I am slowly learning, as all new business-owners all over the world do when they are just starting out, that there is a never-ending need to learn. Learn more about yourself, the industry you are in, the trends that are coming and the fads that are disappearing… Learning is growing, and growing in every aspect you can is what makes a successful person successful.

You Have What It Takes

The most important trait a successful freelance graphic designer must have is Confidence. Confidence in the ability that your designs are great. Confidence that your XHTML & CSS website developing skills are superb and always compliant with the ever-growing standards.

Confident that you can get more clients if you try, and that you can overcome any challenge that comes your way. If you try. You can have the best resources and plan for everything ahead of time, but without confidence, those resources and plans aren't anything special. 

You have to want to make it as a full-time freelancer. Nobody else can do it for you. You have to be the one to make it happen. This means that you need to have the ability to learn, to grow, to work extremely long hours, better yourself, try new things, and not be scared of obstacles that lie between you and the completion of the smallest or biggest project you can ever dream of taking on. It takes work!

"If you fail as a freelancer, it's something that you caused. There is a direct correlation between your efforts and your success."
- Angela Ferraro-Fanning

You Have The Skills

You may have the greatest design skills in the world, but that's not what I'm talking about here…

They say that a job isn't a job if you're happy doing it. If you are truly passionate about freelancing whatever niche(s) you find yourself in, than it really isn't a job but a satisfying way of making money to live life to its fullest. Encourage yourself to do things better than the last time and to do things you haven't been comfortable doing in the past.

A successful person has the "can-do" attitude. The mindset to get things done with an extremely high level of paying attention to detail. The details will get noticed. The sloppiness will get noticed even more.

Opinions matter, and constructive criticism is essential. You have to be able to listen, not hear, but listen to others' opinions. Don't just take opinions and run with it, but understand why the people giving you feedback are thinking they way they are.

Why do they think this looks better than this? Why did they say I should change the color green to a lighter shade? Understand why they proposed a change in your work and you may find yourself asking yourself questions you didn't think of. Questions that will make your projects better than they would have been. 

You can already communicate visually, but what about verbally? And you're writing skills? I'll be the first to admit that I am not the best communicator, but I have the want (and need) to learn how to overcome my fears and obstacles. This is something I am learning to do better everyday. Some have a harder time with learning different things, but we all get there eventually if we try.

A few other skills a freelancer must acquire at some point in their career:

• the ability to make decisions quickly
• be organized
• be efficient
• be persuasive
• be productive with your time
• and a SELF-MOTIVATOR

What about you?

Are you a successful freelancer? Share your insight or real life stories and help us up and coming freelance designers in our journey to success!