that works for my lifestyle.
Freedom and flexibility are worth prioritizing over salary alone.
Having control of my time means I don’t have to miss important family moments or social events anymore because I’m chained to a rigid work calendar.
As a freelancer, I have the freedom to plan my weeks in a way that integrates writing with all other areas of my life I care about too.
That balance and autonomy matter to me more than accumulating maximum wealth.
Chasing money above all else can put other pursuits and relationships at risk of being neglected.
I’ve learned that enough is enough when it comes to income as long as you have enough to live well and pursue goals that inspire you.
Of course, the freedom I have now didn’t happen overnight. It took effort to build a freelance writing business that allows me to support myself and still have flexibility with my schedule.
When I first went out on my own, it was tough splitting focus between doing the work and also handling sales, marketing, finances, and everything else that goes into being independent.
Juggling the business side of freelancing as a one-man business without the structure of a company was intimidating.
But once I got my legs under me and figured out strategies for securing a steady stream of writing clients, I could ease off the gas a little.
The tradeoff was worth it. My energy and time got freed up from office drudgery to be directed toward creative projects I cared about – and the people in my life I wanted to make room for too.
Wrapping Up
The moral here is that money can provide security, yes. But it shouldn’t eclipse all other measures of success or priorities.
My autonomy as a freelancer writer allows me both income and independence at a level that keeps me fulfilled. That’s prosperity beyond a pay rate alone.
If you’re curious to hear more about how I successfully made the leap out of corporate life, I tell my full story in the article below.
How I Quit My Job and Became a Full-Time Writer
Discover how you too can transition into work you find meaningful with the freedom to build a schedule that suits your lifestyle.
There are more rewarding routes than just chasing the highest salary if you dare to explore them.
I hope this helps you. If it did, be sure to clap me a thousand times (joking, a few tens would do), leave me a comment (it will encourage me a lot — smiles), and share this with someone you know needs it (they say sharing is caring).
