More important than food or money

Why do you eat the things you eat?

Sure, there’s the whole eat-to-survive issue. But, if you only eat to stay alive, then you may as well stick with water and basic, bland food every day. But who could be happy with that?

Our food choices go far beyond basic nourishment. Most of us drink coffee for a quick pick-me-up. We grill burgers in celebration of summer. We sip wine at formal dinners and eat cake on special occasions.

We eat certain foods to feel satisfied, not just to survive.

It’s a lot like (here’s our food connection for the day) freelance writing …

We write for pay because we want or need money. If there were no other factors at play, there’d be no point in varying our writing projects or learning about new techniques.

All you’d really need is to find someone to pay you for basic writing skills, and you’d be set.

But that’s not at all what this gig is about.

Above and beyond the money you can earn, the writer’s life is about freedom … access … and enjoyment.

Living the life of a freelance writer is more about being wholly satisfied with life and less about making a lot of money — the same way eating is about more than just sustaining your body.

And that’s your ticket to feeling satisfied with life, not just surviving. Take what you do each day you live and translate it into something tremendously valuable. Live for the moment, whether that means meeting a friend for an impromptu coffee or simply lingering in the car while your favorite song plays.

It boils down to this: As a freelance writer, you have the ability to create moments of joy every day you’re alive.

That wraps things up for the week. I hope you enjoy your fair share of festive holiday meals over the next month … and in between all the eating, remember our five key lessons in freelance writing success.

If you have any additional comments — or recipes even — please share here!

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Published: December 2, 2011

2 Responses to “More Important Than Food or Money”

  1. This is so true. We need to remind ourselves of the intrinsic satisfaction of our work and not become distracted about the client's behavior, our crowded list of activities, and whether or not we bid too low for the gig.

    Saleem Rana

  2. "As a freelance writer, you have the ability to create moments of joy every day you’re alive."

    Absolutely, Mindy! That is so totally true!

    Ann Jordan-Mills


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