The Five Lies Series

Lie Number One: Anyone can do this. Nobody is going to hire you. 

My wife worked her butt off so that once our little bundle of joy arrived, I'd be able to stay home with him for a whole year. Once that year came to a close and discussions arose about me going back to work, the idea of writing from home in my PJs and staying home with the boy seemed much more appealing. So I decided to get serious about writing full time to make extra income for our family. But as soon as I'd get going, submitting proposals to online writing platforms looking for clients, that annoying little voice would remind me that "Anyone can do this. Nobody is going to hire you."

Writing came so naturally to me, it was fun, and I enjoyed it, which had to mean that it wasn't work. Why would anyone pay someone to write their web content or their blogs instead of just doing it themselves? I was sure that because it was easy for me, it must be easy for everyone else, and my skills and experience were not valuable.

Well lemme tell you, that was lie number one.

Your gifts and talents, my gifts and talents, are ours for a reason. We can do things that many other people can not do. My wife can look at a math problem, or a glitching computer, or a smoking something-or-other that lives under the hood of my car, analyze tinker, and bada-boom-bada-bing. Her brain is wired to do that. She's good at it. And if she weren't my wife, I'd gladly pay her to help me with these types of things. She has a unique and valuable skill set. And so do I.

My friend Paige can look at a picture of a barn and use watercolors to actually paint a picture of a freakin' barn. That's insane. Do you know what would happen if I even tried to paint a picture of a barn?

My brother can walk into any room, stand on any stage, and immediately captivate the entire room. He does not hyperventilate. He does not lose sleep. He probably barely even practices. He's just good at it and what comes so naturally to him would make me hide in a hole.

My friend Jordan is like a DIY home improvement master. She can tear down a wall, paint a fireplace (didn't even know you could do that) plant a garden, install a ceiling fan, build a deck and retile her floors like nobody's business — all while wrangling twins. I barely know how to GET to Home Depot.

Five years into this whole freelance writing thing, I've realized the truth.

The truth is, what I can do is valuable. What comes easy to me does not come easy to other people. The thought of sitting down and writing a blog makes me excited; for other people, it makes them want to puke. Or maybe they can do it, but they're busy living lives and working in a career that they are good at and simply don't have the time. Either way, I have the time and the talent to do it, and people will hire me.

Lots of people have hired me.

Do not let that little annoying voice tell you that anyone can do what you do. Do not believe that whisper that tells you your skills are not valuable. There is someone out there who wishes they could do what comes so naturally to you. So be proud of what you do, market the heck out of yourself, and remember that you have a lot to offer.