A couple of years ago, right around January, I made the decision that 2013 would be the year that I finally quit my job to freelance full-time. From the time I made that decision to the moment I gave my final notice only six months had gone by.
In six months I’d managed to brand myself, build a business and nearly replace the income from my day job. It can be done. And if you’re ready, willing and able to do the work, this can be your reality as well.
Here’s what you need to do to quit your job to freelance full time in six months.
Crunch The Numbers
If I had to pick one hindrance to be able to quit my day job sooner, it would be the fact that I avoided money like the plague. It wasn’t until I got clear on what numbers I actually needed to hit that I was able to make a game plan to make some money.
The reality is that if you’re serious about wanting to quit your day job to freelance full-time, you also have to get serious about money.
Determine how much you actually need to make in order to quit. Don’t guess this number either – whip out your bank statements and your bills to figure it out. You may be surprised to find that you need to make less than you initially thought in order to quit your day job.
Once you have this number don’t be surprised if it suddenly becomes easier to start making some good money as a freelancer. Clarity is everything when reaching big goals and quitting your job to freelance full-time is no different.
Make Some Choices
I made some choices when I decided to quit my day job to freelance full-time. Most of the choices were financial. I decided to not buy a car and I decided to stay home to I wouldn’t have to worry about paying astronomical rent while building my business.
Some people would say, “Wow you made some serious sacrifices there” but I don’t see it that way. I see it as making conscious choices to get to where I want to go as quickly as possible.
By cutting my expenses and purposely, I didn’t have to worry about making more money to quit my job. Everything was covered with my freelancing income in a matter of a few months.
Not everyone can crash on their mom’s couch or get away without having a car, but there are choices you can make to help you bring down your expenses to quit your day job faster. It’s much easier to do this than it is to try and make six figures your first year to keep up with your lifestyle.
Learn How to Sell
In order to quit your day job to freelance full-time, you need to make money. Guess what – you can’t make money unless you learn how to sell.
In the world of online business, there is a pervasive mentality of “build it and they will come.” This will only get you so far (and very slowly at that). The reality is if you want to quit your day job in six months you’re going to have to hustle – hard.
Learn what you offer and how to sell it. Believe it or not, it’s as simple as getting on the phone or showing up to local events. It’s also as easy as hitting up some job boards and applying to freelance gigs. You don’t need the perfect website, a massive social media following or have Oprah call to start making money with your business.
Final Thoughts
It is possible to quit your day job to freelance full time. And it’s definitely possible to do it in a matter of a few months. I’ve done it as have many of my friends and colleagues. While those months may be a little rough as you cut expenses and make tough choices, it will help you get to the day you can finally say “I quit!”
