Hopping into the world of freelancing is sort of like hurling yourself head-first off a cliff into the icy waters of the Pacific without a lifejacket: it’s a little insane. Sure, you’re golden if you know how to swim, but you’re a little you-know-what if you haven’t the foggiest about how to get to shore. It's undestandeable that you're gonna run into some common freelance mistakes.

I will be the first to admit that I’ve made some wacky decisions and mistakes during my time as a freelance writer, and a lot of those mistakes are not unique to me personally. 

In fact, conversations with fellow writers and freelancers all around the world have shown me just how common these mishaps are for newbies, and I don’t want you to experience the same fate! 

That’s why I’ve collected a list of the top five most common freelance mistakes that nearly every new freelancer makes so you can learn from my blunders!

Selling Yourself Short

Underestimating yourself is the biggest mistake you can make when starting out with freelancing.

One of the common freelance mistakes you can make when transitioning into basically any new career, is selling yourself short. What do I mean by this? Well, a couple of things actually:

• Underestimating your financial worth (i.e. settling for a smaller hourly or project rate)
• Underestimating your expertise in a particular field
• Believing that you don’t know enough to apply for a particular job or to work with a specific client

What do all of these mindsets have in common? They are limiting, and they’re enough to stall or even reroute your new career as a freelancer! 

Read more: How To Get Competitive Freelance Earnings

Sure, you may be starting out, but you have to believe that you have something unique to contribute to this space (if you didn’t, you wouldn’t have decided to pursue this dream in the first place!). 

Accepting Projects You Don’t Love

Accept the project that you actually like; don't bombard yourself with stuff you don't enjoy in!

Similarly, try not to accept a bunch of projects or work that doesn’t excite you or challenge you. This is yet another one of common freelance mistakes. There will be a few building projects along the way that help build your portfolio and attract other clients, but don’t pigeon hole yourself into 40 hours per week of this type of work! 

Remember: you left your previous job or career for a reason and, for most of us, that reason was to pursue a lifestyle and type of work that you truly love! Don’t lose sight of that very important goal!

Not Keeping An Open Mind

Stay open-minded, as you're going to get more and more opportunities!

It is equally important to keep an open mind (and heart!) throughout your entire freelancing career, but this is critical at the onset of your new venture. 

You never know what types of opportunities, projects, or clients may pop up along this new journey, and you never want to put yourself in the position when you miss out altogether because of a closed mind. 

Likewise, you never know what kind of referrals to other opportunities your current clients may give you, which can lead to all sorts of exciting possibilities! So, as always, remember to keep it professional and cordial at all times. Don't make one of the common freelance mistakes and be eager to learn!

No Longer Dreaming or Setting Goals

Even when you're comfortable with your job, dream on and set goals; growth is of utmost importance.

Once you’ve hit a major accomplishment or two in your new freelancing career, it can be easy to become complacent. However, it is vital that you never stop reaching for that next big break or that next big project. This is one of the common freelance mistakes - being too comfortable.

Why? Because growth is the success to the longevity of your new career!

When I first started out as a freelance writer, I had to hustle hard just to land my first few clients. However, once I started growing a bit and built up my portfolio, new opportunities began to pour in! 

What would've happened if I had just stopped and thought, “well this is good enough”? I don’t even want to consider that dark future (especially now that so many exciting opportunities have popped up in the months since)! That same goes for any new freelancer, including you!

Not Trusting Your Gut

If you feel that gut feeling, be intuitive and do something about it!

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: you’ve got to trust your gut! Sometimes, even the most enticing project can just seem…off.

And when this happens, it’s usually a sign of something much more stressful to come. Whether it is a potential client, a new project or a re-negotiation of your current contracts, that feeling deep in your gut is usually trying to tell you something, and it’s about time you listen. 

Read more: How to Follow Your Gut When Making a Career Change

Trust me, I nearly made this very mistake myself on several occasions, and I am very grateful that I listened to that feeling inside my head that, for whatever reason, told me to pass for now. 

After all, one of the biggest perks of becoming a freelancer is the freedom to choose your own work, hours, and clients, and you don’t want to get into the habit of negating that newfound freedom! Identifying the common freelance mistakes is the way to success and freedom!