The Decision to go Pro
Perhaps you are like me. You’ve been pursuing your creative thing(s) for a number of years, either as a hobbyist, or thinking of yourself as a professional without quite making progress on a professional level. Perhaps, like me, your daily actions don’t quite reflect what you know to be professional behavior
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Some of this I've learned the easy way; some of it I've learned the hard way. Not necessarily in any particular order, but I'll start with the highest priority.
Do what you've said you will do, always. Even when it's clearly going to create a loss for you. If your word is evidently more important than convenience, a return customer won't balk at raised prices or more realistic deadlines. Your short-term luxuries aren't worth the long-term value of your word.
Make a contract. Put things in black-and-white! Clearly defined expectations are easier to meet, and harder to disappoint.
If you have a contract, honor it. If you've made a verbal agreement, honor that too.
If you find out you're being cheated within a contract's terms, do what you can to remedy that, but be prepared to honor your declared side of the bargain insofar as you're able.
If you make a contract and subsequently feel like you've made a poor agreement, don't be afraid to ask for a change in terms...but be prepared to honor your commitment regardless of the response. Poor research is no excuse for poor follow-through; the lesson you learn from a badly made contract is worth the deal's inequity.
Reward others for their contributions to your success, voluntarily and cheerfully, whether they expect it or not. Favors are nice, but repaying favors is even nicer.
Work harder than you think you ought to. Few do. The difference shows.
Don't work so hard that you can't work well when you're working.
Learn the difference between lots of work and good hard work.
A job well-done is great...but it's only half-done if you don't document it well to prove your scratch to prospective clients.
In short ...
Be there. Do the work. Finish the work. Promote the result.
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