Your attitude can get the job done!

A career in freelance writing is not for the faint of heart. It’s especially not for writers who do not have a strong sense of character, good principles, and the right attitude.

Successful people owe only 15% of their victory to their intelligence, according to a discussion called Intelligence Is Overrated.

The other 85%, they say, is linked to their “human engineering” skills – or how they effectively influence and communicate with others and manage the tasks in their to-do lists.

To inch closer to success yourself, you might want to follow their lead.

Your attitude matters and there are four reasons for that.

1 – Attitude affects your performance

Firstly, know that you’re a freelance writer. In this profession, know that you need to always be at the top of your game.

You can make it happen by focusing on your strengths and working on your weaknesses.

For example, can you churn out a 1000-word article within 1 hour? If so, consider it as a strength and make that work for you.

If not, consider it a weakness. Be assertive and start choosing your next play.

You have two options:

1. Focus on a strength such as writing SEO-friendly and keyword-rich articles under the e-mail marketing niche, or
2. Work on your weakness, which means training yourself to be able to write fast

Regardless of your choice, invest your time in what makes you better. Commit to polishing your writing skills as needed.

2 – Attitude helps you conquer the competition

Secondly, your attitude has your back in times of competition.

In the freelance writing industry, you may be on your own with where and how you work. But know that a sea of competitors is out there.

If you don’t sell yourself, the day when you join your competitors in greener pastures may not come. Landing high-paying jobs, meeting great employers and forward-thinkers, and enjoying bountiful rewards may not be in your cards.

Worse, your competitors could crush you.

But if you have the right attitude, coming out strong from the competition is a piece of cake. Even if things go south, you can still stand with your head held high.

For you, what matters is the end game. Your competitiveness has influenced you to produce more work with better quality.

On the flip side, your competitors are likely to outperform you if you get a serious moral crisis every time you distinguish right from wrong.

A bad attitude comes with detrimental effects. Once you hear the news of your competitors being ahead of you, you tend to be hostile, envious, and destructive.

The Silo Effect by celebrated journalist Gillian Tett is a book that illustrates how competitiveness can result in toxic work surroundings. If the participants in a competition are not on the same page in terms of attitude, you can bid adieu to harmony.

Remember that competition shouldn’t be about bettering another person at face value. Neither should it be merely about winning nor should it be about making someone feel inferior.

Rather, it should be about bettering your skills to come out as the winner.

3 - Attitude can help you learn

You can also be a better learner with the right attitude.

Are you willing to let go of familiar knowledge to make room for something you don't know? Are you willing to be corrected? If so, it seems like you’re a learner.

The right attitude = an open mind. With one, you'll absorb and retain the correct kind of information. And you'll have no problem turning your back on information that once was acceptable.

It also helps you in the following ways:

• Improving productivity
• Improving time management skills
• Encouraging proactive approaches
• Encouraging the proposals of helpful suggestions
• Boosting creativity
• Promoting sensible thinking
• Reducing stress

4 – Attitude helps you adapt to (and embrace) change

You can also count on the right attitude to help you deal with changes effectively. Of course, changes are somehow cemented in your line of work.

As a freelance writer, it’s not rare for you to accommodate different clients regularly. Heck, you might even be the type who handles different clients daily.

Handling different clients can sound exciting. But it can also intimidate you considering the number of new procedures, new tools, and new work environments that you may have to welcome.

Change is so many things rolled into one. It’s uncomfortable, overwhelming, terrifying, unfamiliar, and maybe even life-altering.

But in this industry, you’ll often find yourself on the verge of crossing a line. And most of the time, you need to decide fast.

You’re left with the choice between adapting and turning back. With the right attitude, the solution is a no-brainer: you must adapt.

Conclusion

So, assess yourself. Your attitude may have been nurtured from your environment early on. But you always own the choice on what to do with it in the long run.

If your attitude needs polishing, work on it!

Be realistic, surround yourself with the right crowd, and learn from your mistakes are among the tips that can help you adjust your attitude and change your mindset for the better. More tips are just within your reach.

Published first at meoantolin.com