The secret to success is 10,000 hours, according to American Journalist, Malcolm Gladwell, in his new book "Outliers: The Story of Success".
Gladwell describes who he calls ‘Outliers’ as high achievers, the very best, brightest and most successful people in society and cites well known examples such as Bill Gates, Bill Joy (that’s William Nelson Joy), The Beatles and others - who have, apparently, all put in at least 10,000 hours of practice in their chosen fields.
It’s an interesting theory - although the ‘10,000 hours’ is only part of the picture. (The theory is not his own, but drawn from various studies including that of Psychologist K. Anders Ericsson and colleagues). Obviously, intelligence and talent play an important part, plus what Gladwell argues is a degree of social advantage. (source article)
One doesn’t have to be an aspiring Outlier to understand the concept of ‘hard graft’ and the old adage "practice makes perfect" is, frankly, good old common sense. However, even these two admirable qualities of hard work and plenty of practice seem inadequate, when faced with the particular challenges many face as Freelancers amidst the current economic crisis.
Perhaps more essential for surviving these difficult times is not so much spending more hours on work or practice, but spending more time and effort into smarter work/practice and adopting an innovative approach to sourcing new projects.
Keeping an eye on Trade Press and online news will help to keep up-to-date with current trends in your relevant area of expertise.
For example, in spite of (and even because of) the current recession, people will always have the dream of financial freedom and independence, hence reports of a modest rise in new entrepreneurs, start-ups and businesses. Goods and services that help consumers to save money are on the increase, as are green businesses offering environmentally friendly products and services. These will all, undoubtedly, require experienced Copywriters.
There is a continuing boom in Internet businesses, but in view of Web 2.0 (think Google Adsense, Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Cost-per-Click, Page Ranking and Content Analysis) and evolving SEO Algorithms, this presents a unique opportunity for Web Designers, Programmers and SEO Experts to hone their skills accordingly.
Similarly, as businesses embrace the power of the internet seeking more direct and immediate means of marketing, many are turning to various forms of Internet Marketing. One gathering particular momentum is the use of Viral Marketing, an Internet Marketing tool that encourages people to pass on a commercial message via email. This requires expertise in SEO in addition to Web Public Relations.
So keeping an eye on current trends will help you to stay ahead of the game, as it were, keeping those doors of opportunity open for new (and lucrative) projects.
Smarter working means staying focused - a challenge if you are constantly worrying about the bills. However it is probably more important now than ever not to become distracted and lose site of your goals. Fine tuning and periodically reviewing those goals will help you to stay on track.
Keeping productivity high is a must, so a periodic review of your goals will also help you to stay balanced in what you are able to achieve. However, you may need to learn when to say no. This might seem like a contradiction in terms and even foolhardy given the current economic situation, but taking on too many projects risks producing shoddy work, which benefits no one.
There may be a temptation (or even pressure) to hastily reduce prices, but doing so could prove to be detrimental. Not only does this reduce profits, but it can serve to devalue you in the eyes of your customers. If prices have been sensibly and reasonably set from the outset, there should be no need to reduce them out of seeming desperation.
And finally, despite all the turmoil, smarter working involves keeping a look on the bright side of life (to coin a phrase). So networking either online or offline with other businesses or like-minded individuals can help you to stay upbeat with fresh and inspiring ideas.
Ultimately, whatever the area of expertise and whatever challenges are faced, nurturing, developing and retaining solid relationships with existing clients is a must. Being proactive and developing a sense of trust will most certainly, if not always, win referrals.
And as for Gladwell’s ‘10,000 hours’, if you do decide to take this literally, it amounts to 20 hours of practice every week over the course of 10 years - in which case, I suspect many have a good deal of catching up to do.
©Mary Cummings
Antecell Business Services - Design & Copywriting
Dec 23, 2008
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