I write “self-employed” in the occupation field, but the truth is that I just employ myself in a company I created.
In reality, I am a freelancer. I have been freelancing for 25 years. Let me share some tips.
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Decide that you are going to “earn money!” Surprisingly, many people are unclear about this. Some people believe that making money or money itself is “bad.” But that won’t do. Not only do you have to support yourself, but you also need to send your children to school and take care of your parents. Money is essential. Earn it. Set specific monetary goals.
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Earning money leads to paying taxes. Only when you can pay taxes can you be considered a full-fledged freelancer. I’ve seen that selfish people who think “I only need to do well for myself” without a sense of circulation don’t last.
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Some people are suited to freelancing, and some are not. You should know best whether you are suited for it. If you’re not, choose a way of working where someone employs you.
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Make payments quickly (instantly). Payments are also circulation. Those who are fast at this do well. Those who are slow inevitably do not.
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Invoice quickly (with the client’s consent). Invoicing means payment for the other party. There are arrangements for payments, so confirm the client’s convenience and invoice as soon as possible. There are cases where invoices come three months after the work is done. However, such people do not stand out; they remain unclear.
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Let go of ego. Business is a lesson in letting go of ego. Think in terms of overall improvement, not just for yourself. For example, the idea of “Planetary Health” advocated by Risa Kirimura connects human health and the health of the planet, and the solution is to restore healthy soil through daily food choices.
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Prioritize health. The cause of illness is stress. However, it is impossible to eliminate stress as long as you live in modern society. What to do? Become foolish (carefree). Do not worry seriously. Laugh and say, “I don’t understand. Haha.” Like Yamada-kun, a classmate of Chibi Maruko-chan. By the way, Yamada-kun’s first name is Shota, which means “laughing boy.” Nice!!
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Be mindful of what you eat for health. At most three times a day, for some people, twice. Cherish those few meals. People living in urban areas can easily and cheaply get various things. There are convenience stores, drugstores, and supermarkets. However, “good for the body” things are hard to find. I deliberately order water and miso from Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, and vegetables from Niigata. You can buy water anywhere, but I searched for what suits me. It may be expensive per unit, but considering the cost when you get sick, it’s cheap. Really.
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Likewise, for health, laugh. Just laugh.
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Look at the sky. When I started my business in New York, I often looked at the sky. My anxieties and worries disappeared.
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Set a purpose in life. I said to earn money, but that’s a goal, not a purpose. Why do you live? Is the work you do as a freelancer in line with your purpose? It doesn’t have to be something grand like world peace. The purpose has no size. It’s private.
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Create or join a community. JOYWOW and MAIDO are supported by communities. The term “lone freelancer” is an oxymoron like “black swan.” Be part of a web of friends.
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Be diligent. Many people are busy creating spreadsheets but don’t spend time communicating with clients or learning new ideas. Creating spreadsheets earns nothing. Today’s success is tomorrow’s failure. Be diligent and embrace new things.
These are just my rough thoughts, but there might be more.
Please refer to them. Mahalo!!
#Freelancing
#freelancer
#discoverjapan
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#planetaryhealth
